WILD HORSES WON’T KEEP YOU AWAY!

Discover southern Sardinia’s most fascinating archaeological and natural wonders on this full-day excursion from Cagliari. Guests will enjoy unravelling the enigmas that surround the island’s ancient ancestors then marvel at the wildlife that populates an unspoilt oasis.

Meet your private guide and driver at your accommodation and relax on the ride to Su Nuraxi. Located in the countryside near the town of Barumini, this prehistoric settlement is Sardinia’s one and only UNESCO World Heritage Site. The archaeological area derives its name from the local dialect for nuraghe, a typical monumental cone-shaped stone tower assembled by the mysterious civilization that inhabited Sardinia during the Bronze and Iron Ages. While the features of Nuragic architecture have been widely studied and are now well known, the purpose of these buildings together with the beliefs, customs and social structure of those who created them is still a matter for debate. The absence of written documents presents archaeologists and historians with the massive challenge of having to piece together the picture of what must once have been an advanced, thriving population from the bare, silent boulders that remain.

Most scholars agree that nuraghi were defensive fortresses, while other theories claim these structures served as homes or temples. Whatever the true story, what we can still see and touch, after 3,000 years, is simply astounding. Of the approximately 7,000 nuraghi scattered like clues throughout the island, Su Nuraxi is the best-preserved, most imposing, complete and significant expression of Sardinia’s cryptic megalithic civilisation. Probably inhabited from the 13th century BC to the 3rd century AD, the complex consists of a large central tower divided onto three floors, surrounded by four smaller corner towers connected by walls, dominating a village of around fifty circular stone huts. Some of these constructions once served as wells, cisterns, dwellings, meeting rooms and workshops, evidence of the presence of an ingenious, well-organised community, at an early stage in human history, distinguished by a skilful use of materials and innovative building techniques.

But there is more to Barumini’s historical legacy. Other riveting surprises await visitors inside the nearby Casa Zapata. Built in the 1700s as the private residence of the Spanish nobleman Don Azor, since 2006 the rooms, warehouses and stables of the palazzo have housed a small but intriguing museum. A restoration project carried out in the late 20th century revealed the existence of yet another nuraghe under the building. As you enter Casa Zapata you will find yourself looking down onto the ruins of two prehistoric stone towers, visible beneath the transparent walkways suspended above the excavations. A collection of over 180 artefacts recovered from Su Nuraxi is also on display, providing guests with a further set of pieces to fit into the puzzle. The museum also features a historical archive with documents related to the Zapata family and an ethnographical section showcasing early 20th century farming tools as well as the Launeddas, traditional Sardinian musical instruments.

After some free time for lunch it’s time to explore the Giara di Gesturi, a steep-sided basaltic plateau rising five hundred metres above sea level, where the natural environment has remained miraculously untouched for centuries. A rich Mediterranean vegetation and the abundance of grassland and ponds make the Giara the ideal environment for an extraordinary variety of birds and mammals including foxes, wild cats, martens, rabbits, hares, weasels and hedgehogs. But most of all, the Giara is known as the chosen home of the last herd of wild horses in Europe: the cherished Giara horses. While all the other species on the island have more or less caught up with evolution, adapting to natural changes, these horses have remained as small as they were thousands of years ago. Probably first introduced from North Africa during the Nuragic and Punic eras, the Giara horses used to roam freely throughout the island up until the Middles Ages when they were progressively replaced or crossed with larger horses. Today the population of horses grazing here, numbering approximately six hundred, is a magnet that draws enchanted visitors and brings fame to this magical corner of Sardinia.

Your private chauffeur will drive you back to Cagliari in the afternoon.