Things to do in Nughedu Santa Vittoria
Nughedu Santa Vittoria, Sardinia: Sas Arzolas de Goi rock tombs, San Basilio church, Assai woods with deer and views of Lake Omodeo.
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Nughedu Santa Vittoria is a small village of just under five hundred people in the Barigadu, about 50 km from Oristano, built on a ridge of volcanic rock overlooking Lake Omodeo. Its name combines Monte Santa Vittoria, which dominates the area, and the walnut trees that once grew here. It's a place for lovers of woodland, wildlife, prehistoric archaeology and the calm of small inland villages.
What to see in Nughedu Santa Vittoria
Sas Arzolas de Goi necropolis
A group of Neolithic domus de janas cut into a trachyte hillside. Inside some tombs, bull heads are carved and painted with red ochre, a symbol of life's renewal: one of the most fascinating prehistoric sites in the Barigadu.
The church of San Giacomo
The parish church in the village centre has a two-tier façade with a rose window and a late Mannerist doorway. Inside, the single nave, pointed arches and side chapels show the Catalan Gothic style.
San Basilio and the muristenes
The country church of San Basilio Magno, from the early 17th century, has a portico with trachyte capitals and a row of fifteen muristenes, pilgrims' lodgings used during the novena. Nearby stood an ancient Benedictine monastery dedicated to Santa Vittoria, now in ruins.
Other archaeological sites
Also worth seeing are the s'Angrone necropolis and the proto-nuraghe of su Casteddu, with a village of huts.
Things to do in Nughedu Santa Vittoria
On Monte Santa Vittoria lies the Assai woodland of ancient holm and cork oaks, home to red and fallow deer. It's ideal for hiking and birdwatching among rock spires, springs and streams, with Lake Omodeo in the background. The Assai Oasis Museum at Alamoju displays Sardinian wildlife, a wood collection, minerals and fossils. Discover the experiences offered by local operators below and book yours.
History
People lived here in pre-Nuragic and Nuragic times. In the Middle Ages the village, called Nugheddu, belonged to the Parte Barigadu district of the Giudicato of Arborea. After 1420 it became an Aragonese fief; in 1773 it joined the marquisate of San Vittorio, granted to the Todde family with Bidonì and Sorradile, and in 1839 it was bought back from its last feudal lords, the Pes.
What to eat and buy
Food here is honest Barigadu cooking, rooted in sheep farming and the land: sheep's cheeses, cured meats, bread and sweets made especially for festivals.
Festivals and traditions
- Sant'Antonio Abate (16–17 January).
- San Giacomo (24–25 July), the patron saint, followed by Sant'Anna (26 July).
- Santa Vittoria (first Sunday in August).
- San Basilio (late August–early September): a novena with pilgrims staying in the muristenes.
Nearby
- Sorradile: about 1 km away, with the Nuragic sanctuary of Su Monte and the Prunittu tombs.
- Neoneli: canto a tenore singing and fregula istuvada.
- Ardauli: the Mandras necropolis and San Quirico.
- Bidonì: the country church of San Pietro.
- Lake Omodeo: Sardinia's largest reservoir.
Getting there and when to go
From Oristano it takes about an hour: leave the SS131 towards Ghilarza and continue around 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 and autumn are perfect for the woods; in summer, festivals bring the village to life.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Nughedu Santa Vittoria?
The Sas Arzolas de Goi necropolis, the churches of San Giacomo and San Basilio, and the Assai woodland on Monte Santa Vittoria.
Can you see deer?
Yes, red and fallow deer live in the Assai wildlife oasis; move quietly, especially at dawn and dusk.
Is it good for families?
Yes: children love the oasis museum and the woods.
