Things to do in Olzai

Olzai is a small village in the Barbagia di Ollolai, tucked into a valley surrounded by woods and mountains, about 40 minutes by car from Nuoro. It is the village of painter Carmelo Floris, who found the landscapes and faces of his paintings here, and it keeps churches with precious altarpieces, a working water mill and trails up to the peaks. The right place for lovers of art, history and walks in nature, far from the crowds.

What to see in Olzai

Carmelo Floris's house museum

The home of the painter and engraver, one of Sardinia's great 20th-century artists, is now a museum, and the town hall displays a collection of about 250 of his works. Don't miss it.

Churches and altarpieces

• Santa Barbara, 14th century, holds the Retablo della Pestilenza (Plague Altarpiece), attributed to the anonymous 16th-century painter known as the «Master of Olzai», and an 18th-century wooden crucifix used in Holy Week rites.
• Sant'Anastasio, 16th century, Gothic-Catalan in style, with the Holy Family altarpiece.
• San Giovanni Battista, the parish church, with a marble altar and an inlaid walnut choir; its bell tower was completed in 1738.

Su Mulinu Vezzu and the stream

Just outside the village is Su Mulinu Vezzu, a granite water mill, the last one still working out of seven active in the early 1900s. After the 1921 flood the Bisine stream was channelled into a stone-paved bed crossed by arched stone bridges, giving the centre a distinctive look.

Nuraghi and giants' tombs

The area has many nuraghi (Bronze Age stone towers); the best-known monument is the giants' tomb of s'Ena 'e sa Vacca.

Things to do in Olzai

From the mill a trail leads up Monte Gulana, covered in holm oaks and home to birds of prey, with views towards the Gennargentu and the Tirso valley. Hiking on the surrounding peaks and trips to Lake Benzone, to the south-west, round off the day. Below you will find the experiences offered by local operators: let them guide you through Olzai.

History

Settled since pre-Nuragic times, as nuraghi, dolmens and menhirs show, Olzai belonged to the Giudicato of Arborea in the Middle Ages: in 1388 ten of its inhabitants signed the peace treaty between Eleonora of Arborea and the King of Aragon. The village later became part of the Duchy of Mandas. In the 19th century its parish priest was the poet Diego Mele, whose satirical verses are known all over the island. In the early 1900s it was nicknamed «the village of graduates» for its many doctors and educated residents.

What to eat and buy

Olzai keeps alive the tradition of home-baked bread and Barbagia shepherd cooking. In late September it holds a prickly pear festival, celebrating the fruit that grows abundantly in the valley.

Festivals and traditions

• Sant'Antonio abate bonfires on 16 January and Sant'Anastasio on 22 January.
• Carnival, through to Ash Wednesday.
• Holy Week, with the rite of s'Iscravamentu (the Deposition from the Cross).
• Festa dell'Angelo and Sant'Isidoro, in May.
• San Giovanni Battista, patron saint, 24 June.
• Santa Barbara, late August.
• Cortes Apertas, mid-November.

Nearby

• Ollolai and Monte Santu Basili.
• Sarule and the Gonare sanctuary.
• Gavoi and Lake Gusana.
• Ottana and the Romanesque church of San Nicola.

Getting there and when to go

From Nuoro it takes about 40 minutes by car. The nearest airports are Olbia, about an hour and a half away, and Cagliari, about two hours. Spring and autumn are ideal for walking; in November Cortes Apertas opens the village's old houses.

FAQ

Who was Carmelo Floris?

A 20th-century Sardinian painter and engraver, born in Bono and deeply tied to Olzai, where he lived and worked: his house is now a museum.

How long do you need for Olzai?

Half a day for the museum, churches and mill; a full day if you add Monte Gulana.

Is Olzai near the sea?

No, it lies in inland Sardinia; the nearest coast is more than an hour's drive away.