Gairo: Cave, Hiking Trails and Coastal Landscape
Accommodation in Gairo
Gairo Between Cave, Trails and Coast
Gairo combines underground formations, marked trails, natural pools, coastline and historic sites with regular cultural events. The Grotta Taquisara is located in Gairo Taquisara, a hamlet of the municipality of Gairo Sant'Elena.
The Grotta Taquisara features an approximately 250-metre-long tourist route with a secured walkway. Along the route are formations such as stalactites, stalagmites and aragonite deposits. This provides a clearly defined cave environment alongside the area's open landscapes.
File:Via Marconi, Gairo vecchio, Ogliastra, Sardinia, Italy - panoramio.jpg
Photo: trolvag via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Grotta Taquisara
Hiking Trails Between Valle dei Tassi and Perdu Isu
The Gairo Taquisara–Perdu Isu–Flumini de Tula route, marked T-102A, is 5.4 kilometres long and has a walking time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It is designated as a hiking trail, offers a short detour to the Perdu Isu nuraghe and passes through the Valle dei Tassi area – the valley of the yew trees.
Tacchi, Archaeology and Holm Oaks
Is Tostoinus is an archaeological site in Gairo. It is completely surrounded by a typical holm-oak enclosure and shaded by a lush holm-oak forest.
At 1,293 metres, Perda 'e Liana is the highest of the numerous Tacchi in Ogliastra. The Perda 'e Liana circular route is located in the Gairo Sant'Elena area and leads to a limestone tower at a junction where the trails of Ogliastra meet.
Monte Ferru and Natural Pools
A marked trail follows a stream to the natural pools at Monte Ferru and includes picnic areas. The area is classified as a Site of Community Importance. The pools contain pure, clear and very cool water, suitable for a refreshing swim.
Coastal Landscape and Access
Coccorrocci is a four-kilometre-long beach made of smoothly rounded porphyry pebbles in the Marina di Gairo. The material and length give this stretch of coast its own distinctive landscape character.
Su Sirboni can be reached via the panoramic SS 125 state road to Gairo and then only on foot from the road. For your planning, this walk is a different consideration from the length or surface of Coccorrocci beach.
Local History and Festivals in Gairo
Gairo Vecchio was gradually abandoned for safety reasons; the last residents left the houses in the following decade. This connection to the town adds a distinctive local history to the nature and coastal topics.
In Gairo, three-day celebrations in honour of the Holy Spirit are held at Pentecost. On the first Sunday in August, celebrations in honour of the Madonna della Neve take place in Gairo.
Accommodation to Suit Your Travel Plans
When choosing accommodation in Gairo, you can organise your days according to your preferred focus: a short cave exploration, hiking trails, natural pools, the coast, archaeological sites or local history with festival dates. The varying route lengths and the foot access to Su Sirboni make it advisable to match the location of your accommodation with your specific plans.
More Destinations
Cardedu, Gairo Sant'Elena, Girasole, Perdasdefogu, Jerzu, Ardali, Lanusei and Tertenia
To the main travel overview: Ogliastra.
