What is transhumance?
Transumanza: tran-soo-MAN-tsah. The z in Italian is like 'ts' — not English 'z'.
Ask when you see seasonal cattle movements or encounter shepherds in the mountains in summer. A wonderful conversation opener that reveals ancient Italian rural traditions.
Transumanza is the ancient seasonal migration of livestock between lowland winter pastures and highland summer pastures. It is UNESCO-listed (2019) as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. Understanding it enriches any Italian mountain experience.
Quando avviene la transumanza in questa zona?
When does transhumance take place in this area?
Timing varies: ascent in June, descent in September.
I trattori bianchi sono i cani da guardia del gregge?
Are the white sheepdogs the flock guard dogs?
Tratturo is the ancient drove road used for transhumance.
Il tratturo passa per il nostro sentiero?
Does the drove road pass through our trail?
Tratturi are ancient paths, often coinciding with modern trails.
The UNESCO recognition of transhumance (2019) was a joint inscription by Italy, Greece, and Austria. In Italy, the ancient drove roads (tratturi) of the Abruzzo-Molise region stretch for hundreds of kilometres and are now partly preserved as cultural itineraries.