Sa Sartiglia

Sa Sartiglia is Oristano's great festival and one of Italy's most spectacular traditional events. Held on the last Sunday of Carnival and the following Tuesday, it involves costumed horsemen galloping at full speed through the town's main street and attempting to pierce a hanging star-shaped target with a sword. The horses move fast, the crowd is pressed against the barriers, and the tension each time a rider lines up is genuine.

The riders wear Venetian-style masks — blank white faces on mounted figures in elaborate costume — which gives the whole event a dreamlike, slightly unsettling quality. If you can time your visit for February Carnival, Sa Sartiglia alone makes the trip worthwhile. Arrive early to find a good position on Corso Umberto, and book accommodation months ahead.

things to do sight
A story
Sa Sartiglia is thought to derive from the Spanish word "sortija" (ring), referring to the star-shaped target the riders must pierce. The tradition dates to at least the 15th century and was originally a tournament of Spanish knights. Over the centuries it became entirely Sardinian, with its own elaborate ritual: the master of ceremonies (the Componidori) is dressed by a group of female attendants following strict prescribed steps, and the mask once placed cannot be removed until the festival ends.