Enjoying Salento in Christmas period means to plunge in a land with deep historical roots: a bewitched land which changes into a big crib. Many are villages in the whole Salento peninsula that come to life wonderful Christmas attractions thanks to the creation and the representation of living cribs, cribs made with papier mâché string puppets, set inside farmhouses, caves, churches and sanctuaries, hypogeous oil mills, in the small streets if the historical centres in order to commemorate the Nativity and, some times, an old past rich in history, culture and traditions.

Tradition is the main character of Tricase’s crib, the most famous crib in Salento and the most important one in Italy. A real theatre group, the so-called “Bottega del Teatro Povero”, on the hillside of Monte Orco, will animate some scenes of the crib together with more than 250 figurants which come to life art, crafts and everyday life among huts and the traditional Salentine buildings. The Epiphany’s day, the Magi will come on horseback.

The whole Vignacastrisi village will change in a crib during Christmas. The Salentine peasant culture lives again in the historical centre and the old crafts through a fascinating way where it is possible to taste as well the traditional “pittule” and the mulled wine, free for all visitors.

In Minervino di Lecce the living crib is organized inside the beautiful location of a sixteenth-century hypogeous oil mill. Art, history and tradition merge together in the different scenes. The city of Castro will change into an ancient medieval village to plunge in a real time journey through the performance “Natale in contea”. Scenes from everyday life will be performed among the alleys with merchants, fishmongers, shoemakers, smiths, basket makers, knights and noblewomen in favour of incredible fascinations.

Many cribs are set in nature around Castro: inside the enchanting scenery of the Grotta della Zinzulusa or in the Grotta di Mezzo di Castro Marina, where the Nativity is represented by papier mâché string puppets. In the wonderful location of the Roman amphitheatre in Lecce, a big comet attracts visitors for the crib set inside, where the tradition and the culture of Salento merge for an amazing effect.

Many cribs are set in the whole Salento land which are worth visiting as each can give emotions connected both to the religious moment and culture, tradition of an unique and fascinating land for an exciting and exclusive journey.