Northern Sardinia is an extraordinary blend of crystal-clear seas, luxury resorts and some of the oldest prehistoric monuments in Europe. The region captivates both beach lovers and those interested in the island’s ancient history.
La Maddalena Archipelago
The La Maddalena Archipelago is a national park made up of dozens of small, almost untouched islands.
- ferries run regularly from Palau,
- you can drive to the main island of La Maddalena and to Caprera, which is connected by a bridge,
- the remaining islands are accessible only by boat.
Turquoise water, pale rocks and wild coves make this one of the most beautiful places in Sardinia.
Costa Smeralda and Porto Cervo
Costa Smeralda is the most exclusive part of the island, and Porto Cervo is considered one of the most expensive destinations in Europe.
- private clubs and marinas,
- luxury boutiques and hotels,
- property prices among the highest in the world.
It is a completely different side of Sardinia – a sharp contrast to its wild, natural landscapes.
Arzachena – prehistoric monuments
Around Arzachena you will find numerous archaeological sites, often separated by many kilometres.
Tomba dei Giganti
Monumental megalithic tombs from the Nuragic period, known as the “Giants’ Graves”. The site is deeply impressive and gives a sense of the island’s extraordinary historical continuity.
In this region there is also a distinctive rock shaped like a giant “mushroom” – one of the geological curiosities of northern Sardinia.
Tiscali – the lost mountain village
Tiscali is one of the most mysterious places in Sardinia – a Bronze Age village (15th–12th century BC) hidden high in the Supramonte mountains.
- the settlement lies inside a collapsed cave,
- from the outside it is almost invisible, forming a natural rocky roof,
- reaching it requires trekking skills and good orientation.
Despite many scientific theories, the site still raises more questions than answers: why people thousands of years ago chose such an isolated place, and how life looked high in the mountains, far from the coast.
Domus de Janas – the mysterious little houses
Domus de Janas are prehistoric chambers carved into rock, mainly dating from the Neolithic and early Bronze Age (approx. 4000–1800 BC). Archaeologists discovered human remains inside them in the 19th and early 20th centuries, often belonging to many individuals, with only bones placed in the chambers. The presence of red ochre, carved symbols, “false doors” and tiny openings is interpreted as part of a belief system connected with ancestor worship and the idea of passing from the world of the living to the world of the dead. For this reason, Domus de Janas are now seen not only as burial sites but as complex ritual structures with symbolic and social meaning in ancient Sardinian communities.
In Sardinian folklore they are known as the “houses of the janas” – fairy-like beings, small women with extraordinary powers who were believed to live inside the rocks. According to legend, the janas were beautiful but dangerous: they could help people, teach weaving or herbal knowledge, but they also took revenge on those who disturbed their dwellings. It was said they guarded treasures hidden in the rocks, and that at night one could hear their singing or the sounds of their work. In many regions, older residents still avoid entering Domus de Janas after dark, treating them as places “between worlds”, where it is easy to get lost – not in space, but in a symbolic sense.
They are not easy to find – some Domus de Janas are very well hidden. Being in one of them at sunset, when golden light flooded the surroundings, felt truly magical. Another one, located in a public, littered area with more space and many twisted, equally ancient stone walls, felt strange and unsettling. Later that night, exactly at midnight, the lights in my hotel room turned on by themselves and the air-conditioning switched off, and I dreamed I was back there, with a small janassitting on a stone wall like a little grim reaper…
Regardless of scientific interpretations and folk legends, Domus de Janas remain among the most mysterious places in Sardinia, adding a dark, hard-to-define aura to the island – something you simply cannot pass by without emotion.
Northern Sardinia is a land of contrasts – from the paradise-like islets of La Maddalena, through the luxury of Porto Cervo, to forgotten settlements hidden in the rocks.
Malvina Dunder 
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