A characteristic of Fordongianus is the rusty-red trachyte stone of which so many of its buildings are made. As red as the rest is the lovely late-16th-century Casa Aragonese, a typical Aragonese noble house with a columned loggia and Gothic windows and portal. The strange statues outside, also fashioned from the ubiquitous trachyte, are the result of an annual sculpture competition held here.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
22.19 MILES
In the heart of the voluptuous green countryside near Barumini, the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi is Sardinia’s sole World Heritage Site and the island’s most visited…
21.31 MILES
The choppy blue waters of the Golfo di Oristano provide a magnificent backdrop to the ruins of ancient Tharros. Founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th…
20.22 MILES
Rising above the rolling green landscape, La Giara di Gesturi is a high basalt plateau famous for its wild horses and uncontaminated natural beauty. The…
6.18 MILES
Just off the SS131 north of Oristano, the sanctuary at Santa Cristina is an important nuraghic complex. The nuraghic village's extraordinary Bronze Age…
13.16 MILES
Oristano’s elegant outdoor salon sits at the southern end of pedestrianised Corso Umberto I. An impressive, rectangular space, it comes to life on summer…
13.3 MILES
This landmark Romanesque church is one of Sardinia's architectural jewels. Dating to the early 12th century, it sports a severe sandstone exterior…
15.83 MILES
Cabras' cultural highlight is the Museo Civico, and the real superstars here are the so-called Giants of Monte Prama, a series of towering nuraghic…
26.35 MILES
Commanding huge views, this hilltop castle was built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Tuscan Malaspina family. Little remains of the original…
Nearby Western Sardinia attractions
0.12 MILES
The impressive remains of Fordongianus' 1st-century Terme Romane sit on the banks of the river Tirso. In the centre of the complex you’ll see a…
6.18 MILES
Just off the SS131 north of Oristano, the sanctuary at Santa Cristina is an important nuraghic complex. The nuraghic village's extraordinary Bronze Age…
3. Museo Archeologico-Etnografico Palazzo Atzori
6.51 MILES
Spread over three floors, this museum in Paulilatino focuses on traditional rural life, with exhibits dedicated to baking, lacework, equestrian gear,…
8.44 MILES
Off the SS131 just north of Paulilatino, the Nuraghe Losa is one of Sardinia's most impressive nuraghi. The site’s centrepiece is a three-sided keep…
5. Casa Museo di Antonio Gramsci
8.93 MILES
In Ghilarza is the house where the famous early 20th-century political thinker Antonio Gramsci lived between 1898 and 1911. The small collection of photos…
9.85 MILES
Near the eastern entrance to town, the Tuscan-Romanesque Chiesa di San Paolo has a lovely stone exterior and harbours some interesting paintings by 16th…
9.85 MILES
A fine example of Piedmontese neoclassicism, 18th-century Palazzo Boyl dominates Milis' manicured village centre. Originally a summer residence for the…
10.59 MILES
This creepy museum, signposted as the Museo del Territorio, is dedicated to witches and local folklore and features the reconstruction of a 16th-century…