Weekend

Unmissable weekends in Alta Gallura: not just the sea

Although Gallura is famous for its beaches, known and appreciated worldwide, the Gallurese hinterland is a fascinating place where you can find breathtaking landscapes, come into contact with local traditions and a culture that reflects the authenticity of Sardinia. Alta Gallura offers many activities to spend your holidays: it is possible to practice countless sports activities, discover the history of the Sardinian people, popular traditions and local culture. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking a more genuine travel experience away from mass tourism circuits. This itinerary offers a complete experience, combining the fascinating history of the Nuragic civilization, the majesty of thousand-year-old trees, the uniqueness of the S. Leonardo necropolis, passing through the natural beauty of the Monte Limbara massif, perfect for a weekend discovering this territory.

Visit to the San Giovanni di Viddalba archaeological and naturalistic park

Our itinerary starts from the San Giovanni di Viddalba archaeological and naturalistic park, located in the S. Leonardo Monte San Giovanni area. In the surrounding area, there are the Romanesque church of S. Giovanni Battista, dating back to the 12th century, the small church of S. Leonardo, the now ruined church of Santa Maria Maddalena, various Roman-era burials, and the remains of an ancient bridge. The archaeological and naturalistic park is an ideal destination for outdoor walking enthusiasts or trekking enthusiasts, as well as for birdwatching enthusiasts, as the park offers the possibility of numerous bird sightings. Inside the park, you can follow a series of historical-naturalistic trails, either on foot or on horseback, discovering ancient settlements and a flora rich in medicinal plants and various species of wild orchids.

Archaeological Museum of Viddalba

After spending some time at the S. Giovanni archaeological and naturalistic park, we recommend a visit to the archaeological museum of Viddalba, which is located in the center of the town, on Via G. M. Angioy. Inside, we find numerous archaeological testimonies of the territory, with artifacts ranging from the recent Neolithic to the medieval era, but also finds from the prehistoric period and the Bronze Age. Almost all the artifacts were found in the nearby necropolis in the San Leonardo area, in the San Giovanni park, while the medieval artifacts mainly come from the area of the Church of San Giovanni. The most original feature of the exhibition are the numerous Roman-era funerary steles, called “mirror steles,” found in the nearby necropolis of San Leonardo. These are sandstone slabs with peculiar stylized human figures carved on their main face, which were placed on the burial to remember the deceased. Unique in their kind, the “mirror steles” are typical of this area of Sardinia.

Luras – visit to the thousand-year-old wild olive trees

The thousand-year-old wild olive trees of Luras, national natural monuments, are located in the locality of Santu Baltolu di Carana, near Lake Liscia. They are considered among the oldest trees in the world and have been living for millions of years. Among these stands out “the Great Patriarch,” considered the oldest tree in Europe, with an approximate age of about 4000 years. It is 14 m tall and has a circumference of 12 m, covering an area of about 600 square meters. It was declared a “natural monument” in 1991. The other two centuries-old trees reach 2500 and 750 years respectively. The entire site, immersed in lush and shaded countryside, can be visited individually and is dense with a poetic and serene atmosphere.

Mount Limbara

We start the day with an excursion to Mount Limbara, the highest mountain massif in Gallura, with peaks reaching 1,362 meters. Located between the municipalities of Tempio Pausania and Calangianus, Mount Limbara offers a variety of trails immersed in granite landscapes, coniferous forests, and rich biodiversity. If you want to get in direct contact with nature, Mount Limbara is the ideal place in all seasons. Excursions on Mount Limbara can be naturalistic, historical, environmental and/or cultural trips. There are numerous itineraries for those who love to practice climbing, birdwatching and trekking, or simply take walks or nature photography, surrounded by impressive granite boulders shaped like animals and fantastic characters.

Lu Brandali Complex – Santa Teresa Gallura

We conclude the day with a visit to the archaeological site of Lu Brandali, located in Santa Teresa Gallura, in the locality of Santa Reparata, along the provincial road to Capo Testa, in a decidedly suggestive position, immersed in the Mediterranean scrub and a short distance from the sea. The visit to Lu Brandali represents a unique opportunity to deepen the knowledge of the Nuragic civilization, in a landscape context of great charm. The Lu Brandali complex, datable between the 14th and 10th centuries BC, represents one of the most significant testimonies of the Nuragic civilization in Gallura. The area includes a village of huts, a nuraghe, and a giants’ tomb. Inside the site, there is the interactive exhibition “Lu Brandali: read, touch, listen,” designed to offer an immersive and accessible experience to all, through the display of original archaeological finds, tactile paths, and virtual reality, for a sensory immersion in Nuragic history.