Discover Masullas: Holiday Apartment for Nature, Geology and History

Masullas lies in the northern part of the Monte Arci Regional Park and combines striking geology with a multilayered local history. In the Parco Ossidiana, the largest obsidian deposit in the Mediterranean forms part of Sardinia’s Historical Environmental Geopark. The path to the main quarry is covered with thousands of small black rock fragments. Su Columbariu also characterizes the landscape: the steep rocky ridge is almost 100 m high in places and is marked by caves, fissures and niches in the form of so-called tafoni, created by weathering in the trachyte. Sa Spendula de Cannas forms on a 5 m-high slope; a temporary pond forms at its foot.

Experience nature on Monte Arci mindfully

The Giardino Botanico del Monte Arci opened in summer 2020 on a previously abandoned site near the Capuchin monastery. It is home to a representative selection of endemic plants from Monte Arci and is divided into four vegetation zones: woodland, Mediterranean maquis, garrigue and riparian vegetation. Visitors with reduced mobility can reach the Giardino Botanico via a ramp at the main entrance and then use a lift. This means that different natural themes come together in the same destination: obsidian, weathered trachyte, water and the plant life of Monte Arci.

Churches and the medieval town centre

The historic centre still corresponds to the medieval settlement around the churches of Santa Lucia and San Leonardo. Paved streets and houses with exposed-stone façades lead past local workshops and shops. The Chiesa di San Leonardo dates from the first half of the 13th century; during restoration work in 1977, remains of an earlier place of worship dating back at least to the Byzantine period were discovered. The church is also part of the Itinera Romanica project, a network of routes to Romanesque churches in Sardinia, Tuscany and Corsica.

The Chiesa di Santa Lucia dates from the 14th century and is the second-oldest church in Masullas after San Leonardo. The complex comprising the Chiesa e Convento di San Francesco dates from the 17th century. In the 1980s and 1990s, the municipality of Masullas launched a long-term restoration project to fully restore the complex. The parish church, now dedicated to Saint Sebastian, was formerly known as Madonna delle Grazie and Sa Gloriosa. It was built in the 17th century in the Late Gothic style; during renovations in the 17th century, its façade acquired an authentically Baroque blend of styles and materials.

Museums exploring natural history and local heritage

The Museo di Storia Naturale Aquilegia presents a chronological tour over approximately 600 m², focusing on the geological and biological changes that led to the development of living organisms and their habitats. The GeoMuseo Monte Arci is housed in a former 17th-century Capuchin monastery and displays mineralogical, lithological and palaeontological exhibits. The I Cavalieri delle Colline museum tells the story of the rural aristocracy of Masullas and Parte Montis within the broader context of the Sardinian nobility. The accompanying exhibition includes valuable works of art, weapons and documents from local aristocrats, reconstructions of contemporary traditional costumes, and precious old books.

A holiday apartment in Masullas to suit your experiences

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Masullas, you can plan your trip around your own interests: days in nature lead to the plant zones of the Giardino Botanico, the obsidian landscape and the rock formations of Su Columbariu; culture-focused days combine churches, museums and the historic town centre. When choosing accommodation in Masullas, it is not broad promises but the variety of themes you can discover around the town that makes the difference. This allows you to adapt your choice of holiday apartment to your preferred rhythm between landscape, history, geology and regional tradition.

Festivals and Sardinian specialities

The culinary side is also linked to local festivals. At the first Sagra de Is Crogoristas in 2024, a type of pasta typical of Masullas was presented; it is made by hand from durum wheat semolina, water and salt. The Sagra de su Caboniscu was held for the 13th time in 2024 and offered tastings of typical dishes from Masullas, including specialities from the tradition of “Sa Idda de is Cabonis e de Is Puddas”. On 6 November, the San Leonardo festival takes place in Masullas at the same time as the Sagra del melograno. The patronal festival Sa Gloriosa, held from 29 June to 3 July 2024, combined religious celebrations with gastronomic offerings and live performances.

For further travel planning, you can also explore Baradili, Oristano, Santa Caterina Di Pittinuri, Nureci, Solarussa, Porto Alabe, Magomadas and Nurachi.

To the main travel overview: Oristano.