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Transhumance traditions and festivals in Spain

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2026-10-25 18:41 UTC → 2026-10-27 08:06 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Madrid is preparing for its annual Transhumance Festival, scheduled for October 25, which celebrates the ancient practice of seasonal livestock movement. The festival, which has been held since 1994, honors traditions linked to the ‘cañadas reales’ and was recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2023. As part of the festivities, a herd of indigenous Guisandesa goats from the province of Ávila has begun a migration from Bohoyo to Madrid. The journey, which started on October 10, aims to promote the conservation of the breed, which is critically low with fewer than 300 specimens remaining. The route passes through localities such as Piedrahíta, Villafranca de la Sierra, Villatoro, Muñana, Solosancho, and La Colilla. The herd is expected to reach Ávila on October 22 before being moved to Madrid’s Casa de Campo on October 23 to participate in the central festival events. In a significant development, the Governing Council of the Community of Madrid has officially declared transhumance a ‘Bien de Interés Cultural’ (BIC) under the category of intangible heritage. ~~This regional designation recognizes the practice of moving livestock between ecosystems to find better pastures and acknowledges its impact on the region’s architectural and ethnographic heritage.~~ During the 33rd annual festival, a herd of 1,250 sheep and 160 goats moved through the city’s historic center. To avoid a housing activist protest camp at Puerta del Sol—which intensified following the death of 87-year-old resident María del Carmen Abascal—organizers rerouted the livestock through Plaza de la Villa and Plaza Mayor. During the procession, authorities performed the symbolic tradition of paying ‘50 maravedís per thousand’ animals, a custom dating back to 1418. Organizers also noted the environmental benefits of transhumance, stating that traditional grazing helps manage vegetation and reduce wildfire risks.

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