In depth
What it is
In San Leo, a walled village in Montefeltro perched on a rocky spur, Christmas brings a small nativity scene trail set up in the heart of the town, along the route of the Cammino di San Francesco from Rimini to La Verna. Within the space of a few steps, between the Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta, the Cathedral and the chapel known as Sacello di San Leone, visitors can see three nativity scenes that differ in technique and creators: one made by catechism children, one classic in plaster and one semi-mechanical. The initiative is part of a wider circuit linking churches, convents and fortresses along the entire Franciscan path, promoted by the association I Cammini di Francesco in Emilia Romagna in collaboration with the Comune di San Leo.
What makes it special
The value of this route lies in the variety contained within a tiny space and in the setting in which it is placed. Not a single nativity scene, but three displays with different hands and materials: the figurines and scenery built by the parish children, the traditional plaster figures in the Cathedral and, in the small chapel of the Sacello di San Leone, a handcrafted semi-mechanical nativity scene in which some figures move, adding dynamism and attention to detail to the representation of the Nativity. Making the whole even more evocative is the venue: a Romanesque complex among the finest in Valmarecchia, with the Pieve being the oldest church in Montefeltro and the Cathedral behind it, in the historic centre of a fortified village perched on rock.
Origins and history
The nativity scene itself has no documented history of independent origin: it was created as a stage in a more recent and broader project, that of the nativity scenes along the Cammino di San Francesco from Rimini to La Verna. The Cammino was inaugurated in May 2013, on the anniversary of the eight hundredth year since San Francesco passed through San Leo, where according to tradition Count Orlando Catani gave the Saint Monte della Verna. Since then, every December, nativity scenes have been set up along the five stages of the route in churches, convents and fortresses in the various municipalities involved, with contributions from parishes, catechism schools and local craftspeople. No public information is available on a specific creator of the individual San Leo nativity scene nor on how the three displays have changed over the years: available sources describe only the current edition of the circuit.
What to see
At the Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta there is the nativity scene made by the parish catechism children, a simple and genuine display designed and built by the youngest. In the Cattedrale di San Leone a classic nativity scene with plaster statues is displayed, in the traditional style of Nativity representations. In the chapel known as Sacello di San Leone, adjacent to the Pieve, a handcrafted semi-mechanical nativity scene is set up, with moving figures and carefully detailed scenery. The three nativity scenes can be visited on foot in a few minutes, as part of a walk through the historic centre that also includes the nearby Fortezza di San Leo.
When and how to visit
The display follows the classic Christmas period, from the Immaculate Conception to Epiphany. In the most recent edition the nativity scenes were open from 8 December 2025 to 6 January 2026, daily from 10am to 12.30pm and from 2.30pm to 5pm. Admission is free, with a voluntary donation welcome. For updated information and dates of the current edition it is advisable to contact the Ufficio Turistico (IAT) di San Leo or check the Cammino di San Francesco da Rimini a La Verna website, as well as the Riviera di Rimini portal.
