Sorrento dresses in festive mood

Every year, during the Christmas period, Sorrento dresses in festive mood to offer its citizens, and the many tourists that choose it for their vacation, an exceptionally beautiful setting and an atmosphere soaked with an impalpable magic that only tradition can provide. The streets and squares are illuminated with lights and decorations, and Christmas songs diffused in the air as background music for pleasant walks along Corso Italia, the main street. Those who care for old traditions linked to the “presepio”, can admire in the many churches of the Peninsula, these representations of the Nativity: real works of art, with models dating back to the 1600s learnedly decorated and dressed in completelyhandmade traditional costume, landscapes reconstructed with careful attention to detail by the expert hands of artists of this centuriesold tradition, their patience and love for this ancient art plainly visible. For art lovers, Villa Fiorentino, as also the Cloister of San Francesco, are not to be missed. These old majestic residences are, in fact, the hosts of art exhibitions to be visited to discover works of extraordinary beauty: paintings, miniature presepi, objets d’art of popular Sorrentine  tradition. For those who appreciate religious music, the aditional Christmas concert is a must, celebrated every year in Sorrento Cathedral. Plus many other concerts organized by individual church choirs during the festive period. Repeated each year between the 25thand 30thof December, the traditional event “Tavolata e Tombolata” in Via San Cesareo; a much loved tradition and joyous occasion, a gathering not only for those who call Sorrento home, but also for the many tourists visiting our Peninsula for their Christmas vacation.  For the occasion, in fact, via San Cesareo is subjected to an astonishing metamorphosis, festively prepared with lights and decorations, the venuefor a very long foodfare table where hosts of locals and tourists from all over the world takea seat, attracted by an irresistible  and contagious desire to enjoy themselves and sample the gastronomic delights of Sorrentine cuisine. It is during this period that Sorrento demonstrates even more than usual its extraordinary capacity to bring together peoples so different in terms of language, customs and traditions, united by a strong desire to celebrate  the arrival of a new year. The merry evening is further enlivened by an entertaining game of “tombola”, Neapolitan bingo, where many challenge lady luck to win the many prizes offered by event sponsors. The “tavolata” of via San Cesareo  does not only symbolize  oy and fun, it is also a chance to remember, all together, that there are people less fortunatethan ourselves, able to enjoy Christmas thanks to the takings  from the sale of gastronomic dishes and the cards for the “tombolata”, all devolved to charity. Music lovers who would like to end the year with music, in Piazza Tasso, the City Hall every year organizes the “Stella di Natale” concert to celebrate thecoming of the New Year.  To “see out the old, and  bring in the new”, from the jetty of Marina Piccola in Sorrento a breathtaking show of fireworks lights up the skies of our town followed, on the morning of New Year’s Day, by the traditional New Year concert in Piazza Tasso. For the children, the local festivities do not end with the advent of the New Year. On 6thJanuary, for all the children, the “Befana”, the old witch of Epiphany, arrives in Piazza Lauro: every year, in fact, the  afternoon of 6thJanuary opens with music, animation and games for the youngsters and,as a grand finale, the “Befana” arrives with gifts for all!

• Christmas 2009