Christmas in Italy often makes us think about images of crowded markets in the Alps or the bright displays of major cities, but the province of Rieti offers a very different experience. In this corner of the central Apennines, Advent is the realm of a long Franciscan tradition that places the Nativity at the center of the season.
The routes are small, the events modest in scale, and the atmosphere defined less by tourism and more by a deep sense of community. Three towns in particular, Collalto Sabino, Leonessa and Greccio, show how Christmas can look like in places that may not appear in international travel guides too often, but preserve special ways of celebrating.
