Colorful, symbolic, deeply ritual and awaited by more and more people in Italy too: the Chinese New Year it is one of the most fascinating celebrations in the world and, for years, the Bel Paese has also been experiencing it in an increasingly intense and participatory way. Between dancing dragons, red lanterns and the aromas of typical street food, the Lunar New Year becomes an ideal opportunity to travel without taking a plane, crossing cities that transform into real cultural bridges between East and West.
Chinese New Year falls in 2026 between February 16 (eve) and February 17official date for the start of the celebrations, which will continue until March 3 with the traditional Lantern Festival. This year begins under the sign of Fire Horsea powerful combination that combines the free, dynamic and independent nature of the Horse with the transformative and passionate force of the Fire element.
Here is a calendar full of events that enliven squares, neighborhoods and communities throughout Italywith unmissable events in Prato, Milan and Rome.
Chinese New Year in Prato
Prato hosts the most important Chinese New Year in Italy and one of the most important in Europe. Here, the festival is not just an event, but the history of a multicultural city, symbol of a Tuscany contemporary and far from stereotypes which celebrates one of the largest European Chinese communities.
The celebrations begin Monday February 16 at 5 p.m.with the evocative sound of the bell Pu Hua Buddhist Templein perfect alignment with midnight Beijing. A symbolic gesture which officially opens the Year of the Fire Horse.
But the most awaited moment arrives Sunday February 22when the historic center is transformed into an open-air stage: the grand parade of dragons and the spectacular lion dance they travel through the city among sounds, colors and thousand-year-old choreographies. It is the event that best describes the soul of Italy’s largest Chinese community and the living dialogue between different cultures. Alongside the parade, Prato’s Chinese New Year offers exhibitions, guided tours and cultural activities organized by the Orientiamoci in Cina association in collaboration with the municipality, offering an immersive experience that goes beyond the party.
Chinese New Year in Milan
Milan couldn’t miss with his Chinatown on Via Paolo Sarpi: this year the city of Milan, below Olympic Games among other things, it celebrates the Chinese New Year with its cosmopolitan and dynamic style, transforming itself for a few days into an open-air Asian capital.
The official start of the celebrations is Tuesday February 17, 2026date which marks the entry into the Year of the Fire Horse. The climax is the parade of dragonsscheduled for the same day from 2:00 p.m., departure from Piazza Sempione – Arch of Peace. A spectacular event that combines dance, music, acrobatics and traditional costumes, attracting thousands of spectators each year. The great dragon, symbol of luck and prosperity, parades to applause and drums in an atmosphere of collective celebration.
The celebrations they close on March 3, 2026 with the evocative Lantern Festival, when the Via Paolo Sarpi district lights up in red, between suspended lights, conviviality and references to the most authentic tradition.
Chinese New Year in Rome
Rome welcomes the Year of the Fire Horse with a calendar of large-scale events that combine popular festivals and cultural events. The beating heart of the festival is, as tradition dictates, the Esquilino districtsymbol of the multiculturalism of the Capital.
The celebrations begin on February 17 and culminate on the weekend of February 21-22, 2026, when the Nicola Calipari Gardens in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II they turn into a big oriental village with free entry, open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.. Between kiosks, crafts, gastronomic specialties, dance shows and martial arts demonstrations, the atmosphere is that of a party that appeals to all the senses.
The most awaited moment is at the parade dragons and lions, programmed Sunday February 22 at 10:00 a.m.with a parade between viale Manzoni and via Principe Eugenio. Then, at 1 p.m., the official ceremony in the presence of the Chinese ambassador seals one of the most significant events in the Roman calendar.