Marmilla and Sarcidano · Provincia del Medio Campidano

Things to do in Ussaramanna

Ussaramanna, Sardinia: the San Pietro nuraghe, San Lorenzo church among olive trees, olive oil, wild herbs and the 10 August feast.

Ussaramanna, Sardegna — © Gianni Careddu · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Ussaramanna, Soramanna in Sardinian, is a farming village of just under five hundred people in the lower Marmilla, about an hour's drive from Cagliari. It lies in a valley between the Giara di Gesturi and the smaller Giara di Siddi plateaus, surrounded by wheat fields, almond groves, vineyards and olive trees. It is worth a stop for the San Pietro nuraghe on the edge of town, the country church of San Lorenzo among the olives and the wild herbs that scent its fields. It suits travellers looking for peace, nature and rural traditions.

What to see in Ussaramanna

San Pietro nuraghe

Also called Santu Perdu, it stands on a rise at the edge of the village. It is a complex nuraghe: a central tower surrounded by a bastion with four towers linked by walls. Outside, excavations revealed rectangular rooms, probably Roman. Its name comes from a church that no longer exists.

The church of San Lorenzo

About a kilometre from the village, among ancient olive trees and Mediterranean scrub, stands this 14th-century church, once the parish of the lost village of Ussaredda. Tradition says its people went on to found Ussaramanna. Two paintings of St Roch and St Sebastian attributed to the Master of Oliena came from here and are now in Cagliari's National Picture Gallery.

The parish church and old centre

The parish church of San Quirico, rebuilt from the 18th century and consecrated in 1953, keeps marble furnishings. In the centre you will see courtyard houses with porches, storerooms and fine doorways. South-east of the village is the old sanctuary of Santa Maria, from the late 16th century, now a meeting hall.

Things to do in Ussaramanna

The countryside is great for walks and bike rides among almond and olive trees, up to the foot of the Giara di Siddi, where myrtle, rosemary, sage, thyme, bay and chamomile grow wild. In spring you can discover local herbs with people who know them well. Take a look at the experiences offered by local operators just below.

History

The area was inhabited in the Nuragic age, as the San Pietro, Cabonu, Molas and su Sensu nuraghi show, and in Roman times, with a burial ground at Bingias Beccias. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the Judicate of Arborea, then to the Marquisate of Oristano and, from 1478, to the Aragonese, in the Parte Montis district of the county of Quirra, until the fief was bought out in 1839. From 1928 to 1946 it was merged with Lunamatrona.

Food and local products

Olive oil is the village's prized product, along with Nuragus and Malvasia wines. Local aromatic herbs find their way into traditional recipes. Try pardulas, little ricotta or cheese pastries that star in the spring festival.

Festivals and traditions

Wild herb show, in May, with tastings, a craft market and the sa pardula festival.
San Quirico, the patron saint, in mid-July, with a procession and traditional singing.
San Lorenzo, 10 August, one of the most heartfelt feasts in the Marmilla, with a procession accompanied by launeddas (Sardinian reed pipes) and evenings of music.

Nearby

Siddi, with the Sa Domu 'e s'Orku giants' tomb and Sa Fogaia park.
Tuili and the Giara di Gesturi, home of the wild ponies.
Barumini and the UNESCO-listed Su Nuraxi.
Pauli Arbarei and the Bruncu Mannu nuraghe.

Getting there and when to go

The nearest airport and port are in Cagliari, about 60 kilometres away: take the SS131 to Sanluri, then continue into the Marmilla. Spring is the best time, with the countryside in bloom and the herb show; in August the San Lorenzo feast livens up summer evenings.