Aprica has its roots in the Alpine farming tradition. Visitors who come for the first time notice that this village does not have a historical centre because it’s divided into 6 quarters. Some still maintain the same atmosphere of the past, even thanks to the murals, like those in S. Maria. If rural life has given way to tourism, many traditions remain alive.

Sunà da mars is a folk festival that is close to the hearts of the locals. Its purpose is to greet spring and the blooming of nature by ringing cowbells. People ringing cowbells move from the various quarters to gather at Piazza delle Contrade to taste the mach, the traditional dish of this festival that takes place at the end of February.

There’s another tradition children celebrate on the Epiphany. We are talking about Gabinat. On this day, children visit their relatives and friends by midday. If they are quicker than the others in saying gabinat , they’ll receive a gift (it’s believed that the word “gabinat” comes from German and means “the night of the gifts”). In the past, children would receive only nuts and chestnuts or even a tangerine if they were lucky. Today, it’s more likely they receive sweets and chocolate. It’s a bit like trick-or-treat but without the trick!

In Valtellina, the transhumance tradition is very much still alive. In the summer, livestock is taken to mountain pastures to take advantage of the freshly grown grass. And at the end of the season, farmers adorn the livestock festively to bring them back in a slow procession.

If you find yourself walking down Aprica’s streets, you’re likely to hear someone quoting old sayings or proverbs from the rural culture. There’s a proverb for everything. From the passing of the seasons to the weather, popular wisdom still rings true today.

To keep traditions alive and show them to the tourists, S. Pietro and S. Maria quarters organise two popular events, one for Carnival and the other in July. We are referring to the Festa par i sciori and the I tep d’ina olta. Both these events are a journey through Valtellina’s history, a display of arts and crafts from the past, traditional dishes and products, including panvì and chisciöi. The quarters’ dwellers wear the typical peasant costumes to recreate the simple and authentic rural atmosphere of the quarters. In addition, the I tep d’ina olta is organised in collaboration with local wineries, where you can taste Valtellina’s fine wines.