Must-see attractions in Southwestern Sardinia

In the heart of the voluptuous green countryside near Barumini, the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi is Sardinia’s sole World Heritage Site and the island’s most visited…

Rising above the rolling green landscape, La Giara di Gesturi is a high basalt plateau famous for its wild horses and uncontaminated natural beauty. The…

A marvel of early-20th-century engineering, Porto Flavia is a port dug into cliffs 50m above the sea. Consisting of two 600m tunnels and an ingenious…

A sensational sandy beach wedged into a natural inlet between craggy rocks, Cala Domestica is a heavenly spot. Its shallow blue waters are ideal for…

The westernmost point of the island, Capo Sandalo is a superb vantage point, commanding breathtaking views down the cliff-bound coast. From the car park…

An impressive Roman temple set in bucolic scenery 9km south of Fluminimaggiore, the Tempio di Antas has stood in isolation since the 3rd century AD. Built…

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…

This great little museum is one of the best in southern Sardinia. It has a fascinating collection of local archaeological finds, as well as models of…

This panoramic terrace, accessible by a cliffside path from Nebida's southern entrance, commands fabulous views. Dominating the seascape is the 133m-high…

One of Sardinia's most important archaeological sites, this ancient necropolis occupies a natural rocky amphitheatre in the verdant countryside near…

On the island's northwest coast, the rocky inlet of Cala Fico is one of the island's hidden beauty spots and, along with Isola del Corno, home to a…

About 4km from Pula, Nora's ruins are all that remain of what was once one of Sardinia's most powerful cities. Founded by Phoenicians in the 8th century…

About 2km north of Buggerru, Spiaggia di Portixeddu is one of the best beaches in the area. A gloriously unspoilt strip of sand backed by swathes of…

From Piazza del Municipio, Via Pullo leads to the dainty rose-red trachyte of the Chiesa di San Francesco. Built over a 200-year period between the 14th…

Dominating the eastern flank of Piazza del Municipio, the Cattedrale di Santa Chiara has a lovely Pisan-flavoured gold-hued facade and a checkerboard…

According to legend, St Antiochus was condemned to work in the island's lead mines by the Romans after he refused to recant his faith. But he escaped,…

A few kilometres south of Fluminimaggiore off the SS126, this is the largest cave system of its sort so far discovered in the Iglesiente. The standard…

Piazza Quintino Sella, Iglesias' central square, was laid out in the 19th century in what was at the time a field outside the city walls. Just off the…

In the country near Narcao, the Villaggio Minerario Rosas is a fascinating museum complex housed in what was once an important lead, copper and zinc mine…

Monte Sirai, 4km northwest of Carbonia, is crowned by the remnants of a 7th-century-BC fort. Built by the Phoenicians of Sulci (modern-day Sant'Antioco)…