Things to do in Ardauli

Ardauli is a village of about 750 people in the Barigadu, in the heart of Sardinia, built on a trachyte plateau above the rio Canale valley, which runs down to the southern shores of Lake Omodeo. It keeps very lively traditions, a fine Catalan Gothic church and one of the area's most evocative country churches, San Quirico, on the lake. It's ideal if you love nature, archaeology and village festivals experienced from the inside.

What to see in Ardauli

The church of Santa Maria della Guardia

The parish church was built in the early 17th century in Catalan Gothic style: a single nave with four chapels on each side, a rose window on the façade and an 18th-century bell tower. Inside, Renaissance and Baroque details sit side by side.

San Quirico and the cumbessias

A few kilometres from the village, overlooking Lake Omodeo, stands the country church of Saints Quirico and Giulitta, medieval in origin. It is surrounded by cumbessias, small houses where families stayed during the summer novena, amid song and dance.

The Mandras necropolis

A group of domus de janas, prehistoric rock-cut tombs, shows that people lived here as far back as the Neolithic. The area also has several nuraghi.

Traces of farming life

The countryside still holds old water mills, stone millstones, threshing floors and basins cut into the rock for pressing grapes.

Things to do in Ardauli

The rio Canale valley and the shores of Lake Omodeo are ideal for hiking and cycling among wind-sculpted rocks and well-preserved vegetation, home to foxes, hares, wild boar, martens and wildcats. Combine nature with visits to the necropolis and country churches. Discover the experiences offered by local operators below and book yours.

History

Inhabited since the Neolithic, in the Middle Ages the area belonged to the Parte Barigadu district of the Giudicato of Arborea. After 1420 it passed to Aragon together with Neoneli. Under the House of Savoy, in 1774, it was joined to the marquisate of Neoneli granted to Pietro Ripoll, passing to the Sanjust family in 1837; in 1839, when feudalism was abolished, it became a municipality.

What to eat and buy

At food festivals, try culurzones de patata cun nebidedda, potato ravioli with aromatic herbs, and s'ortau, a pork, cheese and spice preparation that is boiled and then roasted. In January locals make su panizzeddu, a sweet made with dried fruit and nuts.

Festivals and traditions

• Sant'Antonio "de su fogu" (January): bonfire, wine and sweets; the day before, children go door to door asking for su panizzeddu.
• Sa festa 'e maju (third week of May): a procession with horsemen, decorated carts and an offering of cherries and wheat.
• San Quirico and Santa Giulitta (August): a novena at the country church and a feast at the end of the month, with sa notte 'e sa chena, a communal dinner, and the s'izzadorzu vigil.
• Saints Cosma and Damiano (second Monday of September).

Nearby

• Lake Omodeo: Sardinia's largest reservoir.
• Nughedu Santa Vittoria: the Sas Arzolas de Goi necropolis.
• Sorradile: the Nuragic sanctuary of Su Monte.
• Neoneli: the Assai Oasis and canto a tenore singing.
• Bidonì: the country church of San Pietro.

Getting there and when to go

From Oristano it takes about an hour: leave the SS131 towards Ghilarza and skirt the lake. The handiest airport is Cagliari-Elmas, about an hour and three quarters away; Alghero and Olbia are about an hour and a half to two hours. Spring, with Sa festa 'e maju, and late summer, with San Quirico, are the best times.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to see in Ardauli?

The parish church of Santa Maria della Guardia, the country church of San Quirico on Lake Omodeo and the Mandras necropolis.

When should I visit Ardauli?

In May for Sa festa 'e maju or in late August for the San Quirico festival, when the village's traditions are at their liveliest.

Is Ardauli good for families?

Yes: it's peaceful, and the countryside around the lake offers plenty of room for outdoor walks.