Galtellì is a small jewel in Sardinia that is part of the Authentic Italian Villages Association, It is the other side of the Sardinia, probably. A Sardinia that, far from the glamor of the Costa Smeralda, is free and wild. And it is perfect for naturalistic excursions with a view towards the sea.

galtellì - castle
Municipality of Galtelli | Facebook

What to see in Galtellì

In the Cedrino Valley, at the foot of the Mount Tuttavista, Galtellì is a small village that smells of the past. Here, a bronze statue of Christ preserves the stories (and lives) of the inhabitants. Here, Grazia Deledda has chosen to set his novel "Reeds in the wind". Why come there? Because it is the ideal starting point for the trekking on Mount Tuttavista (\ the perforated rock 'sa Petra Istampata is a small conquest for those who go trekking and climbing). And why, after all, the coasts are not far away. Above all, however, one comes to Galtellì to retrace the footsteps of Grazia Deledda: it is done thanks to the project of the Lettarario Park, which leads right between the places of her novel. But there is also the Pontes Castle, in the village, and there is the Romanesque cathedral of San Pietro.

Galtellì - Castle of Pontes
Pontes Castle - Galtellì (NU) | Wikipedia

And there are the many, many churches in the area. The sixteenth century are worth a visit church of the Santissimo Crocifisso, with a statue of Christ dating back to 1300, the church of Santa Croce and the church of the Beata Vergine Assunta. And if you want to know something more about the history of Galtellì, the Ethnographic Museum inside Sa Domo 'e sos Marras collects the testimonies of ancient times. While, in the heart of the village, the Malicas municipal park hosts the Guzzetti Castle.

galtellì - Church of the Holy Crucifix
Galtellì - Church of the Holy Crucifix | Wikipedia (Gianni Careddu)

What to do and what to eat in Galtellì

From Galtellì you can set out to discover Monte Tuttavista, a green and white cone in the heart of the Barony. A wild place, where the limestone embraces the Mediterranean scrub, and the paths offer breathtaking views. Especially if you go up towards sa Preda imprinted, the "pierced stone", a rock face with a huge hole in the middle that the wind created. But there are many walls for free climbing here, and many botanical species to admire during walks. To recover energy, it is then a must to munch on carasau bread. A sheet of flour, water, yeast and salt that can be preserved for a long time, and which for a long time was the main food of the shepherds' diet.

Galtelli - panorama
Orosei - Monte Tuttavista | Wikipedia (Gianni Careddu)

The demonstrations

To savor the true essence of Galtellì, however, it is during one of his parties that you have to visit him. During the Holy Week, the Confraternities of Santa Croce and of the Souls become spokespersons of centuries-old traditions, the same ones that are staged in the four evenings of the Most Holy Crucifix. On January 17th, bonfires are lit for Sant'Antonio Abbate, and on the first Sunday in June they go to the fields to celebrate San Giuseppe. While, to celebrate the Nobel Prize Grazia Deledda, they organize themselves through the streets of the village "Emotional journeys".

Galtellì, the Sardinian village at the foot of Monte Tuttavista last edit: 2021-01-27T09:00:00+01:00 da Laura Alberti

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