LUOGOSANTO

Place

Its name says it all. Luogosanto rises up among rugged granite reliefs, a village out of time, surrounded by evidence of the Middle Ages and deeply imbued with legend and intense spirituality. Its territory has 22 sanctuaries, the main one, the Basilica of Our Lady of Luogosanto, enjoys the privilege of the Holy Door. The mark of the Franciscan order is strongly imprinted in the history of the town. It was they who founded it and it is also said that they found the relics of Saints Nicola and Trano, where today stands one of the most particular places of pilgrimage on the island, the Hermitage of San Trano, which incorporates the cave where it is said they lived the two. Nearby there are fortresses reminiscent of an era made up of judges, nobles, monks and knights: the villa de Sent Steva, the palace of Baldu, the castle of Balaiana and, next to it, the picturesque church of San Leonardo, one of the smallest Romanesque churches of Sardinia. An intimate and cozy temple, almost devoid of furnishings, like the Hermitage of San Trano itself, ideal for moments of meditation and contemplation.

Itinerary

First day dedicated to the discovery of the village, its devotion and its traditions, including food and wine. The walk in the historic center, made up of granite buildings and streets, has the highlights in the visit to the basilica ofOur Lady of Luogosanto and the diocesan museum. The next day we set off from the roadman’s house ‘Sfossato’ on state road 133, amidst the scents and colors of the Mediterranean maquis, in the direction of the peaks overlooking the Bocche di Bonifacio. After visiting a monumental holm oak, you will cross expanses of Vermentino vineyards, then stop for lunch in the country church of Santa Maria della Neve. In the afternoon, we go up through the woods, stopping in a ceramic workshop and in the Nuragic site of Monti Casteddu. At sunset the return to the village, in the square of the basilica, also the starting point of the third stage. Si pedala in e-bike alla scoperta dei principali e scenografici siti religiosi e archeologici di Luogosanto: il castello di Balaiana, la chiesetta romanica di San Leonardo, il palazzo Baldu e la chiesa campestre di Santo Stefano, il monte degli anacoreti e, infine, l’Eremo di San Trano. In the middle of the day, tasting in a famous local cellar.

Itinerary technical data

First day:

walk in the village

Useful Tips:

urban walking shoes and clothing;

Second day:

Distance: Km 16,5

Liv. difficulty: hiking

Elevation gain:

pos. +833m; neg. -975 m

Useful tips: hiking clothing, with several breathable layers, any headgear and Nordic walking poles, light trekking shoes, windbreaker, at least 1 liter of water, fruit/snack.

Third day:

Distance: Km 14

Liv. difficulty: tourist

Elevation gain:

pos. +424m; neg. -334 m

Useful tips:

hiking clothing, with several breathable layers, any hat, light trekking shoes, windbreaker, any bike gloves, sunglasses and personal helmet (or provided by the guide), 1 liter of water, fruit/snack.

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