Santa Claus Village in Corticelle

Christmas for the little ones in Corticelle

Every late December, the village of Corticelle, near the Bivio Santa Lucia junction, becomes the meeting point for families in the Municipality of Lustra, in the province of Salerno, in the heart of Cilento. This is where the Santa Claus Village takes shape, an event designed entirely for children that, edition after edition, has become one of the most anticipated dates on the municipal Christmas calendar.

This is not a large-scale tourist attraction; it is a local village festival, organized by the municipal administration to give local children an afternoon of outdoor play during the holidays. It is precisely this intimate scale, with an entire village gathering in the same space, that makes the event so special.

What to find in the village

The setup changes slightly each year, but the core remains the same: games, entertainment, and the meeting with Santa Claus. Recent editions have included:

• Large inflatables in festive colors as the main attraction;
• Mascots and costumed characters entertaining children throughout the event;
• Santa's house, beautifully decorated, where little ones can meet him and share their wishes;
• Baby dance, face painting, balloon art, and giant soap bubbles, featured in the December 2024 edition;
• The Frozen ice kingdom, a setting also featured in 2024.

The event takes place in the afternoon: in 2024, it opened at 2:00 PM, a choice that allows families to attend after lunch and stay until sunset.

Corticelle and the Lustra area

Lustra is a small town of about a thousand inhabitants in the Cilento hinterland, in Campania, perched at an altitude of 461 meters. Its territory is divided into several hamlets: in addition to Corticelle, there are Rocca Cilento—with its medieval village and the castle overlooking the valley—Selva, Pontirossi, and Sant'Antonio. Corticelle is located lower down, about fifty meters above sea level, along the road connecting the Cilento coast to the hinterland: a convenient location that makes it the natural spot for an event open to families from neighboring towns.

A piece of the municipal Christmas program

The Santa Claus Village does not stand alone: it is part of the Christmas event program that the Municipality of Lustra prepares every year and which is presented by Mayor Luigi Guerra. In December 2024, the municipal program also included the Living Nativity in the historic center of Lustra, the Focara (bonfire) with local products and live music in the setting of the Castle of Rocca Cilento, several concerts in the hamlets, and the «Waiting for the Befana» event dedicated to children.

The mayor has repeatedly emphasized the community value of the initiative: events like the Santa Claus Village are, in his words, an opportunity to strengthen community ties and give children unforgettable experiences.

Why it's worth attending

• It is one of the few Christmas villages in the Cilento hinterland truly tailored for young children;
• It takes place outdoors, in an intimate space that is easy to keep an eye on;
• It combines well with a visit to the medieval village of Rocca Cilento on the same day;
• The atmosphere is that of a genuine village festival, without crowds or endless queues.

When it takes place

The event always falls in the second half of December, between Christmas and New Year's or in the days immediately preceding: December 22 in 2024, December 28 in 2025. The dates are announced by the Municipality of Lustra and the local Cilento press a few weeks in advance, along with the entire holiday program.