Necropoli di Anghelu Ruju

Northwestern Sardinia


Some 10km northwest of Alghero, just off the SP42 to Porto Torres, lie the scattered burial chambers of the Necropoli di Anghelu Ruju. The 38 tombs carved into the sandstone rock, known as domus de janas (fairy houses), date from between 3300 BC and 2700 BC. Most of the sculptural decor has been stripped off and removed to museums, but in some of the chambers you can make out traces of sculpted bull's horns, perhaps symbolising a funeral deity.

Three weekday buses run from Alghero to near the necropoli (€1.90, 25 minutes).