Nuragic Village of Tiscali: the place that hides its history

Where it is located and why it is unique

Tiscali is located in the heart of the Supramonte, between the territories of Dorgali and Oliena. The village is hidden inside a large karst doline, a kind of natural basin formed by the collapse of the roof of a cave.

From the outside, nothing can be seen.

Only once inside does one discover that, where the mountain seems to close in, it actually opens up.

This position is not accidental. Tiscali is a village built to escape the gaze, probably as a refuge during a period of instability and conflict. It is a settlement that speaks of defense, adaptation and resistance.

The village: stone, silence and survival

Inside the doline, the remains of numerous Nuragic huts are preserved, built with local stone and without any monumental elements. There are no imposing nuraghi, nor celebratory structures. Everything is essential.

The dwellings are low, leaning against the rock, as if they wanted to blend into the environment. Every wall, every passage seems designed to last without leaving unnecessary traces.

Here, daily life is not perceived in the domestic sense of the term, but rather as a form of protected existence, almost suspended. Tiscali does not tell how people lived, but why they lived hidden.

The route to reach Tiscali

Reaching Tiscali is part of the experience.

The site can be reached only on foot, via a hiking trail that starts from the Lanaitto Valley or from the Dorgali side.

The route crosses holm oak forests, rocky plateaus and karst sections typical of the Supramonte. The best way to tackle the trail is with a tourist guide, with family members or within an already organized group, because this is not an urban walk. It requires time, attention and respect for the place. Precisely for this reason, when you arrive, the feeling is not one of conquest, but of temporary access to something that does not belong to you.

The simplest way to organize the excursion is to rely on the operator of the Nuragic Village of Tiscali, the Ghivine cooperative, which will take visitors by off-road vehicle to the foot of the mountain and then, accompanied by an experienced tourist guide, proceed with the exploration of the archaeological area, avoiding any kind of complication.

When to visit and how to prepare

The best time to visit Tiscali is spring or autumn, when temperatures are mild and the trail is easier. In summer, heat and the lack of shade in some sections make the hike more demanding. It is strongly recommended to wear hiking shoes, bring sufficient water and rely on a local guide, especially if you are not familiar with the area.

Tiscali cannot be “seen quickly”. It is a place that requires slowness and must be respected even in the way it is crossed.

Why Tiscali is not just another attraction

The Nuragic Village of Tiscali does not offer spectacular views in the classic sense, nor museum facilities. It does not provide immediate explanations. It does not simplify.

It is a place that does not entertain, but questions.

Here, the past is left incomplete, fragmented, just like the questions it raises. If you visit Tiscali, you do not return with a list of facts, but with a precise feeling: that of having seen a different way of inhabiting the world. And this place will certainly make you want to continue discovering the Gulf of Orosei, which hosts other places of great interest such as the Nuragic Village of Mannu, the Ispinigoli Cave or the Bue Marino Cave.

Tiscali is not for everyone.

And it does not want to be.

It is a place for those who accept walking, not understanding everything immediately and listening to the silence of stone. A place that does not offer itself, but grants itself for a limited time.

And when you leave, you do not feel as though you have truly visited it. Rather, you have the impression that Tiscali has observed you, letting you go only when it decided that it was enough.