Oristano and Sinis · Provincia di Oristano

Things to do in Marrubiu

Things to see in Marrubiu, Sardinia: the Roman Praetorium of Muru Is Bangius, Monte Arci nuraghi and hikes, and the Su Marrulleri carnival.

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

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Marrubiu is a village of about 4,500 people in the Campidano of Oristano, at the foot of Monte Arci and about 20 km from Oristano, along the SS 131 highway. It sits in one of Sardinia's most fertile plains, yet behind it rises the obsidian mountain, with woods, nuraghi and trails. Here you'll also find a Roman site rare in Sardinia, the Praetorium of Muru Is Bangius. Great for archaeology, nature and one of the island's liveliest carnivals.

Things to see in Marrubiu

Praetorium of Muru Is Bangius

An imperial-age residence from the 2nd century AD, later rebuilt, used by the Roman governor as a stop on journeys from Karalis (Cagliari) to the north of the island. It keeps a bath complex with mosaics and a villa decorated with painted plaster — a site with no equal in Sardinia.

Nuraghi of Monte Arci

North-east of the village stands Sa 'Omu 'e s'Orku (“the ogre's house”), a complex nuraghe largely buried and surrounded by a village of round huts. Nearby is the Spignau corridor proto-nuraghe from the early Bronze Age, and in the woods the Ceddus nuraghe.

Santa Maria di Zuradili

A country chapel on the slopes of Monte Arci, on the site of the medieval village from which Marrubiu was born. Rebuilt in the 20th century, it's the destination of the village's most heartfelt feast.

Things to do in Marrubiu

Part of Monte Arci Park lies within the municipality: a volcanic massif covered in holm oak, cork oak and Mediterranean scrub, with the island's largest obsidian deposit, ideal for hiking and mountain biking. Red and fallow deer and raptors such as the peregrine falcon live in the woods. On the plain you can cycle among fields and reclamation canals, and the S'Ena Arrubia and Marceddì wetlands and Arborea's beaches are close. Right below on this page you'll find experiences offered by local operators: pick yours and book.

History

Monte Arci obsidian was mined and traded across the Mediterranean from the Neolithic onwards; then came nuraghi, Punic and Roman farms and the Praetorium. In the 11th century, under the Giudicato of Arborea, the village of Zuradili was born; in the early modern period its people moved down to the plain, founding today's village. In 1928 Marrubiu was merged with Terralba and regained independence in 1948. The name recalls horehound (marrubio), once used as a medicinal herb.

Food and shopping

Marrubiu has been a farming centre for centuries: expect Campidano cooking with malloreddus pasta, rustic bread, vegetables and local meats, plus fish from the nearby lagoons. Nearby Arborea produces milk and cheeses known across the island.

Festivals and traditions

Su Marrulleri: Marrubiu's carnival, born in the late 1970s, with floats and masked groups; it's considered one of Sardinia's most spectacular.
Santa Maria di Zuradili: early May, with a procession of riders and traditional carts from the parish church to the chapel on Monte Arci.

Nearby

Arborea and the S'Ena Arrubia reserve, with flamingos.
Terralba and the Marceddì lagoon.
Uras, with the Sa Domu Beccia nuraghe.
Morgongiori, with the Sa Scaba 'e Cresia cave sanctuary.
Oristano, about 20 minutes away.

Getting there and when to go

Marrubiu lies beside the SS 131 Carlo Felice and is served by Marrubiu-Terralba-Arborea station on the Cagliari-Olbia line. Cagliari airport is about an hour's drive. Spring and autumn are perfect for Monte Arci, carnival time and May for festivals, summer for the nearby sea.