Montiferru

Between extinct volcanoes, green hills and historic villages

The historical region of Montiferru is one of the most interesting and fascinating areas of central-western Sardinia. The name indicates an ancient extinct volcanic massif, the largest on the island, with landscapes shaped by lava flows and millennia of erosion: its basaltic shapes, rocky walls, valleys and heights are the result of volcanism that developed between the Pliocene and Pleistocene, giving life to a territory with a scenic profile and rich in biodiversity.

This landscape is crossed by a network of woods, springs, water cases and river courses, inhabited by wildlife and cultivated by communities that have been intertwining their existence with the surrounding nature for centuries. On the slopes or on the edges of the massif, hills, plateaus and villages alternate that tell a long and stratified history.

Natural landscapes: volcano, forests and water

Montiferru is a basaltic volcanic complex that dominates the region with peaks such as Mount Urtigu, which reaches about 1 050 meters above sea level and from which, on a clear day, you can see distant points of the island. The natural environment is characterized by holm oak, cork oak and oak forests, by fauna species typical of the Mediterranean — including wild boars, reintroduced mouflons and other wild animals — and by natural springs that give life to streams and farmsteads.

Among the most evocative natural places are the springs of Sant’Antioco near Scano di Montiferro, a complex of waters that flow on large natural steps creating a unique and evocative environment, often accompanied by lush vegetation.

This area invites you to excursions and slow routes: from forest paths to panoramic roads that connect the villages to the tops of the mountains, up to the natural terraces from which to observe the open spaces that open up to the sea or inland.

❌ Nessuna località trovata per area ID 30497.

Archaeology and millenary memory

Montiferru is also rich in archaeological sites that tell the story of human presence since prehistoric times. The hills and reliefs are dotted with nuraghi, tombs of the giants, domus de janas and betili, evidence of the Nuragic civilization and the pre-Nuragic cultures that settled in this area.

In the municipality of Santu Lussurgiu there are, for example, important megalithic structures such as the Elighe Onna nuraghe, located on a hill overlooking the surrounding countryside, and other lesser-known nuraghi but significant for understanding the extension and variety of the population in Sardinian prehistory. Scano di Montiferro also preserves ancient traces with sites such as the Nuracale nuraghe and the tomb of the giants Pedras Doladas, while near Cuglieri there are domus de janas and vestiges of the Punic and Roman ages.

These testimonies, together with the widespread materials and finds, allow us to read the landscape not as an isolated natural entity, but as a living cultural fabric, the result of the millenary relationship between human communities and the environment.

Villages and material culture

Around the massif there are villages with a strong historical and cultural identity. Cuglieri is one of the main centers: overlooking the coast and the plateau, it maintains an urban plot full of historic churches such as the basilica of Santa Maria della Neve and hosts popular festivals linked to the confraternities and religious traditions that animate the village during the year.

In the inland hills, Santu Lussurgiu preserves a medieval center set among woods and springs, with ancient architecture and paths such as that of the sources of San Leonardo di Siete Fuentes, which flank Romanesque churches and remains of historic settlements. Scano di Montiferro, in addition to its waters and natural landscapes, is known for its agricultural culture linked to vines, olive trees and honey, and for traditional folk festivals such as the archaic mask of the Ainu Orriadore, an expression of the local community identity.

The surrounding villages in the neighboring municipalities (such as Ardara, Buddusò, Ittireddu, Monti, Mores, Nughedu San Nicolò, Nule, Oschiri, Ozieri, Padru, Pattada and Tula) integrate the picture with historic centers, churches, local museums, popular events, crafts and traditional productions that reflect stories of rural and community life, often still linked to the seasons and cycles of agriculture and breeding.