Urzulei

Urzulei lies at the foot of the Ogliastra Supramonte, in a landscape of remote mountains where nature has shaped dramatic cliffs and ancient caves, and the scent of mastic shrubs mixes with wild orchids and flowering peonies. It is an ideal destination for lovers of unspoilt nature and hiking: evergreen forests surround a complex maze of canyons, gorges and little-explored ravines inhabited by distinctive wildlife.

One of the best-known examples of this rugged landscape is Gorropu Gorge, near the border with Barbagia. Its walls rise for almost 500 metres and the gorge extends for around 1.5 kilometres, placing it among Europe's deepest canyons.

Things to see in Urzulei

Among the untouched forests and wild mountain terrain, old shepherds' huts built with twisted juniper trunks are often the only visible sign of human presence. The ecological importance of the area is also reflected at Bacu 'e Biladesti, where an ancient Vitis sylvestris vine, estimated to be around a thousand years old, has been the subject of studies on Sardinian viticulture.

Numerous nuragic sites are scattered across the territory. Among them, the Giants' Tombs of S'Arena stand out against the green Supramonte landscape, preserving a powerful trace of Sardinia's distant past.

Events in Urzulei

Around mid-June, Urzulei hosts the much-awaited Cortes Apertas event as part of the Primavera in Ogliastra circuit, offering an opportunity to discover local traditions, crafts and food. Visitors can see Sardinian wool rugs woven on traditional looms, asphodel worked into baskets and handcrafted knives finely decorated by local artisans.

Along the food-and-wine route you can sample dishes and products such as su menestru 'e fruhe, maccarrones imboddiaos, culurgiones, casanidas, tripe, ficargiu a tratta, cheeses, honey and traditional sweets, as well as pecora in cappotto and su piggiolu, the local bread. Music, dancing and parades animate the streets throughout the event.