Linas - Monreale

The mountain area of Mount Linas is located in the heart of Iglesiente, in South East Sardinia. 
It comprises the municipalities of Cagliari, Domusnovas, Fluminimaggiore, Gonnosfanadiga, Iglesias and Villacidro. 
The geological morphology of this mountain, with a prevalence of granite and limestone, dates back to the Paleozoic period. Not especially high (the Perda de Sa Mesa reaches 1236 m), it stretches from mount Arcuentu as far as the Oridda mining area and the Cixerri plain. The mountain is essentially made up of two geomorphologically distinct areas: that of Mount Linas, where granite predominates, and that of Marganai, comprised of shale and limestone and featuring the peak of Punta Campu Spina. The two areas are joined by the Oridda plateau, which reaches an altitude of 600 metres above sea level. 
Where granite is predominant, the landscape is characterised by deep gorges broken by waterfalls; following the course of the Rio Oridda, in fact, you can reach the waterfalls of Sa Spendula, Riu Mannu and Piscina Irgas. The area is interesting from a botanical point of view: it is home to several medicinal plants such as chamomile, belladonna and calendula. The lush holm oak forest is populated by a varied fauna including the Sardinian deer, wild boar, mouflon, fallow deer and golden eagle. In the limestone areas of the mountain, underground rivers have led to the development over time of breathtaking caves, including that of San Giovanni, a few kilometres from Dosmusnovas. 
800 metres long, it can be explored by visitors equipped with a torch, with which it is possible to cut through the darkness and admire concretions such as stalactites and stalagmites.