Marmilla and Sarcidano · Città metropolitana di Cagliari

Things to do in Pimentel

Things to do in Pimentel, Sardinia: the Corongiu domus de janas and s'Acqua Salida necropolis, the Carmine church, festivals and Trexenta sights.

Pimentel, Sardegna — © Piantisergio · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0

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Pimentel (Pramantellu in Sardinian) is a small farming village of about 1,100 people in Trexenta, roughly 35 km north of Cagliari, in a valley surrounded by hills of wheat fields, vineyards, orchards and vegetable gardens. Archaeology lovers know it for its domus de janas, among the most interesting in southern Sardinia, with carved and painted decorations more than five thousand years old. It's an ideal stop if you love prehistory and rural inland landscapes.

What to see in Pimentel

Corongiu domus de janas

On the road to Guasila lies the Corongiu tomb, a Late Neolithic domus de janas (a prehistoric rock-cut tomb, literally «fairy house»): you enter through a small shaft and pass from an antechamber into the main chamber. One wall bears a motif of two spirals, carved and painted red, interpreted as the stylised face of the Mother Goddess.

S'Acqua Salida necropolis

Nearby, on the Pranu Efis plateau, the s'Acqua Salida necropolis is cut into two large sandstone boulders: one holds four domus, the other three shaft tombs. The main tomb has a long corridor, an antechamber with a painted doorway and a chamber with three small cells. Other tombs show reliefs imitating hut beams and bull's-head motifs, symbols linked to fertility cults.

The village

The parish church of the Madonna del Carmine, from the late 1600s, has a 19th-century marble altar and an old organ. The village itself was born in that period from the union of two quarters, Nuraxi and Saceni, separated by the stream that runs through it.

Things to do in Pimentel

The main experience is a guided visit to the necropolises, best combined with a walk or bike ride among cultivated hills, the area's Nuragic remains and the sa Ruta caves. With a car you can build a one-day archaeology route through Trexenta, linking Pimentel, Senorbì and Barumini. Scroll down to find experiences from local operators and book.

History

The area was inhabited from prehistoric times, as the necropolises show, and in the Nuragic age. In the Middle Ages it belonged to the Judicate of Cagliari, in the Trexenta district; it then briefly passed to Arborea, to Pisa and in 1324 to the Aragonese. From the 1400s it was a fief and later part of the county, then marquisate, of Villasor, until feudalism ended in 1839. Between 1936 and 1946 it was merged with neighbouring Samatzai.

Food and shopping

Trexenta was once called «Rome's granary»: durum wheat is the star here, with traditional Campidano breads and pastas. The fields yield fruit, grapes and vegetables; look for wine, olive oil and cheese from local farms.

Festivals and traditions

In February a procession for the Madonna di Lourdes walks to the sa Ruta caves. The patron feast of the Madonna del Carmine in mid-July is one of the oldest in Trexenta, with processions in traditional dress.

Nearby

Samatzai, with the Gothic-Aragonese church of San Giovanni Battista.
Senorbì: Monte Luna archaeological park and the Sa Domu Nosta museum.
Ortacesus: the Wheat Museum.
Barumini and the UNESCO-listed Su Nuraxi nuraghe, about 40 minutes away.

Getting there and when to go

Pimentel is about 40 minutes' drive from Cagliari, via the SS 131 and the minor roads towards Samatzai or Ortacesus. Cagliari-Elmas airport and the port of Cagliari are the gateways; the nearest beaches, such as Poetto, are about 45 minutes away. Spring and autumn are perfect for visiting the necropolises without the summer heat.