South-West · Provincia del Sulcis Iglesiente

Things to do in Giba

Things to do in Giba, Sardinia: Villarios and Santa Marta church, the Meurra nuraghe, Porto Botte beach for kitesurfing and flamingos, food and festivals.

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Giba is a farming village in the Lower Sulcis, in south-west Sardinia, set on a plain between low hills and facing the Gulf of Palmas. Together with its hamlet of Villarios, perched on a rise overlooking the sea, it combines countryside, archaeology and a stretch of coast loved by kitesurfers and birdwatchers. It's a quiet base for discovering authentic Sardinia just minutes from beaches like Porto Pino, and works well for families, active travellers and history lovers.

What to see in Giba

Villarios and the church of Santa Marta

On the hill of Villarios stands the small Romanesque church of Santa Marta, traditionally dated to the 11th century. From its churchyard you can see the coastline and the islands of the Sulcis. The hamlet also has a 16th-century watchtower.

The Meurra Nuragic complex

On the border with Tratalias and San Giovanni Suergiu lies the Meurra complex, dating to around the 12th century BC: a nuraghe (Bronze Age stone tower), village, sacred well and giants' tomb, partly touched by the waters of Lake Monte Pranu. The area has around ten nuraghi.

Domus de janas and Roman remains

The domus de janas ("fairy houses", tombs carved into the rock) of Is Gannaus date back to the Neolithic. Roman traces survive in the countryside: the base of a bridge, a road and two villas with baths.

Things to do in Giba

Kitesurfing and windsurfing at Porto Botte, where steady wind and shallow water make it ideal even for beginners.
Birdwatching in the Porto Botte lagoon: pink flamingos, black-winged stilts, marsh harriers and purple swamphens.
Bike or horseback rides among nuraghi, the lake and olive groves.
Tastings of Carignano del Sulcis wine, local olive oil and cheese.

Pick your experience from those offered by local operators in and around Giba: you'll find them right below, ready to book.

Beaches of Giba

Porto Botte

A long sandy beach on the Gulf of Palmas with shallow water and frequent wind: a paradise for kiters and windsurfers. Behind it stretches the lagoon, rich in waterbirds.

History

People have lived here since the Neolithic, followed by the Nuragic civilisation, Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans. After the Vandals and Byzantines, Benedictine monks settled around the year 1000. In 1323 the Infante Alfonso of Aragon landed at Porto Botte, starting the Catalan-Aragonese conquest of Sardinia. In 1647 Giba became part of the Marquisate of Villarios; feudalism ended in 1839 and Giba became an independent municipality in 1928.

What to eat and buy

Artichokes are the pride of local gardens, along with tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and Carignano grapes. Bread is still baked at home: civraxiu, coccoi and pani 'e saba (made with cooked grape must). Sweets include pardulas, gueffus and pabassinas; the local filled pasta is called curroxionis. Crafts include rugs and tapestries, knives, baskets and is pippias de canna, little reed dolls.

Festivals and traditions

Mid-March: feast of St Joseph and the artichoke festival.
Late June: patron saint St Peter, three days with a procession in traditional dress, riders and launeddas players (an ancient Sardinian triple-pipe).
Late July: Santa Marta in Villarios.
Early August: bread festival.
September: Beata Vergine del Rimedio.

Nearby

Porto Pino (Sant'Anna Arresi), white dunes and turquoise water, about 15 minutes away.
Tratalias, with the Romanesque cathedral of Santa Maria di Monserrato.
Montessu necropolis in Villaperuccio.
Sant'Antioco, the island linked by an isthmus, about 20 minutes away.

Getting there and when to go

The nearest airport is Cagliari-Elmas, about an hour and a quarter by car via the SS 130 and then the SS 293 or SS 195; Cagliari is also the most convenient ferry port. From May to October the sea is at its best and the wind draws kiters; spring and autumn are perfect for archaeology, cycling and birdwatching.