Greccio

Greccio is a small hill town in the Rieti province of Lazio, listed among Italy's "Most Beautiful Villages" (Borghi più belli d'Italia). It is famous as the site where, in December 1223, Francis of Assisi staged what is widely considered the first live Nativity scene, in a grotto near the town, inspired by his earlier visit to the Holy Land. The event is commemorated at the Santuario di Greccio (Franciscan sanctuary), built into the hillside where it took place.

The Santuario di Greccio (Sanctuary of Greccio), a Franciscan sanctuary built into the rock at the site of the 1223 first live Nativity, is the town's principal sight.