The best way to discover the beauty and diversity of Sardinia’s interior is on foot. Keen ramblers will not be disappointed by the island’s wide choice of hiking possibilities. What the mountains may lack in height, they make up for in the solitude that their untouched wilderness provides. There are few marked routes but many hiking outfits which offer guided excursions. Most of the guides speak English or German as well as Italian and are not just experts on the route and region but also on the island’s flora and fauna.
One of the most beautiful hiking areas is without doubt along the Supramonte massif, which runs from Nuoro to Baunei on the east coast. Today, this area remains one of the most unpopulated and rugged areas in Europe. The narrow gorges, imposing chalk rocks, wide plateaus and hidden canyons run in an uninterrupted stretch of natural beauty. In Supramonte di Oliena you can explore the final retreat of the Stone Age Nuraghi people, who fled to a secret cave in Monte Tiscali. In Supramonte di Baunei you can marvel at the Su Gologo tableland, the deep chalk cavity of the Voragine di Golgo and at the Gola su Gorrupu, Europe’s mightiest ravine. Only experienced hikers should attempt to take on the Supramonte without guidance. You should also double check that you have all the necessary equipment with you for your trip.
The green-peaked Gennargentu mountain range is a lot more timid in comparison to the Supramonte’s chalked supremacy. The mixed foliage forests of hilly Barbagia are almost interchangeable with Germany’s sub-alpine mountain range, except of course that they lack the hordes of tourists, efficiently marked routes and Bavarian watering holes. At 1834 metres, the “Punta La Marmora" is the highest peak of the Gennargentu and in the whole of Sardinia. The view of the surrounding coastline from its pinnacle is breathtaking; only the island’s northern shores remain obscured by the Limbara Mountains near Tempio. The Gola di Gorrpou, one of Europe’s deepest canyons, is also to be found in the Gennargentu. And if you are really lucky, you might even be able to snatch a peek at mufflons and golden eagles in the Gennargentu National Park.
The Marmilla table-top mountain offers some nice and easy walking possibilities, also suitable for children. The flat-as-a-pancake plateau is rife with numerous animals such as wild horses and with its untouched natural beauty is ideal for family walks.
One of the most isolated and less mapped-out hiking areas is the Sarrabas mountain range in south-eastern Sardinia. The Monte Sette Fratelli Nature Park in the middle of the region, however, does have many picnic spots and well marked tracks. This is also one of the last few homes of the Sardinian deer.
The diverse coastal areas are also well worth exploring per Pedes. The imposing cliffs of the Golf von Orosei, for example, are even more impressive when you’re standing right next to them.
Hiking information
Sardinian Branch of the Italian Alpine Club:
Club Alpino Italiani CAI
Cagliari, Tel. +39-070-667877
Nuoro, Tel. +39-0784-34926
GAE Sardegna / Cooperativa Turistica Sinis
Collaboration of numerous operators with knowledgeable and reliable guides
Narbolia, Tel.
+39-0738-52283
Sardinia Hike & Bike
Loc. Pixina Manna, 09010
Pula
Mobile: +39-348-0443505 (Simone Scalas)
E-Mail: scalas@sardiniahikeandbike.com
www.sardiniahikeandbike.com/eng/hike.php
