Five km south of Buggerru the continuity of the calcareous slopes shaped by the wind and the sea (falesias) is broken by a bay of outstanding beauty called Cala Domestica . The beach with its Spanish tower, 12m tall with 2.5 meters of walls, built in the 17 th century to sight the pirates, is situated in a fiord between two promontories, and is surrounded by high dunes of white sand, Mediterranean vegetation, rocky bays (one of which, called La Caletta , entirely out of sight can be reached through a gallery dug by the miners) and spurs that jut out over the sea. Moving up north in the Costa Verde (Green Coast) we arrive in Piscinas , a unique spot and perfectly preserved ecosystem: a real 3 square km desert with the widest and most beautiful dunes of the entire Mediterranean region. They are made of fine sand and can reach 50 m in height. They are alive as they are moved by the constant action of the wind that dashes on the age-old junipers that enclose them.
If you go to the beach in the early morning hours, when the smell of the water lilies is stronger, you are likely to spot the deer; in June the turtles come here to lay their eggs. Expert scuba divers can visit the wreck of an English ship sunk during the Second World War some hundred miles off the shore. The sea is very fishy especially after the mistral has blown.
Near to Piscinas we find the small sandy beach of Scivu , enclosed by dunes and thick Mediterranean vegetation. It offers relax and bathing in complete loneliness all year round. The village of Buggerru appears to our sight between two promontories, enclosed in a deep gorge that descends towards the sea where, to the tourists' delight, we find a small but very well equipped port and a long sandy beach protected from the wind.
The overlooking mountains preserve the village history, both human and natural inside their mines (which are now closed), caves and galleries. The territory around Buggerru is characterised by the carsism (chemical process operated by the water on calcareous rocks that produces peculiar forms of erosion on the surface and underground) that has created caves of outstanding beauty.
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| The Buggerru beach |
The spanish tower |
The Portixeddu beach |
CAVES
The most interesting caves of this area are:
- Cave of Su Mannau that stretches for 6 km and consists of broad halls, galleries and wells. The first part is open to the tourists.
- Cave Paradiso in Fluminimaggiore with rare shrub-like formations of blue aragonite. Unfortunately the cave is quite difficult to find and to access.
- Cave of S. Giovanni in Domusnovas, already renowned in ancient times, has ruins of prehistoric walls that used to bar the entrances. It is one of the only three natural caves in the world that can be driven through.
- Cave of S. Barbara (inside the mine of S. Giovanni) has a large hall which in its lower part is occupied by a lovely pond. It comprises imposing columns over 20 m tall and delicate eccentric shapes of aragonite. This cave is unique in the world as it contains crystals of brown-pinkish baryte. The only access to the cave is through the mine and this is the reason why the cave is still well preserved.
- Cuccuru Tiria complex (Iglesias) with numerous cavities of great archaeological interest that had been used as burial places in pre-nuragic and nuragic times.
- Cave Is Zuddas (Sulcis coal field in the plain of Santadi) is a significant example of carsism. The cave, along with its well equipped refreshment area for the tourists, is well known even outside Sardinia and has numerous visitors every year who are amazed by the display of its halls rich in shrubs of aragonite.
- Cave Pirosu in Santadi, not far from the cave of Is Zuddas , with sacred nuragic findings (VIII-VI centuries BCE) made up of thousands of vases, bowls, lamps and bronze stock, gamma shaped hilt daggers, brooches and rings (one of which is made of gold). Other findings of the Pirosu cave are a small vessel with lamb protome and a refined tripod of Cyprian origin finely chiselled. Up to now it is the only nuragic hypogean temple of all Sardinia.
Portixeddu beach – San Nicolò
It is a few km long beach of golden sand that stretches from Fluminimaggiore to Buggerru. Its chain of dunes is bordered by Mediterranean vegetation and age-old junipers. You can access the beach from the road that from Portixeddu goes to Buggerru. There are wide parking places, some bars, restaurants and pizzerias. Pine woods enclose some dune areas.
If you enjoy sports the beach offers a wide range of leisure activities: surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, underwater fishing and surfcasting from the shore.
