Cagliari and South-East · Città metropolitana di Cagliari

Things to do in Monastir

Things to do in Monastir, Sardinia: Monte Zara Nuragic sanctuary, Is Aruttas rock-cut tombs, medieval churches, the Santa Lucia feast and more.

Monastir, Sardegna — © piantisergio · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0

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Monastir is a town in the lower Campidano, about 20 km from Cagliari along the SS 131, set on a fertile plain between two small hills of volcanic origin: Monte Zara and Monte Olladiri. Those hills hold its treasure, a sequence of sites ranging from Neolithic rock-cut tombs to a Nuragic sanctuary reached by a staircase carved into the rock. It's the right stop if you love archaeology, medieval churches and festivals with riders and ox carts.

What to see in Monastir

Monte Zara

On this hill you'll find the domus de janas (rock-cut tombs) of Is Ogus de Monti and a monumental 60-step staircase carved into the rock, leading up to the acropolis. At the top is a Nuragic sacred area with two altars and two wells for water worship, plus a circular building from the 9th century BC, also used for wine-making. Nearby stand the nuraghe Su Cuccumeu and the village of Mitza Morta.

Monte Olladiri and Is Aruttas

On Monte Olladiri lies the necropolis of Is Aruttas, with rock-cut tombs dated 3200-2800 BC, and remains of prehistoric and Nuragic huts. The summit was once crowned by Baratuli castle, built in the mid-12th century and destroyed by the Pisans in the early 14th.

The churches

San Giacomo: the oldest, from the 12th century, with a spired bell tower.
San Pietro apostolo: the parish church in the old centre, with an early-16th-century Aragonese Gothic layout.
Sant'Antonio abate: Gothic, 14th century.
San Sebastiano: a 15th-century sanctuary.
Santa Lucia: a Romanesque country church from the second half of the 13th century.

Things to do in Monastir

The walk up Monte Zara, with its staircase and views over the plain, is the highlight. Combine it with a tour of the medieval churches in the centre and a bike ride through citrus and peach orchards along the Flumini Mannu. Monastir is also a handy base for nearby villages. Discover the experiences offered by local operators just below.

History

The first settlement dates back to the Neolithic, and Nuragic, Punic and Roman peoples all left their mark. The present town grew up in the Middle Ages around a community of Camaldolese monks: the name may come from the Catalan for "monastery" or from the Sardinian muristenes, rest houses for travellers. Part of the Giudicato (medieval kingdom) of Cagliari, it passed to Arborea, to Pisa in 1295 and to the Aragonese in 1324. In 1455 it was sold to the merchant Pietro Bellit and became a barony, until feudalism ended in 1839.

Food and local products

Farming is the town's main activity: citrus fruit, peaches and potatoes are typical of the plain. At the table you'll find Campidano cooking, with semolina bread, vegetables, soups and traditional sweets.

Festivals and traditions

Sant'Antonio abate: bonfires on 17 January.
San Sebastiano: a few days later, the great bonfire of su foghidoni.
Santa Lucia: late August, the most heartfelt festival, with processions between the parish church and the country chapel, riders, ox carts, costumed groups and launeddas (Sardinian reed pipes).

Nearby

San Sperate: murals and Pinuccio Sciola's Sound Garden.
Serdiana: Santa Maria di Sibiola and the wineries.
Villasor: Castello Siviller.
Cagliari: the National Archaeological Museum, which displays many finds from the area.

Getting there and when to go

Monastir sits right on the SS 131 Carlo Felice highway, about 20 minutes from Cagliari; Cagliari-Elmas airport is about 20-25 minutes away. Spring and autumn are ideal for climbing the hills; January for the bonfires, late August for Santa Lucia.