Holiday apartment in Pau: Discover obsidian, Monte Arci and village culture

Holiday apartment in Pau: Discover obsidian, forest and village culture

Pau is a destination for families and culture-minded travelers who want to combine nature with a distinctive local history. Obsidian is at the center of it all: it shapes the museums, historic workplaces and trails around Monte Arci. There are also churches with their own architectural history, a forested area on the volcanic massif and a local ingredient called Pipadra.

Obsidian as a special focus

The Museo dell’Ossidiana di Pau is the only museum institution in Sardinia and Europe dedicated to obsidian. This makes it possible to trace the processing of the material at several specific sites in Pau. The Sennixeddu workshop was identified in 1956 as a prehistoric site for obsidian processing. In addition, the obsidian-processing workshops in the Pau area are currently regarded as the best-documented centers for processing the material near its places of origin.

The Museo dell’Ossidiana “Carlo Lugliè” offers educational workshops for families of all ages. After making contact, the museum organizes educational trips as well as visits for groups or families; admission tickets can be purchased as part of the arrangement. This makes it possible to plan a museum visit as a shared activity for different age groups.

Monte Arci and trails through the forest

The Parco dell’Ossidiana is located in Area No. 1 of the Monte Arci Historical and Environmental Geomining Park. The black Scaba Crobina trail is characterized by extensive deposits of rubble and old residues from obsidian processing. The trails of “Un Bosco da Fiaba” are easy to walk and suitable for all age groups; they run in the shade of holm oaks and cork oaks on the eastern slope of the volcanic Monte Arci massif.

Churches with a history of their own

The churches also give Pau its distinctive historical character. The Church of San Giorgio in Pau was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century over the collapsed 17th-century Gothic church. The rural Church of Santa Prisca is located in the hamlet of Argioleddas in the Pau area. It has three naves, reflected in the three openings of the entrance portico.

Faith and local cuisine

Near the Giuanni Corrias pine forest stands an image dedicated to the Madonna Nera d’Oropa. Believers place large obsidian fragments there as a sign of their faith and gratitude. Pipadra, tomatoes dried and preserved in oil, is considered an ingredient in some local dishes in Pau. The thematic range thus extends from spiritual symbols to regional cuisine.

Choosing the right holiday apartment in Pau

When choosing your holiday apartment in Pau, you can use your preferred daily routine as a guide: a stay focused on obsidian and architectural history calls for a different personal choice than days centered on forest trails and regional cuisine. Pau offers several clearly distinguishable areas of interest, allowing you to base your accommodation decision on your own idea of the trip.

Discover more destinations

More destinations for your planning: Tramatza, Tinnura, Neoneli, Nureci, Milis, Uras, Putzu Idu and Samugheo.

To the higher-level travel overview: Oristano.