Necropolis of Ispiluncas and Domus de janas of Roccia dell’Elefante

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Necropolis of Ispiluncas

   In central Sardinia, on a slope above the village of Sedilo, a cluster of rock-cut tombs opens into the hillside like a row of small dark doorways. These are domus de janas, "houses of the fairies" in the local language, burial chambers carved into the soft rock by the island's prehistoric inhabitants several thousand years ago. Ispiluncas is one of the larger groups, with tombs of varied plans, some with multiple chambers and carved details imitating the beams and doorframes of houses. In 2025 the domus de janas were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, recognising one of the most distinctive funerary traditions in the Mediterranean.

   Read the complete Necropolis of Ispiluncas write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Necropolis of Ispiluncas is where the day begins. Next is Necropolis of Puttu Codinu.

2. 2. Necropolis of Puttu Codinu

   Domus de janas means houses of the fairies, and that is what Sardinians called the small chambers cut into rock faces across the island, believing them to be the homes of tiny supernatural women. They are in fact tombs, carved out by the island's Neolithic and Copper Age people some five thousand years ago, often with rooms arranged like houses, carved doorways, false roof beams and symbols such as bulls' horns. The necropolis of Puttu Codinu, near Villanova Monteleone in north-west Sardinia, is a group of these tombs cut into a low limestone outcrop amid fields and scrub, one of thousands across the island.

   Read the complete Necropolis of Puttu Codinu write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Necropolis of Puttu Codinu comes up about 76 km into the recorded legs. Next is Domus de janas of Roccia dell’Elefante.

3. 3. Domus de janas of Roccia dell’Elefante

   On the side of the main road below Castelsardo, in northern Sardinia, a huge reddish rock stands alone at a bend, and it really does look like an elephant, trunk lowered, as if about to drink. It is a block of volcanic trachyte that broke away from the hills above and was sculpted by wind and rain into its strange shape. What most passing drivers miss is that its base was used long before anyone thought of elephants: two prehistoric tombs, domus de janas, were cut into the rock in the Neolithic period, and in one of them carved horn shapes, the symbol of the bull, can still be made out.

   Read the complete Domus de janas of Roccia dell’Elefante write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 153 km into the recorded legs you reach Domus de janas of Roccia dell’Elefante. Next is back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu.

4. 4. back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Necropolis of Puttu Codinu write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Necropolis of Puttu Codinu, late in the day. Next is Necropolis of Ispiluncas.

5. 5. Necropolis of Ispiluncas

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Necropolis of Ispiluncas write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Necropolis of Ispiluncas. That is the ride.