Festa di San Salvatore
28 August – 7 September 2026 · Villaggio di San Salvatore, Cabras
The Festa di San Salvatore is the most important festival of Cabras, held every year in the ancient village of San Salvatore di Sinis, a few kilometres from the town. For centuries, thousands of people from across Sardinia have taken part in this deeply felt celebration.
The festival centres on the village church and its statue of the Santissimo Salvatore, and combines religious devotion with a lively programme of concerts, food and events for all ages.
History and tradition
According to tradition, the festival was born in 1619, when Saracen raiders threatened the territory of Cabras. The inhabitants fled towards the Sinis carrying the statue of San Salvatore and tied branches to their bare feet to raise a great cloud of dust; the raiders, believing a huge army was approaching, turned away. Since then, the vow to the saint has been renewed every year with the same run.
Today the run belongs to the is curridoris, hundreds of barefoot runners in white robes who cover about seven kilometres of dirt track through the Sinis. They run in squads and the statue always stays out in front; nobody is allowed to overtake it. At the finish, firecrackers go off and is coggius ring out, the old devotional songs sung in Sardinian.
The finish line is the village of San Salvatore di Sinis, which only comes to life during the novena, when its pilgrims' houses fill up again. The little church, built in the second half of the 17th century, sits right on top of an ancient hypogeum with traces of Neolithic, Nuragic, Punic and Roman worship. And from 1967 to 1990, the village itself doubled as a film set for countless spaghetti westerns.
The main events
Two moments draw the biggest crowds:
Corsa degli Scalzi
Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, Cabras- 06:00Santa Messa (Mons. Roberto Carboni)
- 06:45Partenza del Simulacro
- 07:30Corsa degli Scalzi
- 08:30Arrivo a San Salvatore
At dawn, runners in white robes set off barefoot from the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta in Cabras and run alongside the statue all the way to San Salvatore. It's the most spectacular moment of the festa, and the streets fill up well before the start, so arrive early.
Corsa degli Scalzi - Rientro di San Salvatore a Cabras
Villaggio di San Salvatore- 10:30Processione per le vie del villaggio (Launeddas del Sinis · Giuseppe Pintus e Piero Manca)
- 10:30Santa Messa (Don Diego Tendas)
- 17:00Rosario
- 17:30Santa Messa e partenza
- 18:00Corsa degli Scalzi - Rientro a Cabras
- 19:00Accoglienza del Santissimo Salvatore
In the evening, the wooden statue of the Santissimo Salvatore is carried back to Cabras by the runners in their white robes, closing the festival's most intense day.
Religious programme
Throughout the festival the village church hosts daily celebrations, with a novena in the days leading up to the main festivities.
28 August – 5 September
Villaggio di San Salvatore- 17:00Rosario
- 17:30Santa Messa
- 18:00Via Crucis e Novena
Processione di Santu Srabadoeddu
Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta, Cabras- 06:30Processione di Santu Srabadoeddu
- 09:00Santa Messa
The women receive the blessing and carry “Su Santigheddu” to San Salvatore, opening the festivities.
Thursday 3 September
Villaggio di San Salvatore- 17:00Rosario
- 17:30Santa Messa nell'ipogeo di San Salvatore
- 18:00Via Crucis
- 18:45Processione Eucaristica al Monte
Processione di Santu Srabadoeddu
Villaggio di San Salvatore- 06:30Processione di Santu Srabadoeddu
- 09:00Arrivo a Cabras e benedizione
The women carry “Su Santigheddu” back to Cabras, closing the festivities.
Civil programme
In the evenings, the village and Cabras come alive with entertainment for everyone:
Festival of traditional dances and music with Cogar Celi Band (Ireland), Balbrulè (Veneto) and Ballade Ballade Bois (Sardinia), with Stefano Pinna on launeddas.
- 20:30Porchetta arrosto in piazza
- 21:30Naracauli in concerto
- 23:00Luca Martelli, “Ride Gorila”
- 20:30Sagra della frittura di paranza
- 22:00Fantasias de Ballos
Daniele Contu brings the theatre to the square with “Giù le luci”.
The Compagnia Teatrale Arriora performs the comedy “Sa Sannora” by Ugo Orrù.
- 20:30Artis Antigasa
- 22:00Sonus de Festa (Maurizio Sellero, Giuseppe Pintus, Luca Loria, Alberto Pili)
Demonstration and exhibition of the ancient arts and crafts.
Music and dancing with Giuliano Marongiu.
- 20:00Sagra del muggine · Boes e Merdules di Ottana
- 22:00Cordas et Cannas in concerto
- 19:00Fireworks display · F.lli Massa, Serdiana
- 21:30Baby K in concerto
Where
The 2026 edition has ended. See you next year!