Page 109 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sardinia

CENTR AL SARDINIA AND BARBA GIA  107

Oliena, known for its good wine,
is also famous for its jewellery,
cakes and the tradi tional
costumes worn by the women:
a black shawl, interwoven with
silk and gold, and a light blue
blouse. There are two important
festivals at Oliena that end with
impressive processions: San
Lussorio in August and S’Incontru
on Easter morning.

Environs
South of Oliena, it is possible
The underground cave of Grotta Sa Oche in Oliena to take various hiking tours on
the rugged and spectacular
who appear in the village streets Sardinian wine Cannonau. rocks of the Supramonte di
on the feast days of Sant’Antonio Some original houses, built Oliena. Starting from the Monte
Abate (17 January), the Sunday around courtyards with external Maccione refuge, you can cross
of Carnival and in particular on stairways and pergolas and the chain and descend into the
Shrove Tuesday, during the brightly coloured rooms, are still Lanaittu valley floor.
Barbagia’s most famous Carnival visible along the narrow streets The Su Gologone natural
celebrations (see p33). and alleyways. There are also springs are 8 km (5 miles) east
several relig ious buildings, such of Oliena. The waters, which
Environs as the church of Santa Croce, have cut channels through
About 5 km (3 miles) southwest of said to be the oldest in the the mountain rock, are
Mamoiada, along a secondary road town. Rebuilt in the 17th refreshingly cool in summer
towards Gavoi, is the Santuario century, it has a bell tower and turn into an extremely cold,
di San Cosimo. This typical rural decorated with an unusual rushing torrent in winter. Su
church has a central structure trident motif. Gologone is the largest spring
surrounded by cumbessias, The Jesuit College on in Sardinia, with an average
lodgings for pilgrims to the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II is production of 300 litres
sanctuary. The present-day church a reminder of the arrival of (66 gallons) per second. It lies
dates from the 17th century and this religious order in Oliena. in a pleasant wooded area
its main feature is the single nave. From the beginning of the ideal for picnics in the shade.
At the end of the nave, restoration 17th century onwards, the Jesuits For many years speleologists
has brought to light an Aragonese encouraged the town’s economy have been exploring the depths
niche with columns and an by promoting wine-making and of the underground cave
archi trave made of volcanic rock. the breeding of silkworms. of Grotta Sa Oche, in the
A further 6 km (4 miles) to Next door to the Jesuit college, Supramonte mountains. Every
the south is the Santuario della the church of Sant’Ignazio di year divers penetrate further
Madonna d’Itria, an imposing Loyola has wooden statues of underground into the
church with cumbessias. Here, Sant’Ignazio and San Francesco Supramonte mountains to
on the last Sunday of July, Saverio, as well as an altarpiece study the various aspects of
there is a horse race around the depicting San Cristoforo. this natural phenomenon.
church, known as Sa Carrela.
9 Oliena
Road map D3. * 8,000. n Town
Hall (0784 28 02 00). _ Easter am:
S’Incontru; 21 Aug: San Lussorio.
∑ comune.oliena.nu.it
The approach to Oliena towards
evening, along the northern
road from Nuoro, is an unforget-
table sight. The lights of the
town shine at the foot of the
steep white mass of Supramonte,
which rises eastwards towards
the Golfo di Orosei. The country-
side is covered in vineyards,
which yield the famous The Su Gologone natural spring at the foot of Supramonte

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