Oristanese

The northern most point of the Campidano is constituted by a hilly section, situated in the east on the border with Marmilla, and by a completely flat area, where animal rearing activities and intensive crop farming alternates among canals and lagoons, often of great naturalistic interest, as in the case of the regional oasis of S’ena Arrubia and of the Marceddì pond, where it is possible to observe flamingos, cormorants, herons and other protected species. The land was reclaimed starting from 1919 and in 1928 the town of Arborea was founded, then called Mussolinia, an interesting urbanistic and architectural example of a foundation town.

Oristano deserves a mention of its own, the ancient capital of the medieval judiciary of Arborea, and to be visited, if possible, during the last days of Carnival, when the equestrian tournament of the Sartiglia is held, probably started back in 1350 to celebrate the wedding of Jugde Mariano II, in which the lead horseman ‘su componidori’ has to launch into a gallop and pierce a star suspended on a thread with his sword, thus ensuring a good crop harvest, then followed by a large group of riders that gives life to a passionate quadrille.

The hilly part of the Oristano campidano is characterised by large agricultural and handicraft towns: the territory is among the most fertile with large-scale production of oranges and olives, in addition to the vernaccia, the most typical wine of the island. Definitely worth a visit is the town of Samugheo, known for its carpet and tapestry production and the nearby Castle of Medusa, situated on a steep rock spike and perhaps originally destined as a lookout onto an access road towards the nearby Barbagia.