by InTrieste
On Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, one of Italy’s most unusual holiday traditions will unfold far below ground, inside the vast limestone chambers of the Grotta Gigante, just outside Trieste. The event, known locally as La Calata della Befana, has become a fixture of the Epiphany season, drawing hundreds of families and visitors each year to watch a theatrical descent staged in one of the world’s largest tourist-accessible caves.
Owned and managed by the Società Alpina delle Giulie, the Trieste section of Italy’s Alpine Club, the cave lies in the small town of Sgonico, on the edge of the Karst plateau. For this annual celebration, members of the club’s renowned Eugenio Boegan Caving Commission transform the monumental Great Cavern into a vertical stage.
Spectators gather on the cave floor, nearly 330 feet below the entrance, as speleologists in costume rappel down from the vault above. The performance begins with the descent of a trumpeter from the local band Le solite legere, whose music echoes through the immense underground space, followed by a procession of costumed figures suspended on ropes.
At the center of the spectacle is the Befana herself, the folkloric old woman who, according to Italian tradition, delivers gifts to children on the night of the Epiphany. She is joined by an eclectic and imaginative entourage that typically includes the Three Kings, Father Christmas, a shooting star, and the Muccocervi—mythical creatures said, in local lore, to inhabit the cave.
Once the performers reach the cavern floor, the event takes on a more familiar holiday tone. Children receive sweets and candies, while adults are offered cups of Gran Pampel, a hot, spiced alcoholic drink prepared by a group of costumed “Vikings.” The beverage, whose recipe is traditionally kept secret, has long been part of the cavers’ gatherings and adds a convivial note to the afternoon.
This year’s edition also includes a charitable element. At the cave’s visitor entrance, volunteers from AGMEN — an association supporting families of children with hematological and oncological illnesses — will sell traditional presnitzpastries and small gifts, with proceeds going to fund the group’s activities.
Attendance is limited to 900 people, and entry is guaranteed only through advance online ticket purchases via the Grotta Gigante’s official website. If the maximum has not been reached, a small number of tickets will be sold at the door on the day of the event at a higher price. Online tickets cost 15 euros for adults, while same-day tickets, if available, are 18 euros. Admission is free for children up to 12 years old.
Gates at the visitor center open at 2 p.m., with the performance beginning between 2:30 and 3 p.m. Regular guided tours of the cave will be offered earlier in the day, with the final tour departing at noon. Normal visiting hours resume on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
For Trieste and its surrounding communities, La Calata della Befana is more than a seasonal attraction. It is a blend of folklore, amateur theater, and the region’s long-standing relationship with the subterranean landscape of the Karst — a reminder that even in the depths of winter, celebration can find a place underground.
