Along State Road 163 that runs along the magnificent Amalfi Coast, at the height of Praiano, there is the largest Permanent Nativity Scene on the Coast, set in the famous Devil’s Cave, a magnificent example of skillful craftsmanship mixed with ancient tradition still alive in the heart of the Amalfi Coast.

This wonderful Nativity portrays the village of Praiano itself, with its small houses, typical narrow streets and small churches, and is able to convey to all its visitors the idea of antiquity and that now-lost feeling of tranquility and peace that only the Amalfi Coast, with its flavors and smells, is able to bring to life.

The artist of the fantastic Permanent Nativity, the great Maestro Michele Castellano, was the artist of numerous ceramic works and another Nativity located in Marina di Praia, which continues to enchant the many tourists who visit our magnificent Amalfi Coast every fine season.

Master Castellano still continues to this day to take care of his Nativity scene in Devil’s Cave, restoring present works from time to time and adding new ones to keep the spirit and tradition of Ancient Plagianum alive.

That of Permanent Nativity Scenes on the Amalfi Coast is a long tradition carried on by ancient ceramic and terracotta artisans who donate these magnificent works to residents and the many tourists who discover the Amalfi Coast each year, and who are able to transport them back in time, to a not too distant past.

In Amalfi, for example, it is possible to admire as many as 2 permanent nativity scenes, one not far from the other:

• the first is located inside, and is an integral part of, the famous “Capa e Ciuccio Fountain”, and it is precisely its particular location that attracts visitors and the curious;

• the second, on the other hand, is larger and extends along the entire rock face, and reproduces the typical little houses of the Coast, with its inhabitants cleverly positioned to reproduce the daily life of the villages.

In Conca dei Marini, on the other hand, there is one of the most evocative Nativity scenes in the world: in fact, it is a Nativity scene located at the bottom of the “Grotta dello Smeraldo”, about 4 meters deep. Every year, on the occasion of Holy Christmas, the statuette of the Baby Jesus is laid on the bottom by a group of divers, with a truly unique marine procession.

The underwater nativity scene in the “Grotta dello Smeraldo”, Conca dei Marini. Photo by Enzo Troisi

In Positano, the pearl of the Amalfi Coast, about 40 years ago the Nativity scene was built directly inside the rock that lines the road, and this is what makes this work truly unique and special. In the evening then, expertly illuminated, the atmosphere is truly magical.

The Villas of the Masavillas complex are just a stone’s throw away from the Nativity set in the Devil’s Cave, which can also be easily reached on foot; a truly unique experience to take with you forever!