Very few religious events in Sardinia feel as raw, as physical, and as awe-inspiring as the Corsa degli Scalzi, the “Barefoot Race” held every year in Cabras, Oristano, on the island’s west coast. The Corsa degli Scalzi 2026 edition is expected to follow the same pattern as recent years, with the main race taking place on the first Saturday of September and the whole Festa di San Salvatore stretching from late August to early September 2026 in the village of San Salvatore di Sinis, a small hamlet dedicated to the saint that sits across the Sinis peninsula from the town of Cabras.
If you have only experienced Sardinia through its beaches and summer music festivals, this is the event that will show you the island where its heart beats strongest: in the dust, the sweat, and the collective devotion of its people.
"In the dust, the sweat, and the collective devotion of its people, the Corsa degli Scalzi reveals the true beating heart of Sardinia."
The Story of Corsa degli Scalzi
A Barefoot Pilgrimage of Faith and Folklore
The Corsa degli Scalzi (Race of the Barefoot Men) is a historic–religious reenactment and one of the most emotionally intense festivals in Sardinia. It is held in honour of San Salvatore di Sinis (Saint Saviour of Sinis), a local patron whose small church sits in the countryside between Cabras and the ancient Tharros archaeological site.
The ritual is built around a procession that becomes a race.
Dozens, often hundreds, of men from Cabras—known as “curridoris”—run barefoot for about 7 kilometres from the Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cabras to the Chapel of San Salvatore di Sinis, carrying on their shoulders a wooden simulacrum of the Saint, usually representing Christ in Transfiguration.
Because the runners are barefoot and dressed in simple white robes, the event is visually striking. The landscape is equally dramatic: the Sinis peninsula, with its dusty paths, Mediterranean scrub, and the sea glinting in the distance, gives the procession a timeless, almost biblical feel.
The 2026 Experience
From Late August to Early September
The Corsa degli Scalzi is not a one-day event. It is the centrepiece of the Festa di San Salvatore (San Salvadoru in Sardinian), which in recent years has run from late August to early September, with the race itself on the first Saturday of September and the return procession on the following Sunday.
For the 2026 edition, the pattern is expected to be:
- Late August 2026 – The festa begins in Cabras, with the first religious processions, novenas, and community events in the village of San Salvatore di Sinis.
- The first Saturday of September 2026 – The Corsa degli Scalzi itself, when the curridoris set off at dawn from Cabras and run barefoot to San Salvatore di Sinis, typically covering the 7-kilometre route in roughly an hour and a half of continuous, physical effort.
- The first Sunday of September 2026 – The return procession, when the statue of San Salvatore is carried back to Cabras, closing the religious circle of the festival.
Earlier editions, such as the 2025 festival, followed the 29 August to 8 September framework, with the main Corsa on Saturday 6 September 2025 and the return on Sunday 7 September.
Into the Race
The Curridoris and Their Journey
At the heart of the Corsa degli Scalzi are the curridoris, the barefoot men who carry the Saint’s image. They are usually dressed in white tunics tied at the waist with a cord, their feet completely unprotected as they run or stride along the dusty rural roads between Cabras and San Salvatore di Sinis.
There are usually around 900 runners in the procession, a mix of different ages and generations from the town of Cabras. Some run because they have made a personal vow to San Salvatore; others because it is a family tradition passed down through the years; many simply because they want to participate in what is the most important annual event in the town’s calendar.
The race route is 7 kilometres long, and the curridoris move at a steady, almost ritualistic pace.
When the procession reaches San Salvatore di Sinis, the statue is greeted by the bursting of small fireworks and the singing of traditional Sardinian hymns in the local language, which are passed down through memory rather than scores.
The Historical Roots
A Legend from 1619
The Corsa degli Scalzi is rooted in a very specific episode of Sardinian history. The story goes back to 1619, when the Saint’s statue was defended from an alleged Moorish invasion by a group of barefoot men from Cabras.
In the version of the tale commonly told today, the people of Cabras rushed to protect the relic, running across the countryside without shoes rather than wasting time dressing, and successfully repelling the attack.
The “Corsa degli Scalzi” is therefore a reenactment of that defence, turning a distant historical memory into a living, physical ritual every year.
Because of this deep historical and religious layer, the festival is widely regarded as one of the most ancient and evocative religious celebrations in all of Sardinia.
The Sinis Peninsula
Local Culture and Landscape
The Corsa degli Scalzi is deeply tied to the Sinis peninsula, a stretch of land that runs from Cabras towards the ancient Punic-Roman city of Tharros and the sea. The region is known for:
- Salt pans and lagoons that attract birds and give the area its unique, almost lunar landscape.
- The Tharros archaeological park, one of the most important Roman-Punic sites in the western Mediterranean.
- The agricultural holdings and small farms around the village of San Salvatore, which are still active today.
In the days around the Corsa, the Sinis countryside and the village of San Salvatore fill up with visitors, family-run stalls serving local food, and the rhythms of novena prayers that echo through the chapels and the surrounding fields.
Experiencing the Festival
How to Be a Part of the Corsa degli Scalzi
If you are planning to attend the Corsa degli Scalzi 2026 in Sardinia, here are some practical tips:
- Stay in or near Cabras. The town of Cabras, in the province of Oristano, is the natural base for the festival. Many visitors also stay in Oristano itself or along the coast between Oristano and Tharros, and drive to Cabras for the early-morning events.
- Choose the right dates. The main race is on the first Saturday of September, with the return procession on the first Sunday; the rest of the week is filled with novenas, processions, and local shows in the village of San Salvatore di Sinis.
- Arrive early for the race. The Corsa starts at dawn (around 6:00–6:30 in recent editions), so to get a good viewing spot along the 7-kilometre route, it is best to be in Cabras the night before and arrive at the starting point near the Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta at least an hour beforehand.
- Respect the ritual. The event is extremely meaningful to the local community. Taking photos is welcome, but staying at a respectful distance from the runners and the statue is important. Loud or disruptive behaviour along the route is generally frowned upon.
- Explore the Sinis peninsula. Use the days around the festival to visit Tharros, the Sinis lagoons, and the nearby beaches, all of which are easily reachable by car or bike from Cabras.
Because the festival is organised by the Municipality of Cabras with the support of Sardegna Turismo, the Fondazione Mont’e Prama, and the Fondazione di Sardegna, there is usually good local organisation and information available in the town centre and along the race route.
Ticketing and Accessibility
Free to Attend, Rich in Experience
The Corsa degli Scalzi is a public religious festival, and the procession and race are free to attend. There is no entry fee for spectators along the streets of Cabras or along the 7-kilometre route to San Salvatore di Sinis.
Visitors only pay for:
- Transport (rental car, bus, or train to the Oristano area).
- Accommodation in Cabras, Oristano, or nearby coastal towns.
- Local food and drinks at the village stalls and restaurants.
The Municipality of Cabras often publishes official programme booklets and maps closer to the dates, which can be picked up from the town hall or local tourism offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Things People Always Want to Know
When is the Corsa degli Scalzi 2026 in Sardinia?
The Corsa degli Scalzi 2026 is expected to follow the traditional pattern of the first weekend of September, with the main Barefoot Run on the first Saturday of September 2026 and the return procession on the first Sunday, as part of the Festa di San Salvatore in Cabras (OR), Sardinia.
Where does the Corsa degli Scalzi take place in Sardinia?
The festival and race take place in and between Cabras, in the province of Oristano, and the village of San Salvatore di Sinis, on the Sinis peninsula, near the Tharros archaeological site.
What is the Corsa degli Scalzi and why is it special?
The Corsa degli Scalzi is a barefoot religious procession and race in honour of San Salvatore di Sinis, where about 900 men (curridoris) run 7 kilometres barefoot between Cabras and the village of San Salvatore, reenacting a 1619 defence of the saint’s statue. It is one of the most moving and physically intense religious festivals in Sardinia.
Are there tickets or entry fees to watch the Corsa degli Scalzi 2026?
No, the Corsa degli Scalzi is a public religious festival, and the procession and race are free to attend for spectators; visitors pay only for transport, accommodation, and local food and drinks.
What else can I do in the area around the festival?
Around the Corsa degli Scalzi, you can visit the Tharros archaeological site, the Sinis lagoons and birdwatching areas, the salt pans near Cabras, and the coastal roads between Oristano and the Sinis peninsula, all of which are easily reachable by car or bike from Cabras and make for a rich cultural and natural complement to the festival.
Verified Information at a Glance
- Event Name: Corsa degli Scalzi 2026 Sardinia (Race of the Barefoot Men)
- Category: Religious procession and historical reenactment festival, Sardinian cultural event
- History: Based on the legend of 1619, when the statue of San Salvatore was defended from a Moorish invasion by barefoot men from Cabras
- Dates: Late August to early September 2026
- Duration: 7 kilometres run, main events over one weekend
- Venue: Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cabras to Chapel of San Salvatore di Sinis
- Address: Cabras, Province of Oristano (OR), Sardinia, Italy
- Attendance: Around 900 runners
- Recognition: One of the most ancient and evocative religious celebrations in Sardinia
- Stages: Procession from Cabras to San Salvatore di Sinis and return
- Genres: Religious, cultural, historical reenactment
- Programme Elements: Novenas, masses, traditional Sardinian hymns, local food stalls, folk music, fireworks
- Camping: Not specified, accommodations in nearby towns
- Age Policy: All ages
- Tickets: Free to attend, no entry charge for spectators
- Amenities: Local food and drink stalls, official programme booklets and maps
- Nearest Airport: Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG)
- Official Website: Sardegna Turismo
- Social Media: Not specified
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