What to expect at Our Lady of Itria Villamar 2026
From 15 to 19 August 2026 Villamar celebrates Our Lady of Itria and the Holy Saviour: a procession with horsemen, traccas and folk groups to the country church, five nights of shows with Sick Luke and Maria Luisa Congiu, and closing fireworks. The Marmilla’s big summer feast.
Our Lady of Itria Villamar 2026 Programme
The feast of Our Lady of Itria and the Holy Saviour, organised by the parish of San Giovanni Battista together with the Comitato Classe 1976, the Pro Loco and the Municipality of Villamar, fills five days in mid-August. Its religious heart is the statue’s double journey between the village and the Itria country church, escorted by horsemen, traccas and folk groups in traditional dress; the secular programme brings music, comedy and big-name guests every night, ending with fireworks and the closing raffle. The feast is listed among the Region of Sardinia’s Regional Identity Events.
Entertainment
Saturday 15 August
The feast opens at 22:00 with a show by Dilliriana, a group that reinterprets traditional Sardinian music and dance in a modern key.
Sunday 16 August
At 22:00 Samu&Diemme open the evening, followed by the revival format Millenium 90/2000. Next on stage is rapper and producer Sick Luke, and the night continues with Radio105 DJ Wender.
Monday 17 August
The afternoon is for families: at 18:00, at the country church, children’s entertainment is run by Animù Animazione. At 22:00 the laughs come from Alessandro Pili with his show “20 anni di legislatura di Scraffingiu”, starring the Sardinian comedian’s best-loved character.
Tuesday 18 August
At 22:30 it is the turn of Maria Luisa Congiu in concert, one of the best-known voices of Sardinian-language song.
Wednesday 19 August
The last night opens at 22:00 with a fireworks display by Armando Colombo Piano Event, followed by music and dancing with the band La Favola. During the break the winning raffle tickets are drawn.
Religious celebrations
Sunday 16 August – Procession to the country church
At 10:00 the dressing of Our Lady of Itria takes place, as the statue is adorned with its jewels and mantle for the feast. Holy Mass follows at 18:00, and at 19:00 the procession carries the statue to the country church, accompanied by the accordion players of the Villamar Civic Music School led by maestro Bruno Ghiani, the horsemen, the traccas and the folk groups.
Monday 17 August – A day at the shrine
Holy Mass is celebrated at 8:00 in the parish church; at the shrine Masses are held at 9:00, 10:30 and 19:00, the last one dedicated in particular to the sick.
Tuesday 18 August – Return to the village
After the 8:00 Mass in the parish church and those at 9:00, 10:30 and 19:00 at the shrine, at 20:00 the procession brings the statue back to the parish church: Our Lady is once again escorted by the Civic Music School accordion players led by Bruno Ghiani, the launeddas of the Su Staccasciu association, the horsemen, the traccas and the folk groups.
Wednesday 19 August – Holy Saviour
The religious programme closes with the feast of the Holy Saviour (SS. Salvatore): Holy Mass at 18:30 and the procession through the village streets at 19:30.
How to Get to the Our Lady of Itria Feast in Villamar
Distances from major cities
Cagliari
54 km · 0h 50min
Olbia
225 km · 2h 50min
Alghero
166 km · 2h 20min
Event location
Country church of Our Lady of Itria and parish church of San Giovanni Battista — Feast of Itria and the Holy Saviour
09020 Villamar (VS) · Marmilla
🚗 By car
From Cagliari take the SS131 Carlo Felice to the Sanluri exit, then the SS197 towards Barumini as far as Villamar (about 50 minutes). From Sassari head south on the SS131 to Sanluri and continue the same way (about 2 hours). The Itria country church is about three kilometres from the village.
🚌 Bus
Villamar is served by ARST buses linking Cagliari and Sanluri with the villages of the Marmilla, with fewer services on public holidays and in the evening. Check timetables at arstspa.info.
✈️ Nearest airport
Cagliari Elmas (approx. 50 km).
🚗 Compare prices and hire a car at the best rate Open in Google Maps ↗Find accommodation near Villamar.
Frequently Asked Questions about Our Lady of Itria in Villamar
Is the Our Lady of Itria feast in Villamar free to attend?
Yes: the celebrations, the processions and all the evening shows, including Maria Luisa Congiu's concert and the fireworks on 19 August, are open to everyone with no ticket. The only thing you pay for is raffle tickets, drawn on the last night.
When do the processions take place?
On Sunday 16 August at 19:00 the statue of Our Lady leaves the parish church for the country church, with horsemen, traccas and folk groups. On Tuesday 18 August at 20:00 the statue returns to the village, accompanied by launeddas as well, and on Wednesday 19 August at 19:30 the Holy Saviour procession takes place.
Are there activities for children?
Yes: on Monday 17 August at 18:00, in the grounds of the country church, children's entertainment is run by Animù Animazione.
Where can I park and eat during the feast?
The country church lies about three kilometres from the village, surrounded by greenery: on feast days it is best to arrive early and leave the car in the spaces around the shrine. There are bars and places to eat in Villamar, while for a wider choice of restaurants you can drive to Sanluri or Barumini, a few kilometres away.
History and Traditions
Villamar, Mara Arbarei in Sardinian, lies in the southern Marmilla, among the wheat-growing hills that separate the Campidano plain from the Giara plateau. Its Sardinian name recalls its old ties to the Judicate of Arborea, in which the village was an important district seat; after passing to the Aragonese it became a fief in 1409 and a county in 1643. In the 16th century merchants from the Balearic Islands settled here, leaving behind the so-called “Majorcan quarter”, while the parish church of San Giovanni Battista, rebuilt in Catalan Gothic style, holds the altarpiece painted in 1518 by Pietro Cavaro, a masterpiece of Sardinian Renaissance painting.
About three kilometres from the village, alone among the fields, stands the church of Our Lady of Itria, built between the 16th and 17th centuries in a late Gothic style with a Spanish imprint. The title comes from the Hodegetria, “she who shows the way”: the icon of the Virgin and Child venerated in Constantinople, whose cult reached Sardinia through Sicily and Spain and spread to many villages on the island, from Portoscuso to the towns of the Campidano and Barbagia.
The August feast keeps the rhythm of Sardinia’s great country processions: on the third Sunday of the month the statue, adorned with votive gold, leaves the village preceded by horsemen and traccas, decorated ox carts, while the faithful sing the goccius, sacred hymns in Sardinian. For three days life moves to the shrine, then Our Lady returns to the parish church. As in many Sardinian villages, the organisation passes each year to a different age cohort: for the 2026 edition it falls to the committee of those born in 1976, taking over from the class of 1975.