Capoterra, Sardinia: what to see, festivals and where to stay

Capoterra is a town on the Gulf of Angels, south-west of Cagliari, between the Santa Gilla lagoon, the sea and the Sulcis mountains. Its territory is very varied: the old town at the foot of the hills, large green residential areas such as Poggio dei Pini and Su Spantu, the beaches of La Maddalena and, behind, the wild woods of the Capoterra mountains, home to the Sardinian deer. It is also a stage on the way of Sant'Efisio, the great procession that every May carries the saint from Cagliari to Nora.

History

The area was inhabited in the Nuragic age, as remains of nuraghi on the hills show, and in Punic and Roman times it was crossed by the coastal road linking Karales to Nora. In the Middle Ages the village belonged to the Giudicato of Cagliari. After a long period of depopulation, Capoterra was resettled in the 17th century, under Spanish rule, by families from other parts of the island. Until the 20th century it remained a small farming and pastoral village; from the 1960s it grew quickly with the development of the Cagliari area and nearby industrial zones, becoming a town of over twenty thousand people.

The town

The old centre keeps the parish church of Sant'Efisio, dedicated to the martyr saint who according to tradition passed through these lands, and small houses of stone and brick. The area also has the country church of Santa Barbara, in the hills, the focus of a heartfelt festival.

The sea

Capoterra's coast stretches between the Santa Gilla lagoon and the Sarroch area. La Maddalena Spiaggia is the main beach resort, with a long beach of fine sand and shallow water, popular with families from Cagliari. The seafront offers a fine view of the Gulf of Angels and, on clear days, of the Devil's Saddle and the skyline of Cagliari. Next to the beach are ponds and salt pans, home to flamingos and other water birds.

The mountains

Behind the town rise the Capoterra mountains, part of the Sulcis massif, covered in holm oak, strawberry tree and maquis. They are crossed by hiking trails, streams and waterfalls and host one of the most important populations of Sardinian deer. In the area is also the WWF oasis of Monte Arcosu, with its visitor centre, reached from nearby Uta. The village of Poggio dei Pini, set in a pine wood around a small lake, is one of the greenest residential areas around Cagliari.

Sant'Efisio and festivals

Every year on 1 May the statue of Sant'Efisio leaves Cagliari on a long pilgrimage to Nora, where the saint was martyred. The procession crosses the Capoterra area, where locals welcome it, and the return on 4 May is another moment of great participation. Besides this event, Capoterra celebrates the feasts of Santa Barbara, Sant'Efisio and other saints with processions and popular celebrations, and in January the Sant'Antonio bonfires.

Food

Capoterra cooking combines produce of sea, lagoon and mountains: fish, clams and grey mullet, roast meats, game, cheese and mountain honey. Typical sweets include pardulas, amaretti and pabassinas. The wines are those of southern Sardinia, such as Cannonau, Monica and Nuragus.

Getting there

Capoterra is about 20 minutes from Cagliari and Elmas airport, on the SS195 Sulcitana. From here you easily reach Sarroch, Pula with the archaeological site of Nora, the beaches of Chia and the south-west coast, and the towns of Assemini and Uta.