South-West · Provincia del Medio Campidano

Things to do in Sanluri

Things to do in Sanluri, Sardinia: the medieval castle and its museum, the old town, nuraghi, civraxiu bread and the Sa Battalla re-enactment.

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

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Sanluri sits in the heart of the Medio Campidano, right where Sardinia's great southern plain begins to rise into the hills of the Marmilla, about 45 km from Cagliari along the SS 131 highway. It is a lively little town with a historic quarter gathered around its medieval castle, the setting of a battle that changed the course of Sardinian history. It is a great stop if you love history, unusual museums and the farming landscapes of inland Sardinia, and an excellent base for visiting Barumini and the Giara plateau.

What to see in Sanluri

The Castle and the Duca d'Aosta Risorgimento Museum

The town's landmark is the Castello di Sanluri, a fortress dating back to the age of the Sardinian kingdoms (the giudicati) that the Aragonese rebuilt in the 14th century as a solid rectangular keep with corner turrets and walls about two metres thick. Because it has always been lived in, it survives in excellent condition. Since 1924 it has belonged to the Villa Santa family and houses the Duca d'Aosta Risorgimento Museum, with weapons, furniture, documents and memorabilia from the 1800s to the First World War, including the original Italian Victory Bulletin of 1918. Inside you will also find a remarkable collection of wax sculptures, hundreds of small figures and portraits from the 16th to the 19th century, and the study holding the count of Villa Santa's letters with the poet Gabriele d'Annunzio.

The old town and Sa Muralla

Around the castle, stretches of the 14th-century town walls survive, known as Sa Muralla (the walls), which once had around fifteen towers and four gates. Wandering the lanes, lined with stone houses and ladiri (the sun-dried mud bricks typical of the Campidano), is the best way to soak up the atmosphere.

Churches

Nostra Signora delle Grazie, the main church: 18th-century Baroque layout, a Gothic bell tower and a precious 16th-century altarpiece by the painter Antioco Mainas.
San Pietro, a medieval church consecrated in the 1300s.
San Lorenzo, a small Romanesque church with a carved portal and rose window.

Capuchin Friary and Ethnographic Museum

The Capuchin friary, founded in the early 1600s on a panoramic spot, has housed the Capuchin Ethnographic Museum since 1991: sacred furnishings, archive documents, old scientific instruments and local archaeological finds.

Nuraghi and archaeology

The countryside is dotted with remains of the Nuragic civilisation. The most important complexes are Corti sa Perda, Geni and Nuraxi de Candelas, multi-tower nuraghi often surrounded by village ruins.

Things to do in Sanluri

Sanluri is a place to explore at a slow pace. Spend a morning at the castle and its museums, then stroll the old town and stop at a bakery for freshly baked bread. The country lanes between the plain and the Marmilla hills are ideal for cycling and short walks in search of nuraghi, especially in spring when the fields are green and full of flowers. If you have a car, you can plan an archaeology route that reaches some of the island's most important sites within half an hour. Further down this page you will find experiences offered by local operators: guided tours, excursions and tastings to discover Sanluri first-hand.

History

People have lived here since the Copper Age, as the rock-cut tombs of Padru Jossu show, and the area was densely settled in the Nuragic era. Punic settlements followed, then the Romans: in 215 BC the Sardinian revolt led by Hampsicora ended in defeat on this very plain. In the Middle Ages Sanluri was a border town between the kingdoms of Arborea and Cagliari, and the Peace of Sanluri was signed in the castle in 1355. On 30 June 1409 the Aragonese troops of Martin the Younger defeated the army of Arborea here, ending the last independent Sardinian kingdom. Sanluri was granted the title of city in 2021.

What to eat and buy

Sanluri is famous for civraxiu, a large durum-wheat loaf with a crunchy crust and soft crumb, a symbol of Campidano baking. Local cooking is hearty country food: pulse soups, malloreddus (small semolina gnocchi) with tomato sauce, roast meats, sheep's cheese and sweets made with almonds and sapa (cooked grape must). Good things to take home: bread, traditional sweets, and olive oil and wine from local producers.

Festivals and traditions

Nostra Signora delle Grazie, the patron saint, at the end of May.
Sa Battalla, the historical re-enactment of the 1409 battle, at the end of June in odd-numbered years, with costumed parades, soldiers and musicians.
San Lorenzo, in August.
Festa del Borgo, at the end of September, with craftspeople and local food in the old town.
San Francesco in early October and San Martino in November.

Nearby

Su Nuraxi di Barumini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, about 25 minutes' drive away.
The Giara di Gesturi, a basalt plateau home to semi-wild ponies.
Villanovaforru, with its archaeological museum and the Genna Maria nuraghe.
Sardara, with its thermal baths and the sacred well of Sant'Anastasia.

Getting there and when to go

The nearest airport is Cagliari-Elmas, about 40 minutes' drive along the SS 131 Carlo Felice highway, which runs right past town; Oristano is about 45 minutes away. The most convenient ferry port is Cagliari. Spring is the best season, with green countryside and mild temperatures, and autumn is pleasant too. Summer is very hot: if you travel then, visit sites early in the morning or late in the afternoon.