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“It’s not over until the cows come home.” A popular quote, but does anyone know where it originates? Well, right here in the Alps! At least that is my professional opinion after attending an Almabtrieb or Verscheid in the German Alps. The tradition which loosely translates to “cow train” occurs every autumn in small Alpine towns spanning from Switzerland to Austria. If it has been your dream to watch cows with fancy flower hats parade, A.K.A run, through small European towns trailed by farmers in lederhosen ending in a celebration with local cheese, beer, and music, well then this is the autumn Alpine event is for you!
If you love autumn and welcome the turning of the leaves then traveling around for Almabtrieb around Europe is one of the best autumn activities you can do around Germany. You can catch a train or rent a car to find events ranging from large and touristy to small and intimate. Attending an Almabtrieb is a great day trip from Munich, a chance to take a break from Oktoberfest or just a reason to experience true Alpine culture in the crisp autumn air.
What is the Almatreib or Verscheid
Cows are an important part of Alpine life in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. They spend their summer days lazing about in the gorgeous green mountains and hills, eating, sleeping and playing. When the weather begins to bite, summer is over and it is time for these cows to head down to the lower fields and wait out the winter in the warm barn. The Almabtrieb is a huge homecoming party celebrated to give thanks to the safe return of the cattle and farmers. It is celebrated in small towns and regions all throughout Bavaria in Germany, Austria, and Switerzland. It is only natural that these cows are treated to a royal homecoming as they are dressed up with floral headdresses and prized bells while the town makes merry, drinking beer, eating traditional food and selling their dairy product.
How is the Almabtrieb or Cow’s Homecoming Celebrated?
Each town, each region, and each country celebrates it differently. At the small event in Haldenwang, it was an intimate festival with mostly locals. There were only two lucky cows adorned with the floral headdresses, weighing up to 20kg with the bell. A total of about 100 cows came bolting through the town, with the farmers herding them and bringing them down to the Viehscheid, and an area where a celebration took place. After the cows were in the pen everyone had a chance to take photos of them, buy local dairy products and traditional food, listen to a local band, and of course- drink beer. While our event was much smaller than some, it was great to see a traditional event with the locals.
Some regions, such as in parts of Austria (Tyrol or Südtyrol), and Switzerland go all out and combine their Almabtrib with a multi-day harvest festival. Tourists come from all over the world to experience these large events. The cow parades are just a small element of these events with parades of sheep and other farm animals. Towns will showcase their local talents such as basket weaving, wool weaving, and woodwork. Check out this post by Linda on her experience in Reith Alpbachtal, Austria. This was a MUCH bigger party than the one we had in a small town in Bavaria, Germany. It has inspired me to travel to many of these next years to compare them. How would you like to celebrate?
Where and When are These Events?
These events take place between September and October in various towns and regions of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. It was hard for me to find the exact dates and times for the events, so I was thankful to come across this great website with all the dates, times and an English translation! You can search by location or year to find the event nearest you!
Why you Should go to an Almabtreib.
Autumn is one of the best times to visit the Alps in my opinion. The weather has cooled off a bit and the towns are in party mode, giving thanks to the harvest and preparing for the long hard winter. Everyone is so welcoming and attending even the smallest events you feel like you’re right at home with the merrymaking locals. At least, I felt like one of the locals, celebrating the harvest in Haldenwang. It is a great way to experience local culture, a great alternative to Oktoberfest and a fun event for the entire family. Plus I love trying to local beer and food from each region. I hope to see you at an Almabtrieb when they bring the cows home for the winter! Let me know if you have any questions or need help planning your next trip!
Lord I love this kind of stuff when I am travelling. I am sure I saw this on a travel documentary a few years ago and thought that is exactly why I want to travel the world to experience exactly these kinds of events. I hate that expression “off the beaten path” but it is so appropriate. I am bored with the usual 10 ways to enjoy Venice and your post and photos gave me a lift and a big smile for the day. This is what travelling is all about.
What an awesome and unique event for you to experience – I’d never even heard of this before! Love your photos and that you’re enjoying it all with a beer! Hope we can make it there someday.
I’ve never heard of anything like this! What a fun celebration! Those cows are really pretty, too. This comes from a girl who teaches in a rural school in Missouri, so I’ve seen my share of cows. I would absolutely love to see something like this. I will keep this in mind for sure!
This really seems a great experience and an excellent way to mix with locals, thanks for sharing it! I’m also glad the cows are hopefully enjoying the celebrations in an otherwise quite miserable life.. Just a tiny correction: Südtyrol (also known as Alto Adige) has been part of Italy since the First World War, although German is still widely spoken :)
Cows are integral part in India too. We also have similar kind of cow festival in which we worship cow as god. Floral head decor of cows and 20kg bells are so unique part of this festivals. Cows are looking happy and enjoying also in such a cheerful enviornment. I love to attend these kind of traditional festivals a lot.
This seriously looks like so much fun and is right up my alley! I love experiencing all things cultural, and cannot believe I missed this as I was just in Switzerland! I love how the locals dress up and then dress the cows up too, my Vegan friends are going to LOVE this post.
Homecoming for cows – how exciting just thinking of it. Imaging all the headgears and huge swiss bells. I wish I too could get there to participate in real. I hope to time a visit there soon.
It sounds like a great experience and something definitely different to the Oktoberfest (did it once, never again :D ). I actually never heard of the Almabtrieb but I definitely want to attend one next year! Great pictures too!
I haven’t heard about this Almabtrieb festival. This is quite fascinating for me to know how people celebrate this festival differently in the different regions. I would love to attend this unique festival somedays in the Alps. Thanks for sharing
I was lucky enough to witness it when we were staying at the Sheraton and spitting say in 2011 I think and it was around August. and my mom told me oh yeah they bring their cows up the road you know she was totally low-key about it but cows are my favorite animals ever and granted my favorite breed of cow is the highland cow cuz it just looks like a stuffed animal but they just brought these cows up the steep mountainside and the cows were just of course going along with it and it was honestly like I did a matrix thing down the stairs cuz I didn’t want to wait for the elevator and I managed to get a video of the whole thing on my mom’s old digital camera and I don’t know what happened to that video but the only thing you can hear when you go through the tunnel to get up to where the hotels are is the echo of a cowbell and it started at like 5 in the morning so these poor people were like climbing this mountain side with a herd of cows just I’m like at a loss for words trying to describe it and granted that was very small and being August it wasn’t like a recognized thing but the headcount was wearing a special headdress which means that she was the same all know from the previous year so she survived the harsh Bavarian winter and a summer in the Alps in that track at least twice and it just it’s inspiring and yes you do see everybody burn lederhosen but it was one of the coolest things to see and I managed to stay awake for the whole night just to be able to catch this and then towards the end I went and did what I called Schnecke Jägen. I went around unlike a little walk after we ate in the hotel and just counted how many snails and slugs there were around I do that every time I’m in Germany which granted is my weird tradition but yes seeing the cows if you are a cow aficionado and don’t want to do the huge celebrations then go to the Bavarian Alps.
Thanks so much for your comment. I’m so glad you were able to see the cows coming home here in Germany, it is such as great cultural experience in the Alps.
Hi Susanna,
I’m also from Alaska, not living in Montana. I’m planning to honeymoon in Germany this September of 2022. I love getting local and authentic culture and off-the-beaten-path experiences when I travel. We will plan to attend an Almatrieb Festival, stay away from Octoberfest, do a few touristy things, and hike. I’d love any thoughts you can provide. I know this thread is older, but I’m hoping this message will make its way to you and that you’ll have a few words of wisdom. Thanks!
Hey Alicia,
Thanks so much for reading. That sounds like you have a lovely honeymoon planned! Around that time, I would recommend booking a rustic cabin for a few days in a smaller town around the Tegernsee region, on the Walchensee lake, Oberammergau, or Mittenwald. Spend a few days hiking and enjoying the slow pace of life including lots of hiking opportunities. Tegernsee is easily accessible by train from Munich and so it might be nice to do a few touristy things around the city before heading out into the mountains for some hiking and great views. You can look on websites like https://www.huetten.com/ or even booking.com to find cabins that are great for a honeymoon!