Weekend Break in Barbagia
Day 1
- Sardinian Ethnographic Museum of Nuoro
- Hike to Gorropu Gorge (packed lunch along the way)
- Check-in and dinner at a hotel
Overnight stay in Nuoro
Day 2
- Breakfast
- Archaeological complex of Noddule
- Walking tour of Orgosolo
- (lunch with local shepherds)
- Nuragic complex of Gremanu
- Tombs of the Giants of Madau
- Return to the hotel and dinner
Overnight stay in Nuoro
Day 3
- Breakfast
- Cruise in the Gulf of Orosei (packed lunch at Cala Luna)
- Wine tasting in a winery
- Return to the hotel and dinner
Overnight stay in Nuoro
Tour details
Day 1 – 5 May (100 km)
at 9 am: Meeting with the guide and start of the tour
We will begin our tour together visiting the prestigious Sardinian Ethnographic Museum in Nuoro. Visiting the Museum is like travelling through time to an imaginary rural village in Sardinia, deeply devoted to its land and the cycles of nature, where scenes of everyday life like housewives making bread or shepherd making cheese, are suspended forever inside large glass dioramas.
Moreover, you will be drawn to the precious jewels, tapestries and carpets, as well as hundreds of different types of traditional bread.
The collection of archaic men’s clothes and the rich and diverse women’s clothes, both the ‘everyday’ and the ceremonial, is a strong point of the museum. They represent different clothing types from across the historical-geographical regions of the island.
We will then move to the foot of Supramonte, where we will make a challenging 6-hour hike up the extraordinary Gorropu Gorge.
Day 2 – 6 May (95 km)
The first attraction of the day is the archaeological complex of Noddule. Located in a wooded area about ten kilometers from Nuoro, its interesting findings have allowed us to confirm the thesis that the area has been frequented since the Neolithic period: in fact, megalithic circles date from this period.
But it is the Bronze Age that left the most tangible marks. From this period come the complex nuraghe, a large meeting hut and the holy well. The latter, still active thanks to the particularly abundant vein of water that supplies it, features a tholos cover made with polychromatic trachyte ashlars.
Next, we will explore the lively village of Orgosolo which, thanks to its murals, is an essential stop-over when in the Barbagia region. Equally essential is a typical lunch with local shepherds, where we will indulge meats and local cheeses, all accompanied by the excellent local cannonau wine.
In the afternoon we will visit the Nuragic complex of Gremanu, a magical place located on the slopes of the Gennargentu mountains and immersed in a dense oak wood, where the only nuragic aqueduct discovered so far in Sardinia is located. It served the closest village as well as being used for water worship.
The area was divided into two parts: one upstream consisting of a series of sources and wells connected through channels in which water was conveyed into a tank, presumably used for ritual ordeals and ablutions; and the second, further downstream, which constituted the actual sacred area where we recognize a megaron temple (rectangularly-planned sacred buildings typical of Mycenaean civilization).
2 kilometres away is the necropolis of Madau, most likely connected to the archaeological area of ​​Gremanu. Four tombs of the giants, two of which sit on the remains of dolmenic tombs, command the wide and beautiful valley.
Day 3 – 7 May (80 km)
A cruise along the suggestive coast of the Gulf of Orosei is scheduled for this day. We will daydream between enchanting bays set among high cliffs covered with Mediterranean scrub, and we will take a chance to dive into the transparent sea, characterized by colors more intense than a swimming pool.
A local wine tasting will end the day with a bang.
Day 4 – 8 May
Enjoy your last moments of the tour with a delightful breakfast in hotel.
Information
To Know
The price covers the following services:
- 3-night stay in a double/twin room and breakfast at a 3-star hotel in Nuoro
- Packed lunch on Days 1 and 3
- Lunch with local shepherds on Day 2 (vegan option available)
- Dinner at the hotel on Days 1 and 3
- Activities and entrance fees for all the attractions listed in the summary itinerary
- All bus transfers to the locations and attractions included in the itinerary
- English speaking guide for the whole tour
- Emergency medical expenses, baggage and personal belongings insurance (coverage cap: 500 Euros, deductible: 50 Euros)
The price excludes:
- Flights
- Dinner on Day 2 (allow around 20-30 Euros)
- Arrival and departure transfers to and from the airport
- Tips
- Tourist tax, if applicable, payable directly at the hotel
Price of a single supplement is 75 Euros.
P.N.: If you require accommodation at the hotel on the night before the start of the tour – 4 May – as well as return transfer from the main airports of the island, please get in touch at your earliest convenience in order for us to make arrangements in due time.
The following prices apply:
– Accommodation in a double/twin room with breakfast at a 3-star hotel in Nuoro + return transfer from Olbia airport to Nuoro: 80 Euros* per person
– Accommodation in a double/twin room with breakfast at a 3-star hotel in Nuoro + return transfer from Alghero airport to Nuoro: 90 Euros* per person
– Accommodation in a double/twin room with breakfast at a 3-star hotel in Nuoro + return transfer from Cagliari airport to Nuoro: 100 Euros* per person
– Single supplement: 20 Euros.
*price refers to transfers by coach, or minibus up to 8 seats; surcharges apply if you opt for a minicab.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Group size: 12-18 people
Minimum number required for travel: 12 people
Booking deadline: 16 March 2021 (50 days prior to the start of tour)
Daily activities run from around 9 am until 6 pm every day
In the event of adverse weather conditions, attractions included in the tour can be exchanged or replaced by other attractions among those suggested by the guide
As an active tour that includes excursions, visits to archaeological sites located on countryside terrain, and stopovers at beaches, it is recommended that guests bring appropriate clothing and footwear (e.g.: hiking shoes, waterproof jacket, bathing suit, sun protection)
No previous experience is needed to attend this tour, however we’ll be crossing some steep inclines at some point while walking and hiking, therefore a decent level of general fitness is required
Covid-19 information
- You will be expected to maintain social distancing while doing the activities
- Please bring hand sanitizer and face masks with you
- Masks are not needed while hiking but please wear one in any enclosed environments, or while standing and walking in crowded areas
- Transfers included will be in larger buses than usual to ensure a reasonable amount of space among passangers while in the vehicle
For the latest updates on COVID-19, please visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website www.viaggiaresicuri.it, or contact the number 0039 06 491 115.
