Chinese New Year’s Eve in Italy: all the events to celebrate it

The three Italian cities with the largest Chinese communities are Milan, Rome and Prato, and it is here that the most beautiful New Year parades take place.

Chinese New Year in Prato this year will feature a large number of events, mostly taking place in the Gualchierina Square area. Among the program's activities will include theater performances, photo exhibitions, and tastings of typical Chinese New Year food. But the most anticipated moment will be the dragon and lion dance, traditional symbols that wish good luck to the whole community and drive away evil spirits.

In Rome, preparations for the Lunar New Year are in full swing. Beijing and the Eternal City have been twinned since 1998. The main celebration is held in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II in the Esquiline district. Many Chinese have settled in this area of the city, where you can find goods not only from China but from the entire Eastern market.

Milan is home to Italy's largest Chinese community, and it is here that New Year's Eve is at its most spectacular and atmospheric. In the famous Paolo Sarpi street, the heart of Milan's Chinatown, you can find restaurants, delicatessens, clothes shops, hardware shops and Chinese handicrafts open all year round.

With the Milan City Card, you can benefit from exclusive discounts at numerous attractions during your stay in the city for the Chinese New Year's Eve celebrations.

The Chinese New Year coincides with the year's second full moon, occurring on the fifteenth day of the lunar cycle. The festivities last for 15 days, featuring a variety of traditional events and rituals, and conclude with the beautiful Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on February 12 this year.

During the two weeks of festivities, Chinese communities across Italy welcome the new year with a rich array of activities, from dragon and lion parades to fireworks, as well as performances, culinary events, and moments of prayer.

Here are some key elements of Chinese tradition to look out for if you plan to celebrate this colourful occasion in Italy.

China is the birthplace of gunpowder, so it's not surprising that fireworks are such an important part of the New Year celebrations.

Fireworks are set off during the festivities at the stroke of midnight to symbolise the end of the old year and the beginning of the new.

Along with the fireworks, bells are rung everywhere as a sign of good fortune for the coming year. Italy and China share this fascinating passion: it will be a sensational spectacle!

Both spectacular traditions have become symbols of Chinese New Year around the world. During the Dragon Dance and the less famous but equally evocative Lion Dance, huge crowds of people dance and sing through the streets of cities, carrying paper representations of these powerful animals in procession.

During the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of Chinese New Year, the streets are filled with colour: you can see flying and standing lanterns of all shapes and sizes everywhere. The mini hot air balloons are left on display all day and night and the spectacle is truly picturesque!

Wondering what to wear for the Lunar New Year celebrations? Whatever you like, as long as it’s red!

Chinese tradition features countless rituals to welcome the new era in the best way possible, and one of the most important involves this passionate colour, a symbol of luck and prosperity.

Clothing, underwear, gift decorations, street ornaments, and door hangings—all turn a brilliant shade of red. Of course, the iconic lanterns, too, come all in red to light up the sky and create an enchanting, unforgettable setting.

What better occasion than the Lunar New Year to stop by a traditional restaurant and explore the endless flavours of one of the world’s most delicious cuisines! Here are some tips on what to eat during Chinese New Year in Italy to stay true to tradition.

The Chinese pay meticulous attention to food preparation: each dish carries its own special meaning and must be served according to specific rituals.

Fish, for instance, symbolises abundance and is believed to bring luck for a prosperous year. To attract good fortune, however, it should be eaten last. Spring rolls signify prosperity, sticky rice cake indicates growth, rice noodles represent happiness and longevity, and sweet rice balls suggest family harmony. Dumplings embody wealth; for this reason, some chefs hide a small copper coin inside one during the New Year’s Eve feast—whoever finds it is destined to become rich!

The system of the Chinese zodiac revolves around a cycle of 12 years, with each year associated with a symbolic animal. Additionally, the five elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water – define each cycle imparting distinctive characteristics.

On 29 January 2025, the Year of the Wood Snake begins, a symbol of wisdom, transformation, and introspection associated with qualities such as elegance, intuition, and strong determination. The new year will reflect them in part, reverberating a sense of peace and harmony and spreading a certain desire for transformation, to pursue with common sense and strategy.

In Chinese astrology, the birth year holds significant importance, as the associated zodiac animal represents a clear spiritual and psychological imprint. Those born in a Year of the Wood Snake are considered reserved, wise, and shrewd, with a deep appreciation for beauty and culture.

Also, experiencing the year of your zodiac sign is seen as a challenge, a time of tests essential for personal growth. However, everyone can adopt certain practices to ward off bad luck, such as wearing red clothing,  jade gemstones, or crystal jewellery.