Gallura and Bronze Age Funerary Architecture

Arrival at Olbia Airport or port. A group transfer to the hotel is provided, with all participants to meet at the hotel by 13:00. Guests travelling in their own vehicles should make their way directly to the hotel.

Light lunch, followed by departure for Arzachena, through a landscape of vineyards, granite outcrops and Mediterranean scrub.

Visit to the Coddu ’Ecchju Giants’ Tomb, a Bronze Age collective burial monument. Originally a gallery tomb, it was remodelled during the Middle Bronze Age with the addition of an impressive forecourt, or exedra, defined by upright stone slabs and a central stele: a remarkable example of Nuragic funerary architecture.

Subject to arrival times, continuation to the nearby La Prisgiona Nuragic complex, comprising the nuraghe and its surrounding village, for an introduction to settlement organisation in Nuragic Sardinia.

Return to Olbia. Dinner showcasing the flavours of Gallura, featuring zuppa gallurese, a traditional baked bread-and-cheese dish, alongside local cheeses and regional produce. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Santu Antine: The Monumental Architecture of Nuragic Sardinia

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the Meilogu region, with a stop en route.

In Torralba, visit to the Santu Antine Nuragic complex, one of the finest examples of Nuragic architecture. The central tower, three-towered bastion and network of internal passages demonstrate an exceptional command of stone construction techniques. The complex developed through several phases from the Middle Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, with evidence of continued use in later historical periods.

Lunch featuring local specialities, including cured meats, cheeses and traditional bread.

In the afternoon, continuation to Sassari and a walk through the historic centre, taking in its squares and palazzi. Time permitting, visit to the Giovanni Antonio Sanna National Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum, offering further insight into the history and material culture of northern Sardinia.

Dinner at the hotel or a local restaurant. Overnight stay at the hotel.

From the Neolithic to Nuragic Villages

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for the Alghero area.

Visit to the Anghelu Ruju necropolis, comprising underground rock-cut tombs known as domus de janas. The necropolis was established during the Late and Final Neolithic, within the Ozieri cultural tradition of the fourth millennium BC, and remained in use throughout the Copper Age and into the Early Bronze Age. Its rock-cut chambers, carved representations of architectural features and symbolic decorations provide a rich insight into the funerary practices of prehistoric Sardinia.

Lunch at an agriturismo or trattoria.

In the afternoon, visit to the Palmavera Nuragic complex, which developed through several phases during the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. The nuraghe and surrounding village, including the meeting hut, offer insights into the organisation of space and community life.

Continuation to Alghero and a walk through the historic centre, exploring its narrow streets, Catalan heritage and sea-facing ramparts. Fish dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Towns, Landscapes and Heritage of the West Coast

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure in Alghero for a stroll along the seafront, a visit to the local shops or time to relax in the historic centre.

Departure for Bosa, set along the River Temo beneath Malaspina Castle. Walk amongst the town’s colourful houses and through the narrow streets of the Sa Costa quarter, whose traditional layout preserves the character of the old town.

Lunch featuring dishes from the local cuisine.

In the afternoon, continuation to the Oristano area, with a stop en route. Check-in at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

The Giants of Mont’e Prama and the City by the Sea

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Cabras. Visit to the Giovanni Marongiu Civic Museum and the Giants of Mont’e Prama sculptures on display. Archers, warriors and figures conventionally described as ‘boxers’, together with models of nuraghi, form one of the most significant examples of monumental sculpture from ancient Sardinia. Dating to the Early Iron Age, the ensemble offers insights into the representation of elites, collective memory and the transformation of Nuragic society.

Lunch showcasing the cuisine of the Sinis peninsula, featuring bottarga and fish specialities; alternatives by prior arrangement.

In the afternoon, visit to the Tharros archaeological site. Founded by the Phoenicians in the late eighth century BC in an area already frequented during the Nuragic period, the city underwent significant changes under Punic and Roman rule. Its streets, sacred spaces, thermal baths and other urban remains reveal the successive layers of a settlement connected to Mediterranean trading routes.

Afterwards, time to appreciate the landscapes of the Sinis peninsula. Weather and coach access permitting, a stop at Mari Ermi or Is Arutas, renowned for their beaches of quartz granules.

Dinner at leisure, with assistance from the tour manager, or dinner at the hotel, depending on the meal arrangements included in the tour. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Sacred Architecture and the Nuragic Landscape

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Paulilatino. Visit to the Nuragic sanctuary of Santa Cristina, whose sacred well is generally dated to the Final Bronze Age, around the eleventh century BC. The monumental stairway, finely dressed stonework and chamber with its corbelled tholos roof demonstrate the technical sophistication of an architectural tradition devoted to water worship. Exploration of the surrounding complex, which preserves remains from several historical periods.

Lunch featuring specialities from inland Sardinia.

In the afternoon, continuation to Barumini and a visit to Su Nuraxi, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. The complex comprises a central tower, a four-towered bastion, an outer defensive wall and a village. Successive transformations from the Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age, followed by further use during the Punic and Roman periods, reveal the settlement’s long history.

Time permitting, visit to the Casa Zapata museum complex, housed in a sixteenth-century aristocratic residence built over the remains of the Su Nuraxi ’e Cresia nuraghe. The visitor route offers views of the archaeological structures beneath the building and further insight into the research undertaken at Su Nuraxi.

Dinner featuring traditional local dishes and overnight stay at the hotel.

Archaeology, Literature and Culture in Sardinia’s Heartland

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Nuoro, with a stop en route. Visit to the National Archaeological Museum, housed in the palazzo that once belonged to Giorgio Asproni. The collections trace the prehistory and history of the Nuoro and Ogliastra areas, with particular emphasis on Nuragic finds and artefacts from places of worship.

Continuation with a visit to the Museo Deleddiano, in Grazia Deledda’s birthplace. The rooms, documents and personal belongings offer insights into the family life and cultural background of the Nobel Prize-winning author.

Lunch featuring specialities from Barbagia.

In the afternoon, time permitting, excursion to Orgosolo for a walk through the village, or a visit to a local producer. Time at leisure before the farewell dinner, showcasing the cuisine of inland Sardinia, with traditional filled pasta, roast suckling pig for those who wish, cheeses and Cannonau wine.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Final Glimpses of Ancient Sardinia

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Olbia, with a stop en route.

Arrival in the early afternoon. Flight schedules permitting, visit to the Nuragic sacred well of Sa Testa, offering a final insight into the architecture associated with water worship.

Optional lunch.

End of tour services in Olbia.