Amazing Sardinia: Su Nuraxi, Giara and Sardegna in Miniatura

Su Nuraxi, Reserve of Giara, and Sardegna in Miniatura: let's discover these historic, cultural and natural treasures

Country sightseeing tour - South Italy - Sardinia

Itinerary: Barumini, Su Nuraxi in Barumini, Parco di Giara, Sardegna in miniatura

Sardinia, the large Italian island is mostly known for its beautiful, Caribbean-style beaches and its sparkling lifestyle of the famous, V.I.P. people who spend here their holiday during summer. Yet, this region has many interesting cultural and historical features as well. This time, we will discover some of them.

Su Nuraxi (pic n°1) (pic n°2)

The most important evidence of the Sardinian long history is given by the many nuraghi (more than 7,000) spread all over the island. A nuraghe is an ancient megalithic building, symbol of the Nuragic civilization, ancestor of the Sardinian people, dating back to the Nuragic Age (1900-700 B.C.). The way these buildings were once used is still unknown: they may have been dwellings, religious temples, fortifications, or something else.

The most important and popular nuraghe in Sardinia is the archeological site called "Su Nuraxi", which is located some kilometers away from Barumini, in the central area of Sardinia. As it is the most representative example of the Nuragic civilization, "Su Nuraxi" was declared human heritage by UNESCO in 1997.

Built in the twelfth century B.C., 230 meters above sea level, "Su Nuraxi" is a very well preserved complex still nowadays and it features a fortification made of more than 10 towers (the main one is 19 meters high), and an ancient village with a maze of alleys, tunnels, houses, huts and wells, which is an amazing evidence of how the everyday life was like thousands of years ago. The only entrance of the nuraghe made it basically impossible for enemies to attack it so that it was an unconquerable fortification as well.

More about Nuraghe

The Natural Reserve Park of Giara di Gesturi (pic n°4) (pic n°5) (pic n°6)

Something more than 10 kilometers north of Su Nuraxi in Barumini, you can visit another wonderful natural attraction in Sardinia. It is the Natural Reserve of Giara di Gesturi (pic n°6), a park which extends on a basaltic and calcareous plateau, rich in thriving vegetation typical of the Mediterranean area.

The park is famous for its unspoiled environment, its amazing wild landscapes and its fauna: here, you can meet wild boars, hares, ducks, many species of birds, but the real and most famous attraction is the herd of horses (pic n°4) (pic n°5) that lives here freely. The horses that live here are called "cavallini della Giara" (literally: small horses of Giara), because they are smaller than the regular horses, and this park is the only place in Europe where they can be found. Tourists and animal lovers can access the park and spend some time admiring this unbelievable sight.

Sardegna in Miniatura (Sardinia in miniature) (pic n°3)

It is an interesting and curious presentation of the island we suggest visiting. Just go back to Barumini, and about one kilometer away from "Su Nuraxi" you will find this fun park called "Sardegna in Miniatura". Here, on a 50,000 square meter surface, the whole Sardinia is represented in miniature, giving visitors the opportunity to discover and learn even the farthest corners of the island.

The miniatures are created with high-quality materials and with great attention to every tiny detail, adjusted by hand and using colors and hues in a proper way so that the exhibition is very close to reality. The park was inaugurated in 1999 and it is an important recreation area of the most valuable natural, architectural and cultural milestones of Sardinia. It is a perfect destination for both adults and children!

Some pictures of Sardinia:

Su Nuraxi (pic n°1); Su Nuraxi (pic n°2); Sardegna in Miniatura (Sardinia in miniature) (pic n°3); The Natural Reserve Park of Giara di Gesturi (pic n°4 -5 ); The plateau of Giara of Gesturi (pic n°6);