In depth
What it is
The Presepe di sabbia di Rimini is a Christmas installation set up every year on the free beach at piazzale Boscovich, in Marina Centro, in the heart of seaside Rimini. Inside a large covered structure on the shoreline, specialist sculptors shape the sand from the coast to create an entire monumental nativity scene, with the Nativity, shepherds, animals and scenes from village life in Bethlehem. It is one of the most anticipated events of the Rimini Christmas season and forms part, together with the nearby Christmas village with ice rink and markets, of the city's holiday programme.
What makes it special
What distinguishes this nativity scene is the technique: no glue, no visible framework, just sand, seawater and the hands of professional sculptors, who work the material as if it were clay until it balances in towering figures. In recent editions the work has occupied over 700 square metres, with sculptural groups up to four or five metres high; up to eight sculptors from different European countries have created it, from Spain, Turkey, Russia, Bulgaria and Italy. The theme changes every year and the work lasts only a few weeks before returning to simple sand, a fragility that is part of the spectacle. The location adds charm: a sand grotto just steps from the sea, in a seaside town, turns the most traditional image of the nativity scene upside down.
Origins and history
The Presepe di sabbia di Rimini was born in 2004 from an idea by Antonio Molin, artist and founder of the Accademia della Sabbia, who created the first edition at his own expense together with the group. Given the reception, from 2006 the Comune di Rimini decided to support the initiative permanently, including it in the calendar of Christmas events. Since then the work has grown edition after edition, in the surface area occupied, in the number of sculptors involved and in the ambition of the themes, moving from classic biblical scenes to freer reinterpretations, with space also dedicated to cartoon characters for the little ones. In recent years a second installation has also been created in Torre Pedrera, a sign of the initiative's popularity; in 2025 the nativity scene reaches an edition described by the organisers as the largest ever.
What to see
The 2025-2026 edition bears the title Kolossal... dall'Arca di Noè a oggi and interweaves the Nativity with great biblical scenes: Noah's Ark loaded with animals, the Archangel Michael defeating the Dragon in a sculpture about five metres high, the Temple of Jerusalem and a Nativity that recalls the forms of Michelangelo, together with references to the Rimini area such as the borgo di San Giuliano and the Ponte di Tiberio. In past editions the route has told, among other things, Betlemme di Giudea anno zero, with over twenty sculptural groups ranging from one and a half metres to more than five metres high. There is no shortage of space dedicated to children, with sand figures of cartoon characters alongside sacred iconography.
When and how to visit
The nativity scene normally opens at the end of November and remains open until Epiphany, with a few days' extension in mid-January; for the 2025-2026 edition the dates from 29 November 2025 to 11 January 2026 are announced, to be confirmed later. In the last edition, on weekdays entry was possible from 10:30 to 12:30 and from 14:30 to 18:30, on public holidays and between 23 December and 6 January from 9:30 to 19:00, with some evenings enriched by musical performances. Entry is not free: tickets cost 3 euros for adults and 2 euros for children up to 12 years old. For groups and schools, guided tours are available by reservation. It is advisable to check the Comune website or the dedicated Facebook page for updated dates and times before visiting.
