Caciocavallo, Cheese and Transhumance Festival

A festival born from the shepherds' trails of the Alburni

Some festivals are invented in boardrooms, while others simply showcase what a territory has always done. The Caciocavallo, Cheese and Transhumance Festival in Corleto Monforte, in the province of Salerno, undoubtedly belongs to the latter category. Here, on the southern slopes of the Alburni Mountains, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, the ascent of the herds to high pastures is a seasonal ritual that has been repeated for centuries: the event accompanies it, tells its story, and opens it up to visitors.

Organized by the Municipality of Corleto Monforte together with the Pro Loco, the festival takes place in May and has established itself over time as one of the most iconic events in the Salerno hinterland: the eighth edition was held in 2025, and the ninth in 2026.

Podolica caciocavallo, the absolute star

The common thread is Podolica caciocavallo, a stretched-curd cheese made from the milk of Podolica cows raised in the wild on high-altitude pastures. It is a rare product, linked to slow rhythms and non-intensive animal husbandry: the yield is low, the aging process is long, and the flavor is unmistakable. Other traditional Alburni cheeses and local products brought to town by local producers during the event revolve around it.

• Tastings of Podolica caciocavallo and local cheeses
• Open-air cheesemaking demonstration workshop
• Stalls featuring local producers and typical products
• Meetings and conferences on pastoralism, experiential tourism, and local history

Transhumance and trekking towards Corcomona

The most anticipated moment is Sunday morning, when the herds leave the local farms and set off along the ancient shepherds' trails. The procession of animals, accompanied by the breeders, is followed by a trekking route open to visitors: you walk side-by-side with the cattle up to the Corcomona area, at high altitude, where an open-air cheesemaking workshop is set up with a final tasting. It is the image that best sums up the festival: you don't just buy cheese; you see it being made where it truly originates, on the pasture.

The village in celebration

On Saturday, the stage is entirely for the town center. In the late afternoon, the Sala Manifestazioni hosts performances by the village children and teenagers—dance and puppet theater—followed by a conference dedicated to experiential tourism on farms and the history of the Alburni territory. The evening continues with tastings of typical products and a musical show that closes the first day. The return of the procession to the village on Sunday afternoon is an opportunity to visit the Alburni Naturalistic Museum, the historic center, and the three main churches of Corleto.

Corleto Monforte, a village to discover

With just over five hundred inhabitants, stone houses clinging to the mountainside, and a panorama that reaches the Sele plain on clear days, Corleto Monforte is one of those villages in inland Campania best visited at a slow pace. The Alburni Naturalistic Museum, with its entomological and naturalistic collections, is a surprising stop for both adults and children, while the paths that climb the plateau offer some of the most beautiful karst landscapes in Southern Italy.

From tradition to civic commitment

In recent years, the festival has also generated a related initiative, the Transhumance for Peace, born in Corleto Monforte with ACARBIO, the Dandelion Social Innovation Lab, and the Municipality: creative workshops with young volunteers, civic participation meetings, and the signing of a manifesto in a mountain hut at 1,300 meters above sea level. A way to interpret transhumance—movement, encounter, mixing—as a highly relevant metaphor.

When to go

The event is traditionally scheduled in May, over a weekend: arrive on Saturday afternoon for the town events and stay on Sunday for the transhumance and trekking. Comfortable shoes are mandatory, and a good appetite is recommended.