A SAFE HAVEN

Plunge into Sardinia’s seafaring history on this half-day excursion from Cagliari. Visitors will gain insight into the region’s maritime triumphs and prime role as a thriving commercial hub at the crossroads of civilizations while they roam through the ruins of an ancient port town.

Meet your private guide and driver at your accommodation and relax on the ride to one of Sardinia’s most remarkable archaeological sites. Perched on a headland jutting out towards the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the ruins of the formerly bustling town of Nora are a truly moving and impressive sight. The settlement was originally founded by the Phoenicians, a population of accomplished navigators and traders who landed on Sardinia’s shores between the 9th and 7th centuries BC. The site was chosen for its exceptionally favourable geographical position. Indeed, two harbours on each side of the peninsula allowed ships to set sail in any weather and dock safely, either to the east or west of the headland, depending on the direction of the winds.

Nora blossomed into a dynamic commercial hub during the subsequent Punic domination but it was under the rule of the Romans, in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, that the town enjoyed its golden age, marked by a constant growth in population, increasing wealth and unprecedented urban development. The town entered a long period of decline after the fall of the Roman Empire and, following repeated incursions by Saracen pirates, was eventually abandoned in the 8th century AD only to be rediscovered in 1889 when a storm fortuitously uncovered a Phoenician cemetery.

Although a significant portion of the site still lies below the surface, either hidden beneath the sand or underwater, what you can see and touch here is mind-blowing and speaks volumes about the ingenuity, engineering abilities and sailing expertise of Sardinia’s early dwellers. As you wander through the ruins, your guide will point out features of particular significance and describe the extraordinary fragments that emerged from the rubble, allowing you to piece together a vivid picture of life on the island’s southern coast in ancient times. It is here that the Phoenician stele, bearing for the very first time the word “Sardinia” (Shrdn), now housed inside Cagliari’s Archaeological Museum, was unearthed.

Remains of cobbled streets, thermal baths, temples, a theatre and private residential homes still decorated with beautifully preserved mosaics, offer a precious glimpse of life in one of the island’s most prosperous and powerful ancient trading centres.

After the tour your private chauffeur will drive you back to your accommodation in Cagliari.