sw coast
from Sant'Antioco to Bosa
Tours and Main Attractions
Location: SANT'ANTIOCO
THE BYSSUS MUSEUM
A tale of our times brings us to the only person left in the Mediterranean and in the world who can harvest byssus, spin it and make it shine like gold. We are talking about the only keeper of the secrets of this millenary art. The byssus is a silky filament produced by a marine mollusk, the Pinna Nobilis, which has been used since ancient times to sew precious robes and royal mantles. Pinna Nobilis is now a protected species of the Mediterranean Sea and, unfortunately, is in risk of extinction. One of the main reason is in the global warming. Chiara Vigo spins the byssus, following a tradition handed down from her grandmother, extracting the wool from the mollusk only at certain times of the year without harming the clam. This fabric is not for sale, but Chiara gives it only to people who go to her for help. It may be a couple who have decided to marry or who have married, a woman who wants a child, or one who has recently become pregnant. Visit Chiara Vigo's studio, otherwise known as the Museum of Byssus, on the municipality of Sant'Antioco.
Location: MASUA
PORTO FLAVIA
You will be accompanied by the smell of history among the wonderful marks of industrial archaeology, in underground worlds and in contact with the wonderful Sardinian nature. Visit the only example of hanging port known in the world with an expert guide, who will tell you the story and curiosity of a work of mining engineering of exceptional beauty.
Location: BUGGERRU
GALLERIA HENRY
The history of Sardinia cannot be unbound from its mining history. Galleria Henry is a kind of picturesque labyrinth: it was made secure and provided with signs, so that now it is accessible in absolute safety. Its singularity is determined by the fact that there is a constant connection with the cliff over the sea through smaller galleries and paths carved , like ideal windows, in the rock.
Location: IGLESIAS
SANTA BARBAR'S CAVE
Santa Barbara’s cave is the most jaw-dropping landmark among Iglesias’ tourist attractions: a unique jewel, built by both the work of man and the action of nature. This fascinating site is located in San Giovanni’s Mine and can be reached through an intricate network of underground galleries that can be covered with a train that, after a 700m run, leads to a lift that climbs up a well. Entering the cave through the narrow entrance on top of a spiral staircase, you can gaze upon a genuine, shiny, lofty underground cathedral.
Location: MASUA
THE BLUE CAVE ALSO KNOWN AS SARDINIA CAVE
This wonderful cave and its incomparable blue reflections (Grotta azzurra means “blue cave”) open up in a suggestive cliff overlooking the sea.
Location: GONNESA
NURAGHE SERUCI
Visit Nuraghe Seruci in Gonnesa, in south-western Sardinia, to live an experience between history and traditions. You will visit one of the most representative archaeological sites of the nuragic civilization, which is located in a strategic position. At the end of this excursion, you will be offered a nice aperitif of typical Sardinian products in this suggestive location!
Location: CAPO PECORA
DINOSAUR'S EGGS BEACH (CALA IS TRAMATZUS)
The beach is not a beach in the traditional sense, as there is no sand. Instead, the sea has formed many large egg-shaped stones here over time, which has earned Cala Is Tramatzu the nickname Spiaggia delle Uova di Dinosauro (dinosaur's eggs beach).
Here you can look at the water and the "eggs" forever and enjoy the sound of the sea and the clatter of stones in the surf.
Location: ORISTANO GULF
ARCHEOLOGICAL AREA OF THARROS
Visit the ruins of Tharros, which show the greatness of one of the most important cities of the island in Punic and Roman times. The ruins of the ancient city, founded in the 8th century BC and abandoned in the 11th century AD, are located on the southern extremity of the Sinis peninsula, in the territory of Cabras. The ‘outdoor museum’ is a natural amphitheatre overlooking the sea.
Location: CABRAS
MONT'E PRAMA GIANTS
Discover the Giants Mont'e Prama, in the Museum of Cabras. The Giants of Mont'e Prama are ancient stone sculptures created by the Nuragic civilization of Sardinia. Fragmented into numerous pieces, they were discovered in March 1974 on farmland near Mont'e Prama, in the municipality of Cabras. The statues are carved in local sandstone and their height varies between 2 and 2.5 meters. A virtual journey helps visitors to explore the entire sculptural complex of Mont’e Prama.