Giara Di Gesturi

When many people think of Sardinia, they think of billionaire socialites stuffing themselves on their yachts moored in the wharfs of the glamorous Costsa Smeralda. This, though, is not the true Sardinia or at least not the Sardinia I want to talk about. The real Sardinia is much more…it’s a Sardinia that’s harder to find, far away from the yachts and restaurants of the harbors. The place I’d like to talk about is Giara. It’s about an hour’s drive north of Cagliari near the villages of Gesturi Tuili, Setzu, and Genoni. It’s a mesa about 45 square kilometers large and once served as a refuge for the inhabitants of the Nuraghes.

This is a basalt mesa that’s famous for the wild horses that inhabit it. You can explore the area freely and at your leisure but be careful to not get lost among the criss-cross of trails and paths.

Giara also has some traces of Sardinia’s ancient nuraghe cultures. I can see why they decided to settle there! During the rainy season, the mesa fills up with ponds that attract migrating birds. The delicate ecosystem that results makes it one of my favorite times of year to visit. From on top of Giara, you can also find amazing 360-degree panoramas of the island.