The country and its surroundings

Sardara is a splendid historic village in the Medio Campidano region, nestled at the foot of the Su Pibizziri hill. The town center stands out for its charming cobblestone streets and typical Campidanese houses built of stone and raw earth. It preserves a unique cultural heritage, dominated in the heart of the village by the Sant’Anastasia archaeological area, featuring an ancient Nuragic sacred well. A short distance away, the “Villa Abbas” Civic Archaeological Museum displays its precious artifacts.

The municipal territory extends across the surrounding fertile plain and preserves renowned scenic and historical excellence. About two kilometers from the town, in the locality of Santa Maria Acquas, precious hyperthermal springs gush forth. Here you can find the famous Ancient Baths of Sardara and the remains of the Roman Aquae Neapolitanae, historical destinations of island wellness. A short distance away stands the homonymous sanctuary of Santa Maria Acquas, the centerpiece of local devotion.

In the immediate vicinity, on the hilly ridges that define the municipal boundaries, the profile of Monreale hill stands out. This hill hosts the ruins of the famous Monreale Castle, a historic Giudicato fortress that dominates the plain and completes the panorama of a territory extraordinarily rich in charm.

WHERE TO SLEEP

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Agriculture and livestock farming in Sardara

Sardara rises in the fertile plain of Medio Campidano, a land historically linked to agro-pastoral activities. Today, the primary sector still represents a fundamental economic pillar for the municipality, thanks to a happy combination of arable plains and rolling hills suitable for grazing

Local agriculture is dominated by cereal crops, with durum wheat leading the way, alternated with the production of livestock fodder. In recent years, high-value vegetable crops have gained wide ground: tomato production and the renowned artichokes stand out. There is also no shortage of olive groves and vineyards, which fuel a high-quality production of extra virgin olive oil and wine.

Livestock farming boasts a deeply rooted tradition, primarily focused on sheep and goat husbandry. Large flocks of Sardinian breed sheep graze semi-wild, ensuring a massive production of milk. This food is processed locally, as demonstrated by the excellence of Sardara’s Deidda Dairy, specialized in artisanal cheeses. The cattle sector, historically oriented toward meat production, has recently seen significant investments linked to the dairy supply chain, consolidating the livestock-farming vocation of a territory capable of combining ancient traditions and modern production techniques.

History and Archaeology

Sardara preserves an extraordinary archaeological heritage, which bears witness to the uninterrupted occupation of its territory from the pre-Nuragic era down to the Roman and Byzantine periods. The heart of this richness lies within the town center, home to the Sant’Anastasia archaeological site. This Nuragic sanctuary is famous for its sacred well, a masterpiece of Late Bronze Age water architecture, fed by a still-active underground spring. Surrounding the well is a vast village with huts and a second well, which have yielded precious artifacts and bronze statuettes.

The municipal territory is dotted with numerous nuraghi, among which Nuraghe Axuridu and Nuraghe Arasubiles stand out, which guarded the ancient communication routes of the Campidano plain.

With the arrival of the Romans, the presence of hot thermal springs led to the birth of the settlement of Aquae Neapolitanae, in the present-day locality of Santa Maria Acquas, where the remains of the ancient baths bear witness to the therapeutic importance of the site. To discover this immense heritage, the key reference point is the “Villa Abbas” Civic Archaeological Museum, which houses the excavation finds and offers a scientific and immersive overview of the area’s history