Piscinas and Ingurtosu

Piscinas-Ingurtosu-Sardinia
Piscinas-Ingurtosu-Sardinia

The landscape around Piscinas and Ingurtosu seem to be not real. Mining has shaped the region and from 1848 to 1948 different rocks and minerals were mined here. The remains are left standing - bizarre ghost towns and industrial monuments in the mountains of the Iglesiente and Piscinas. While in and around Ingurtosu you will find largely abandoned mining towns, Piscinas is a vast sand and dune area with an extensive sandy beach. From the mountains, the products were transported to the former port and shipped. The route from Ingurtosu down to the dunes and the beach of Piscinas illustrates the route in an impressive way. And it is stunningly beautiful. And lonely. The thin settlement provides for great peace. Beach fans or hiking fans, nature lovers or the ones who are interested in abandoned or lost places will love the area. There are no hotels on the beach of Ingurtosu, no waterfront, no entertainment. There is nothing but sand.

Map-Piscinas

Sand, Mountains, Beach and Mines: Ingurtosu and Piscinas

Piscinas and Ingurtosu

Piscinas and Ingurtosu are very special places. In the past, intensive mining was practiced here, and those who follow the signs for Piscinas from Arbus can see it along the way. The extraction of ores and other things took place in the mountains, the raw materials were transported down to the sea to be shipped from there.

Piscinas itself is reminiscent of the wild west with a vast and impressive dune landscape. Disintegrating houses in and around Ingurtosu, the former buildings of the mines exert their own fascination. Down to the beach of Piscinas you can discover the former houses and buildings; there are still remains of the former tracks and rusty trolleys lose themselves in the vicinity of today's parking lot in the infinite sand.

The Beach of Piscinas stretches very wide. The sand dominates the picture and not only the beach itself consists of sand. The dunes of Piscinas spread widely and make the landscape even more spectacular. More about Ingurtosu and the history of mining can be found in the article about historic places on Sardinia.

The Dunes of Piscinas are also a hiking area. But: The wind is blowing steadily around here and thanks to the sand, the path is anything but easy to find. In the dunes it is quite hard to walk - but if you come to Piscinas you will want to go up on one or the other hill made of sand. Take care - it gets very hot in this area. Bring a sufficient supply of drinking water.

The road becomes unpaved and bumpy, starting from the last ruins of Ingurtosu. Slowly and thoughtfully, you can easily reach the beach even without a offroader.

Surreal Landscapes

In spring and winter - when it rains and the river next to the road leads from Ingurtosu to Piscinas, smaller gullies run down the beach to the sea.

The trolleys have been witness to better times of mining.

Together with the trolleys and the wide sand one feels like in a desert. The mountains in the background only reinforce this impression. The vast dune area offers no protection from the merciless sun that burns here. You will only find flat shrubs and small plants that cling to the sand.

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Good to know: Information about Sardinia
Food and drinks: Cuisine
Transportation: Arrival and accomodation
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For your journey

Sardinia is a place for real explorers. Go ahead and try the wonderul wines of Sardinia or gastronomic specialties. The beaches of Sardinia are the most beautiful beaches around Europe. Many places of interest are to be found in Cagliari, but there are many more places of interest in Sardinia.

Places nearby

The capital Cagliari can be reached within one hour of driving by car: Cagliari. You may also want to have a look around Torre dei Corsari. If you like horses, you should also consider to make an excursion to the Giara di Gesturi and the wild horses of Sardinia. Very close are also the steep mountains and cliffs around Buggeru, Masua and Nebinda.