The heart of Spain’s capital was transformed into an ancient livestock trail today, Sunday, October 19, 2025, as thousands of sheep and goats were paraded through the city center as part of the annual Fiesta de la Trashumancia (Traditional Transhumance Festival).

The bustling and beloved spectacle, returning after last year’s cancellation due to animal disease concerns, drew huge crowds of locals and tourists eager to witness farm animals trotting past skyscrapers and famous landmarks.

The main event of the 32nd edition featured a flock of approximately 1,100 Merino sheep and 200 goats, led by shepherds dressed in traditional attire, leaving Casa de Campo park. They followed the historic livestock trails down Calle Mayor and through Puerta del Sol before concluding at Plaza de Cibeles.

The festival is rooted in a centuries-old agreement with the Madrid City Hall. Organizers paid a symbolic fee of 50 maravedís (medieval coins) per thousand sheep, honoring a pact from 1418 that guaranteed the right of passage for livestock through the city.

Beyond the parade, the celebration highlights the vital environmental role of traditional grazing, as shepherds naturally clear shrubs and flammable undergrowth along the trail, a particularly important ecological practice during the summer months.