Why should you explore Ghilarza, a small town of less than 5000 people in central Sardinia? Being my hometown isn’t enough, I get that but, trust me, there are many other reasons, places to visit, and experiences to have.
Even though quite a small town, Ghilarza has it all. Nice restaurants and cafes, lovely shops, great bakeries, grocery stores, all services, everything within walking distance, and an enviable location in the center of Sardinia.
This is an easy guide to exploring Ghilarza, its many sites to visit, its fascinating surroundings, and the important historical landmarks of the nearby towns. You will also find the best restaurants where to eat and all the accommodation options to book your stay.
Things to do in Ghilarza
Visit the house of Antonio Gramsci
Antonio Gramsci was an Italian writer, politician, and co-founder of Italy’s Communist Party. He lived and worked under the Fascist rule and during the Fascism, he was imprisoned and finally died.
He was born in Ales but grew up and lived in Ghilarza because his father moved here when Antonio was a child.
Today the house where Antonio Gramsci lived is open to visitors and apart from books written by him and about him, you can see his bedroom and his personal objects as well as the documents related to his arrest.
Stroll around the historic center
The historic center of Ghilarza is lined up with low-rise stone houses built in the typical local architectural style that earned the town’s bricklayers a well-deserved reputation across the island.
Starting from the main church in Corso Umberto, I suggest taking Via Regina Margherita and carrying onto Via Padre Sotgiu. From there, get lost in the maze of narrow alleys, some of which are not even paved. Don’t worry about not finding your way, Ghilarza is so small that it’s impossible to get lost for real!
Visit the small novenari towns
Around Ghilarza are four novenari, small towns inhabited by Ghilarza residents for nine days every year. Each of these novenari is devoted to a saint: San Serafino (the largest), San Michele, San Giovanni, and Santa Maria di Trempu.
When visiting Ghilarza, you can either join the ceremonies and celebrations devoted to each saint of a novenario or simply visit these small villages around the main town and their archaeological sites.
Take a tour around the churches
When you reach Ghilarza, you will quickly see the main parish church in the historic center. However, the town features many smaller churches that represent a precious heritage from its past.
Ghilarza is not huge and the churches are concentrated in a relatively small area so you can easily pack up an itinerary of a couple of hours.
I would start from Chiesa del Carmelo located in Piazza San Palmerio. This small church is not easy to spot but certainly is worth visiting because of a cult present in Sardinia since the 13th century. Ghilarza’s Chiesa del Carmelo likely dates from the early 17th century.
The second church I suggest visiting, Chiesa di San Palmerio, facing the same Piazza San Palmerio, was probably built in the 13th century. Even though not the oldest church in Ghilarza, it’s strictly linked to the same history of the town. Today, it’s the hub for the religious celebrations in honor of San Palmerio taking place every year around mid-July.
But that’s not all. Not far is the church devoted to San Giorgio, also a little hidden but not difficult to reach. This is a very simple and old building believed to be the very first parish church in the town.
The small churches of Ghilarza are usually closed during the year and open only on the occasion of the local festival. If you want to visit them, I suggest you call the local cultural association Orgono here or let me know and I will put you in touch with a certified tour guide who has access to all the worship places.
See the Aragonese Tower
This is right next to the church of San Palmerio and you can’t possibly miss it as it’s huge. It stands tall and majestic in a small meadow surrounded by houses and bordering the street.
Ghilarza’s Aragonese Tower is an example of military Gothic-Aragonese architecture and was built in the aftermath of the fall of the Arborea Judicate, one of Sardinia’s medieval kingdoms.
Unfortunately, this tower, too, is usually closed to the public because it’s mainly employed to host seminars and public events. If you wish to visit inside, I suggest you contact the same Orgono cultural association I mentioned for the churches above. Similarly, also for the tower, you can let me know and I will put you in touch with a certified tour guide who has access to it.
Visit Zuri and its ancient church
Zuri is a tiny town in the municipality of Ghilarza. At first sight, it might seem that there is nothing to see but it’s actually a fascinating area. Dominating the view of the town is the medieval San Pietro Church of Zuri built in a local Romanesque style with the red-ochre stones typical of the area.
I love this church, it’s an important piece of history and can be visited alone and in silence, enhancing your spiritual experience.
Take a day trip to the Omodeo Lake
You can admire the man-made Lake Omodeo from many viewpoints because it’s a large basin and is surrounded by several local towns. So you have a few options that also depend on the season.
In spring and summer, you can enjoy a kayak experience on the lake or trekking around it. For this, I suggest contacting the local guide Roberto from Dare Sardinia to enquire if you can book him for the day. I truly discourage you from going on your own because it’s very easy to get lost.
If you’d rather have a view of the lake without physical activity, you can enjoy a delicious traditional meal at Cantinedda in the Ulà Tirso territory. Here, you can also view the old dam built in the ’20s of the last century. Here are the directions to reach.
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Visit the Nuraghe Losa archaeological site in Abbasanta
Even though Abbasanta is technically a separate municipality and administration, it really is attached to Ghilarza, so with a drive of less than 10 minutes, you can reach the archaeological site of the Nuraghe Losa, one of the most famous in all of Sardinia.
This Bronze-age stone tower is very well-kept and can be admired from the ground level as well as from the upper level climbing it up. Even though very ancient, the main structure is still standing, giving a great view of the original shape.
Inside, you can see the different rooms of the main Nuraghe, while all around, are the huts that covered different functions, from worship places to daily chores.
When you purchase your ticket, you can choose to have a guided visit (included in the ticket) or visit on your own. You can buy your tickets online. The timed entrance is to be followed only if you wish to visit with the guide, otherwise, your ticket is valid for the whole day. Here are the directions to reach it.
Take a day trip to Iloi Archaeological Park in Sedilo
We loved visiting the Iloi Archaeological Park of the town of Sedilo, some 13 km from Ghilarza. Part of the site is a large Nuraghe, the ruins of the surrounding huts part of the ancient village, three Giants’ Tombs (tombe dei giganti) and, some half an hour walk following the directions, beautiful domus de janas, the pre-Nuraghic-era necropolis, called Ispiluncas.
From Iloi, too, you will have a beautiful view of Lake Omodeo and after visiting the ruins, I suggest you head to the local museum inside the village. Here are the directions to visit Iloi and here is the museum, known as Museo del Territorio di Sedilo.
Iloi Archaeological Park is always open and doesn’t require a ticket, but to book a visit to the museum, you need to email the managing organization here iloisedilo@tiscali.it. Also here there is no admission but a volunteer donation.
See the Sacred Well of Santa Cristina in Paulilatino
One of the most famous and important archaeological sites in Sardinia, the sacred well of Santa Cristina is a must if you are staying in Ghilarza or even if you are only visiting the area.
The Sacred Well of Santa Cristina, Pozzo Sacro di Santa Cristina in Italian, is an important example of the Nuraghic architecture built around 3000 years ago. The beautiful structure includes an outer part where the offerings to the gods were placed, a staircase, and an underground chamber to reach the water.
All around the sacred well, you can also visit a Nuraghic village and an early Christian village.
Here are the directions to reach if you are driving.
If you are not staying in Ghilarza and still wish to visit this fascinating site, you can join a day tour from Alghero that will also take you to other archaeological sites. If you are on a cruise, you can book a day trip to Santa Cristina from Cagliari’s port.
Explore Tamuli Archaeological Area in Macomer
The amazing archaeological area of Tamuli is in the territory of Macomer and it can be reached in about half an hour by car from Ghilarza. It’s not one of the most famous and well-known in Sardinia but I absolutely loved visiting it.
I found this a one-of-a-kind archaeological site because of the presence of six “betili”, cone-shaped stones of clear sacred function believed to be located close to the local giants’ tombs. Three of these betili feature two breast-like bumps to symbolize the female element while the other three represent the male element.
These are the directions to reach Tamuli. HOWEVER, if you are leaving from Ghilarza, Google Maps will send you to the shorter route that goes all through countryside roads with several bumps and potholes. So from Ghilarza, I suggest you set your navigator to the town of Macomer first, and from Macomer, you set it to Tamuli. The road will be only slightly longer but much better.
- Cost: 4€.
How to reach Ghilarza
Ghilarza is right off the SS131 road crossing the whole island so it’s very easy to reach from every port and airport. Even though the adjacent town of Abbasanta has a train station that connects the area to both Olbia and Cagliari, to reach Ghilarza and then visit the surroundings, it’s always best to have your own car unless you are part of a guided tour.
Just like for every other part of Sardinia, I suggest renting a car upon arrival, but if you don’t feel confident driving, I will also give you public transport directions.
From Olbia Airport
- By car. Take the SS131 Diramazione Centrale Nuorese and follow it to SP15 and the exit to Ghilarza. It will be a little shorter than a 2-hour drive.
- By bus/train. Take the bus to Olbia city center and train station and from there the train to Cagliari. Get off in Abbasanta. From Abbasanta, the bus to Ghilarza is really not very frequent. You can either walk or wait for one of the buses to another nearby town which also stops in Ghilarza. These are n. 414, 415, 424, 435, 502.
From Cagliari
- By car. Follow the early signs towards Sassari and Nuoro, then merge into the SS131 and proceed towards Nuoro. It will take around 1 hour and a half.
- By bus/train. From both Cagliari Elmas airport and Cagliari main train station, you can take a direct train to Abbasanta and from here, you proceed on foot or wait for a local bus. From Elmas airport, you can also reach Ghilarza directly by bus 747.
From Alghero
- By car. From the airport of Alghero, you need to take SP 291 and then E25 to the SS131 bis. Follow the signs and take the exit towards Ghilarza from E25.
- By bus/train. Using public transport from Alghero’s Fertilia airport means you have to change a few buses. The first bus is Linea Alfa to Alghero town and from there, bus 713 to Abbasanta train station.
From Porto Torres
- By car. Porto Torres is not too far and the road is mainly the SS131. This is one of the main ports in Sardinia where ferries from Rome arrive, so perfect if you are coming by car. If you are driving, follow the E25 to the SS131 bis and take the exit to Ghilarza/Abbasanta. It will take around an hour and 20 minutes.
- By bus/train. Traveling by public transport from Porto Torres to Ghilarza is a bit of an adventure. You would need to take the bus to Sassari, then in Sassari the train towards Cagliari and get off in Abbasanta.
Where to stay in Ghilarza
In Ghilarza, you won’t find big hotels but several B&Bs and guesthouses. Simple yet complete with everything, I always suggest Ghilarza and the Guilcer region as one of the best areas to stay in Sardinia because very central and easy to reach from anywhere in the island.
- B&B S’arenada. Comfortable B&B in the town’s center cozily furnished and equipped with all the necessary amenities including free WiFi, a shared kitchen, free toiletries, and on-site parking.
- La Vallata B&B. A well-furnished B&B with a view of the local valley.
- Anninnìa Guesthouse. A beautiful and spacious guesthouse well-equipped and decorated in a traditional and modern style.
- Apartment Via Montenegro. Cozy apartment featuring all the modern comforts if you wish to maintain your privacy.
- Peppina Home. A recently renovated guesthouse with a cozy shared garden.
- Perdanoa Aparthotel. A fully furnished and equipped apartment near the historic center of Ghilarza.
- B&B Perdalonga. Simple B&B featuring all the necessary facilities for a cozy stay and a sweet Italian breakfast with hot drinks every morning.
- Pinnettu Ghilarza. This is a beautiful country house in the middle of nature next to the town. Recently renovated and features all the modern comforts.
- Casa Vacanze Oristano Ghilarza Sardegna. A recently renovated holiday home with a garden and inner courtyard.
Where to eat in Ghilarza
There are several nice restaurants in and around Ghilarza that you can visit if you choose this town as your home base for your holidays.
- Valparaiso. This is really one of our faves and go-to places in Ghilarza. They serve both meat and seafood dishes all finely prepared and offered in a diverse menu able to please everyone. (Via Gennargentu).
- Loddo Ristorante e Pizzeria. Together with the place mentioned above, Loddo is also one of our favorite fine-dining restaurants in Ghilarza. This, however, is slightly out of town located between Zuri and Soddì, some 2 km from Ghilarza. We have enjoyed their pizza as well as the à la carte menu, a delicious list of gourmet creations. Loddo Restaurant has the perk of a gorgeous view of the Omodeo Lake. (Stp 27 bivio per Zuri, 09080 Soddì – OR).
- Sas Mendulas di Raimondo Marchi. This is a fine-dining restaurant serving everything from seafood to meat dishes in a lovely countryside setting. In summer, tables are set around a large pool outside. (Via Canonico Licheri 57)
- Buon Gusto. A simple cafè bistrot located in the heart of town close to the Council offices and facing the local hospital. It gets quite busy especially in the evening and on weekends. They offer pizza (only for dinner) and platters such as burgers with chips and veggies, large salads, and pasta dishes. (Via Cristoforo Colombo 34)
- Le Plaisir Ristorante e Trattoria. This is not exactly within the territory of Ghilarza but just over the border with Abbasanta. But since the two towns are physically attached, it’s as easy as the other ones to reach. This is a local trattoria serving simple and delicious dishes at affordable prices. (Via Giacomo Matteotti 35, Abbasanta).
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