At the edge of the basaltic plateau of the Giara rises Su Nuraxi, Sardinia’s most extraordinary prehistoric complex and the island’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built more than three thousand years ago by the Nuragic civilisation, its circular, corbelled basalt towers once formed the heart of a fortified village – a mysterious stone labyrinth that still hints at one of the Mediterranean’s oldest cultures.

The wide basalt plateau of the Giara appears almost austere at first glance. Winds move through grasses and cork oaks, while seasonal ponds (the paulis) punctuate the landscape. Among them roam the Giara horses, a rare and ancient breed that has lived semi-wild here for millennia: small, dark and remarkably resilient to the plateau’s heat and wind. Walking trails cross this quiet landscape, offering a glimpse of one of Sardinia’s most unique ecosystems, just a short drive from Su Nuraxi di Barumini.

Set on a quiet residential street just beyond Cagliari’s historic centre, Villa Fanny occupies a restored early-20th-century villa surrounded by manicured gardens. Inside, exposed wooden beams and airy rooms open onto lawns dotted with white wrought-iron tables and a glass-covered veranda with its distinctive black-and-white tiled floor. Curated by owner Lucina Cellino and named after her mother, the hotel doubles as a small cultural hub, hosting exhibitions, readings and gatherings that reflect a family passion for art. By evening, the garden fills with locals and guests lingering over aperitivo beneath the shade of the trees.