Greccio

What to see?

Thanks to its Franciscan sanctuary of the Nativity scene, Greccio is probably the village that counts the largest number of visitors in the province. Thousands of pilgrims throughout the year and especially between December and January reach this village overlooking the holy RIeti valley to breathe the true spirituality of Christmas. In the sanctuary, situated not far from the village, pilgrims gather in prayer in the cave that was the theater of the first living crib in the world and can also visit the small cells where the first Franciscan monks lived. The International Museum of Cribs, housed in the 13th-century church of Santa Maria, is located just at the entrance to the historic center of Greccio and shows a rich variety of cribs coming from all over the world. The artists' path is a real open-air museum winding through the houses of the historic centre, wonderfully decorated by 26 international artists who painted scenes from the life of Francis of Assisi. Along the path a chapel identifies the place where Francis of Assisi used to preach to believers. Greccio - listed among the “Most the beautiful villages of Italy” in 2016 - is also important for its typical fortified "castrum" structure that includes the ruins of the 11th-century castle, and the Bell Tower built in the 17th century on the remains of one of the six medieval towers. The 16th-century church of San Michele Arcangelo stands at the highest part of the hill, while the main square is dominated by the baroque church of Santa Maria del Giglio, which was built in 1400. Along the Camino di Francesco that winds from Rieti across the entire plain, pilgrims and trekking lovers can reach Greccio on foot, by bike or on horseback, but also touch the hermitage of the Cappelletta and Fonte Lupetta that, according to legend, was the place where St. Francis met a wolf.