Nordic Walking

Access 

The two archaeological sites visited by this simple tour can both be reached via the SS 128 road, directly from the village of Oniferi and following the signs for the SS 131. Leaving the last houses behind, you travel about 3.3 km and spot a tourist sign on the left indicating the necropolis. You will then park in a narrow space next to the main road. 

Sas Concas 

You pass a rudimentary wooden gate and descend along a gentle slope between some beautiful cork trees, passing a barely noticeable ford. On the left, a ridge of pyroclastites are clearly distinguishable, with a beautiful pinkish colour. The entire ridge is colonised by beautiful prickly pear plants, in sharp contrast to the orange lichens tenaciously attached to the rock: on these south-east-facing rocks the Neolithic inhabitants decided to find the final resting place for their loved ones, excavating one of the most extraordinary necropolises of their time. Wandering around the area, one can count up to twenty different tombs, often divided into several rooms. The domus de janas necropolis is also famous for the richness of the decorative elements in the burial chambers: ritual hearths, architectural elements relief carved and, above all, the mysterious graffiti symbolising stylised and upside-down men. The petroglyphs of Sas Concas are very similar to other depictions scattered in contemporary sites in Sardinia and represent an archaic and still mysterious symbolism: among the tombs of the necropolis, the best preserved ones are to be found in the large tomb of the hemicycle, preceded by a chamber excavated in the rock that is now largely eroded. 

Nuraghe Ola 

Once the visit to the necropolis is over, you can return to the car by continuing on the SS128, ignoring the detours for the SS 131 DCN and remaining on the old state road for about 3 km: on the left of the road, well signposted and visible, stands the magnificent Nuraghe Ola, at the centre of an area with a high density of archaeological monuments. The ancient nuragic tower, of a simple construction, can be reached by a short path from the car park. Immediately before the monument are two large huts, which have been the subject of archaeological investigation in recent times. The nuraghe was also recently restored. It consists of a large inner tholos chamber, where there are some alcoves, and a splendid intermural staircase that provides access to the upper floor. Here one notices a slab that closes the tholos and that, at the summer solstice, is sometimes removed to allow one to witness the suggestive phenomenon of the sun ray penetrating the darkness of the chamber below at midday. At the end of the visit, you can return to the village or visit the beautiful necropolis of Brodu, not far away, however its not signposted.

Accesso 

I due siti archeologici visitati da questo semplice itinerario si raggiungono entrambi tramite la SS 128, direttamente dal paese di Oniferi e seguendo le indicazioni per la SS 131. 

Lasciate le ultime case alle spalle si percorrono circa 3,3 km e si individua sulla sinistra un cartello turistico che indica la necropoli. Si posteggia così in un angusto spazio accanto alla statale. 

Sas Concas 

Si supera un rudimentale cancello fatto di legno e si scende un lieve declivio tra alcune belle sughere, superando un guado appena accennato. Sulla sinistra si distingue chiaramente un costone di piroclastiti, dal bel colore rosaceo. L’intero costone è colonizzato da belle piante di fichidindia, in forte contrasto con i licheni arancioni tenacemente attaccati alla roccia: su queste rocce esposte a sudest gli abitanti del Neolitico decisero di trovare l’estrema dimora per i propri cari, scavando una delle necropoli più straordinarie dei loro tempi. 

Girovagando per la zona si possono contare fino a venti tombe diverse, articolate spesso al loro interno in più vani. La necropoli a domus de janas è celebre inoltre per la ricchezza degli elementi decorativi nei vani funerari: si individuano focolari rituali, elementi architettonici scolpiti in rilievo e soprattutto i misteriosi graffiti che simboleggiano uomini stilizzati e capovolti. I petroglifi di Sas Concas sono assai simili ad altre raffigurazioni sparse in siti coevi in Sardegna e rappresentano una simbologia arcaica e ancora misteriosa: tra le tombe della necropoli, quelli meglio conservati si trovano nell’ampia tomba dell’emiciclo, preceduta da un vano scavato nella roccia oggi in gran parte eroso. 

Nuraghe Ola 

Terminata la visita alla necropoli si può tornare all’auto proseguendo sulla SS128, ignorando le deviazioni per la SS 131 DCN e rimanendo sulla vecchia statale per circa 3 km: sulla sinistra della strada, ben segnalato e visibile, si staglia il magnifico Nuraghe Ola, al centro di un’area ad alta densità di monumenti archeologici. 

L’antica torre nuragica, di tipo semplice, si raggiunge per un breve sentiero che si diparte dal parcheggio. Subito prima del monumento si incontrano due ampie capanne, oggetto di indagine archeologica in tempi recenti. Anche il nuraghe è stato recentemente restaurato. Si compone di un’ampia camera interna a tholos, dove sono presenti alcune nicchie, e da una splendida scala intermuraria che permette di accedere al piano superiore. Qui si nota una lastra che chiude la tholos e che, nel solstizio d’estate, viene talvolta rimossa per permettere di assistere al suggestivo fenomeno del raggio di sole che, a mezzogiorno, penetra nel buio della camera sottostante. 

Terminata la visita si può rientrare al paese o visitare la bella necropoli di Brodu, poco distante, ma non segnalata

Access 

From the inhabited centre of Sarule, go in the direction of the village cemetery, then continue along the main road until an clear and obvious crossroads dominated by the three pointed peaks of Monte Gonare. Take a left, following the signs for the mountain and continuing to climb on the tarmac road until the next crossroads, where you keep to the right, travelling for a few hundred metres and parking in a large clearing where the road ends, near some buildings that serve as shelters for the worshippers during the festivities. 

The via Crucis: The Way of the Cross 

The sanctuary of Gonare is located near the border between the municipalities of Sarule and Orani and its festivity is particularly ardent celebration The ancient church is said to have been built at the behest of Gonario di Torres to thank the Virgin Mary for having saved him during a storm at sea, but its dominant position highlights a geopolitical and at the same time ascetic intention. From the clearing, a well-marked path can be seen on the left, the same one where Via Crucis take place, leading to the sanctuary, where every step is marked by the passage of pilgrims and cloaked in legends and stories. You gradually gain height, surrounded by a beautiful wood of Holm oaks lashed by the wind. In spring, extraordinary blooms of lilies and peonies enrich the route. 

The church 

A couple of narrow hairpin bends make up the steepest part of the climb, the final one, now dominated by the church. The beautiful medieval building was extended several times and occupies the summit of the mountain, located at an altitude of just under 1100 metres. From the church one can enjoy a vast panorama that embraces the two coasts of Sardinia and a large part of the central and northern regions of the island. One can also admire the sunrise rising over the Gulf of Orosei and the sunset sinking into the waters of the Gulf of Oristano, offshore from Sinis, while the Gennargentu closes the panorama to the south and the jagged peaks of the Limbara mark the last visible places to the north. A door of the church is always open and allows entry to anyone who reaches the summit to grant anyone a prayer, after which they return to their cars by the path they took.