Oristano and Sinis · Provincia di Oristano

Things to do in Palmas Arborea

Palmas Arborea near Oristano, Sardinia: Pauli Majori wetland, Monte Arci hikes, Sa Dispensa forest and the April horseback feast of Sant'Antioco.

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Palmas Arborea is a small farming village of about 1,500 people in the Campidano of Oristano, about 10 km from Oristano, between the Pauli Majori pond and the slopes of Monte Arci. It's a quiet place with a centre of mud-brick houses, woods a few minutes away and a heartfelt horseback festival in spring. A good choice if you're staying in Oristano and want nature, birdwatching and village life, with the sea close by.

Things to see in Palmas Arborea

The centre and the church of Sant'Antioco

The old houses, built of ladiri (sun-dried earth bricks typical of the Campidano), cluster around the parish church of Sant'Antioco, the village's religious and social heart.

Pauli Majori pond

A wetland of great natural value, with reed beds where purple swamphens, purple herons and white-headed ducks live, and where wild orchids bloom in spring.

Sa Dispensa forest and Monte Arci

About 150 hectares of woodland, the Sa Dispensa forest, lie within the municipality, home to weasels, martens and birds of prey. Above the village rises Monte Arci, a volcanic massif whose highest peak, Trebina Longa, reaches about 812 metres.

Things to do in Palmas Arborea

Walk among holm oaks, cork oaks and Mediterranean scrub, cycle the country roads and watch the birds of the pond. Monte Arci has trails for hiking and mountain biking among outcrops of obsidian, the volcanic glass used in prehistory for weapons and tools. In about 20 minutes you're at the sea in Torregrande and the Gulf of Oristano. Further down the page you'll find experiences offered by local operators: take a look and book yours.

History

People came here from the Neolithic onwards, drawn by Monte Arci obsidian, and Nuragic-age megalithic circles survive. In the Middle Ages, under the Giudicato of Arborea, there were three hamlets: Palmas Majori and Palmas de Ponti were abandoned, while Villa de Palmas became today's village. The name comes from the palms that grew here; “Arborea” was added in the 19th century to tell it apart from another Palmas in the south of the island.

Food and shopping

The economy rests on livestock and farming: artichokes, citrus fruit and vineyards are the main crops. Meals follow Campidano tradition, and in autumn Monte Arci mushrooms take centre stage.

Festivals and traditions

Sant'Antioco: in April, with the Pariglie palmaresi, a horseback parade with folk groups and the is tre aneddus race, where riders must spear three rings.
July feast: more celebrations for the saint, with a Sardinian dance festival.
November: commemoration of the martyr and a mushroom fair with exhibition and tastings.

Nearby

Oristano, with its old town and the Sartiglia.
Santa Giusta, with its Romanesque basilica and the fassonis reed-boat regatta.
Monte Arci and the obsidian villages.
The Sinis peninsula, with Tharros and its beaches.

Getting there and when to go

It's a few minutes from Oristano, with the SS 131 close by. The nearest airport is Cagliari, about an hour and a quarter's drive; Alghero and Olbia are under two hours. April brings the horseback feast; spring and autumn are loveliest for nature and mushrooms.