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Culture

This page is dedicated to culture and to the most representative aspects of Sardinian heritage. Archaeology requires all our attention: nuragic villages and nuraghi (towers made of stones, unique in their genre all over the world), betiles, dolmen, domus de janas, menhir, holy wells, giants’ graves, Phoenician-Punic and Roman settlements. There is evidence of Genoese and Pisan settlements, as well as Spanish (Catalan and Aragonese) and Piedmontese dominations. The industrial archaeology is represented by mines, some of which are open to visitors. The Galleria Henry in Bugerru and Porto Flavia in Masua overlook the sea and offer a view which is unique in the world. Sardinian culture is also represented by churches, museums, arts, celebrities, musical, film and literary festivals, centuries-old popular and religious traditions as well as food and wine local production.

Sardinia is rich in museums: ethnological, historical, art, church, natural and mining museums. Here is a list of the most important: Cagliari: Sardinian Archaeological Museum, National picture Gallery, Municipal art Gallery Sassari: National ethnographic and archaeological Museum G.A. Sanna, Diocesan Museum of the Duomo’s treasure; Porto Torres: Antiquarium turritano; Castelsardo: Mediterranean basket-weaving museum; Nuoro: National archaeological Museum, MAN, Art Museum in the province of Nuoro, Museum of Sardinian life and popular traditions; Orani: Nivola Museum; Oristano: Antiquarium arborense; Sant’Antioco: archaeological Museum “Ferruccio Barreca; Iglesias: Museum of mining art; Ales: Museum of the traditional Sardinian toys; Boroneddu: Museum of the Sardinian fairy-tales; Cala Gonne-Dorgali: Monk seal Museum; Mamoiada: Museum of Mediterranean Masks; Villanovaforru: Municipal archaeological museum “Genna Maria”; Tortolì: Contemporary art Museum “Su logu de s’Iscultura”; La Maddalena-Caprera: Garibaldi’s Compendium museum.

Art moves you among the many fields of human expression. We will give you some information about the most representative literary works and musical compositions. Sardinia offers many exhibitions and public collections of the most famous local painters. Sardinian theatres and cinemas offer a wide range of events. For further information we suggest you to visit the page events. If you want to learn more about ancient Sardinian art, we suggest you to visit the museums. If you are interested in contemporary art visit the page events.

If you wish to discover Sardinian art we suggest you to listen to Sardinian music with its traditional musical instruments, choirs and folk songs. There is a wide range of Sardinian music and musical instruments. All over the island you’ll have the chance to listen to the melodious sound of the launeddas, a triple-pipe instrument, as well as the accordion (called organittu) and the piano accordion, which usually are played during religious processions or local festivals (for further information we suggest you to visit the page events). The Sardinian traditional polyphonic repertoir cantu a tenore is very characteristic (since October 9th 2006 it has been recognized as Intangible World Heritage). The tenores of Bitti and Neoneli are famous worldwide. Bitti hosts the multi-media museum of cantu a tenore.

The main Sardinian festivals are jazz, traditional and vocal music festivals, as well as film and literary festivals. Musical festivals: Sant’Anna Arresi: Ai confini tra Sardegna e Jazz; Cala Gonne-Dorgali: Calagonone Jazz; Sassari: Festival Abbabula; Santa Teresa di Gallura: Musica sulle Bocche; Narcao: Narcao Blues; Tortolì-Arbatax: Rocce Rosse & Blues; Berchidda: Time in Jazz; Cagliari: European Jazz Expo; Cagliari: Musical e Grandi Eventi Soul & Mare; Cagliari: Festival della Musica Antica; Cagliari: Festival Internazionale di Musica Vocale. Film festivals: Loiri Porto San Paolo-Isola di Tavolata: Festival del cinema italiano; Sassari: Sardinia Film Festival; Asuni: Asuni film festival; La Maddalena: La valigia dell’attore; Carloforte: Creuza de Mà; Isola dell’Asinara-Porto Torres: Pensieri e Parole. Literary festivals: Asuni: Festa della letteratura e delle arti; Cagliari: Festival Tuttestorie di Letteratura per Ragazzi; Cagliari: Marina Café Noir; Dolianova: Festival Letterario Cultura in Parteolla; Gavoi: Festival letterario della Sardegna; Montresta: L\'isola raccontata; Santu Lussurgiu: A libro aperto; Seneghe: Settembre dei poeti; Tonara: Ichnusa Festival. Popular and religious traditions.

The local festivals and feasts represent the main Sardinian traditional attractions. The Feast is a moment of social aggregation, of catharsis, of fun. It is a way to escape from working life for the whole community. From January to October, all Sardinian cities and towns host traditional feasts year by year, such as: Saint Anthony\'s bonfires celebrated on January 16th in almost 50% of Sardinian towns. The celebration of the Carnival in February; The rituals of the Holy Week in March or April; Saint Ephysius festival celebrated in May in the city of Cagliari and the Sardinian horse riding in Sassari; In June, the Corpus Domini celebrations in many towns and cities; In July “S’ardia”, celebrated in Sedilo; In August the celebrations and seafront processions for the Assumption of Mary in many coastal centres, the procession of the Candelieri in Sassari, the Sant’Ignazio festival in Laconi and the festa del Redentore in Nuoro are held; In September the running of the barefoot boys in Cabras and the ancient Selargino wedding every year in Selargius are celebrated; In October the festival of Saint Francis is held in Lula; In October, November and December about 20 towns of the territory of Nuoro host Autumn in Barbagia and Cortes Apertas;

Sardinian food and wine production is strictly related to the culture of its inhabitants, just like every other place in the world. The cuisine is based on Sardinian local products turning them into delicious dishes. Sardinian cuisine is based on agricultural produce and seafood. Some dishes were conceived to satisfy the needs of the agricultural and pastoral world. Fishing has always been practiced only by few Sardinian communities. Sardinian wine production is very appreciated and offers a variety of qualities suitable for every dish: red for meat-based dishes, white for fish-based dishes. In order to enhance Sardinian food and wine products, seven itineraries called Strade del vino (wine roads) have been created: The Strada del Carignano in the Sulcis territory; The Strada del vino Cannonau; The Strada del vino in the province of Cagliari; The Strada della Vernaccia in Oristano; The Strada della Malvasia di Bosa; The Strada del Vermentino di Gallura Doc; The Strada del vino della Sardegna North West.