Where we are
We are in Sardinia, in the beautiful and peaceful areaSaint Lucia of Siniscolacountry that has the easternmost part of the entire eastern coast of this wonderful island. It is a village founded by fishermen from Ponza in the early 1900s but defended even earlier by the Spaniards who built the tower, one of the historical symbols of this stretch of coast.
From the Tower to the north the coast is sandy with immense beaches and to the south the coast is low and rocky and very varied. Towards the land it is surrounded by gentle hills of metamorphic rock and in the background the limestone massif of Monte Albo. Our favorite outdoor classroom is the pine forest that shades the CEAS courtyard and the surrounding space.
Geographic coordinates (GPS)
Latitude:
N 40° 34' 50.5''
Longitude:
E 009° 46' 39.2''
The CEAS is located in theseaside village of Santa Luciafraction of Siniscola, on the eastern coast of Sardinia, with a sandy coast to the north and a low rocky coast to the south, towards the land it is surrounded by gentle hills of metamorphic rock and in the background the limestone massif of Monte Albo. The village is surrounded by a pine forest; there is a coastal tower and nearby sites from the Nuragic, Roman and medieval periods. Of notable interest is the cave ofGana'e Gortoein the town of Siniscola.
Territory
The Municipality of Siniscola is located on the central eastern coast of Sardinia and with over 12,000 resident inhabitants it is currently the second most important and populous center in the province of Nuoro. It covers an area of approximately 20,000 hectares and borders to the north with the municipalities of Posada and Torpè, to the west with Lodè, to the south with Lula, Irgoli, Onifai and Orosei, to the east it overlooks the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Its very varied landscape is divided into a number ofriver plainsalternating with hills of schist, limestone and granite, reliefs that become more rugged and imposing in the direction of the hinterland and near the coast, characterized by a succession of beaches and low cliffs interrupted by coves and ponds. The limestone massif of the dominates the townMonte Albowith peaks up to 1127 meters high (Punta Catirina and Punta Turuddò).
Of notable interest, not only for archeology but also for their geological characteristics, are thenumerous caveslocated in the limestone area of Monte Albo and on the slopes of Monte Lattu, in the direction towards Olbia.
This remarkable variety of landscapes has always been an element of strong attraction since ancient times, in fact the presence of human activities from prehistory to contemporary times is documented.
Mount Albo
The limestone massif of Monte Albo rises near the north-eastern coast of Sardinia.
From an administrative point of view it is included in the municipal areas of Siniscola, Lula, Lodè, Irgoli, Loculi and Galtellì. Considered a biotope of significant botanical and faunal interest, Monte Albo has been designated as a Special Conservation Area (ZSC), it extends for approximately 8,832 hectares along the NE-SW direction, with a ridge line over 13 km long. The highest peaks are Punta Catirina and Punta Turuddò (both 1127 metres), while in the north-east the highest is Punta Cupetti (1029 metres), which dominates the town of Siniscola.
The landscape is characterized by the typical karst phenomena, with surface erosion which gives rise to cliffs, gorges, ravines and overhangs. Furrowed fields, sinkholes, chasms and numerous caves of various sizes and development contribute to making the scenery spectacular.
The whole mountain is surrounded by a network of roads which delimits its surface: from Siniscola the provincial road to Lodè, after 12km, leads to Sant'Anna, a small hamlet at an altitude of 850m, from where, continuing in the direction of Lula, you meet the accesses to the paths that lead to the crest. It is an opportunity to get in touch with the rich flora of Monte Albo, characterized by its strips of primary holm oak forests, alongside which numerous endemic species coexist. The holm oak (Quercus ilex) is the most important forest species and until recently the holm oak woods covered a large part of the mountainous relief surfaces. Among the most common species are the juniper, the heather, the strawberry tree and, in the higher areas, the lesser maple.
Of great interest is also the fauna that populates the mountain, including moufflons, martens, foxes, wild boars, porcupines, hares and weasels. On the ridge, among the rocks, large birds of prey such as the golden eagle and the goshawk nest. A special mention deserves the geotriton of Monte Albo (Speleomantes flavus), a small amphibian that lives inside the caves, an exclusive endemism of the limestone massif. Magnificent for lovers of trekking and immersive experiences in nature.
The coast of Siniscola
The 30 km of coast in the municipal area of Siniscola is divided into about 12 km of sandy beaches and about 18 km of low and rocky coast including the promontory of Capo Comino, the easternmost point of the Sardinian east coast.
The port of La Caletta, with the promontory of San Giovanni, divides the long beach of Posada from the equally extensive one of La Caletta which reaches as far as Santa Lucia, interspersed with two mouths which have fed this wonderful coast over the years.
In Santa Lucia, from the Aragonese tower to the south, the coast is mainly rocky and low, in which small gravelly and pebbly coves can be found, the famous beach of sugared almonds. Further south we find the beach of Capo Comino characterized by a beach of very fine sand with the dune system and the wetland behind it. At the end of the beach begins one of the most characteristic stretches of the area with the low rocky granite coast and the presence of tafoni and beaches made up of large blocks of granite, shaped and softened by the erosive force of the water over the last 120,000 years.
Continuing south, always framed by granite reliefs, we find one of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia, Berchida. It is a recent sedimentation of very fine and very white sand partly fed by the Rio di Berchida which flows into the center of the inlet.
Gana'e Gortoe Cave
The cave ofGana'e Gortoeit is an important naturalistic site. It almost represents a uniqueness, the fact that it opens inside the inhabited center of Siniscola. Despite this, it has been preserved to this day in excellent condition and preserves various speleothems and cave-dwelling species with a remarkable biodiversity and conservation importance.
The cave:in the Regional Cadastre of Sardinian Caves we find it at number 19. The cavity has always been used by the inhabitants of the community. Near the cave there is a site of historical importance: the washhouse, fed by the waters of the river that come from the slopes of Monte Albo and flow inside it; in the past it was also useful for other civic uses. The cave has a spatial development of almost 2 km between the main branch and secondary branches. From the entrance, after a few meters, you find yourself in front of a large room and at the end on the left you can see a small cavity which gives access to a tunnel which you crawl along for about 6 meters. At the end of the tunnel there is another room where the river flowsGana'e Gortoe.
From here the cave has a progression of about 300 meters up to the siphon. The route winds along the bed of the river, which for most of the year and for the entire journey is passable on foot thanks to the reduced water level. Inside, in addition to the classic speleothems, such as stalactites, stalagmites, cannulas, etc., there are horizontal stratifications indicating the ancient levels of the river and the evidence of old flood events. After the siphon the cave continues dividing into two branches: the north and the west branch.
The cave is also extremely important from a faunal point of view, with the presence of numerous endemic species including theGeotriton of Monte Albo, exclusive amphibious of the mountain massif of the same name.
We organize educational visits for children and adults.
