Things to Do and See in Oristano

Nestled between the Santa Giusta pond to the south and the Cabras pond to the north, the city of Oristano—the capital of the province of the same name—is rich in historical monuments, some of which date back 1,000 years to the height of the Middle Ages. Also worthy of special attention are the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, dating back to the 1200s, and the neoclassical Church of San Francesco, which houses a 1400s wooden sculpture of the Crucified Christ. Also worth noting is the Museo Antiquarium Arborense, one of Sardinia’s most important museums. A short distance from Oristano toward the sea lies the small village of Santa Giusta, home to one of Sardinia’s most beautiful medieval gems: the 12th-century Romanesque Cathedral of Santa Giusta; the village of San Salvatore, on the other hand, offers the splendid Is Autas beach—composed mostly of fine quartz grains—and the magnificent cliffs of Su Tingiosu. Among the villages, we should also mention the town of Fordongianus, rich in historical and prehistoric artifacts, particularly those from the Roman era; in Ghilarza, you’ll find the island’s most important prehistoric monuments, namely the Nuraghe Losa and the Nuragic Sanctuary of Santa Cristina with its famous sacred well. Among the archaeological sites of particular interest is Tharros, an open-air museum rich in artifacts related to the Phoenician people, including the thopet—a typical sanctuary of this civilization—and the thermal baths built into the temple’s foundations.