New Year's Eve

December 31

New Year's Eve, or "Capodanno" all over Italy is an occasion to stretch a meal until the clock strikes 12!  If you are invited to a house party for Capodanno, bring an appetite and be prepared for course after course of food traditions that symbolize prosperity in the new year.

The most ubiquitous New Year's Eve food tradition in Italy hails from the Emilia-Romagna region.  Called "cotechino", it's an ultra-rich boiled sausage sliced into coins and served on top of lentils.  

In Massa Marittima in particular, the towns people gather in the main piazza to enjoy the children's ice rink and a midnight countdown and fireworks show with the Cathedral of San Cerbone serving as the strinking backdrop!

Friendly townspeople work the booths set up around the piazza serving mulled wine, cocktails, and street food plates as part of the Christmas markets.