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If you like cribs (presepe in italian) and want to see really all about the Neapolitan Crib, you should definitely visit the famous street of the
nativity scene makers, in Naples’s historic city, the Via San Gregorio Armeno.
Here you can admire
numerous shops with creative nativity figurines in all variations. Besides the Jesus- and Madonna figurines you will also find detailed copies of all household objects, gastronomic delights, exotic animals, and sometimes
even caricatured politicians.
Moreover you can get thousand of accessories and building material for your presepe, like cork to create the mountains, ready-to-place houses, wells, waterfalls powered by electric
engine, small lakes with water, trees, grasslands, bridges, towers. And all (or nearly all) handmade!
Of course you can buy even a full completed presepe with or without crib figures (price starting from 40/50 Euro).
During Christmas time, more than half a million tourists come to see the shops with the original miniature figurines and the shops in this street are especially busy.
However, the most shops are open all
year round and you can take your time and have a look around after New Year’s.
A good period to visit the street is in september-november, when all the handicraftsmen start to prepare their shop for the busy
Christmas time.
...and if you want more “presepe”, in the Museo Nazionale di San Martino you can see a famous collection of Neapolitan nativity scenes including the largest nativity scene, the Presepe Cuciniello,
with 162 people, 80 animals, angels, and about 450 miniature objects, among the finest nativity scenes in the world.
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