Guide
Manarola Nativity Scene 2026: dates, times and how to see it
Every winter the hillside above Manarola lights up with the more than 250 figures of Mario Andreoli's illuminated nativity scene. Here's when to see it in 2026, how to get there by train, where to watch it from and how to pair it with the Via dell'Amore at sunset.
Updated 7 November 2026
At a glance
- Manarola's illuminated nativity scene covers the Tre Croci hill above the village, with more than 250 figures and over 15,000 light bulbs.
- It was created by Mario Andreoli, a railway worker from Manarola, starting in 1961. In 2007 it entered the Guinness World Records as the largest illuminated nativity scene in the world.
- By tradition it is switched on on 8 December and stays lit until mid-January. In 2025 it was switched on on 7 December and switched off on 18 January 2026.
- The 2026 date and program are announced at the end of November: we'll update this page as soon as they're official.
- It's free to see: every evening, from sunset until 10 pm, you watch it from the village streets and paths.
- From La Spezia Centrale station to Manarola it takes about 12 minutes by regional train.
Discover the story of Mario Andreoli
It all began in 1961. Mario Andreoli's father, on his deathbed, asked him to restore a cross at the top of the family's hill above Manarola. Mario, a railway worker, repaired it and lit it with a car battery.
In 1976 he began adding the first figures, made of iron and salvaged materials and covered in light bulbs. From the 1980s, once retired, he devoted all his time to it, and the nativity scene grew until it covered the whole Tre Croci hill. In 2007 it entered the Guinness World Records as the largest illuminated nativity scene in the world.
Today there are more than 250 figures, spread across the terraced vineyards: the Nativity and the Three Kings, but also shepherds, sheep, angels, farmers and fishermen. They are lit by more than 15,000 light bulbs, connected by about eight kilometers of cable.
Mario Andreoli died on 22 December 2022, aged 94. The nativity scene lives on thanks to the Associazione Presepe di Manarola Mario Andreoli and the volunteers of CAI La Spezia, the local Italian Alpine Club, with the support of the Cinque Terre National Park and the Municipality of Riomaggiore, which Manarola belongs to. Every autumn they bring the figures back onto the hillside, a few at a time.
Mark the 2026 dates
By tradition the nativity scene is switched on on 8 December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. In 2025 the lighting was brought forward to Sunday 7 December, and the lights stayed on until 18 January 2026. The 2026 date and program are usually announced at the end of November; 8 December falls on a Tuesday. We'll update this page as soon as they're official.
| What | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting | 2026 date due in late November | Usually 8 December; 7 December in 2025 |
| Hours | Every evening, from sunset to 10 pm | The lights come on between 5 and 5:30 pm |
| Last evening | Mid-January | 18 January in 2025-26 |
| Admission | Free | You watch it from the streets and paths |
Dates and hours from recent editions. In past years the nativity scene stayed lit until midnight on public holidays.
Follow updates on the Cinque Terre National Park website
On lighting day Manarola celebrates from early afternoon. In 2025 there was the Pro Loco Christmas market, a band from 2:30 pm and a gospel concert in the church of San Lorenzo at 3:30 pm. At 5:20 pm the CAI torchlight procession set off up the Tre Croci hill, followed by the lighting of the nativity scene and fireworks. Trenitalia added two extra trains, and the Via dell'Amore was free from 3 pm.
Thousands of people come on that day. If you'd rather see it in peace, pick a weekday evening after the lighting: the lights are the same and there are far fewer people in the village.
Get to Manarola by train
The easiest way is the regional train. From La Spezia Centrale station to Manarola takes about 12 minutes, and even in winter there are roughly two trains an hour. The station is a short walk from the village; driving, on the other hand, isn't recommended: parking is scarce and fills up early on lighting day.
In 2026 Trenitalia's Cinque Terre fare, €5 to €10 per journey, applied from 14 March to 1 November. In December you travel with a standard regional ticket and don't need the Cinque Terre Card, which only comes in handy if you also want to walk the Via dell'Amore. Before you set off, check the time of the last train back on the Trenitalia app.
How to visit the Cinque Terre in 2027
Choose where to watch it from
You can see the nativity scene from much of the village, because the Tre Croci hill rises right above the houses. The easiest viewpoints are the square in front of the church of San Lorenzo, in the upper part of Manarola, and Via Rollandi: from the station you walk up there in a few minutes.
To see it from above, climb the Via Beccara, the old mule track between Manarola and Riomaggiore. The path is unlit and has lots of steps: bring a flashlight, or use your phone's, and shoes with a good grip.
The figures stand among the vines, and the National Park asks visitors to admire them from a distance, from the viewpoints, without going near them or touching them. They're fragile, and every year the volunteers set them back up by hand.
Plan a December afternoon in the Cinque Terre
In December the sun sets around 4:45 pm and the Via dell'Amore stays open until 6 pm, with last entry at 5:30 pm. You can combine the two in a single afternoon: enter the Via dell'Amore in Riomaggiore on the 4 pm or 4:30 pm slot, watch the sun go down over the sea along the way and, in about twenty minutes, reach Manarola just before the lights come on across the hillside.
The Via dell'Amore is one-way from Riomaggiore to Manarola, exactly the direction you need. The timed ticket is only sold together with the Cinque Terre Card: in 2026 the one-day Trekking Card with the Via dell'Amore cost from €10. The 2027 price list comes out in January 2027.
Before that, there's time for Riomaggiore: the narrow lanes, the little harbor and the castle, included in the Trekking Card. During the holiday weeks the sunset slots fill up, so book a few days ahead.
Via dell'Amore in 2027: how to book, tickets and opening hours
Add Tellaro's underwater Christmas
Manarola's nativity scene isn't the only Christmas tradition in the area. In Tellaro, the last village on the Gulf of Poets, on Christmas Eve divers emerge from the sea carrying a statue of the Baby Jesus and bring it to the nativity scene, among thousands of lit candles. The village is small and fills up that night, so arrive well ahead of time.
Gulf of Poets: what to see in Portovenere, Lerici and Tellaro
Stay in Portovenere, an hour from Manarola
To see the nativity scene without rushing, Portovenere makes a convenient base: take the bus to La Spezia station and then the train, and you're in Manarola in about an hour. And when you get back in the evening, the village is quiet and the harbor is all yours.
Capitolare Tower, built between 1113 and 1161 at the entrance to the village, is the oldest tower in the world you can sleep in, and it's open all year. It's a private suite for one party at a time, up to four guests, with a terrace above the rooftops, breakfast and covered parking included. After an evening out in the cold watching Manarola's lights, our chef can cook dinner for you in the Tower on request, at the Portoro table, “the rarest marble in Italy”.
Frequently asked questions
When will the Manarola nativity scene be switched on in 2026?
The official date is usually announced at the end of November. By tradition the lighting takes place on 8 December, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, which falls on a Tuesday in 2026; in 2025 it was brought forward to Sunday 7 December.
How long does the nativity scene stay lit?
Until mid-January. In 2025-2026 the lights stayed on until 18 January.
What time does the Manarola nativity scene light up?
Every evening at sunset, between 5 and 5:30 pm, and it stays lit until 10 pm. In past years it stayed on until midnight on public holidays.
How much does it cost to see the Manarola nativity scene?
Nothing: you can watch it for free from the village streets and paths. You only pay for the train and, if you want to walk it, the Via dell'Amore with the Cinque Terre Card.
How do you get to the Manarola nativity scene?
By regional train from La Spezia Centrale station, in about 12 minutes. From the station, walk up toward the church of San Lorenzo, where you can see the Tre Croci hill. Driving isn't recommended, especially on lighting day.
Can you walk among the nativity figures?
No. The figures stand among the vineyards on the hillside, and the National Park asks visitors to admire them from a distance, without going near them. The best views are from the square in front of the church of San Lorenzo, from Via Rollandi and from the Via Beccara.
Is it worth visiting the Cinque Terre in December?
Yes, if you're after peace and quiet. The villages are calmer, trains run all year, the Via dell'Amore is open from 9 am to 6 pm and Manarola has its nativity scene. The boats, however, stop until spring, and in bad weather the Via dell'Amore may close for safety.
Sources: Cinque Terre National Park (2025-2026 lighting and visitor guidance); ANSA, La Nazione and Gazzetta della Spezia (2025 program, Mario Andreoli's story); italia.it (Tre Croci hill); lecinqueterre.org (Via Beccara); viadellamore.info (2026-2027 opening hours); Trenitalia (2026 Cinque Terre fare); SiViaggia (Tellaro's underwater Christmas). Cover photo by Dan Russon on Unsplash.
Stay at Capitolare Tower
Capitolare Tower is the Torre Capitolare of Portovenere, built between 1113 and 1161 and restored as a private 128 m² suite on three floors, with a panoramic rooftop terrace, for up to four guests. It is the oldest tower in the world you can sleep in, in the UNESCO site of Portovenere and the Cinque Terre. Breakfast and covered parking are included; the concierge answers 24/7 on WhatsApp and by phone.
