What to expect at Santissimo Salvatore Tortolì 2026
From 11 to 14 September 2026, Tortolì celebrates the feast in honour of Jesus Christ the Saviour, one of the most heartfelt religious occasions in the Ogliastra. The Sant’Andrea Apostolo Parish, the SS. Salvatore Committee and the Municipality of Tortolì organise four days of celebrations, preceded by a triduum of prayer from 8 to 10 September. The heart of the feast is the procession of the sacred statues connecting the Parish Church to the countryside Church of the SS. Salvatore, in the coastal area of Orrì: a route accompanied by deacons, launeddas masters and numerous folk groups in traditional Sardinian dress.
Alongside the religious moment, the programme offers Sardinian dances in the square, evenings of ethnic and singer-songwriter music, the traditional fishing competition and, on the final day, a variety show evening with a parade of wedding dresses worn in Tortolì between the 1800s and 2026. The feast draws numerous faithful and visitors every year, both local residents and people from other Ogliastra towns, and is part of the wider summer calendar known as Festas de Sartu. Admission to all events is free.
Santissimo Salvatore Tortolì 2026 programme
The 2026 programme unfolds over a preparatory triduum and four days of celebrations, blending civic and religious moments. Below is the day-by-day calendar.
8–10 September — Triduum of prayer
On the three days preceding the feast, at 6.00 pm, the Triduum of prayer is held in preparation for the celebrations. On Wednesday 9 September, at 8.00 pm, a further moment of prayer with confessions for committee members is also scheduled.
Friday 11 September
The opening evening begins at 8.00 pm with a concert in the Sant’Andrea parish church, featuring the Stellaria Santu Nicola choir from Brunella and Luigino Cossu. At 8.50 pm, in Piazza Cattedrale, the traditional licitazione (s’imbidu) takes place: the public auction for the honour of carrying the large and small sacred statues during the procession.
Saturday 12 September
At 6.00 pm the outbound procession departs from the Parish Church towards the countryside church, where Holy Mass is celebrated with the value of a holy day of obligation, animated by the Santa Teresina choir. The procession is accompanied by deacon Mario Pinna, launeddas master Gian Franco Meloni from Muravera, the Santa Barbara Knights Association and the following folk groups:
At the end of the service, the Committee offers refreshments to the faithful. At 10.00 pm, in the square in front of the countryside church, a dance evening is held with the ethnic music group Dilliriana; at 10.30 pm the fishing competition awards ceremony takes place.
Sunday 13 September
The most attended day includes Holy Masses in the Parish Church from 7.30 am to 6.00 pm. At 10.30 am a procession is held around the countryside Church of the SS. Salvatore, followed by Holy Mass celebrated by parish priest Mons. Piero Crobeddu, with the liturgical celebration animated by the Sant’Andrea di Tortolì choir. At 3.30 pm, in the square in front of the countryside church, Gilberto Puddu, Ignazia Frau and Giorgio Manca perform Sardinian dances.
At 7.30 pm the sacred statues return to the Parish Church, where the faithful receive the blessing with the relic of the Holy Cross. The return procession, accompanied by deacon Mario Pinna, launeddas master Gian Franco Meloni and the «Muravera» Musical Band, features the following folk groups:
- Tortolì — Gruppo Folk S. Andrea
- Tortolì — Gruppo Folk Sant’Anna
- Settimo San Pietro — Gruppo Folk Santa Lucia
- Bari Sardo — Gruppo Folk N.S. di Monserrato
- Bono — Gruppo Folk
- Seui — Gruppo Folk
The Cuncordia a Launeddas Association also accompanies the procession. In the evening, from 10.00 pm, Piazzale Multipiano hosts «Volta la Carta Tour», a tribute to Fabrizio De André by the Jamin a Band group, and the On the Road Band with country music made in Sardinia.
Monday 14 September
At 9.30 am the traditional procession through the streets of the town takes place, followed by Holy Mass in the Parish Church animated by the Santa Teresina choir. At 9.30 pm, at Piazzale Multipiano, the feast concludes with a Gran Varietà evening: music, fashion and Sardinian dances in the square, featuring a parade of wedding dresses worn in Tortolì from the 1800s to 2026. Guests of the evening include Cecilia Concas, comedian Cristiano Del Rio, Andrea Zara and the Novos Sonos ethno-folk group, presented by Giuliano Marongiu.
How to Reach Tortolì
Distances from the main cities
Cagliari
123 km · 2h
Olbia
160 km · 2h 20min
Alghero
207 km · 3h 15min
Event location
Countryside Church of the SS. Salvatore — Orrì, Tortolì
Tortolì (OG) · Ogliastra
🚗 By car
From Cagliari: SS125 Orientale Sarda heading north (ca. 123 km, 2h). From Olbia: SS131 towards Nuoro, then SS389 and SS125 (ca. 160 km, 2h 20min). From Sassari: SS131 towards Nuoro, then SS389dir and SS125 (ca. 180 km, 2h 45min). From Alghero: SS131 towards Nuoro, then SS389 and SS125 (ca. 207 km, 3h 15min).
🚌 Bus
ARST bus lines connect Tortolì with Nuoro, Lanusei and other Ogliastra towns. Check timetables at arstspa.info. During the feast, Pusceddu Viaggi provides a shuttle bus near the countryside church to bring visitors back to town.
✈️ Nearest airport
Cagliari Elmas (ca. 123 km) is the closest major airport with scheduled flights. The small Tortolì-Arbatax tourist airport is also just a few kilometres from the centre, with limited seasonal connections.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Santissimo Salvatore Tortolì
When does the feast of the Santissimo Salvatore in Tortolì 2026 take place?
The main celebrations take place from 11 to 14 September 2026, preceded by a triduum of prayer from 8 to 10 September. The most attended moment is the procession on Sunday 13 September, with the return of the sacred statues accompanied by numerous folk groups in traditional Sardinian dress.
Is admission to the Santissimo Salvatore events free?
Yes, the procession, religious celebrations, Sardinian dances and evening concerts in the square are all free of charge, open to residents and visitors alike.
Where does the procession take place and what should you see?
The procession departs from the Sant’Andrea Apostolo Parish Church in the centre of Tortolì and reaches the countryside Church of the SS. Salvatore, in the Orrì area. Highlights include the sacred statues carried on shoulders, folk groups in traditional Sardinian dress and launeddas players.
Where can you park during the feast of the Santissimo Salvatore?
Parking near the countryside church can be limited during the procession: for the 2026 edition, a private shuttle service is provided near the electrical substation to bring people back to town after the service. It is advisable to arrive early or park in the centre of Tortolì.
History and Traditions
Tortolì, together with Lanusei the capital of the Ogliastra, lies on the central-eastern coast of Sardinia, overlooking the lagoon of the same name. Devotion to the Santissimo Salvatore centres on the small countryside church located in the coastal area of Orrì, at the foot of Monte Genna Graita. The origins of the building may even date back to the Byzantine era, linked to the spread of Christianity along the Sardinian coast; the church, built in Gothic-Aragonese style, was renovated in 1901 and today displays the characteristic white and light-blue tones typical of the Ogliastra’s rural religious architecture.
The patronal feast, organised by the SS. Salvatore Committee together with the Parish and the Municipality of Tortolì, is part of the wider calendar of Festas de Sartu, the summer celebrations that animate the town with faith, music and tradition. The procession of the sacred statues, “large” and “small”, between the Parish Church and the countryside church is the most distinctive element of the feast: a rite that combines the religious dimension, with the blessing of the relic of the Holy Cross, with the community’s collective participation, witnessed by the ancient custom of the licitazione, the public auction through which the faithful earn the honour of carrying the statues on their shoulders. The traditional Sardinian dress worn by folk groups from various towns across the island enrich the procession, while launeddas players and polyphonic choirs accompany every phase of the celebration.