The Valle della Luna – Sardinia's natural sculpture park
To the west of Capo Testa, not far from the northernmost point and about four kilometres from the town of Santa Teresa Gallura, lies one of Sardinia's most unusual and picturesque coastal landscapes: the Valle della Luna (Valley of the Moon). It is characterised by imposing rock formations that have been shaped into bizarre forms by the elements over thousands of years.
Valle della Luna – the name says it all.
During the day, the golden hue of the granite rock forms a magnificent contrast to the turquoise blue, crystal-clear sea and the green of the macchia vegetation, including strawberry trees, myrtles and heather. However, Valle della Luna exudes a special, almost mystical charm in the moonlight, when the rock formations seem to come to life and the granite glitters in the pale glow of the Earth's satellite.
From 1968 onwards, the valley's special atmosphere attracted many dropouts and bohemians, which is why it soon became known throughout Europe as the ‘Valley of the Hippies’, who often settled in the numerous rock caves for long periods of time. Nowadays, wild camping is prohibited in the Valle della Luna, but this ban is often ignored, especially in the summer months, and so even today you can still feel something of the spirit of the hippie era here. Secret raves sometimes still take place here on summer nights.
Recommended for hikers visiting Sardinia
Sturdy footwear is recommended for hikes through the Valle della Luna, as the terrain is difficult in places and cannot be tackled in flip-flops. If you want to find a secluded spot for swimming, especially during the high season, you will need to venture off the beaten track and be prepared to do some climbing.
Incidentally, the granite rock at Capo Testa has not only been shaped by nature, but has also been very popular with builders for many centuries. In the north of Rena di Levante Bay, east of Valle della Luna, there has been a quarry since Roman times. Here you can still see the weathered remains of columns and hewn stone blocks. Some granite columns from this quarry are said to be in the Pantheon in Rome, and granite from Capo Testa was also used in Pisa Cathedral, where columns made of this material form the four colonnades on the west façade.
The Valle della Luna is geologically fascinating!
This landscape is also geologically fascinating: Sardinia is much older than the Italian mainland in geological terms. Together with its neighbour Corsica, it was once part of the European supercontinent. The birth of the landmass to which the two islands originally belonged lies unimaginably far back in time: half a billion years! One of the oldest rocks is granite, which forms a huge rock mass that now serves as the foundation for the islands and is exposed in north-western Sardinia. Whether this contributes to the magical aura of this landscape remains to be seen. One thing is certain, however: the Valle della Luna is a very special place that inspires and captivates Sardinian explorers of all ages.
With a Sardinian ‘Adiosu’, I bid you farewell for today.
Yours, Joachim Wassmann