Mountains
Sardinia’s mountains are a paradise for hikers and explorers - and a protected retreat for Sardinia's fascinating wildlife. From the rugged, wild Supramonte massif to the soft hills of Gennargentu, Sardinia’s mountainous landscape offers endless diversity.
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Sardinia's mountains:wild landscapes and secluded forests
Sardinia’s mountains are a paradise for hikers and explorers – and a protected retreat for Sardinia's fascinating wildlife. From the rugged, wild Supramonte massif to the soft hills of Gennargentu, Sardinia’s mountainous landscape offers endless diversity.Sardinian mythology explains the island’s origins as follows: God had already created the whole world with all its lands and seas and he only had a few boulders left over. He threw them into the sea and pushed them down with his foot. From the ichnusa (or ‘footprint’ in English, in the shape of the island), the island adopted every imaginable type of landscape, becoming a tiny continent for itself. Sardinia was born. To finish it off, he took the best from his already finished creation and sprinkled it over the barren, rocky island.
Sardinia has always remained an island of stones and rocks – the seemingly endless mountain ranges are omnipresent in the misty distance. Imposing volcanic cones and majestic flat summit mounts tower over vast, African-looking plains. Jagged granite ridges alternate with deep gorges and rugged slate mountains. One of the island's special attractions is the labyrinth of stalactite caves, the interiors of which host limestone mountains. And not to forget the work of the people: countless Nuraghi from prehistoric times stand side by side with simple walls to fence off fields and pastures, all made from the island’s abundance of stones.
The Supramonte massif rises with chalk-white granite walls, making it look like it is covered in snow from a distance. The rocky spine of Sardinia, uncontrollable for conquerors and Carabinieri, was the land of Sardinian shepherds and notorious bandits, who found the ideal hiding place in the maze of deep ravines and hidden caves. Today, the inhospitable mountain world is the last refuge for many endangered species. The Supramonte is sparsely populated – meaning that its beautiful nature with its vast holm oak forests have remained untouched. A beautiful place for everyone looking for peace and solitude during their holiday in Sardinia.
The Gennargentu mountains (‘Gate of the Wind’ in English) lie a little further south. This is the heart of the Barbagia region, which in turn is considered as the heart of the island – the innermost, unadulterated, authentic and traditional Sardinia. The perfect hiking ground for everyone who yearns to roam for days through the wilderness in complete solitude. Past cork oak forests, macchia, strawberry trees and oleander, this is still home to many wild animals, such as the Sardinian deer, wild boar, wild cats, hawks, red kites and black vultures. This massif is also home to the highest mountain on the island, Punta La Marmora, which towers 1,834 metres.