In summer, there are always those days when it is too windy to go to the beach or you have had too much sun the day before and need a break from the beaches. Fortunately, Sardinia is not just about the sea but offers plenty of other activities to suit everyone’s tastes. Museum visits, sports activities in the midst of nature, musical and gastronomic events, and much more.
Discovering culture in Sardinia’s museums
In Sardinia, we have a very varied cultural offer. Starting with museums that tell of our traditions, such as the Mamoiada Carnival Masks Museum in which to discover the ancient carnival tradition of the Barbagia region that has nothing to do with Harlequin. The Sardinian Ethnographic Museum in Nuoro where you can learn more about Sardinian history through its traditional costumes. In Bitti, on the other hand, there is the Multimedia Museum of Tenor Singing, proclaimed intangible world heritage by UNESCO. Art lovers in the centre of the island will be enchanted by the national and international works of modern art on display at the MAN in Nuoro and will be able to discover the immense legacy of two great Sardinian women: Maria Lai, a textile artist whose works combined art, history and tradition, which you can see at the Stazione dell’Arte in Ulassai, her birthplace, and Grazia Deledda, the first Italian woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature, whose house-museum is in Nuoro, where she was born.
Canyoning and Lake Excursions
For an adrenaline-fuelled day out in nature, you absolutely must try canyoning. In Sardinia, there are canyons that can be hiked all year round, even in summer when they dry out, such as the Codula Fuili canyon in Cala Gonone, a route that follows the rocky river bed to the beautiful Fuili cove. Of course, you should also visit the Gorropu Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in Europe, where you can hike with expert guides who will be able to tell you all the details of the area and be with you on the descent. However, Sardinia is also a land of lakes, and in the central-eastern part is Lake Gusana, in the municipality of Gavoi, where it is possible to go fishing and do outdoor activities in the water. On the shore there are also picnic tables and interesting little paths to explore on foot or by bicycle.
An authentic summer among the villages of central-eastern Sardinia
The authenticity of the island is not found in the most fashionable resorts, but can be found in the streets of the villages in central Sardinia. During the summer, take a trip to one of the many villages to discover traditions, handicrafts and typical recipes. In central-eastern Sardinia you will find two of the most beautiful villages in Italy, Posada, a picturesque coastal village, and Atzara, with its medieval town centre that has remained intact to this day. In Barbagia, visit Orgosolo, the village of murals, Bitti, where tenor singing resounds loudly, Gavoi and its beautiful flowered balconies, but also the small villages surrounded by amazing nature such as Austis. The towns of Ogliastra are no less, such as the literary Galtellì where you can take a Deleddian route, Oliena, home of Nepente, a wine that was also much appreciated by Gabriele d’Annunzio, and of course all the towns of the Ogliastra Blue Zone, a heritage of longevity and health.
In short, no matter how small, every country has a big heart to reveal, you just have to find out!
Summer holidays between nature and archaeology
Nature lovers will already know, Sardinia is a millenary land that holds the past traces of populations that were already present in the Neolithic period. For an archaeological summer, pay a visit to the many archaeological sites in the area, such as the Necropolis of Madau, the Nolza Nuraghe of Meana and the Village of S’Urbale di Teti, characterised by around 50 circular huts built using a better technique than those of other Nuragic villages. Many of the remains found during excavations in the area can be found in Sardinia’s archaeological museums, including the Museo Archeologico di Nuoro, such as the extraordinary bronze statues found in the sanctuary of Abini di Teti. To combine trekking and archaeology, you must visit the Nuragic Village of Tiscali, hidden inside a dolina above the mountain of the same name in the municipality of Dorgali. To reach the ancient settlement in this case, it is necessary to walk a challenging path among imposing rocks, nature and breathtaking views.
