Living nativity scenes in Campania: find out where to admire the symbol of Christmas in and around Naples.
You should know that there is no Christmas in Campania without a nativity scene. The historical tradition of figurines made of various materials, where the scenic reconstruction of the Nativity on that night in Bethlehem is very detailed, is very famous. In Campania, in every home, the nativity scene is a symbol that unites tradition and religiosity, something that is precisely the boundary between sacred and profane, between belief and love.
The nativity scene is something magical that has spanned the centuries, having several golden periods: from the eighteenth century to Edoardo De Filippo, a lover and lover of the art of the nativity scene. But about all this: did you know that the nativity scene is sometimes able to transform towns, villages, hamlets into real stages where the settings of the nativity are reproduced in a religiously faithful but also creative and artistic manner! Yes, that's right, we are talking about living nativity scenes in Campania, discover them with us!
Living Nativity Scenes in Campania: explore the places near Naples
The Living Crib in the small town of Pimonte, in the Lattari mountains, just above Castellammare di Stabia is truly unique: a fixed annual event for one of the smallest towns in the province of Naples. The show arrives just after Christmas, and involves actors, actresses, and figures all inspired by eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century classicism; the incredible Valle del Lavatoio, one of the FAI's most recognised paths, will immerse you in a unique local atmosphere.
You can admire it on 18, 26 and 30 December 2022 and then on 6 and 7 January 2023.
If, on the other hand, we move a little further inland, we encounter one of the longest-lived events in Campania with the annual representation of the living nativity scene. We are in Gragnano, specifically in the village of Caprile where the entire hamlet becomes the setting for this evocative Nativity.
You can admire it on 26 December 2022 and at the start of the new year, on 1, 6, 7 and 8 January 2023. Don't miss them!
Living nativity scenes in Campania: Morcone and Pietrelcina, near Benevento
At Christmas time, the province of Benevento, already extremely linked to traditions and beautiful landscapes, binds its name to the art of the living nativity scene. The place to absolutely visit is the small village of Pietrelcina, a village already famous because it was the birthplace of Saint Pio and which at this time is transformed into a charming and enchanting place, surrounded by the countryside. Everything modern disappears for a while for a living nativity scene that is also a historical re-enactment, with paths lit by torches and candles.
You can admire it in December 2022 on the 27th, 28th and 29th.
Also very famous in Campania is the one in Morcone, with the living nativity scene that lives in the narrow streets of the historical centre located in the Tammaro Valley. We can consider this one of the best Christmas events in the province of Benevento.
This year you can admire it between 3 and 4 January 2023.
Living nativity scenes in Campania: visit the one in Cava de' Tirreni
A unique itinerary, evocative sets and costumes, with a guide who accompanies visitors around the town following different stages. We are talking about the living nativity scene in Cava de' Tirreni, which takes place in the ancient village of Case Trezza in Sant'Anna, where a magical Christmas atmosphere is relived.
The latter can be admired on 26 December 2022 and in the first days of the new year on 1-6-7-8-14 January 2023.
