Presepi sull'acqua

A Christmas that flows on water

Presepi sull'acqua is the great widespread Christmas event in Crodo, a small town in the Antigorio Valley in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the far north of Piedmont. The idea that makes it unique is simple and poetic: using water as the common thread for all the nativity scenes. The cribs are set up along fountains, streams, brooks, mule tracks, and the ancient washhouses that still dot the village and its inhabited centers today, transforming everyday spaces into surprising settings.

A widespread route between Crodo and its hamlets

The strength of the event lies in it being a true open-air itinerary, to be explored on foot without haste. The dozens of nativity scenes are not concentrated in a single square, but are distributed throughout the main town and mountain hamlets like Viceno and Cravegna, from the 500-meter altitude of Crodo up to the 1,200 meters of Alpe Foppiano. Walking along, you cross paths, mule tracks, and corners of the village that tell the alpine identity of Ossola, amidst stone, wood, and the constant sound of mountain water.

Not just nativity scenes: taste, tours, and excursions

A busy calendar of initiatives curated by the Municipality of Crodo and the Pro Loco Crodo 2.0, in collaboration with the Ossola Protected Areas Management Body, revolves around the route:

• Food and wine weekends with local specialties, markets, and Christmas street food;
• Guided tours and excursions, including evening ones, with qualified nature guides;
• Workshops for children, concerts, and exhibitions;
• Heated area with a bar and facilities for those tackling the higher stages of the route.

Why it's worth the trip

In an era of identical Christmas markets, Crodo offers an authentic, mountain-sized Christmas: free, accessible at all hours, and designed for those who love to walk and be surprised. It is the ideal opportunity to combine the magic of the holidays with the discovery of one of the most evocative valleys in Piedmont, far from the crowds and immersed in the alpine landscape of the Antigorio Valley.