"Antichi Sapori" Living Nativity in Vicari

A little Bethlehem in the village of Vicari

During the Christmas season, the Terravecchia district, the medieval core of Vicari in the province of Palermo, comes alive with the "Antichi Sapori" Living Nativity. Along the narrow stone alleys, at the foot of the majestic Norman castle commissioned by Count Roger on Mount Sant'Angelo, dozens of performers in period costumes bring the Nativity to life and reconstruct the daily existence of a traditional Sicilian village.

A journey through time, art, faith, and culture

Along the route, visitors encounter ancient crafts and scenes of rural life: lit hearths, artisans at work, and the sounds and carols of Christmas tradition. The atmosphere is warm and intimate, typical of the small towns in the Val di Mazzara hinterland, where religious re-enactment blends with the memory of local Vicari roots.

The "Antichi Sapori" of Vicari cuisine

The heart of the event is the tasting of typical local products, from which the event takes its name. Along the path, visitors can sample specialties of the local peasant cuisine, prepared with ingredients from the surrounding countryside:

• dry sausage seasoned with wild fennel;
• fresh ricotta and aged cheeses;
• handmade pasta made with local durum wheat;
• chickpea and fava bean soups;
• boiled pork, sheep, and goat meat scented with wild herbs;
• dried figs and honey, accompanied by spiced mulled wine.

The village and its castle

Vicari stands at an altitude of about 700 meters on Mount Sant'Angelo and is dominated by the castle, described by the Arab geographer Al-Idrisi in the "Book of Roger" as "an imposing castle and an impregnable fortress." Visiting the living nativity is also an opportunity to discover one of the most characteristic villages in the Palermo hinterland, with its churches, remnants of the city walls, and the alleys of the Terravecchia district.

Practical information

The event is organized by the San Giorgio Martire Parish together with the Vicari community and generally takes place between late December and Epiphany, during the evening hours. Access to the village is free; tastings take place along the route set up through the streets of Terravecchia.