Faith and folklore

Divided between faith and folklore, thousands of lights are turned on and help bring to life Nativity scenes set in grottos and natural areas, in farms and countryside houses, on the seaside and in historical city centers.

Towering settings and hundreds of actors recreate the ancient Bethlehem with old workshops of blade sharpeners, seamstresses, blacksmiths and fishmongers.
The ox and the donkey are real, as are the volunteers playing the part of Mary and Saint Joseph, while holding a baby, tender and mild.

A historical tradition

In Canosa di Puglia, in Barletta’s up-country, the display is located in an archaeologically important area, Monte Orco di Tricase which houses the biggest live Nativity scene in Italy.

The oldest of the region is in Pezze di Greco, not far from Fasano (Brindisi province), currently on its 31st edition.
Every year at least 20,000 visitors from all over Italy and the world meet in a place where, since the Middle Ages, grottos and caves have been excavated to create housing solutions.
A magical place, able to inspire emotions in children and adults alike, who will experience the warmth of the performers.

The magic of lights

The Guiding Star in Selva di Fasano is another enormous, enchanting display, made of miles of cables and thousands of lights on the side of Monte Rivolta, one of the hills surrounding Fasano.
In the centre of the star is the opening to a huge natural cave which goes a few meters deep into the side of the hill and has by high, smooth sidewalls.
Inside, a Nativity scene is set with life-size characters and enriched with agricultural tools from the 1800s and 1900s.
At the end of an easy-to-follow path, the grotto becomes bigger leaving space for the representation of the birth of Jesus in an atmosphere that recalls the original scene in Bethlehem.

Other interesting representations of the Nativity are set in Mottola, Massafra (Taranto), and Sanarica (Lecce).

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