Urzulei: Caves, Nature and Cultural Traces
Accommodation in Urzulei
Urzulei Between Watercourses and Nuragic History
Urzulei offers different ways to explore nature, caves and cultural history. The Flumineddu watercourse runs through the Urzulei area. In the excavated section of the Nuragic village of Or Murales, around 100 huts stand, reaching up to two metres in height. You reach the village via an unpaved road and then a well-signposted footpath. For further planning, there are therefore two separate sections here: the unpaved approach and the subsequent, well-signposted footpath.
File:Canyon Gorropu's Entrance - Urzulei, Nuoro, Italy - August 10, 2020.jpg
Photo: Giorgio Galeotti via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Funtana Orgosegoro de Siddie
The natural spring Funtana Orgosegoro de Siddie is located in a forest of holm oaks, ash trees and alders growing on ancient granite rock. There is an equipped picnic area at the spring. Access begins at a signposted turning on the SS 125; from there, an approximately 600-metre footpath leads to Funtana Orgosegoro de Siddie. The approximately 600-metre path leads from the access point on the SS 125 to the spring; the equipped picnic area is also located there.
Caves in the Supramonte
Sa Rutta ‘e S’Edera is located in Fennau on the southern side of the Supramonte of Urzulei. The cave extends for around 16 kilometres and comprises several levels with galleries, large chambers, stalactite and stalagmite formations, and waterfalls. Grotta Su Palu extends for around 15 kilometres across several levels and reaches more than 150 metres in depth.
Archaeology and Architecture
The archaeological site of the Giants’ tombs of S’Arena can be reached by car via an unpaved road after the paved road ends. The cave Sa Domu ‘e s’Orcu is considered a possible centre of bronze processing because of the large quantity of metal objects found there. The bronze group “La madre dell’ucciso”, dating from the Early Iron Age—the period from the 10th to the 7th century BC—also comes from this cave. Urzulei is also home to the medieval church of San Giorgio di Suelli, designed in the Gothic-Aragonese style. The approach to Or Murales and S’Arena each includes an unpaved stretch of road before the respective destination.
Festivals and Food Traditions
The patronal festival held in Urzulei at the end of August includes the Palio di Urzulei. A Morra tournament also takes place every year in August. Urzulei’s pastoral food tradition includes ham and guanciale made from pork or wild boar, as well as cheeses such as casu marciu, sa frue and goat’s milk curds.
Mobility When Planning Accommodation
For the simplest transfers around Urzulei, using your own car or a rental car is recommended. If you would like to include springs, caves, Or Murales and the archaeological sites in your trip, you should take this recommendation into account when planning. When choosing a hotel or accommodation, it is sensible to consider the planned transfers from the outset.
For your further travel planning: Villanova Strisaili, Girasole, Arzana, Tertenia, Elini, Osini, Arbatax, Marina Di Gairo
For the overarching travel overview: Ogliastra.
