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Nuraghe di Santa CristinaJust off the SS131 north of Oristano, the sanctuary at Santa Cristina is an important nuraghic complex. The nuraghic village's extraordinary Bronze Age…
Must see attractions in Western Sardinia
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Piazza Eleonora d’ArboreaOristano’s elegant outdoor salon sits at the southern end of pedestrianised Corso Umberto I. An impressive, rectangular space, it comes to life on summer…
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Basilica di Santa GiustaThis landmark Romanesque church is one of Sardinia's architectural jewels. Dating to the early 12th century, it sports a severe sandstone exterior…
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Castello MalaspinaCommanding huge views, this hilltop castle was built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Tuscan Malaspina family. Little remains of the original…
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Museo Casa DeriuHoused in an elegant 19th-century townhouse, Bosa's main museum showcases local arts and artisanal crafts. Each of the three floors has a different theme…
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Chiesa di Nostra Signora di Regnos AltosEnclosed within the walls of the Castello Malaspina, this humble but hallowed 14th-century chapel is decorated with an extraordinary 14th-century fresco…
- CChiesa di San Leonardo de Siete Fuentes
This charming 12th-century Romanesque church, which once belonged to the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, forms the centrepiece of the tiny woodland…
- IIs Aruttas
One of the peninsula's most famous beaches, Is Aruttas is a pristine arc of white sand fronted by translucent aquamarine waters. For years its quartz sand…
- SSpiaggia dell'Arco
On the northern fringe of the beachside community of S'Archittu, the Spiaggia dell’Arco features a dramatic stone arch that rises 6m above the emerald…
- CCattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta
Lording it over Oristano’s skyline, the Duomo's onion-domed bell tower is one of the few remaining elements of the original 14th-century cathedral, itself…
- NNuraghe Losa
Off the SS131 just north of Paulilatino, the Nuraghe Losa is one of Sardinia's most impressive nuraghi. The site’s centrepiece is a three-sided keep…
- MMuseo della Tecnologia Contadina
Santu Lussurgiu has long been known for its crafts and remains a production centre for ironwork, woodwork and leatherwork. Explore the town's rural…
- IIsola di Mal di Ventre
This bare, rocky island 10km off the coast owes its strange name (Stomach-ache Island) to the seasickness that sailors often suffered while navigating its…
- CCentro di Documentazione sulla Sartiglia
For a visceral taste of Oristano's headline festival, Sa Sartiglia, pop into this free museum adjacent to the city's Pinacoteca. Look out for various…
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Backed by a motley set of holiday homes and beach bars, Putzu Idu's beach sits in the north of the peninsula. It's a picturesque strip of sand that's…
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The impressive remains of Fordongianus' 1st-century Terme Romane sit on the banks of the river Tirso. In the centre of the complex you’ll see a…
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A few kilometres out of Tharros, and signposted off the main road, the Oasi di Seu is a veritable Eden of Mediterranean flora. Once you’ve navigated the…
- SStatue of Eleonora
Piazza Eleonora d'Arborea became the city's central square through 19th-century urban reforms. Today it is a quiet spot where you can sit beneath the…
- CCattedrale di San Pietro Extramuros
Two kilometres upstream from the Chiesa di Sant’ Antonio Abate is this 11th-century cathedral, said to be the oldest Romanesque church in Sardinia…
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Little survives of the medieval walled town except for a pair of towers. This 13th-century beauty, known also as the Torre di Cristoforo, was the town’s…