Places in Riola Sardo, Sardinia

History, sport, nature and folklore. That's what you will find in the west coast area from Penisola del Sinis to the town of Arborea. By visiting this area you will discover one of the most beautiful and important marine reserve in Italy.

Less popular than the Park of Asinara or the National Park of Maddalena, within the Penisola del Sinis and the satellite island of Mal di Ventre is a marvellous sea park whose marsh landscape alone represent 2/3 of the Italian protected wetlands.

It is a perfect place for bird watchers, excursions and even sunbathing at Putzu Idu, S'arena Scoada or Sa Mesa Longa, although the most beautiful beach of the area is indeed Is Arutas, known by locals as 'the beach of the rice grains' because of the fine, smooth and bright quartz grains.

Collecting the quartz grains is prohibited by law. All around this area, lagoons and ponds characterize the landscape. In places like the salt mine of Putsu Idu, the pond of Marceddì or the saltpan of Porcus, bird watchers will be able to take great pictures of many protected species.

The biggest attraction are surely the pink flamingos that come in thousands in May. The nearby Monte Arci is home of another regional reserve, well known since prehistoric time, for the great abundance of obsidian stone.

You can literally walk on dark carpet of this mineral but you'll be careful because this stone can be sharp-edged like a razor. The columns of Tharros are the typical subject that cannot be missing in your pictures.

This famous historical settlement founded in the 8th century BC by Punics, and later conquered by Romans, is located near San Giovanni Sinis on a thin strip of land stretching out into the sea. Here you can also encounter Is baraccas, a typical fishermen hut.

Completely made with local materials, the frame is build with trunks and logs and the roofs are padded with overlapping layers of sedge. Sedge is a local marsh plant also used by locals to build their typical boats called Is fassonis, some still in use with fishermen.