Tourist Attractions & Monuments Sardinia

Perda Liana is one of Sardinia's most attractive geomorphological formations. Its resemblance to the peaks of Monument Valley or Devil's Tower is quite striking. It's a natural monument in the shape of a large vertical tower, known as a tacco (heel). With its impressive height of 1,293 metres, it is one of the island's best-known natural monuments, due to the strangeness of its elegant, slender form. Erosion has gradually isolated the "tower" and shaped its base. At its highest point, the "tower" is around 100 m wide, with vertical walls some 50 m high. Its base is shaped like a truncated cone. In the Ogliastra region, the Perda Liana tower is one of the most important remnants of the erosion of an extensive limestone cover dating from the Jurassic period. Not only did it dominate this part of the island for tens of millions of years, but above all, being visible from a great distance, it provided a landmark for people travelling through this mountainous region. It is thought to have been a gathering place for peoples since the dawn of time. Perla Liana remains a place of mystery, fantasy and legend. It rises from the earth like a giant finger reaching for the sky, in the midst of a wild and sparsely inhabited nature. Perda Liana has to be earned, and the road is winding, but this monument is one of our top picks for hikes between Ogliastra and Barbagia.

Logoduro is home to some of the finest Romanesque buildings in Sardinia. These churches were built from the ^11th century onwards, when the region became one of the island's four giudicati (administrative divisions). As the maritime powers of Genoa and Pisa gradually put an end to Moorish incursions on the island and preserved Christianity, their political and commercial interests permeated Sardinia. Temporal power was soon followed by spiritual power, hence the Pisan and Tuscan influences in the architecture of religious buildings. The political interference of these two rival powers over the "judge kings" lasted until the ^14th century, slowly transforming into a protectorate, and finally domination.

This is a picturesque itinerary to discover the most beautiful Christian temples built in north-western Sardinia between the end of the ^11th and the beginning of the ^12th centuries. The tour, which starts at Sassariand continues through Sassari to Semestene, covers a distance of 150 kilometers and requires a full day's visit. Last but not least, this tour also allows you to discover a little-known and rather wild region. It can be combined with a visit to the nuragic site of Santu Antine and the domus de janas (necropolis) of Sant'Andrea Priu. Detailed descriptions of each church can be found on the following pages:

Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia

Chiesa di Santa Maria del Regno

Chiesa di San Nicola di Trullas

Chiesa di Nostra Signora di Cabbu Abbas

Monastero di San Pietro di Torres

A wild site par excellence (out of season!), Capo Pecora is one of the jewels of the Costa Verde, of which it represents the southern extremity. Its granite promontory stands out on a coastline dominated by limestone: the pink of the granite contrasts with the turquoise of the water and the green of the Mediterranean scrub. Steep cliffs, swept by the wind, delimit it and frame small pebble beaches polished by the ceaseless work of the sea. In the creeks, the rocks have taken on particular aspects: one of them is called "dinosaur egg beach"

This 20 km-long limestone bastion, stretching north-south between Siniscola and Galtelli, is also known as the Sardinian Dolomites. It is characterized by vertical slopes carved by deep gorges, whose limestone whiteness can be seen from afar, hence the name "white mountain". The massif is criss-crossed by trekking itineraries that are the heirs of the charcoal-burning trails. It is a protected area for both flora and fauna. The view of the nearby sea, at an altitude of over 900 m, is breathtaking.

This place is a pure marvel. Donatella and her team will give you the warmest of welcomes for an unforgettable visit that is a true experience. The route wanders between ponds, basins and oyster beds, with the colorful backdrop of the Baunei (white limestone) and Urzulei (red porphyry) mountains. The Coop has been in existence for 80 years, and everyone "gets their hands dirty". Donatella insists that this is not a fish farm: the fish are wild! And everything can be enjoyed at Chiosco di Ponente. A real favorite!

It is by a well shaded botanical discovery path that one reaches this remarkable site: a sacred well in a unique state of conservation... and water still flowing in the middle of summer when everything around is dry. The architecture is just remarkable, the triangular shape evokes the sacred feminine, the tholos (roof covering) is intact and the atmosphere that emanates from the place summons the divine. This well was dedicated to the cult of water and Su Tiempesu is one of the most refined examples of religious architecture of the Nuraghic period.

Experts estimate its age to be between 3,000 and 4,000 years. The "Great Patriarch" is considered the oldest thousand-year-old olive tree in Europe. It is 14 meters high and its trunk at the base is 18 meters in circumference. Contemplating this majestic tree arouses emotion and humility, we had tears in our eyes. A second olive tree, more than 2,000 years old, and a last one of five centuries old complete this group. The guided tour by a team of passionate people is very instructive.

This cooperative association ISULE aims to help you discover all the beauties of La Maddalena and the neighbouring islands on foot, by bike or by boat. It offers cultural guided tours, thematic walking tours and boat tours to observe whales and dolphins, as well as to discover the neighbouring islands (especially Budelli with its pink sand beach). The members of ISULE will amaze young and old alike during these unforgettable experiences! Kindness and exceptional services at low prices.

The beach of Piscinas could be a corner of Africa venté by the mistral on Costa Verde of Sardinia. Sand dunes on the beach are more than 50 m high and are surrounded by green vegetation. Until the 1950 s, the beach was the place of loading of the mining operation in Montevecchio (Cagliari). Near the charming hotel Le Dune, built in the former mining depot, now national monument, we can still see rails with rusty trolleys. The beach is about 25 km from Arbus. Very extensive, it is never too crowded, even in August.

According to legend, Nora is the oldest city in Sardinia and was founded by the Phoenician hero Norax, son of Hermes and the nymph Erithya. It is more likely that this city was founded around 700 B.C. by Phoenician merchants who crossed the Mediterranean Sea to trade. They chose the peninsula of Cape Pula and its rocky promontory to lay the foundations of their city. It was in Nora that the famous stele was discovered, dating from the beginning of the 8th century B.C., which is considered to be the oldest written document in Western history. It is also on this stele that appears the word Shrdn, from which the present name of Sardinia is said to be derived. Apart from this stele, only few traces of the Phoenician occupation remain. The port city was taken by the Carthaginians at the beginning of the 6th century BC. Under their occupation, the city prospered and grew. It grew from 300 inhabitants to 3,000. The constructions are then made of dry stones.

The Romans seized the island in 238 BC and continued to develop Nora. They built an amphitheatre and a forum that can still be seen today and, around 150 AD, a spa and a market(macellum). They also built a road network and an efficient sewage system. Some of these structures still retain their mosaic decorations, one of the distinctive features of the ancient city of Nora. It is thought that towards the end of the 2nd century AD a mosaic school was opened in Nora, which would explain the flourishing of this art in the Roman city in the 3rd and 4th centuries. Its main characteristic is the almost constant use of white, ochre and black colours, whose beautiful harmonies can be found, for example, on the pavements of the frigidarium of the central baths. The Romans improved the constructions, used bricks, cut the stones and sealed them with mortar. We can't recommend too strongly that you opt for a guided tour of the archaeological site in order to get the full benefit of it. Some areas of the site only reveal their interest with the lights of a learned person.

In summer, the Roman amphitheatre in Nora is the venue for the Poets' Night festival (in Italian). From the archaeological area of Pula you can admire the nearby Torre del Coltellazzo. The Spanish tower, perched on a promontory of volcanic rock overlooking Nora beach, was built between 1580 and 1610 to defend the coast against Arab invaders.

Tourist information point just opposite the landing terminal. Several brochures available in French.

The historic centre of Alghero is full of ancient palaces. Many of them reflect the Catalan influence. Among them, the Palazzo d'Albis erected in Piazza Civica in the 16th century is a remarkable vestige of Catalan-Aragonese architecture of that time. Charles V stayed there in 1541. Later, the palace became the property of the Albis family and was the home of the governor of the city. The Palazzo Machin, built at the beginning of the 17th century, has a magnificent Renaissance portal and Gothic-Catalan style windows.