Nativity sparks creativity and inspires some of the best talents in Tuscany.

Visiting Tuscany for Christmas is the occasion to visit places putting on display original and creative presepi – here are other locations with unique nativity scenes:

• Cigoli, San Minato (Pisa), an 80 square meter presepe visitors walk through reaching the cave of the nativity scene.
  Open during festivities from 9:00 to 20:30 – info +39.0571.49442
• Manarola, cinque terre, located between Tuscany and Liguria, is home to a unique ecological presepe powered by solar energy – 300 characters using 15.000 lights: a project developed by a retired railroad worker.
• Borro di San Giuliano Valdarno – a mechanical representation of nativity built by Don Pasquale Mencattini in the 1940s
• Rampolano Terme, close to Siena, home to the Museo Nazionale del Presepe in Santa Maria Assunta, a church in the town center: every year a group of people called “friends of the presepio” choose a different location to set it up
  info: +39.0577 723213
• Bientina, in the province of Pisa, hosts the electronic multimedia presepe attracting large crowds. Free entrance from 16:00 to 19:30 – remains open until January 11^th 2009
• Other places in Tuscany featuring presepi and nativity events:
  • Bettolle, città dei Presepi
  • Veragio, nativity amongst chestnut trees
  • Palazzuolo sul Senio, Mugello
  • Santa Brigida near Pontassieve where a live representation takes place with 50 people in costume re-enacting nativity

The tradition of presepi is present throughout Italy and Tuscany. In my last post I suggested you visit Bettolle the town of Presepi. For those interested in the art and creations related to the nativity, Natale nel mondo is another event taking place these days in San Giovanni Valdarno.

You can read up on the event on their website.

Visitors hours:

• Week days: 16:00 – 19:00
• Holidays: 10:00 13:00 16:00 – 19:00

Christianity celebrates Nativity. The tradition of nativity scenes dates back to the 13^th century.

St. Francis of Assisi in mid-December 1223, prepared a straw-filled manger complete with animals in a natural cave in the town of Greccio. That was the beginning of a tradition handed down through the centuries to our days.

Bettolle, a town of the municipality of Sinalinga, celebrates the 14^th edition of “la mostra dei presepi”, a very popular Italian tradition, second to none this time of the year and just as popular in the province of Siena and Tuscany.

These works of art will be on display every day starting December 22^nd through January 9^th, from 10:00 to 12:30 in the mornings, from 15:00 to 19:00 in the afternoons/evenings on holidays and pre-festivity days. other week days opening hours are from 15:00 to 19:00.

On December 21^st Santa Claus will arrive from the sky and on Christmas Day there will be music and Christmas Carols.

Bettolle is almost certainly of Etruscan decent, easily reachable from the Autostrada del Sole A1 Rome- Florence

More information and videos of the Presepi at http://www.presepi-bettolle.it/