North-West · Città metropolitana di Sassari

Things to do in Olmedo

Things to do in Olmedo, Sardinia: Monte Baranta megaliths, Talia church and nuraghe, Roman baths, local bread and cheese, minutes from Alghero.

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

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Olmedo is a town of about 4,200 people at the foot of Monte Rosso, in the Nurra area, about a quarter of an hour's drive from Alghero and about 20 km from Sassari. Its name recalls the elm trees (olmi) that once covered the area. It is worth a visit for its wealth of archaeology, from the Monte Baranta megalithic complex to the Romanesque church of Talia, and for a strong tradition of bread and cheese. A quiet, convenient base for combining Alghero's sea with inland discoveries.

What to see in Olmedo

The Monte Baranta megalithic complex

About 3 km from town, on a plateau, stands a Copper Age settlement (about 2500–2000 BC): a horseshoe-shaped fortification, a megalithic wall about 100 metres long, traces of houses and an enclosure of large boulders with a few menhirs. One of the most striking pre-Nuragic sites in northern Sardinia.

Nostra Signora di Talia and the Talia nuraghe

The country church of Nostra Signora di Talia, in Romanesque style, is built of limestone, trachyte and red tuff, and is the heart of the town's best-loved festival. Nearby, the Talia nuraghe has a fig tree growing in the middle of its tower; close by are the remains of Roman baths, part of a villa with traces of mosaics.

Other nuraghi

The area has more than twenty nuraghi, Bronze Age stone towers, including Nuraghe Mannu, about 6 metres high with a tholos chamber, and Sa Femina, inside the town.

Things to do in Olmedo

The limestone and volcanic hills around Monte Rosso, with oaks, cork oaks and scrub, are ideal for walks and bike rides from one archaeological site to the next. Olmedo is on the Sassari–Alghero railway and just minutes from the Calich lagoon and the beaches of Fertilia. You can also visit farms to taste cheese and artichokes. Find the experiences offered by local operators just below.

History

Inhabited since pre-Nuragic times, in the 13th century Olmedo was the seat of a district of the Giudicato (medieval kingdom) of Torres, as the Condaghe of Silki records. In the 14th century it was fought over by the Doria, Aragon and Arborea; in 1540 it was sacked by pirates and by the early 17th century it was almost deserted. Today it is a growing town, and also home to Sardinia's only bauxite mine.

Food and shopping

Livestock is the town's wealth: pecorino, mustia (smoked) ricotta and bonassai cheese. Spiny artichokes are grown here. Bread plays a special role, with shapes such as piccadu and fioridu; among the sweets are amaretti, casadinas, pabassinos and tiriccas.

Festivals and traditions

In early May the town celebrates Nostra Signora di Talia, its most heartfelt feast. In early September the “Olmedo Produce” fair showcases embroidery, woodcarving, weaving, wrought iron and honey. Early November brings a bread show reviving traditional shapes, and at Christmas a nativity scene made of bread is set up.

Nearby

Alghero: walls, Catalan old town and beaches.
Santu Pedru necropolis: rock tombs with false doors and bull motifs, on the road to Alghero.
Anghelu Ruju necropolis: the largest prehistoric burial site in the area.
Calich lagoon and Fertilia: nature and sea.
Uri: the Santa Caterina nuraghe and Lake Cuga.

Getting there and when to go

Alghero-Fertilia airport is about 15 minutes by car, Porto Torres port about half an hour. The town is reached via the SS 291 or by train from Sassari and Alghero. Spring and autumn are ideal for archaeological sites, summer for the nearby sea.