Christmas 2022 and New Year 2023 in Sassari
Sassari dresses up for Christmas: this is the title of the program of events presented by the largest municipality in Sardinia in collaboration with local associations and productive realities. The program is very rich and covers the period from December 2, 2022 to January 8, 2023, also enlivening the New Year and the Epiphany.
Between Christmas-themed installations and light projections in the squares and on the buildings, trees and decorations, concerts, theatrical performances, the artist’s crib in the public gardens, exhibitions, workshops and the New Year’s Eve dance party, the city wears its best dress and becomes very attractive to both residents and tourists.
In addition to the calendar of events and the marvelous locations in which they take place, we remind you that Sassari has, moreover, much more to offer among monuments and places of interest that can be visited, such as the Church of San Pietro di Silki, the Fountain of Rosello, Casa Montanyans, Palazzo Manca di Usini, the Castle, the pre-Nuragic complex of Monte d’Accoddi, the park of Monserrato and Lake Baratz, just to name a few. But there is also a pleasant surprise by pausing only in the places indicated in the program, which we will re-propose below.
To Sassari from the mainland with ferries to Porto Torres
To get to Sassari from the mainland, as a convenient alternative to the plane, you can take a ship from central or northern Italy to Porto Torres and from here continue towards the destination, which is 22 kilometers away, by car via the provincial road 125, or by train, taxi or bus (ARST line 719).
The Civitavecchia – Porto Torres ferries during the Christmas period leave every Sunday at night and take eight hours; the carrier is a cruise ferry and the fast check-in service is active on the route, i.e. with the ticket purchased online you can go directly to the ship’s access ramp, skipping the line for acceptance at the port ticket office; at the link you can find timetables and prices and you can buy the ticket.
The Genoa – Porto Torres ferries leave every day in the evening and take ten hours of navigation. Also in this case, you can go directly alongside with the paper or digital ticket purchased online; on the page to which the relative link refers, timetables and prices can be consulted and it is possible to proceed with the purchase of the travel document. The cost varies whether you embark with a vehicle or not and according to the type of accommodation chosen.
Schedule of Christmas events
It begins on Friday 2 December at the CineTeatro Astra with an event in favor of dialogue for peace, prologue to the 2022 opera season at the Teatro Comunale: the same evening you can attend the melodrama “La Traviata”, which is repeated on Sunday, when at the Teatro Verdi the XXI edition of “(To) Be in Jazz” starts, characterized by concerts with aperitifs and a theatrical show is staged at the CineTeatro. From 3 December, the little ones can have fun on the rides in Piazza Castello and Piazza d’Italia.
Starting from Sunday 4 December 2022, “Luci in Miniera” illuminates the Argentiera, making a visit to the former mining village even more fascinating, also thanks to the workshops organized for adults and children. There is a musical show on Monday 5 December at the Sala Sassu Conservatory of Music. Tuesday 6 December there are celebrations in honor of San Nicola, patron saint of the city, in the Cathedral and in Piazza Duomo. The same evening, at the Teatro Verdi, there is a theatrical meeting with Daniel Pennac. From 7 to 24 December Piazza Fiume is enlivened by the Christmas celebrations in the House of Santa Claus. On Wednesday 7 December the show and traveling entertainment “Santu Nigora our Santa Claus” wanders around Largo Cavallotti, Via Luzzatti, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and Piazza Tola; in the evening there is a Christmas concert in the Church of the Sacred Heart and an opera-symphonic concert in the municipal theater. Thursday 8 December children aged 6 to 14 can attend a show dedicated to them in the CineTeatro Astra; moreover, from the day of the Immaculate Conception, large luminous paintings that have the Nativity as their theme are installed in the public gardens between via Tavolara and viale Italia, also involving children with games and workshops (artist’s crib).
On Friday 9 there is the musical show “Musiche da filmare” in the Sala Sassu of the Conservatory of Music, where the following day the international literary prize “Città di Sassari – Plics” is presented; in the evening, the Cathedral of San Nicola is the venue for the Great Christmas Concert. On 10 and 11 December, children aged 3 to 14 can attend a show at the CineTeatro Astra. Sunday 11 at the Teatro Verdi there is the Jazz Orchestra of Sardinia in collaboration with the singer Susana Sheiman. On Monday 12 the documentary film “Ignazio Delogu, story of the struggle of love and work” is screened in the CineTeatro. Tuesday 13 the traveling Christmas concert will tour Largo Brigata Sassari, Piazza Duomo, Piazzetta Nazario Sauro, Piazza Castello, Piazza d’Italia, Galleria Cavour, Via Cavour and Piazza Fiume. A study day on Pompeo Calvia is scheduled for Wednesday 14th at the Municipal Historical Archive. Thursday 15 Maurizio Secchi presents the book “Greensleeves” by Giovane Holden in the Municipal Library; in the evening the “Season of Prose & Dance” opens at the Teatro Comunale: Elio sings and recites Enzo Jannacci.
Saturday 17 at the Municipal Theater there is Al bano in concert. Sunday 18 in Piazza d’Italia you can attend an exhibition of vintage cars organized by the “Fiat 500 Club Italia”. On Sunday 18th at the Teatro Verdi there are two concerts with an aperitif as part of the musical review “(To) Be in Jazz” and the 2022 Christmas tree party in the gymnasium of the San Donato school. Tuesday 20 the itinerant Christmas concert resounds through the streets of the city centre. On Wednesday 21st the parade of Santa Claus accompanied by the traditional Sassari gobbule runs through the historic center (Porta S. Antonio, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Tola, Piazza Castello, Piazza d’Italia, Via Università and Piazza Università). A musical show is scheduled for Wednesday 21st in the Sala Sassu of the Conservatory of Music. Thursday 22 Santa Claus and the Sassari hunchbacks parade through piazza Kennedy, via Cilea, via Leocavallo, via Donizetti, piazza Dettori, via Cedrino and piazza Kennedy (Latte Dolce district); you can also attend a film concert in the Conservatory of Music. Friday 23rd Santa Claus and the Sassari hunchbacks wander around the historic center (Porta S. Antonio, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Piazza Tola, Piazza Castello, Piazza d’Italia, Via and Piazza Università); in the evening a concert with a liturgical choir is scheduled at the Cloister of Santa Maria di Betlem (entrance from via Artiglieria), while at the Teatro Verdi there is the musical show “Christmas in Swing“, in collaboration with the Jazz Orchestra of Sardinia Laboratory and the Choir of the Polyphonic Santa Cecilia, which can also be attended the morning of the following day.
Tuesday 27 there is Claudio Baglioni in concert at the Teatro Comunale. Thursday 29 is scheduled for the theatrical show “Naddàri a Teatro” at the CineTeatro Astra. On Saturday 31 December there is dancing in the squares (a widespread event that will involve as many as four of them with music, dance performances and entertainment) to celebrate the New Year. Other theatrical performances are scheduled at the CineTeatro on 4 and 7 January 2023.
Visual arts exhibitions at Christmas
From 3 December 2022 to 28 January 2023 in the Pinacoteca Nazionale di Sassari in Piazza Santa Caterina, the Exhibition of Illustration and Contemporary Art is set up, inspired by the story “Il Colombre” by Dino Buzzati, entitled “Someone even claims that it doesn’t exist”.
From 12 to 22 December, at the Palazzo Ducale, Sala Duce, there is the photographic exhibition “The end of the skein” (Monday to Friday from 10.00 to 13.00 and from 16.00 to 19.00, Saturday from 10.00 to 13.00, excluding Sundays and public holidays).
On the same days of the week and times, from 28 December 2022 to 15 January 2023, it is possible to attend the exhibition of plastic and graphic works “Reliefs of shadow” in the Sala Duce of the Doge’s Palace.
