Location

This location is known for its green hills that meet the blue sea, where echoes of ancient voices follow each other up to the untouched lagoons, and the coast’s uncontaminated beaches. Cardedu village, a place which we have always loved, to which we have decided to dedicate the name of our hotel.

Cardedu, still a young village...

A visitor that comes to Cardedu for the first time can find it very different to a typical Sardinian village.The roads are wide, pedestrians can get around thanks to pavements, signs are up everywhere and there are lots of parking spaces. If we dig deeper into the history of the village, we’ll see that actually the buildings are all of recent construction and that there is no historical centre. 
So why is Cardedu like this?
The answer is easy. The village is still young; it was built only a few decades ago.Here is its story: in 1951 the village Gairo, from which Cardedu derives, was destroyed in a terrible flood. The village Gairo, and the whole valley in which it lay was unstable because of a continuous movement of the ground. It was impossible to rebuild the village in the same place, so it was decided to move the village into safer settings.  This is how three villages were built: two in the mountains, and one near the sea, Cardedu. The village was christened in 1965 after an agricultural village was built, because from this the whole village developed into what it is today, near the ss125 and near the beach.

... on an old territory

Even if the village is fairly new, the territory has actually got a very old history, and this history has got some very important remains.
The domus de janas of Monte Arista, which are tombs dug into the rock and built around the millennium BC, can easily be visited, because of easy paths, that have got some fantastic views. Not far from here is the pozzo sacro of Cuguddadas which with the Nuraghe Is Follas and the tombs compose an archeological complex.
The fertility of the plains and the pastured forests, with the strategic position of some sites made the nuragic people protect the whole territory with a lot of fortresses. An attentive observer can’t miss all the other numerous Nuraghes up on top of the greater hills.
From the pass that communicates with the old Saralapis (Sarrala) there is a long line of fortresses, that start with Nuraghe Didu, and proceeds with Nuraghe Perd’e pera, Genna de Masoni, sa perda de s’Obiga, Murcu, Cardedu, Trunconi and Musciu. Also in the valley of su scusorgiu there are the Nuraghes is follas, sa brocca and sa serra de sa comu.
There are also settlements from the Roman dominion.  The remains are noticeable in two agricultural settlements, Sa perda de s’Obliga and Perdu Pili. From the medieval period is the church of Buon Cammino (church of the Good Way).  It has got one nave, a simple marble altar, and the walls were originally painted simple but lively with frescos. In September a very popular and interesting festival is held here.

Immerged into an ecosystem typical of central Sardinia…
The forest has got an environmental and botanic importance that covers a big part of Monte Ferru.  It’s very important because it’s got an ecosystem that is typical of central Sardinia, with oaks, arbutus, white and red heather, juniper, mixed with the typical species of coastal flora, in a delicate balance that is kept intact thanks to the vigilant work of the Forest guards. It’s thanks to them that today we can admire mouflons, wild boars, hares, eagles and also other typical Sardinian animals.

...the uncontaminated beaches!But Cardedu’s pearl lies in its beautiful coast, with a nature interest for the small lagoons of the Rio Pardu and of su Travessu, with the colonies of water hens, coots, herons, for the uncontaminated beaches that from Foddini all the way to Perd’e pera attract lots of bathers during the summer season, and for the amazing red porphyry rocks, spaced out by little bays, paradise for who loves tranquility and direct contact with nature.
For people who love food, in Cardedu you can find lots of Sardinian food, from the excellent wines made in the two wine cellars of Loi and Perda Rubia, to the Pecorino cheese made in the Caseificio Boi and other delicious foods: culurgionis, sebadas, fresh fish and mollusk from the Ogliastrian Sea. During the summer people who love Kayak can do this sport because of the association Kardedu Kayak.
Cardedu is also a perfect place to go tracking or walking or go on adventurous trips in the inland to visit the archeological sites. You can count on the collaboration of the local association founded for this purpose. More information on cultural activities, food and folk activities can be found in the information office of Pro Loco (the local culture association) in Cardedu, during the summer.

Ogliastra: Beaches and grottos 

From Arbatax and S.Maria Navarrese you can make an excursion by boat to the Grotta del Fico, which impresses by its breathtakingly beauty . There you can visit a great number of dykes created in millions of years by the submontane stream course. Dykes which can be passed due to an foodbridge which has been built especially for the visitors and which leads up to 80 meters into the cave. The stream course flows into an below grade font. There you can gaze at the seaground and the subway called "Sifone della Foca Monaca".

During the excursion by boat the following sights will be reached:

• Cala Mariolu at the Golfo di Orosei with its rosy pebbles and the shot coloured sea where you can see the sunrays reflecting.

• Cala Luna with the crystal clear water, its beach formed by a mixture of sand and pebbles and its spacious caves.

• Cala Sisine with the turquoise sea surrounded by the cliffs with a hight of 500 m.

Historical sights

You have also the possibility to make guided tours to the area of the Tacchi, where you can visit theruins of an Tomba dei Giganti (grave), the Nuraghe Orruttu and the Nuraghe Sanu. Close to that you can find La Fontana, it is an structure (built in 1905) and which is decorated with the artworks of the two artists Costantino Nivola and Maria Lai. On the way back the train crosses the Valle del Pardu where you can visit the ruins of the two towns Osini and Gairo, which have to be abandoned because of an landslide.

Scenic beauties

The Passo di S. Giorgio, was declared in 1996 as natural monument. It is an canyon which cleaves through the limestoned tableland the Taccu di Osini. From above you can enjoy the view to the Valle del Rio Pardu.

The Grotto su Marmuri, one of the most impressive grottos in Europe, is located at the Tacco of Ulassai. It is an still living wonder of nature which has been created by the force of the water in millions of years. And it is still changing.