THE REAL THING

Take a peek at the real Sardinia that so many ordinary visitors miss. Here, far from the glamorous lifestyle of the coast, you won’t find fabulous beaches, upscale resorts or fashion designer boutiques but you’ll gain a feel for the genuine rhythms of daily life in the island’s geographic and spiritual heartland.

Barbagia is a mountainous region in central Sardinia extending alongside the slopes of the Gennargentu massif, located within the provinces of Nuoro and Ogliastra. The area takes its name from the ancient Romans who described this wild, untameable territory as a “land of barbarians”, after several failed attempts to subdue the fearless populations who lived here. Hundreds of years have passed but the proud, indomitable Sardinians still live up to their ancestors’ reputation for courage and show no sign of surrendering their influence over this region, deeply-rooted in its cultural traditions. Here Sardinian dialects are still spoken on an everyday basis, age-old festivities are celebrated with fervour and the traditional cantu a tenòre folk music, originally played by shepherds who used to gather round a fire to sing songs while away from home in winter, airs on the local Radio Barbagia.

The region’s one-time notoriety as bandit territory, where criminals and kidnappers sought refuge inside caves hidden at the foot of the mountains, has softened into a more nostalgic perspective of the area as the gateway to the authentic Sardinian way of life. Today Barbagia is considered to be Sardinia’s very soul and provides the key to unlock some of the island’s best-kept secrets. Warm hospitality, delicious food, a gripping history and timeless customs are among the attractions that draw visitors to this remote corner of Sardinia.

Meet your private guide and driver at your accommodation and relax on the ride to the small town of Mamoiada. Your Barbagia experience begins with a tour of the Museum of Mediterranean Masks, featuring a tiny but intriguing collection of bizarre costumes. Here you will gain a better understanding of local folklore and especially of Mamoiada’s Carnival celebrations, during which the frightful Mamuthones, dressed in sheepskins, heavy cattle bells and masks carved in the shape of grotesque faces, parade through town. Your guide will shed light on the origins of this mysterious character, dating back to pre-Christian pagan fertility rituals, and elucidate the significance of Mamuthones as an emblematic expression of an agro-pastoral community, symbolising the eternal contrast between good and evil, life and death.

A visit to a traditional mask craft shop will give you a chance to discover what goes on behind the scenes before the well-loved Carnival festivities take place in winter. A Barbagian artisan will open the door of his shop and describe how his masks are created, together with the Mamuthones’ typical facial features that have remained unchanged for centuries.

You will also drop in at a local dairy shop where you will have the chance to appreciate another of Mamoiada’s sources of pride: Sardinian Pecorino cheese, home-made with prime quality sheep’s milk.

A short drive will then bring you to a nearby estate, producing some of the area’s best-known wines. Here, after an introduction to the history and traditions of wine making in Mamoiada and a short explanation of wine growing techniques, take a seat on the farmhouse veranda and enjoy a light lunch featuring genuine, tasty specialities sourced from producers in the vicinity and paired with the winery’s full-bodied red Cannonau.

In the afternoon you will explore Orgosolo, famous for its thought-provoking, politically and socially engaged murales. Dozens of colourful wall paintings brighten up the stone houses and poignantly depict episodes of everyday rural life, local traditions, Sardinia’s political struggles as well as major international political issues. Your guide will lead you through the streets of Orgosolo, directing your gaze to the most interesting features, and trace the tradition of graffiti painting, first sparked in the 1970s as a means of expressing dissent, through to its present status as the manifesto for Barbagia’s lively and rebellious intellectual scene. A stop at an artist’s studio is also on the schedule, allowing you to meet and speak directly with the author of some of the paintings so that you can gain firsthand knowledge of the philosophy and vision behind these creations.

Return to your accommodation in the afternoon enriched by a precious glimpse of this unspoilt corner of Sardinia whose wisdom and traditions are intimately linked to its past.