La Cavalcata Sarda Sassari Festival Guide
Event Overview
La Cavalcata Sarda is a historic horse parade and folklore festival held annually in Sassari, in northwestern Sardinia. It dates back to 1899, when the first edition was organized to welcome King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy to the island. Unlike other Sardinian festivals, this event is entirely secular.
The celebration brings together thousands of participants wearing traditional folk costumes from across Sardinia. They walk or ride through the city center, showcasing the unique designs, fabrics, and jewelry of their home villages. The festival is famous for the pariglie, where riders perform acrobatic maneuvers on galloping horses at high speeds.
Key Locations & Map
The main events take place in these key spots:
- Piazza d'Italia: The central square where the parade passes and traditional folk dances are performed in the evenings (40.7248° N, 8.5630° E).
- Sassari Hippodrome: The sports arena where the pariglie horse acrobatics are held on Sunday afternoon (40.7165° N, 8.5615° E).
Spectator & Ticketing Information
Standing along the parade route through the city streets is free of charge (€0.00 / ~$0.00). If you want to sit in the covered grandstands installed in Piazza d'Italia, tickets cost €20.00 (~$21.80) and should be booked in advance via the municipal ticket portal. Entrance to the Hippodrome for the horse acrobatics is also ticketed at €10.00 (~$10.90).
Travel & Transit Tip: Since Sassari city center is closed to traffic during the parade, we recommend arriving by train or parking your rental vehicle in the public underground lot at Piazza Fiume and walking to the parade route.
Official Resources: Read schedule details and book seats at the Sassari Municipality Portal and the SardegnaTurismo Cavalcata Sarda Guide.