San Salvatore di Sinis: The Barefoot Pilgrimage of Sardinia

San Salvatore di Sinis – The Barefoot Race of Faith

• Region: Sardinia

• Province / Nearest City: Province of Oristano / Cabras (7 km away)

• Title: The Corsa degli Scalzi – A Mystical Barefoot Pilgrimage

Introduction:
Every September, the dusty streets of San Salvatore di Sinis tremble under the rhythm of hundreds of bare feet. This is the Corsa degli Scalzi, one of Sardinia’s most powerful religious rituals, where faith, tradition, and sacrifice merge in an unforgettable event.

Origins and Meaning:
The tradition dates back to 1619, when the people of Cabras ran barefoot to protect the statue of Saint Salvatore from Saracen raids, carrying it to safety in the rural sanctuary. Since then, the barefoot run has become a vow of devotion, repeated every first weekend of September by more than 800 men dressed in white tunics.

Event Atmosphere:
The dawn silence is broken only by chants in Sardinian as the curridoris (runners) dash across the dusty tracks, carrying the simulacrum of the saint for 7 kilometers. Onlookers line the path, many moved to tears by the intensity of the moment. The smell of dust, the rhythm of bare feet, and the echo of ancient hymns transform the village into a stage of sacred drama.

What to Expect and How to Join:
The race takes place on Saturday morning at dawn (Cabras → San Salvatore) and Sunday evening (return). Outside these dates, San Salvatore feels like a western movie set, with its low houses and dirt roads that once hosted spaghetti-western films. Visitors can also explore the small church of the Holy Savior, built above a prehistoric hypogeum.

• Address: Piazza San Salvatore, 09072 San Salvatore di Sinis (Cabras, OR)

• How to Get There:

  • By car: From Oristano, follow SP6 to Cabras and continue toward San Salvatore (15 minutes).

  • By public transport: Buses connect Oristano to Cabras; from there, a local taxi is needed to reach the village.

• Nearby Food & Stay: Cabras is famous for bottarga di muggine (mullet roe), best tasted with pasta or on fresh bread. Guesthouses and small hotels in Cabras provide accommodation; Oristano offers a wider range of stays.

Conclusion:
The Corsa degli Scalzi is not just a religious procession—it’s an act of collective identity. To stand among the crowd as the barefoot runners storm past is to feel Sardinia’s heartbeat, ancient and eternal.