Things to do in Ovodda

Ovodda is a mountain village in the Barbagia di Ollolai, at the foot of Monte Orohòle on the western side of the Gennargentu massif, about 50 km from Nuoro. All of Sardinia knows it for its Ash Wednesday carnival, but it is also worth visiting for its woods, the reservoirs of the Taloro valley and the archaeological sites scattered across the countryside. Ideal if you love mountains, living traditions and slow travel.

What to see in Ovodda

The village and its murals

Stroll through the centre among granite houses and squares decorated with murals painted over the years. The 18th-century parish church of San Giorgio has a granite bell tower and a wooden statue of Saint Peter.

San Pietro and the lost village of Oleri

Out in the countryside stands the small church of San Pietro, on the site of Oleri, a village abandoned in the 15th century after a plague. Nearby, the chapel of Villaggio Taloro looks down from a hill of pines and firs onto Lake Cucchinadorza, with an almost Alpine feel.

Menhirs, rock tombs and nuraghi

The area is rich in ancient remains: the menhirs of Predas Fittas and Domus Novas, a village inhabited until Roman times; the domus de janas (rock-cut tombs, literally «fairy houses») of S'Abba Bohada and Ghiliddoe; the giants' tomb of Su Nodu 'e Lopene and around ten nuraghi (Bronze Age stone towers), including Nieddio, Osseli and Campos.

Things to do in Ovodda

The land climbs from the Tino valley up to 1,267 m on Mihinàri and is partly inside the Gennargentu National Park. It is perfect for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding among holm and downy oaks and old transhumance trails. The Tino and Taloro rivers meet in Lake Cucchinadorza, surrounded by forest and ideal for a day outdoors. Further down this page you will find the experiences offered by local operators: pick yours and discover Ovodda with people who really know it.

History

People lived here as early as the Neolithic, then in Nuragic and Roman times. In the Middle Ages Ovodda belonged to the Giudicato of Arborea, in the district of Barbagia di Ollolai. After 1420 it passed to the Aragonese as a fief, joined the Duchy of Mandas in 1604 and was freed in 1839 when feudalism was abolished.

What to eat and buy

The food is the shepherds' cuisine of Barbagia: meat, sheep and goat cheeses, and traditional breads such as pane 'e fresa and sas ispòlas. Almond-based sweets include puzzoneddos, lorighittas, pistiddos and fruttinas. Cork and granite are also worked locally.

Festivals and traditions

• Mehuris de Lessia (Ash Wednesday): when carnival is over everywhere else, Ovodda explodes. The intintos blacken their faces with burnt-cork soot and the intinghidores smear anyone they meet. The star is Don Conte, a puppet standing for the abuses of the powerful: paraded on a donkey cart, he is put on trial and burned in the square at sunset, with circle dances around the fire.
• San Giorgio, the patron saint, on 23 April.
• San Pietro, in late June.
• Assumption, 15 August.
• Autunno in Barbagia: old courtyard houses (cortes) open to visitors.

Nearby

• Gavoi and Lake Gusana, a few kilometres away.
• Fonni, Sardinia's highest village and gateway to the Gennargentu.
• Mamoiada, home of the Mamuthones masks.

Getting there and when to go

From Nuoro it takes about an hour by car, via Gavoi. The handiest airports are Olbia and Cagliari, both about two hours' drive; Olbia is also the nearest ferry port. Spring and autumn are best for walking in the woods, and summer in the mountains is pleasantly cool. To see the village at its most intense, come on Ash Wednesday.

FAQ

When is the Ovodda carnival?

On Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, so in February or March depending on the year.

How many days do you need for Ovodda?

One day is enough for the village and a walk; with two or three days you can add Lake Gusana and the Gennargentu.

Is Ovodda near the sea?

No, it is in the mountains at the heart of the island: the nearest coast is about an hour and a half by car.