Trekking in Sardinia: 5 dream paths

Not just beaches: the Sardinia it is also a land of paths. Those who want to experience a journey on foot can explore the extraordinary hinterland of this region at a slow pace. Even in winter.

If the high summer temperatures can put a strain on hikers, the short and mild winter of this island proves to be a particularly favorable condition for trekking between scenic cliffs and gentle slopes covered in Mediterranean scrub. The network of paths in Sardinia becomes richer every year, crossing the most evocative and tradition-rich places on the island and leading to a journey that is an unforgettable experience.

Here are five routes to consider for your next holiday slow.

Santa Barbara Mining Route

A walking holiday capable of combining nature, industrial archeology and history? The answer is the Santa Barbara Mining Route, within the historical and environmental geo-mining park of Sardinia. From the sea to the mountains, this circular itinerary (with departure and arrival in the town of Iglesias) winds through the Sulcis-Iglesiente-Guspinese, a trio of territories that occupies the south-west of the island. The Walk is named after the patron saint of miners and it is no coincidence that it leads hikers to discover the flourishing mining past of these lands, where it is common to encounter abandoned deposits, tunnels and remote villages once inhabited by miners and their families and today converted into tourist purposes. The complete itinerary is 500 km long, divided into 30 stages, but can be easily adapted to the needs of those who have fewer days available and want to cover only a small section. For information on the stages and to request the official pilgrim credential, contact the Santa Barbara Mining Path Foundation viaggiominerariodisantabarbara.org

I walk 100 Towers

Those who cannot do without proximity to the sea can find what they are looking for in I walk 100 Towers, made up of eight different routes which together cover the entire coastal perimeter of Sardinia for a total of 1284 km and 70 stages. This long itinerary can also be tailor-made for those who only have a few days available (you can start, based on your preferences, from Cagliari, Arbatax, Olbia, Castelsardo, Porto Torres, Alghero, Oristano or Carloforte). Hikers walk mainly on beaches and coastal paths, never straying more than two kilometers from the blue sea. The towers that give the path its name (and which are actually 105 in total) are the watchtowers that since the Middle Ages have allowed the inhabitants of the coast to scan the horizon to intercept approaching ships. For information on the stages and to ask for the walker’s passport, you can contact the #Cammino100Torri association.
viaggio100torri.com

Santu Jacu path

According to legend, the evangelization work of Saint James (in Sardinian Santu Jacu, in Spanish Santiago) began in Palestine and continued in Spain, but in between there was time for a brief stop in Sardinia. The Santu Jacu path was born on the example of the great Spanish paths and takes hikers in the footsteps of the saint, uniting the ancient places of worship dedicated to him. This “Way to Santiago de Sardinia” is an itinerary to be evaluated especially if you want to discover the less traveled hinterland: for the most part, in fact, the route traces a vertical line right in the center of Sardinia, crossing it from Cagliari to Porto Torres. The complete route is 1600 km long, but those who only have a long weekend available can, for example, explore the route from Nughedu Santa Vittoria, a small village in the province of Oristano with various archaeological remains from the Nuragic era, up to Ittireddu, a village protected by reliefs of volcanic origin. For travel tips and GPX tracks you can visit the official website Walking.eu

Via dei Sanctuaries

It is also a guarantee of discovery of an unprecedented and little-known Sardinia Street of the Sanctuaries, a path that connects the main novenaries of the center and north of the island. Typical places of the popular and sacred tradition of Sardinia, the novenari are “sacred villages” where once the inhabitants of different villages gathered for nine days before a religious holiday, living a community life. Born on the initiative of the association Walkers, the objective of the Via dei Santuari is to enhance and rediscover these ancient and scenic places. The path is just under 400 km long: it starts from San Salvatore di Cabras in the province of Oristano and, cutting northwards through the hinterland of great naturalistic, historical and religious interest, you arrive at Luogosanto, in the heart of Gallura.
Walking.org

Path of St. George the Bishop

From Ogliastra to Trexenta, among natural landscapes of surprising beauty. This is the scenario in which the The Way of Saint George the Bishop in Sardinia, itinerary dedicated to the first Bishop of the diocese of Suelli, born in Cagliari around the year one thousand. The birthplace of San Giorgio is the starting point of the route, which then continues towards the north-east, touching the ancient places of the apostolic mission of this historical figure. Those who have a few days available can start from Osini (where the so-called Scala di San Giorgio is located, a natural monument which according to legend is the result of a miracle of the saint) and then walk south to the Sanctuary of Suelli. An alternative is to explore the surroundings of Orgòsolo on foot, a stop on the northernmost stretch of the route. The small village in Supramonte, known for its colorful murals, is also known for being the birthplace of the blessed Antonia Mesina.
viaggiodisangiorgiovescovo.it