SARDINIA IS MINE
Mining, natural and cultural tours in Southern Sardinia
Hi!
My name is Federica Manca, and I am a certified Hiking Guide and Tourist Guide in the Sardinia region. I come from a young former mining town in southern Sardinia, and I have been working in tourism since 2015.
Mining tours
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Masua hiking: coastal landscapes and Pan di Zucchero
The scent of the sea, Mediterranean scrub as a backdrop, and Pan di Zucchero rising like a gem set in the water. This is the panorama that awaits you on this clifftop hike, through the mining landscapes of the Masua coast, starting from the magical site of Porto Flavia.
Malacalzetta Mine: from San Benedetto to the mining village
Would you like to discover an ancient mine? The Malacalzetta mine tells a story that begins in the 18th century, with pickaxe marks like scars from its past. The trek to reach it starts from the village of San Benedetto, where you’ll explore old mining paths surrounded by the natural landscape of the Iglesiente area, until you arrive at the remains of the Malacalzetta village, frozen in the time when lead and zinc were mined.
Laveria Lamarmora: hiking on the path of the 5 sea stacks
The Lamarmora Ore-Washing Plant still holds the sea breeze and the ancient smell of rock that once surrounded the women who mainly worked here, sorting minerals. This place stands on a cliff overlooking the sea. The trek lets you explore this structure, frozen in time, and then continues along the famous Path of the Five Sea Stacks, impressive rock towers rising from the Mediterranean.
Montevecchio mine: discovering the western worksites
It was in 1848 that the Montevecchio Mining Company was founded. Thanks to the extraction of zinc and lead, it became one of the most important mining complexes in Italy. Step back in time on this trek as you explore the evocative and little-known Ponente mining areas. In the heart of the Sardinia Geomining Park, you will discover abandoned mines, wild nature, shafts, and industrial structures.
Hiking in the mining railway “Sa Strada ‘e Su Vagoni”
Explore the wild heart of the Marganai forest on a trek that passes through Sa Strada ’e Su Vagoni near the San Giovanni Cave in Domusnovas. You will walk through places surrounded by dense vegetation, following paths once used by old mining railways, across a rich landscape dotted with caves, tunnels, and abandoned mines.
The route leads you near the spectacular San Giovanni Cave, a huge natural tunnel carved by water into limestone rock, once known as the longest drive-through cave in the world.
Sa Macchina Beccia: hiking to the ancient mine shaft
From a distance, it might almost look like a castle built to protect a royal family, but Sa Macchina Beccia is actually a mining shaft with a unique architectural design. Sa Macchina Beccia (“the old machine”) is the nickname given to the 19th-century Santa Barbara shaft, named after the steam engine once housed inside, now lost. This hike takes you on a journey through the mining history of the Sulcis Iglesiente area, walking past the Asproni Village and reaching the quiet plain of San Giorgio, where the shaft stands.
Other Tours:
Cultural and nature tours
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Gutturu Mannu Regional Nature Park
Imagine walking through the largest holm oak forest in the entire Mediterranean, with the chance to spot shy Sardinian deer, watched from above by the majestic golden eagle. Let’s discover together the Gutturu Mannu Regional Natural Park (“the great gorge”), set within a vast woodland covering 19,750 hectares.
The Devil’s Saddle
Ancient legends tell how this promontory was formed after a battle between good and evil, led by Lucifer, who lost his saddle over the Gulf of Angels following his defeat. On this hike, you will admire the endless Mediterranean scrub and reach a viewpoint overlooking the sea, offering a unique panorama of Cagliari.
The Four Historic Districts of Cagliari
Cagliari is a city that still carries the marks of its past in its streets and buildings. In the 13th century, the Pisans chose this area for its strategic location, building the famous Castello district, which still dominates the hill with a view over the sea. Let’s rediscover the ancient legends of Cagliari through its historic districts—Marina, Castello, Stampace, and Villanova—which still show how the capital of Sardinia was structured long ago.
The Tuvixeddu Necropolis
On one of Cagliari’s hills lies a unique treasure: the largest Phoenician-Punic necropolis in the Mediterranean, the Tuvixeddu Necropolis. Its name means “small hole,” referring to the thousands of tiny openings covering the limestone rocks of this sacred site. On this hike, you will walk among ancient rock-cut tombs, immersing yourself in a millennia-old history just a short distance from the center of Cagliari.
