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Featuring a 25.000-acre mountain forest, Sette Fratelli Regional Park is one of the greenest places in Sardinia, and a nature reserve full of evocative surprises and breathtaking views.
It’s basically a green lung in the south-eastern part of the island. This area includes the high peaks and the forest of the Mount Genis range, within nine municipalities: Burcei, Castiadas, Maracalagonis, Quartucciu, Quartu Sant’Elena, San Vito, Sinnai, Villasalto, and Villasimius.

The mountain range actually consists of seven peaks (hence the name “the seven brothers” – “Sette Fratelli”), between 3.280 ft and 3.500 ft (Serpeddì t’s the highest). The park is rich in woods and rare animal species. Strawberry trees, myrtles, heather, juniper, alders and holm oaks are abundant and widely inhabited by wild boars, rabbits, martens, wild cats, golden eagles, peregrine falcons and Sardinian goshawks – birds of prey endemic to Sardinia.

Beautiful rock formations shaped by time, canyons and gorges such as Baccu Anigiulus and that of Rio Picocca, pinnacles, towers and valleys crossed by rivers (Ollastu, Cannas, and Maidopis canyons) are home to many deers and mouflons.
In Campuomu, there’s Dr Umberto Noci’s forest barracks: this facility is a welcome centre for visitors and also features a path leading to Punta Sa Ceraxa. Along that way, there’s the Arch of the Angel, a natural monument of pink granite from which the entire valley of Castiadas, the Colostrai pond and Campidano of Cagliari can be clearly observed.

Inside Sette Fratelli forest, there’s Fra ‘Conti cave, which is definitely worth a visit: as a legend goes, it used to be the refuge of a hermit. Then, there’s “su Stumpu’” e Giumpau”, a rugged granite bastion, and “sa Grutta ‘e sa Pipia”, the “little girl’s cave”.
The forest of Mount Genis, on the other hand, is the perfect place for birdwatching and populated with hawks, barn owls and hoopoes.

There is no shortage of archaeological attractions either: the whole oasis preserves traces of the “nuraghe” (Neolithic settlements), and the ruins of a convent protected by centuries-old cork and holm oaks.

Text and photo source: https://www.sardegnaturismo.it/it/esplora/parco-dei-sette-fratelli

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)