Things to do in San Gavino Monreale

San Gavino Monreale is a small town in the heart of the Medio Campidano, about 50 km from Cagliari, founded in the Middle Ages at the foot of Monreale castle. It's Sardinia's saffron capital, home of the "red gold" grown here since the 15th century, and it guards a Gothic church with portraits of the last rulers of Arborea, including the famous Eleonora. It suits lovers of medieval history, authentic flavours and big folk festivals like carnival.

What to see in San Gavino Monreale

Church of San Gavino Martire

Commissioned in 1347 by Mariano IV of Arborea, it keeps parts of its original Gothic layout and a single-nave interior. Contemporary portraits of Mariano, his son Ugone III, his daughter Eleonora of Arborea and her husband Brancaleone Doria were discovered on the corbels of the apse. Legend says the last rulers of Arborea lie beneath the floor.

Churches of Santa Lucia and Santa Croce

The old town holds the church of Santa Lucia, from around the 15th century, and the 16th-century church of Santa Croce.

Old town and Campidano houses

Wander past typical Campidano houses with large arched gateways and spacious courtyards. The centre also has an ethnographic museum devoted to rural life of the past.

The smelter

Built in 1932 to process lead and zinc from the Montevecchio mines, the smelter is one of the key landmarks of 20th-century Sardinian industry and draws fans of industrial heritage.

Things to do in San Gavino Monreale

In autumn you can see the saffron in bloom and learn how the stigmas are picked and toasted, still by hand. The surrounding plain, with rice fields and vegetable plots, is pleasant to explore by bike. San Gavino is also a handy base, served by train, for visiting castles, nuraghi and the Linas mountains. Have a look at the experiences offered by local operators below.

History

The area has been inhabited since pre-Nuragic times; Roman remains include a necropolis and the peristyle of a country villa. The town grew in the Middle Ages from three small villages and was the chief town of a district of the Giudicato of Arborea. Almost destroyed during the Sardinian-Catalan war, it passed to Aragon around 1410; the name "Monreale" recalls the nearby castle. It was later a fief of the Centelles and Osorio families until it was redeemed in 1839.

Food and shopping

The thing to take home is saffron, star of risottos, sweets and traditional dishes. Since around 1990 the area has also been Sardinia's second rice-growing district. Try semolina bread, soups, meat dishes and local sweets.

Festivals and traditions

• Carnival (Sunday and Shrove Tuesday): parades of papier-mâché floats, among the finest on the island.
• Sant'Isidoro (mid-May): parade of horses and carts.
• Santa Chiara (August): the patron saint's feast, over several days, with a day for emigrants.
• Santa Teresa (September).
• Saffron festival (November): Sardinia's most important event devoted to the spice.
• Santa Lucia (December).

Around San Gavino Monreale

• Sardara: Monreale castle and the Nuragic sanctuary of Sant'Anastasia.
• Sanluri: the medieval castle.
• Villanovaforru: the Genna Maria nuraghe.
• Villacidro: the Sa Spendula waterfall.
• Guspini: the Montevecchio mines.

Getting there and when to go

Cagliari's airport and port are about 45 minutes by car. San Gavino has a station on the Cagliari–Golfo Aranci line and is linked by the SS 197 to Sanluri and Guspini. The most interesting season is autumn, with the saffron bloom and festival; February brings carnival.

FAQ

When does saffron bloom in San Gavino?

In autumn, between October and November: flowers are picked at dawn, one by one.

Can you get there by train?

Yes, the station is served by trains to and from Cagliari.

How long do you need?

Half a day for the town; a full day if you add Sardara and Sanluri.