Nativity scenes are a very important part of Christmas in Italy, but in Lignano Sabbiadoro in northeastern Italy’s Friuli region, they are taken to a whole new level with their famous sand nativity scenes.
For the past seventeen years, the coastal city of Lignano has been delighting visitors during the holiday season with its truly unique nativities. The 2021 edition is based on Dante Alighieri.
The scenes are executed with 150 cubic meters of sand modeled on a covered area of 400 square meters. Skilled professionals create these masterpieces without glue of any kind. The secret to the stability lies in compressing the sand for days with great care.
Professional artists from the Sand Academy collaborate with the city of Lignano and other cities throughout Italy to make this event possible.
Christmas in Lignano
The sand nativity is the focal point of the festivities in Lignano, but certainly not the only event! Visitors who visit can enjoy concerts, food and wine markets, ice skating, and even Santa’s Village! The festivities run from December 4, 2021 through January 31, 2022. Visit the official website for details.