For a bird’s-eye view of Tharros, head up to the late-16th-century Torre di San Giovanni watchtower, occasionally used for exhibitions. Here you can look down on the ruins, as well as the Spiaggia di San Giovanni di Sinis, a popular beach that extends on both sides of the tower.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.1 MILES
The choppy blue waters of the Golfo di Oristano provide a magnificent backdrop to the ruins of ancient Tharros. Founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th…
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20.2 MILES
Just off the SS131 north of Oristano, the sanctuary at Santa Cristina is an important nuraghic complex. The nuraghic village's extraordinary Bronze Age…
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22.95 MILES
This magnificent beach is a picture of unspoilt beauty. A broad band of golden sand, it's sandwiched between a big-wave sea and a vast expanse of dunes…
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8.39 MILES
Oristano’s elegant outdoor salon sits at the southern end of pedestrianised Corso Umberto I. An impressive, rectangular space, it comes to life on summer…
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8.96 MILES
This landmark Romanesque church is one of Sardinia's architectural jewels. Dating to the early 12th century, it sports a severe sandstone exterior…
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5.81 MILES
Cabras' cultural highlight is the Museo Civico, and the real superstars here are the so-called Giants of Monte Prama, a series of towering nuraghic…
29.49 MILES
Commanding huge views, this hilltop castle was built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Tuscan Malaspina family. Little remains of the original…
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29.36 MILES
Housed in an elegant 19th-century townhouse, Bosa's main museum showcases local arts and artisanal crafts. Each of the three floors has a different theme…
Nearby Western Sardinia attractions
1. Area Archeologica di Tharros
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The choppy blue waters of the Golfo di Oristano provide a magnificent backdrop to the ruins of ancient Tharros. Founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th…
2. Chiesa di San Giovanni di Sinis
0.63 MILES
Built from softly worn sandstone, Chiesa di San Giovanni di Sinis is one of the two oldest churches in Sardinia (Cagliari’s Basilica di San Saturnino is…
2.57 MILES
A few kilometres out of Tharros, and signposted off the main road, the Oasi di Seu is a veritable Eden of Mediterranean flora. Once you’ve navigated the…
3.36 MILES
In the centre of the village, the 17th-century Chiesa di San Salvatore stands over a stone ipogeo (underground vault) dating to the nuraghic period. This…
5.76 MILES
One of the peninsula's most famous beaches, Is Aruttas is a pristine arc of white sand fronted by translucent aquamarine waters. For years its quartz sand…
5.81 MILES
Cabras' cultural highlight is the Museo Civico, and the real superstars here are the so-called Giants of Monte Prama, a series of towering nuraghic…
7. Spiaggia di Marina di Arborea
7.56 MILES
The tiny settlement of Marina di Arborea gives onto this long and rarely busy beach. Backed by dense pine woods, the sandy strip extends northwards for…
7.67 MILES
Six kilometres to the south of Santa Giusta, the Stagno S’Ena Arrubia is a paradise for birdwatchers – flamingos, herons, coots and ospreys are regularly…