Explore Sardinia
Though little travelled by tourists, Sardinia’s interior is in many ways the most interesting part of the island, dominated by thick forests and rugged peaks. The local inhabitants have retained a fierce sense of independence and loyalty to their traditions, and this is especially true in the ring of the once almost impenetrable Monti del Gennargentu, centred on the island’s highest peak, La Mármora (1834m). The range forms the core of the Barbagia region, called Barbaria by the Romans who, like their successors, were never able to subdue it, foiled by the guerrilla warfare for which its hidden recesses proved ideal. More recently, the isolation and economic difficulties of the Barbagia’s villages led to widescale emigration and, among those who stayed behind, a wave of sheep-rustling, internecine feuding and the kidnapping of wealthy industrialists or their families that continued until the last decades of the twentieth century. Nowadays the Barbagia has huge appeal to outdoors enthusiasts, particularly mountain hikers – if you’re interested, ask at Oliena’s tourist office for routes and lists of guides.
Sardinia’s long eastern seaboard is highly developed around the resorts of Siniscola and Posada, but further south it preserves its desolate beauty, virtually untouched apart from a couple of isolated spots around Cala Gonone, and, further down, around the port of Arbatax, in Ogliastra province.
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The Gennargentu massif
The Gennargentu massif
The central region of the Barbagia holds the Gennargentu chain of mountains – the name means “silver gate”, referring to the snow that covers them every winter. Here, you’ll find the island’s only skiing facilities on Monte Bruncu Spina, Sardinia’s second-highest peak (1829m). In spring and summer, you can explore this and other areas on mountain treks, best undertaken in the company of guides for which the tourist office at Nuoro can supply a list.
Buried within chestnut forests, the isolated villages of the region make useful bases for both skiers and trekkers, for example FONNI, 36km south of Nuoro and at 1000m the island’s highest village. Try to coincide your visit with one of Fonni’s costumed festivals, principally the Madonna dei Mártiri, on the Monday following the first Sunday in June, and on San Giovanni’s day on June 24. Other centres for excursions and to get a flavour of the moutain culture include TONARA, a quiet, traditional village some 30km southwest of Fonni, famed for its chestnuts and torrone (a sticky, sweet nougat confection), and ARITZO, 15km further south.
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Hikes from Oliena, Dorgali and Cala Gonone
Hikes from Oliena, Dorgali and Cala Gonone
South of Oliena and Dorgali, the Supramonte massif provides lots of opportunities for mountain hikes, which should be accompanied by a guide – lists of available guides are available from the tourist offices at Oliena and Dorgali (w dorgali.it). The most popular excursion is to the nuraghic village of Tiscali, spectacularly sited within a vast mountain-top cavern, for which you should allow 3–5 hours. One of Sardinia’s most dramatic mountain landscapes lies further south, cut through by the Flumineddu valley and the Gola di Gorroppu, one of southern Europe’s deepest canyons. You’ll get some stunning views of the valley from the SS125, running high above it, but you should hook up with a guide to experience it more directly. Even for shorter hikes, you’ll need hardy footwear with a secure grip and ankle support, and preferably some head protection against bumps and falls: the boulders can be extremely slippery, especially when wet.
Along the coast, you can make half- or full-day hikes from Cala Gonone to the beaches at Cala Luna and Cala Sisine. From Cala Sisine, the route wanders inland up the Sisine canyon, as far as the solitary church of San Pietro, from where a track leads down to the village of Baunei. Again, guides are advised for any but the most straightforward coastal routes.
- Boat tours from Cala Gonone
