In depth
What it is
The Presepe Vivente di Montefiore Conca is a nativity re-enactment that transforms the historic centre of this village in the Rimini hinterland and its Rocca Malatestiana into a little Bethlehem. Promoted by the Unione dei Comuni della Valconca, the event brings to life for several evenings between Christmas and Epiphany the medieval alleyways with scenes of daily life related to the Nativity, shepherds, craftsmen and the Holy Family.
What makes it special
What makes it unique are the numbers and the setting: around 180 costumed participants populate the village streets and, on the occasion of the event, the Rocca Malatestiana also exceptionally opens its doors to the public, offering routes that are not normally accessible in this way. Along the way you encounter the workshops of ancient trades actually practised before visitors, from the blacksmith to the potter, from the miller to the knife grinder. A distinctive curiosity is the presepe coin, a special currency with which period food and drink are purchased in the taverns set up for the occasion, while the sound of bagpipers accompanies the visit in the Arena Raciti and through the stone alleyways of the village, certified with the Touring Club's Bandiera Arancione.
Origins and history
The presepe vivente di Montefiore Conca is a community tradition that has been renewed for almost thirty years, born from the initiative of local residents and associations to bring the village to life during the Christmas period. The sources consulted do not report a precisely documented name or founding date, nor a single creator: it is a collective ritual that has grown over time thanks to the participation of the community, which over the years has expanded the number of participants and scenes represented, until reaching, in the most recent editions, the opening of the Rocca Malatestiana to the public as part of the route.
What to see
Strolling through the village streets you pass through living tableaux dedicated to the daily life of biblical Bethlehem: shepherds with flocks and animals, Roman legionaries, shopkeepers and craftsmen at work with period tools, from the carpenter to the cobbler, from the coiner to the blacksmith. There are also taverns where you can taste bread, cheese, wine and fish purchased with the presepe coin, and the route concludes at the most anticipated point of the representation, the scene of the Holy Family. The setting is the evocative illuminated historic centre and the Rocca Malatestiana, opened exceptionally for the occasion.
When and how to visit
The event is traditionally held between Christmas and the first of January. In the last edition the evenings were on 26 and 28 December and 1 January, with opening from 5pm to 8pm. Admission is charged, 7 euros, free for children under 12. It is advisable to check the exact dates and times of the current edition on the website of the Comune di Montefiore Conca or the Unione dei Comuni della Valconca before planning your visit.
