Amongst the cultural itineraries which this land offers, the trip through the most ancient origins of Sulcis leaves from Villaperuccio, at the site of Montessu, where there is the most important necropolis in southern Sardinia (so-called Domus de Janas, i.e. fairies’ or witches’ houses”), dating back about 5.000 years. From here you quickly come to the Phoenician Fortress of Pani Loriga in Santadi; the rout of the Phoenicians continued right up to the Island of Sant’Antioco, where you can visit another important necropolis, with “tofet” and Archaelogical Musem.

In Carbonia there is Monte Sirai Archaelogical Site with Nuraghi and a Phoenician settlement that is is made up of various sectors: Acropolis, Necropolis, Tofet and some ancient tombs.

Antas archaeological area is near Fluminimaggiore town. Within Antas Valley, there is Sardus Pater temple, referred to “Sid Babay”, the god of the Carthaginians, protector of hunters and seagoing men, to whom the pre-Punic sanctuary was dedicated. The inscription to a Roman emperor bears the original dedication to the SARDUS PATER but reveals that the Romans probably wished to connect the temple to its more ancient local origins.

Our historical heritage is also rich in many other itineraries around the mining culture. Among Sardinian areas, Carbonia Iglesias district is particularly interesting because of its connections between social and mining cultural elements. Mining activities were already carried out in the past by the Phoenicians, Romans, Pisans and Spanish, but it was in the 19th century, following an intervention by the Savoys, the Piedmont royal family, that the mine at Monteponi (in Iglesias region) and Montevecchio (that today is a hamlet of Guspini, in the Medio Campidano district) became the Sardinian mining capital cities.

The mining exploitation reached its peak during the Fascist period, thanks to the opening up of the coal mines at Serbariu (Carbonia), today converted and used as a tourist centre.

Extractive industry in Sulcis Iglesiente has left beautiful examples of industrial archaeology. They are included in the Geomining Park of Sardinia, today declared the first Historic and Environmental Geomineral Park in the world, an emblematic example of a new global network of Geosites and Geoparks which was established during the General Conference of UNESCO.

This area is nowadays an ideal destination for many kinds of outdoor activities. Kite-surfing, windsurfing, diving are only some of the sports on offer along the coast, while the inland can transform your trekking, mountain biking, horse-riding, climbing into an unforgettable experience. But in Sulcis Iglesiente the enchanting scenery doesn’t stop on the surface: here speleology adventurers can explore more than 500 caves.