Su Nuraxi di Barumini & wine tasting experience

Sardinia is studded with thousands of nuraghe — conical stone constructions that date back to the Bronze Age. Built 1,000 years before the founding of Rome, these dressed-stone megaliths boast corbel-vaulted interiors, an engineering marvel for the era. Spend a full day exploring these enigmatic structures and learning more about the Nuragic culture that dominated the island for millennia.

Your guide will lead you around Su Nuraxi di Barumini — the largest and best-preserved concentration of these towers. They’ll explain the history and culture of these structures and the ancient people who made them. You’ll also visit the village of Villamar, as well as a local winery where you can tour the vineyards to learn more about the history of Sardinian wines. You’ll then sit down to a tasting of three different vintages.

Your driver and guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you to your first stop of the day, Villamar, located about an hour north of Cagliari. This small village dates back to the Neolithic, and you can explore its small medieval core. The main attractions here are the elaborate murals that adorn the sides of buildings. They’ve been created by local artists and recent immigrants, using bold lines and bright paints to express political opinions.

From there, head to Su Nuraxi di Barumini, the largest and most intact Nuragic settlement on the island. The complex consists of conical towers originally built during the 17th century BC, though it was extended much later. This is the most complete example of nuraghe in the world.

Many aspects of the Bronze Age culture remain enigmatic — there’s still some debate over exactly what the many nuraghe were intended for — but your guide will illuminate what archaeologists have been able to deduce about the people and their times.

After the visit to Barumini, you’ll visit a local winery for a chance to tour the vineyards and learn more about Sardinian wines. End the tour with a wine tasting of three different labels the winery produces.