Unique Places in Sardegna

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It seems no matter where you go in Italy, there are different ways of arriving at solutions to building problems and all manner of things are liable to be used.....as shown in these examples.
All through Europe you'll come across caves like this in areas where volcanic ash called tufa (tuff, tuffa) is present. This rock is easily tunnelled and becomes hard on contact with oxygen to it is ideal for shelter.

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I'd never heard of the place to be honest but it was recommended by the enthusiastic receptionist our accommodation house so off we went.
Little did we know that our trip coincided with their annual three day festival in October when local goods are proudly displayed.
This oversize village hangs its fame on its murals and there are plenty to see. Though many originally were done in Picasso style and echoed the famous artist's political views; these days there are a variety of works on show.
Otherwise, there'd be very little reason to visit this place other than it being on a lovely scenic route around the mountains of middle Sardegna.
However, there's over 200 of them and it would certainly challenge even the discerning tourist such a myself to claim that they've seen all of them.
Here is a sampling of what you might see though. I've tried to cover some of the varying styles on offer.

I did but see it passing by and wondered why there were no tourists here, just a few kilometres west of Palau.
Turns out that it's a military site (no surprises there), and the today empty gun emplacements from WWII bear testimony to its relatively recent use.
This castle of just over a century ago (1890-1891) is in such good condition it looks like it was built less than a year ago but sadly I was there during siesta.
In fact, as indicated by the detailed sign (sadly on in Italian), there is a lot of interest.
There are also excellent views over the surrounding landscape though while I was there the weather wasn't very helpful.
I've listed this under "off the beaten path" but it's right on a sealed thoroughfare but, so there's no problem driving though if you keep going you'll end up in a resort and can go no further.
Open - April/May 9-noon and 3-6
June-Aug 9-noon and 5-8
Sept-mid Oct 9-noon and 3-5

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Where the Rinaggia has its source is where the park is. This splendid park is worth taking time out for.
I came to the dead end street where it is situated and took a short break to check it out. There's also another nice park just back on the other side of the hill where we also went for a walk and it has lovely views over the surrounding landscape (pic 5).
These are places where the population of around 14,000 can relax.

This place is not so much a destination as somewhere you might be driving through.....as I was.
One couldn't help but notice the exceptional (and exceptionally large) mural painting on the side of a building so I had to pull up and record it.
Mores is in the north central part of Sardinia, east of Sassari and south of Tempio Pausania.

Oschiri is a pleasant fairly typical Sardinian town with a central piazza and church and just out of town is the Romanesque "Chiesa di San Demetrio".
The main church in the middle of the town is only just over 100 years old, fairly recent by Italian standards. It's called Chiesa Parrocchiale B.V. Immacolata and is set at one end of a piazza.
During my brief time in the town I have to say I saw little else that made me say "wow" and want to stop. Then again, I was on my way to Padria that day.
Nearby, you can either reach Lago Coghinas by taking the dramatic winding mountain road from Tempio Pausania over Monte Limbara with its peak at Punta Balistreri (1359m). Alternatively it is a peaceful spot to break the journey from Sassari or Oristano to Olbia (off the SS597). This artificial lake was created in 1927 and is the largest in Sassari and second largest in Sardinia.

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This village developed around the rural church dedicated to San Pantaleo; celebrations in honour of the Saint take place from the 27th to the 30th of July with a mixture of shows, dances and traditional music. The hamlet went almost unnoticed by tourists until the 1960s’, when the boom of the Emerald Coast and in particular the increasing popularity of the near Porto Cervo have led to the discovery of this quiet spot by tourists and international artists who have set their home here. San Pantaleo remains a quirky rural place popular with those tourists after a relaxing and authentic Sardinian holiday. Every Tuesday the village comes to life with the street market on the square, where you will find stalls with absolutely everything, from the most tasteful souvenirs to precious rarities.
To get there, from Olbia take national route SS 125 and after 7 kilometres turn right following the sign that says: PORTO CERVO –BAJA SARDINIA – SAN PANTALEO. Drive along the panoramic coastal road for 10 kilometres until you get to a fork in the road, then turn left for San Pantaleo. The village is only a few kilometres away from that point.
I went there on the advice of a fellow vter whose page I read; specifically to see the rocks. Let me tell you, having driven a couple of thousand kilometres around the island, this is definitely one of the best places to see them.

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I was waiting to get into the museum and saw the signs so I thought I might wile away some time and have a look. The walkway to it was lovely, going through some nice forest but, having seen other sites previously, the main tower was interesting but the site itself was neglected and lacked the other buildings associated with similar villages.