Nuraghi, the millenarian Towers of Stones in Sardinia, Italy

Nuraghi, the huge, enigmatic towers of stones built by ancient civilization more than 5000 years ago in Sardinia island

Country Sightseeing - South Italy - Sardinia

Itinerary: Nuraghi in Alghero, Nurri, Orroli, Torralba, Seui

Sardinia, the second largest Italian island, is located in the mid of the Mediterranean sea. Land of unforgettable beauty but still wild and scarcely populated especially in its interior, Sardinia is a well-known popular holiday destination because of its beautiful, Caribbean-style white sand beaches and crystal-clear sea water.

Its past is both mysterious and charming, like a big puzzle that has not yet been solved. Throughout the island, there are ancient buildings older than 3000 years called 'Nuraghi'. A Nuraghe is a monumental tower made of huge, roughly worked stones. It might stand as a single tower like the one on the pic above, or several Nuraghi might be joined together in order to make a complex of many towers with connecting structures and walls. Picture n°5 (courtesy of Sardonic Studio) shows a 3D design of what a standard Nuraghe is expected to look like.

At this time, there are about 7000 Nuraghi in the whole island but it is thought that originally there were many more of them. Today, these Nuraghi left are the only remains of the ancient civilizations supposed to live here. Due to the fact we do not have other information about them, the air of mystery and the magnetic charm lingering around these Nuraghi fascinate every visitors and make an unforgettable, beautiful experience their trip to Sardinia.

Some of the most interesting Nuraghi are located in the Province of Oristano such as the so-called Nuraghe Losa (pic n°4). Nuraghe Arrubiu (pic n°6) is located along Nurri and Orroli, Nuraghe Palmavera (pic n°1) is along the road of the Gulf of Alghero and the Gulf of Porto Conte, Nuraghe Serbissi, Nuraghe Santu Antine (pic n°3) in Torralba and Nuraghe Ardasai in the municipality of Seui in Ogliastra.

How to get there: from Sassari, take the motorway E 25. Exit at Monastir and take the highway SS 128 in the direction of Mandas - Serri. In Serri take the highway SS 198 in the direction of Tortoli-Arbatax. You will meet first Nurri and Orroli, and then Seui. To reach Torralba, simply go back to Monastir, take again the motorway E 25 in the direction of Sassari and leave the motorway at the exit of Torralba.

More about Nuraghe: Su Nuraxi

Some pictures:

Nuraghe Palmavera (pic n°1); (pic n°2); Santu Antine (pic n°3); Nuraghe Losa (pic n°4); a complex of many towers (pic n°5); Nuraghe Arrubiu (pic n°6)