Christmas under the Portico

Christmas in Portico di Caserta

Christmas under the Portico is the festival that celebrates the holiday season in Portico di Caserta, a small town of just under eight thousand residents in the province of Caserta, located just a few kilometers from the Royal Palace of Caserta and about twenty minutes from Naples. For nearly a month, from the beginning of December until Epiphany, the town hosts a packed calendar of daily events: markets, shows, concerts, theater, workshops, and community-focused activities, all concentrated in the town's urban center.

Piazza Rimembranza, the stage for the festivities

The heart of the event is Piazza Rimembranza, considered by the municipality to be the nerve center of Portico di Caserta. It is home to the Town Hall, local shops, and cafes, and it is here that the market stalls, the performance stage, and the festive lights are set up each year. Artisan stands and local producers surround the square, while nearby streets host inflatables and attractions for children. Access to the area is free: the festival is designed as a large, shared public space rather than a ticketed village.

Markets, crafts, and flavors

The Christmas markets are the daily soul of the event: stalls featuring crafts, gift ideas, handmade decorations, and traditional Campanian sweets and products accompany visitors throughout the afternoons and evenings of December. It is a wonderful opportunity for small local artisans and businesses to showcase their work in a festive setting, and for visitors to finish their holiday shopping while strolling under the lights.

Shows, theater, and folk music

The live performance program is the highlight of the festival. Past editions have featured bubble shows, magic acts, fire-eaters, roaming bands, choirs, concerts by local music schools, dance recitals, tributes to Neapolitan songs, and brilliant comedies performed by local amateur companies. A special space is reserved for traditional folk music, with groups of bottari dedicated to the devotion of Saint Anthony the Abbot: barrels, tubs, and scythes beaten in rhythm are a strong identity symbol in this part of Campania, where the pastellessa rhythm historically accompanies January rituals.

The Neapolitan nativity scene and Epiphany rites

The event also features a classic Neapolitan nativity scene, set up according to the Parthenopean tradition, which is further celebrated in Portico di Caserta with a Christmas Eve procession and the sounds of bagpipers (zampognari). The finale takes place on January 6th: the historical pageant of the Three Wise Men bringing gifts to the church and the Befana festival, with the distribution of presents to the children, officially close the month of celebrations.

A community-built festival

Christmas under the Portico is the result of the joint efforts of the Municipal Administration and a very active local network—cultural associations, traditional music and singing groups, theater companies, dance schools, the parish, and volunteer organizations like the Red Cross. Many events have a clear social focus: bingo games for the elderly, free games and workshops for children, and awareness initiatives. It is this collective spirit that makes the festival a great example of how, even in a small town in Campania, Christmas can become a true community project.

Why visit

• A full month of free events just minutes from Caserta and the Royal Palace
• Artisan markets and illuminations in the town center
• Folk music, bottari, and Neapolitan nativity scenes
• Program designed for families and children
• Authentic village atmosphere, far from major tourist circuits