Sardinia is not only sea, we have said it many times. Sardinia is one of Italy’s greenest regions with large areas where nature reigns undisturbed. And you certainly cannot say that it is not a cultural destination since, especially in central Sardinia, some of today’s world-famous Sardinian artists lived there. If you come to Sardinia in spring, we suggest you venture out to the villages of Sardegna East Land and discover these wonderful territories where art and nature have always been linked by a deep and indissoluble thread.
Ulassai, the museum town of Maria Lai
Ulassai is the birthplace of Maria Lai, the great Sardinian artist and forerunner of relational art, who transformed the village into an open-air museum that finds its highest expression in the Stazione dell’Arte, the museum dedicated to her located in the former railway station. The village is surrounded by nature all to be explored on foot with treks of varying intensity in which to discover the marvellous Su Marmuri Cave from which the powerful Lequarci waterfalls also emerge, and the Girisai wildlife oasis in which to admire the wildlife that lives in the midst of the oasis’ evergreen forest.
Galtellì, nature walks in the footsteps of Grazia Deledda
Galtellì is the village where Canne al vento, Grazia Deledda’s most famous book and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, is set. Inside, a literary park retraces the settings of the book, starting with the Castle of Pontes, from which there is a splendid view of the Cedrino river valley, the Romanesque church of San Pietro and, of course, the house of the Pintor ladies. Surrounded by greenery, Galtellì is ideal for nature excursions in Monte Tuttavista or for a break with the children in the Malicas municipal park. But if you just can’t do without a dip in the sea, a few kilometres away is Orosei.
Between street art and hiking in Supramonte in Orgosolo
Orgosolo is the capital of Italian muralism. Born as a means of protest, Orgosolo’s murals tell of the injustices, political malpractice and suffering that people in Sardinia and more generally around the world have faced and have to face every day. Surrounding the village is the beautiful mountain landscape of Supramonte, which you can visit on foot following the trekking trails, but if you prefer you can explore it on a mountain bike, with a 4×4 guide and even on horseback.
Atzara, the Mandrolisai village where wine and art meet
Atzara is a beautiful medieval village in the Mandrolisai region, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, which still retains its typical Catalan architecture with low granite structures decorated with chiselwork on the façades. In the historical centre is the Mama, the museum of modern and contemporary art, dedicated to Antonio Ortiz Echagüe, which houses historical images of the village and modern and contemporary works by Sardinian and foreign artists. Around the village, woods and vine-growing hillsides, very green in spring, are at their best between September and October, during the grape harvest and the production of Mandrolisai wine.
Muraghes, the park of nuragic and mural art in the Marghine
In the Marghine, a digital park, Muraghes, has been set up to enhance the area’s rich cultural heritage characterised by historical buildings, archaeological areas and murals. The latter number 45 and are located in six different municipalities: Macomer, Bosa, Bonorva, Borore, Silanus and Lei. The Marghine territory is also suitable for those who love archaeo-trekking; in fact, the whole area is rich in archaeological attractions dating back to Neolithic, Nuragic, Punic and Roman times.
Art and unspoilt nature in Montalbo
In Lula, a small village in the Montalbo area, a museum of contemporary art, MAC, was opened in 2022, displaying 300 works by national and international artists. It is a diffuse museum, i.e. it is divided into several old buildings that have been renovated and from the upper terrace one can admire a spectacular view of the village and the nearby mountains. Montalbo is a beautiful area, rich in vegetation, caves, scenic rocks and unexpected overhangs. You can explore it through the many marked and well-maintained trails.
Bitti, where tenor singing resonates in the greenest nature
The town centre of Bitti guards a UNESCO world intangible heritage; yes, we are talking about the art of tenor singing. In the dedicated museum, thanks to multimedia, you can discover this ancient musical expression that has its roots in the agro-pastoral life of Sardinia.
Not far from the village is the Tepilora Natural Park, which is part of the municipalities of Bitti Lodè, Posada and Torpè. The park is perfect for a break in nature thanks to its almost 8000 hectares of unspoilt nature that can be crossed by following the paths that branch out among springs and streams.
The art of Nivola in Orani
Costantino Nivola was a Sardinian contemporary art artist who became very famous even overseas. Orani, his hometown, remembers him in a beautiful museum named after him in which hundreds of Nivola’s works are preserved where art, architecture and nature dialogue with each other. Today, the museum is also an artists’ residence and hosts exhibitions that always have a connection to Nivola’s art. Not far from the village is Monte Gonare, also often mentioned by Grazia Deledda, an area characterised by chestnut and holm-oak forests, orchids and mountain roses that colour the landscape with a thousand colours that, especially during spring walks, offer wonderful views.
Art festivals in the villages of Sardinia East Land
Many people are unaware that Sardinia is busy all year round with literary and artistic events of high cultural importance. Many festivals are organised in Sardinia’s East Land, but among the best known are Licanias, a festival organised in Neoneli where for several days people talk to writers, listen to music and watch art films, and the Island of Stories in Gavoi, where writers, actors, journalists and musicians meet the Gavoi community and fans from all over Sardinia to share opinions, traditions and good food. Another festival that has become increasingly popular in recent years is Éntula, a widespread festival that is organised in several municipalities throughout Sardinia and enlivens squares, libraries and theatres. The stages in Sardinia East Land of this festival are Orotelli, Villagrande Strisaili and Macomer. During these events each year, it is also possible to go on guided excursions in the beautiful natural and mountainous landscapes surrounding the villages and visit historical and archaeological attractions.
A holiday of art and nature in Nuoro
Nuoro is the capital of Sardinian culture, also known as the Sardinian Athens, and has been the birthplace of many famous literary and artistic artists such as Grazia Deledda and Salvatore Cambosu. During your art and nature holiday in the city, visit the Man, the museum of contemporary art, where more than 200 works by well-known Sardinian masters of art such as Francesco Ciusa, Costantino Nivola and Antonio Ballero are exhibited. In addition, splendid exhibitions on major representatives of 20th century and contemporary art history are organised every year. Many excursions depart from Nuoro to Monte Ortobene, amidst dense oak forests and Mediterranean scrub. There are several parks in the area, but certainly the best known is the Redentore park, which is located at the top and where the parade for Nuoro’s Redentore festival, one of the city’s most important events, ends every year.
