# Festa della Transumanza in Geraci Siculo

> Festa della Transumanza in Geraci Siculo: in late May the herds walk through the village up to the mountain pastures, with cheese made live and tastings.

- Page: https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/festa-della-transumanza-geraci-siculo/
- Updated: 2026-10-19
- Other languages: [Italiano](https://www.lemadonie.it/eventi/festa-della-transumanza-geraci-siculo.md) · [Español](https://www.lemadonie.it/es/eventos/fiesta-de-la-trashumancia-geraci-siculo.md) · [Français](https://www.lemadonie.it/fr/evenements/fete-de-la-transhumance-geraci-siculo.md) · [Deutsch](https://www.lemadonie.it/de/veranstaltungen/festa-della-transumanza-almauftrieb-geraci-siculo.md)

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| 2026 edition | 22 – 24 May 2026 |
| Where | Old town, Piazza del Popolo and the Santissima Trinità drinking trough, [Geraci Siculo](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/geraci-siculo/) |
| Category | Culture |
| Recurrence | Every year, late May, two or three days, with the herds passing through on Sunday afternoon |
| Organiser | Comune di Geraci Siculo |
| Source | https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/05/15/geraci-siculo-celebra-la-civilta-pastorale-torna-la-festa-della-transumanza/ (checked on 2026-10-19) |

## Programme

16th edition, part of the European Geoparks Week. Friday activities with schools; Saturday visits to livestock farms and the village and a round table; Sunday educational farm, caciocavallo cheese-making at 11:00 and at 17:00 the herds pass the Santissima Trinità trough, with "U Màrcatu" and the Engium folk group; at 20:00 tasting of mountain meats.

The Festa della Transumanza is the day when the herds go up to the high pastures by walking through [Geraci Siculo](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/geraci-siculo/), at 1,077 metres. It is held in late May, with the animals passing on Sunday at 17:00, and around it there are visits to the shepherds' farms, cheese made live and tastings. In 2026 the sixteenth edition, "Si sgavìta la montagna", ran from 22 to 24 May.

It is promoted by the Comune di Geraci Siculo with the Pro Loco, the youth council and other associations, with funding from the regional agriculture department. Since 2026 it has been listed in the Register of Intangible Heritage of Sicily.

## What the Geraci transhumance is

Transhumance is the seasonal move of livestock: in spring the herds leave the lower pastures "di marina" and climb to the mountain ones, where they stay for the summer. In Geraci the route crosses the village. "We celebrate the herds' passage from the lowland pastures to the mountain pastures," mayor Luigi Iuppa said in 2026.

For the shepherds of Geraci transhumance is still living work, and the festival grew up around that passage. In 2026 a local producer told Madonie Press that many young people are taking up shepherding and livestock farming.

## The programme: how it was in 2026

The 2026 festival was part of the 21st European Geoparks Week, with the [Madonie UNESCO Global Geopark](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/european-geoparks-week-madonie/). Here is the programme, from the Madonie Press website:

| Day | Time | What | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 22 May | 9:00 | "Orienteering in transumanza" with Madonie schools | Piazza del Popolo |
| Friday 22 May | 10:00 | reading and workshop with the author of "La capretta Bianchina" | nursery school |
| Saturday 23 May | 9:00 | "Vivi la transumanza", visits to traditional livestock farms (Pro Loco) | start from Piazza del Popolo |
| Saturday 23 May | 11:00 | "Per le vie del borgo", guided tour of the old town | start from Piazza del Popolo |
| Saturday 23 May | 17:00 | round table on seasonal cooking | social centre in Via Vento |
| Sunday 24 May | 10:00 | educational farm and farm readings for children | Santissima Trinità garden |
| Sunday 24 May | 11:00 | traditional cheese-making and caciocavallo preparation, with tasting | Santissima Trinità drinking trough |
| Sunday 24 May | 17:00 | "Le mandrie in cammino", the herds pass through; "U Màrcatu" and show by the Engium folk group | Santissima Trinità drinking trough |
| Sunday 24 May | 20:00 | tasting of mountain meats | Santissima Trinità drinking trough |

## What you see and taste

The moment not to miss is the passage of the herds with their clanging bells, "scampananti", as the 2017 programme already called them. Afterwards, at the Santissima Trinità trough, "U Màrcatu" is set up, with animals and scenes from the pastoral tradition.

On Sunday morning young shepherds make cheese in front of the public. Madonie Press described the tools used, the "mànnara", the "vadili" and the "furnaca", and the products: quagliata, tuma, ricotta and caciocavallo. For other local products see the [Madonie food](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/food/) section.

## Past editions

The festival goes back at least ten years:

- **2026**: 22-24 May, 16th edition, part of the European Geoparks Week;
- **2025**: 24-25 May, 15th edition, with a conference on common land rights in the convent of the Augustinian Fathers;
- **2017**: 20-21 May, 9th edition, with a museum of Geraci shepherds in the Santissima Trinità garden, sensory workshops by Slow Food Alte Madonie and the release of birds of prey at the Ventimiglia castle.

## Getting there and where to stay

Geraci Siculo is about 44 km from Cefalù (50 minutes, via Castelbuono on the SS286) and about 114 km from Palermo (1 hour 40), according to our calculation on OpenStreetMap without traffic. The sources do not mention dedicated parking: on the day of the passage the streets of the centre are taken up by the animals, so it is best to arrive in the early afternoon. The rest is in the [guide to Madonie roads](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/roads/).

Before you set off, check the [Geraci Siculo weather](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/weather/geraci-siculo/). For a place to sleep there is the list of [where to stay in Geraci Siculo](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/geraci-siculo/where-to-stay/). In summer people come back to the village for the [Giostra dei Ventimiglia](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/giostra-dei-ventimiglia/); the other dates are among the [events in Geraci Siculo](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/geraci-siculo/events/).

## Past editions

- 2025: 24 – 25 May 2025. [Source](https://www.balarm.it/eventi/la-festa-della-transumanza-a-geraci-siculo-visite-guidate-degustazioni-e-la-abbivirata-138478)

## Frequently asked questions

### When is the Festa della Transumanza in Geraci Siculo?

The festival is held in late May and lasts two or three days; the herds pass through on Sunday at 17:00. In 2026 the sixteenth edition ran from 22 to 24 May, in 2025 the fifteenth on 24 and 25 May. The 2027 dates have not been announced yet.

### What is the Geraci transhumance?

It is the move of the herds from the lowland pastures, "di marina", to the high mountain pastures for the summer. In Geraci Siculo, at 1,077 metres, the animals pass right through the village: shepherds still do this work today, and the festival grew up around it. Its title is "Si sgavìta la montagna".

### What time do the herds pass?

In 2026 the herds' passage, "Le mandrie in cammino", was on Sunday 24 May at 17:00, from the Santissima Trinità drinking trough, led by the shepherds of Geraci Siculo. Right after came the setting up of "U Màrcatu" with animals and scenes of pastoral life and a show by the Engium folk group.

### What do you eat at the Festa della Transumanza?

On Sunday morning young shepherds make cheese live and prepare caciocavallo, with tastings; in the evening there is a tasting of mountain meats. In 2026 Madonie Press described the cheese-making, with quagliata, tuma and ricotta made with the old tools.

### Is the Geraci transhumance intangible heritage?

Since 2026 the shepherds' transhumance festival of Geraci, "Si sgavìta la montagna", has been listed in the Register of Intangible Heritage of Sicily, together with seven other traditions of the village, including the feasts of San Bartolomeo and of the Santissimo Crocifisso.

### Can you visit the shepherds' farms?

In 2026, on Saturday morning, the Pro Loco of Geraci Siculo organised "Vivi la transumanza", guided visits to traditional livestock farms, starting at 9:00 from Piazza del Popolo. In the 2017 edition the visits had to be booked: it is best to contact the Pro Loco beforehand.

### How do you get to Geraci Siculo?

From Cefalù it is about 44 km (50 minutes) via Castelbuono and the SS286; from Palermo about 114 km (1 hour 40). These are estimates from our calculation on OpenStreetMap without traffic. The sources do not mention dedicated parking; on the day of the passage the herds fill the streets of the centre.

## Sources

- [Madonie Press, Festa della Transumanza 2026 (15 maggio 2026)](https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/05/15/geraci-siculo-celebra-la-civilta-pastorale-torna-la-festa-della-transumanza/)
- [Madonie Press, Transumanza di Geraci Siculo (25 maggio 2026)](https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/05/25/transumanza-di-geraci-siculo-tradizioni-e-sapori-protagonisti-sulle-madonie/)
- [Ente Parco delle Madonie, Transumanza a Geraci nella Settimana dei Geoparks](https://www.parcodellemadonie.it/xxi-settimana-europea-dei-geoparks-rivive-la-magia-della-transumanza-a-geraci-siculo/)
- [Madonie Press, otto tradizioni di Geraci nel REIS (11 febbraio 2026)](https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/02/11/geraci-siculo-otto-tradizioni-entrano-nel-registro-delle-eredita-immateriali-della-sicilia/)
- [Balarm, 15ª Festa della Transumanza (2025)](https://www.balarm.it/eventi/la-festa-della-transumanza-a-geraci-siculo-visite-guidate-degustazioni-e-la-abbivirata-138478)
- [Balarm, nona Festa della Transumanza (2017)](https://www.balarm.it/eventi/fiere-ed-esposizioni/si-sgavita-la-montagna-la-nona-festa-della-transumanza-a-geraci-siculo-69136)

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Markdown version of the page https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/festa-della-transumanza-geraci-siculo/, from Le Madonie (lemadonie.it), an independent guide to the Madonie. Facts with source and date of check.