A stretch of Sardinia that brings a seamless connection between land and sea. In the protected area of the Sinis peninsula and the island of Mal di Ventre, established in 1997 and covering about 26,000 hectares in the territory of Cabras, a colorful variety of terrestrial and lake environments gently slopes toward beaches and cliffs. To the south, the coastal strip begins at the Capo San Marco promontory, continues with the rocks and soft sands of San Giovanni di Sinis, and extends to the quartz sands of Mari Ermi, Is Arutas, and Maimoni, reaching the cliffs of Su Tingiosu. Just below Capo Mannu, marking the northern boundary, you’ll find the Saline and the beach of Putzu Idu. The quartz grains of these “coastal pearls” are formed from the erosion of rocks, a process that began 600 million years ago on Mal di Ventre. The island, together with the Catalano rock, linked by a granite platform colored by coral, is a natural sanctuary where seabirds nest, and turtles and cetaceans thrive. Sandy seabeds and posidonia meadows are home to fish, mollusks, and crustaceans—underwater landscapes perfect for snorkeling and underwater photography, enriched by shipwrecks from all eras: Roman, Spanish, and 20th-century vessels, including a 36-meter-long Roman cargo ship that sank between 80 and 50 B.C. with two thousand lead ingots. In designated “open” areas, navigation and diving are allowed.
In the nearby inland areas, sandy dunes give way to the Cabras lagoons, one of Europe’s largest and most productive wetland ecosystems, populated by pink flamingos. In the marine area, you can participate in fishing tourism on traditional boats or sail along Phoenician routes. Thanks to the mistral winds, Sinis is also ideal for kite and wind surfing year-round. Or you may enjoy relaxing experiences in nature on foot or by bike. To delve into the prehistory and history of the Sinis, head to the southern tip at Tharros: once a Nuragic village, then a Phoenician colony, Carthaginian port, Roman city, Byzantine capital, and finally, the first capital of the Giudicato of Arborea. At the Cabras museum, witness one of the most extraordinary archaeological discoveries: the statues of the Giants of Mont’e Prama (8th century B.C.). Also worth visiting is the San Salvatore hypogeum, the destination of a unique early September procession: the Corsa degli Scalzi (Barefoot Race), one of the island’s most evocative celebrations.