Eastern Sardinia
Sardinia's most spectacular gorge is flanked by limestone walls towering up to 500m in height. The endemic (and endangered) Aquilegia nuragica plant grows…
Must-see attractions in Eastern Sardinia
Golfo di Orosei
The last beachette of the gulf, Cala Goloritzè rivals the best. At the southern end, bizarre limestone formations soar away from the cliffside. Among them…
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Eastern Sardinia
Tucked beneath sheer limestone cliffs, this gorgeous mountain spring is the final outflow point for Italy's largest underground river system. Water…
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Eastern Sardinia
Hidden in a mountaintop cave deep in the Valle di Lanaittu, the mysterious nuraghic village of Tiscali is one of Sardinia’s must-see archaeological…
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Eastern Sardinia
Beautifully renovated in 2016, this museum zooms in on Sardinian folklore, harbouring a peerless collection of filigree jewellery, carpets, tapestries,…
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Museo delle Maschere Mediterranee
Eastern Sardinia
Get a firsthand feel for Mamoiada's carnival at this small but engaging museum. The three-part exhibit starts with a film that allows you to vicariously…
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Golfo di Orosei
Reachable only by boat or by a demanding three-hour trek from the Altopiano del Golgo, Cala Mariolu is arguably one of the most sublime spots on the coast…
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Eastern Sardinia
High above Ulassai, the mammoth Grotta di Su Marmuri is a 35m-high cave complex. Visits are by guided tour only (minimum of four people), which take you…
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Eastern Sardinia
WWII, the creation of the atomic bomb, the miners strikes of the Iglesiente, the evils of capitalism, women’s liberation – Orgosolo is a giant canvas for…
Cala Gonone
It’s a scenic 40-minute hike from Cala Fuili, or a speedy boat ride from Cala Gonone, to this enchanting grotto. It was the last island refuge of the rare…
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Eastern Sardinia
Set in dramatic hill country near the dusty town of Orune, this sophisticated and elegant nuraghic well temple dates from the 2nd millennium BC. Reached…
Parco Nazionale del Golfo di Orosei e del Gennargentu
Eastern Sardinia
The Parco Nazionale del Golfo di Orosei e del Gennargentu is Sardinia’s largest national park, taking in the rugged Supramonte plateau and the spectacular…
Golfo di Orosei
North of the Marina di Orosei, this beach forms part of a nature reserve and never gets too busy because visitor numbers are restricted. A 4km trail leads…
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Golfo di Orosei
A short drive north of Dorgali, off the SS125, the fairy-tale-like Grotta di Ispinigoli is a veritable forest of glittering rock formations, including the…
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Eastern Sardinia
Beyond the small village of Serri, the Santuario Santa Vittoria is one of Sardinia's most important nuraghic settlements. It was first studied in 1907 and…
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Eastern Sardinia
About 7km east of Nuoro is the granite peak of Monte Ortobene (955m), covered in thick woods of ilex, pine, fir and poplar, and capped by a 7m-high bronze…
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Eastern Sardinia
Occupying an elegant 19th-century palazzo, this delightful museum exhibits a collection of 40 menhirs (billed as the largest such collection in the…
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Cala Gonone
To get an eagle-eye view over the coast, follow the signs off the Cala Gonone–Dorgali road to this nuraghe. After 3km the rocky track peters out at a wild…
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Eastern Sardinia
Up in the oldest part of town, the birthplace of Grazia Deledda (1871–1936) has been converted into this lovely little museum. The rooms, full of Deledda…
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Eastern Sardinia
This remarkable feat of nature – a 270m abyss just 40m wide at its base – is tucked high up on the Altopiano del Golgo. Its funnel-like opening is now…
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Golfo di Orosei
Eleven kilometres northwest of Dorgali, at Km 25 on the SP38, is Serra Orrios, a ruined nuraghic village inhabited between 1500 BC and 250 BC. Nestled…
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Eastern Sardinia
Near the village of Goni, Pranu Mutteddu is a unique funerary site dating to the neolithic Ozieri culture (between the 3rd and 4th millennia BC). The site…
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Golfo di Orosei
A favourite with rock climbers, this wildly beautiful crescent-shaped bay is backed by a lush ravine, framed by cave-pitted cliffs and pummelled by…
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Golfo di Orosei
Around 5km from Grotta di Ispinigoli, on the country road towards Cala Gonone, S’Abba Frisca is an ethnographic treasure trove. Centred on a lake and…
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Eastern Sardinia
Named for Giovanni Corbeddu, the notorious 19th-century bandit who used to hide out here, this 150m-deep cave has also been the site of ongoing…
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Eastern Sardinia
Standing lonesome on the Golgo plateau amid ancient olive trees, this humble late-16th-century church with its striking whitewashed facade is flanked by…
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Eastern Sardinia
This small square is dedicated to the great poet Sebastiano Satta (1867–1914), who was born in a house here. To celebrate the centenary of Satta's birth,…
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Eastern Sardinia
Spread over a 7-hectare site in a thick cork and oak wood, this 17th-century-BC nuraghic sanctuary comprises several religious buildings and circular…
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Basilica Santa Maria dei Martiri
Eastern Sardinia
At Fonni's highest point is the imposing 17th-century Basilica della Madonna dei Martiri, one of Barbagia's most important baroque churches. Surrounded by…
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Eastern Sardinia
Rising out of the Sarcidano plain, about 10km south of Orroli and off the SP10, is the Nuraghe Arrubiu, which takes its Sardinian name from the red colour…
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Cala Gonone
About 3.5km south of town (follow Viale del Bue Marino) is this captivating rocky inlet backed by a deep green valley. From here you can hike over the…
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Eastern Sardinia
Turn left off Via Sant’Ignazio to reach this smashing 22-hectare park, noted for sheltering Sardinia's widest variety of native orchid species. Among the…
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Eastern Sardinia
Tucked down a cobbled lane, this simple two-roomed house is where St Ignatius was apparently born (he died in 1781). The back room, with its low wood…
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Golfo di Orosei
Signposted 3km north of the intersection of the SP38 and the SS129 (Nuoro–Orosei road), S'Ena 'e Thomes is a fine example of a tomba di gigante (literally…
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Eastern Sardinia
Accessible from the village of Osini, the Scala di San Giorgio is a vertical gully that takes its name from the 12th-century saint who is said to have…
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Museo Multimediale del Canto a Tenore
Eastern Sardinia
About 13km north of Orune via the SS389, the pastoral town of Bitti has achieved renown in recent years for its singing quartet, the Tenores de Bitti…
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Eastern Sardinia
This museum houses the permanent collection of Nuoro's excellent art museum and has an entire wing devoted to the works of renowned Nuoro-born sculptor…
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Eastern Sardinia
This museum presents a romp through the region’s archaeological sites. Finds from the surrounding province range from ancient ceramics and bronzetti to a…
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Eastern Sardinia
If you have a moment in Arbatax, head across the road from the port and behind the petrol station to the Rocce Rosse (red rocks). Like the ruins of some…
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Eastern Sardinia
Hidden deep in the Valle di Lanaittu are the Grotta Sa Ohe and Su Ventu, two caves linked by a natural siphon. The former, open to the public, is a wild…
