Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga and Necropolis of Istevéne
Plan this ride
Recorded distance
341 km
Riding-time estimate
7 h 07
Journey
Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
From Bonorva it runs 341 km to Bonorva; allow about 7 h 07 of riding. The stops in between: Necropolis of Brodu, Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa, Necropolis of Istevéne and back through Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa. It was put together for the scenery rather than the shortest line.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga
Bonorva sits on the edge of a high plateau in central-northern Sardinia, a town of grey stone looking out over the plain of Santa Lucia. Around it, the land is dotted with prehistoric remains, and the necropolis of Sa Pala Larga is one of several groups of domus de janas cut into the rock in this area. The rock-cut tombs are older than the nuraghi, and many have intricate interiors.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga is where the day begins. Next is Necropolis of Brodu.
2. Necropolis of Brodu
Barbagia is the rugged heart of Sardinia, a land of granite hills, shepherds and fiercely held traditions, and on its western edge, near the village of Oniferi, the rock-cut tombs of Brodu are among the most elaborate on the island. Like other domus de janas, these chambers were carved into the stone by the people of the Neolithic Ozieri culture and later, but here several of them have carved decoration inside: false doors, imitation roof beams and, in some, the curved horn motifs that are thought to represent the bull, a symbol of strength and fertility that appears again and again in Sardinian prehistory.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Brodu comes up about 54 km into the recorded legs. Next is Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa.
3. Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa
The high country of central Sardinia, between the Tirso river and the hills of the Barbagia, is a landscape of basalt plateaus, cork forests, small stone villages and long, empty views. The nearest places on our list, Nughedu Santa Vittoria and Neoneli, are small villages with only a few hundred people each, and the town of Macomer is some twenty-five kilometres away. The prehistoric story here is about how the island's early people treated their dead, and the title reflects that.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 110 km into the recorded legs you reach Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa. Next is Necropolis of Istevéne.
4. Necropolis of Istevéne
In Sardinian folklore, the little rock-cut tombs scattered across the island were the homes of janas, tiny fairies or witches who wove on golden looms and came out at night. Archaeologists call them domus de janas, fairy houses, and date them to the Neolithic and Copper Age, thousands of years before the famous nuraghi towers. The necropolis of Istevéne, near Mamoiada in the heart of the Barbagia, is a group of these chambers cut into the granite, some with carved details imitating the beams and doorways of real houses, and it belongs among the prehistoric Sardinian tombs that have gained UNESCO recognition.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga closes the day.
Leg by leg
Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga to Necropolis of Brodu
Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga → Necropolis of Brodu is 54 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Necropolis of Brodu to Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa
Necropolis of Brodu → Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa is 56 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa to Necropolis of Istevéne
Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa → Necropolis of Istevéne is 60 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Necropolis of Istevéne to back through Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa
Necropolis of Istevéne → back through Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa is 61 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa to back through Necropolis of Brodu
back through Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sa → back through Necropolis of Brodu is 56 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Necropolis of Brodu to Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga
back through Necropolis of Brodu → Necropolis of Sa Pala Larga is 54 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.