The best walks and hikes around Gùspini/Guspini

This small, quiet, traffic-free paved secondary road crosses the valley between Arbus and Gonnosfanadiga and leads to the Giants' Tomb of San Cosimo. It is part of the Santa Barbara Mining Trail.

At the foot of the Monte Linas massif, the town of Gonnosfanadiga lies at the transition between the Medio Campidano plain and the first hills of southwestern Sardinia. The area preserves numerous archaeological remains, including nuraghi and Giants' Tombs, such as that of San Cosimo, among the largest on the island. The town, with a population of approximately 6,000, is closely linked to agriculture and craftsmanship: local knives, honey, wine, and oil are famous. Strolling through the town center, you'll notice the centuries-old wells that once served wayfarers and still serve as meeting points for the community. The town has shops, bars, and restaurants, and throughout the year, festivals dedicated to bread, olives, and oil are held.

The Montevecchio Mine is one of the most representative sites of Sardinian industrial archaeology and is part of the UNESCO-recognized Geo-mining Historical and Environmental Park of Sardinia. Mining operations, which began in 1848 and ended in 1991, made Montevecchio one of Europe's most important mining centers for lead and zinc production. The complex preserves washeries, shafts, workshops, warehouses, miners' quarters, and the management building with the adjoining church of Santa Barbara. Today, several guided tours are available that illustrate daily life in the mines and the technological evolution of the mining industry. Tours can be booked online at http://www.minieramontevecchio.it/ or at the Geo-mining Park information points.

On the Cuccur'e Zeppara hill, now incorporated into the town of Guspini, you can admire a spectacular wall of basalt prisms up to twenty meters high, perfectly arranged like organ pipes. The formation, created by the slow cooling of lava from an ancient volcanic cone, is considered one of the clearest in Italy and Europe. Declared a natural monument, the quarry can be visited via a short trail that allows for a close-up view of this rare geological feature, similar in shape to be seen only in Sicily, Veneto, Iceland, and a few other places in the world.

Montevecchio, also known as Gennas Serapis, is an ancient mining village now a hamlet of Guspini, nestled in the Geo-Mining Historical and Environmental Park of Sardinia. Founded in the 19th century as the administrative center of the lead and zinc mines, it was established here. The village is home to the Montevecchio Mine information point and the Gennas Food and Wine Confraternity, a trattoria offering excellent food in a friendly, family-friendly atmosphere. They are usually open on weekends, but we recommend contacting them to check opening times, make reservations, and arrange for service. The owner is very helpful and is happy to welcome hungry travelers.

Built in 1915 and nearly 300 meters deep, the Amsicora Shaft was part of the Telle mine, between Montevecchio and Ingurtosu. Active for nearly a century, it is now an important symbol of industrial archaeology and workers' memory. In the 1990s, it was the site of a historic month-long occupation by miners in defense of workers' rights. Permanently closed in 1991, the site is now abandoned but retains an austere charm, immersed in the greenery and silence of the Arburese mountains.

This stretch of dirt road is part of the Santa Barbara Mining Trail. The route is very fascinating, being immersed in the greenery of the Mediterranean scrub. The surface is very uneven so you have to pedal carefully.

This small but impressive archaeological site is located within private land. It can be reached with a short detour from the dirt road that connects Arbus to Gonnosfanadiga. Even though there are no signs, it is easy to locate its location.