La Transumanza

La Transumanza in Monte Cavallo

In the heart of the Monti Sibillini, in Monte Cavallo (Province of Macerata, Marche), La Transumanza brings back to life one of the oldest gestures of Apennine civilization: the seasonal movement of flocks from the valleys to the high-altitude pastures. This is not a spectacle to be watched from a distance, but an experience to be lived by walking, side-by-side with shepherds and sheep, along the grassy paths that have connected the Macerata valleys to the ridges of the Sibillini for centuries.

Two days as shepherds

The event takes place over two days. On the first day, the group meets at Casette di Valle Sant'Angelo, in the territory of Pievetorina, and sets off on foot, following the flock, to reach the locality of Collattoni after several hours of walking through woods and clearings. Here, practical pastoral activities take place: shearing, milking, and milk processing. The evening is dedicated to conviviality, with a communal dinner followed by traditional songs and verses, around tables and under the mountain sky.

The return towards Monte Cipolleta

On the second day, after breakfast and marking the sheep, the flock sets off again from Collattoni to return towards Monte Cipolleta. This stage is also covered on foot, with a stop along the way, and concludes in the afternoon with a convivial moment, popular songs, and dances before the recovery of equipment. It is the completion of the cycle: the shared effort of the journey, direct contact with the animals and the landscape, the rediscovery of rural knowledge that risks being lost.

A rite that comes back to life

The event is rooted in the tradition of transhumance in the Marche region, which historically saw flocks move along ancient grassy paths towards the Maremma in Tuscany and Lazio. In Monte Cavallo, the rite has been revived as an opportunity for community and slow tourism: the first edition, in 2025, attracted about fifty participants of all ages, families and elderly people, far exceeding expectations. The initiative enhances the territory of the upper Macerata area and its breeders, intertwining peasant memory, hiking, and conviviality in one of the smallest and most authentic municipalities of the Sibillini.