Nuoro: what to see, where to eat and what to do in the evening

Sardinia is certainly famous for its sea and beaches that lap the coasts, however also the inner part of the island is full of places that deserve to be visited. An ideal place to spend a weekend and Nuoro, the Sardinian capital. This city immersed in the green valley of Monte Ortobene, rich in traditions, art and history , offers various possibilities and those who decide to visit it will not be disappointed. Let’s find out together what to see, where to eat and what to do in the evening in Nuoro .

What to see in Nuoro

1 – Monte Ortobene
Photo by Rosanna C. This granite mountain 955 meters above sea level is one of the symbols of the city of Nuoro. The area, of 1,600 hectares, is full of towers, pinnacles and rocks with bizarre shapes and is crossed by several rivers and streams. On the top of Mount Ortobene is the Statue of the Redeemer , while the most panoramic point is Cuccuru Nigheddu. The area of ​​the Sedda Ortai Park is very beautiful, where the Chiesetta della Solitudine is located, which preserves the ashes of Grazia Deledda.

• How to get there: it is located about 6 km from Nuoro and can be reached by car in 13 minutes by taking Viale Ciusa in the city center. Alternatively, bus number 8 connects the terminus of Viale Manzoni with Monte (about 40 minutes), making several stops – Get directions
• Hours: always accessible
• Ticket cost: free

2 – Ethnographic Museum
This museum, one of the largest of its kind in Sardinia , was built between the fifties and sixties on the Colle di Sant’Onofrio. It is divided into three areas divided into six rooms where it is possible to admire traditional clothes, jewels, musical instruments typical of the period between the nineteenth century and the first fifty years of the twentieth century.

• How to get there: The Ethnographic Museum is located in Via A. Mereu, 56. It can be reached from the center of Nuoro by walking for 20 minutes or by bus 01D getting off at the stop in via Giovanni XXIII, 500 meters from the picture gallery – Get directions
• Hours: from June to September every day (except Monday) from 9:00 to 19:00 – from October to March every day (except Monday) from 10:00 to 17:00
• Ticket price: full € 5.00 – reduced € 3.00

3 – Museo Man
Photo by Aggrucar. One of the most famous attractions of Nuoro is this picture gallery where you can admire over 200 works belonging to contemporary Sardinian art . In the museum there are the testimonies of local artists of the twentieth century and a unique collection of drawings and ceramics by Salvatore Fancello. Every year the Man also sets up 4 temporary exhibitions and organizes numerous didactic workshops on graphics and painting.

• How to get there: ll Man is located in Via Sebastiano Satta 27 and can be reached from the center of Nuoro in 8 minutes on foot – Get directions
• Hours: open every day of the week (including holidays), except Monday, from 10:00 to 19:00
• Cost : full € 5.00 – reduced € 3.00 for children aged 18 to 25. Free admission every first Sunday of the month and for under 18s

4 – Museo Deleddiano
Nuoro, wanted to pay homage to the writer Grazia Deledda, Nobel Prize for literature in 1926 , with a museum dedicated to her. Thanks to the generosity of the writer’s daughter-in-law who donated the woman’s manuscripts, photographs and personal objects , the Deleddiano Museum was opened on March 5, 1983. The current exhibition highlights the tormented bond that the writer had with Nuoro and the personal, literary events following her transfer to Rome.

• How to get there: the museum is located in Via Grazia Deledda, 42 in the Santu Pedru shepherds’ district; and reachable on foot from the center of Nuoro with a 15-minute walk or you can take bus D01 and get off at the Via Tola stop (about 10 minutes) – Get directions
• Hours: from 1 October to 15 March open from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00 (Closed on Mondays). From March 16 to September 30 open from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 20:00 (Closed on Mondays). The Museum is regularly open on the occasion of Christmas, New Year, Easter, Easter Monday and for the holidays of 25 April and 1 May, August 15th and for Sa Die de sa Sardigna.
• Ticket price: full € 3.00 – reduced € 2.00

5 – Church of the Madonna delle Grazie
This church, also famous as the ancient church, is located in the center of Nuoro and dates back to the seventeenth century. The building has a rather simple style with a wide and low facade, a portal decorated with stone reliefs and a beautiful rose window just above the portal. Inside there are frescoes of the eighteenth century inspired by the decorations of the early Christian era.

• How to get there: the church is located in Piazza delle Grazie in the center of Nuoro and can be easily reached on foot – Get directions
• Hours: unfortunately the church is not always open to the public, but it can be visited during mass hours
• Ticket cost: free

6 – Cathedral of Santa Maria della Neve
Photo by ElfQrin. This Cathedral, the main place of worship in Nuoro , was completed in 1853 and spiritually refers to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. The neoclassical building has a beautiful façade with two orders and a double bell tower while the interior consists of a single nave with some side chapels. A 1600 painting depicting the Dead Christ attributed to Alessandro Tirini stands out.

• How to get there: the Duomo is located in Piazza Santa Maria della Neve, in the center of Nuoro and can be reached in 12 minutes on foot – Get directions
• Hours: the Cathedral is open every day from 7:30 to 20:00
• Ticket cost: free

7 – Piazza San Sebastiano Satta
In the historic center of the city is the main square dedicated to the famous Nuorese poet Sebastiano Satta. It has an irregular shape with a granite floor and boulders on which bronze statuettes by the sculptor Costantino Nivola stand out. All around buildings and palaces painted in white give the environment brightness.

• How to get there: Piazza Satta is located between the historic district of Santu Pedru and the nineteenth-century area towards the Gardens and the Cathedral of Santa Maria della Neve, reachable on foot in just 11 minutes – Get directions
• Hours: always accessible
• Ticket cost: free

8 – Museo Ciusa
This museum is dedicated to Francesco Ciusa , a great artist who lived from 1883 to 1949 in Nuoro, considered the initiator of modern Sardinian sculpture .
Most of his marble works are inspired by the pastoral world and Nuorese customs but there are also ceramic works. The Museum is located inside the former Nuoro court, a large recently restored building which in the past was also the site of an ancient convent. Consisting of 6 rooms, it contains about 60 works interspersed with video projections that allow you to understand the art of Ciusa and his world.

• How to get there: the Museum is located in Piazza Santa Maria della Neve 8 and can be reached on foot in about 12 minutes – Get directions
• Hours: 10am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm during the winter – 10am to 8pm during the summer
• Ticket price: full € 3.00 (over 25) – reduced € 2.00 (from 18 to 25 years) – free for under 18 and every first Sunday of the month

9 – Nuraghe Tanca Manca
Photo by wikipedia. In the heart of Nuoro, overlooking the city , is the Tanca Manca nuraghe belonging to the formative period of the nuragic civilization. The single tower structure was built with granite rocks emerging from the ground and roughly worked granite blocks. Inside there are two opposing niches and one of these was carved out of the rock.

• How to get there: to reach the Nuraghe Tanca Manna by car it is necessary to head towards the south of the city in Via Martiri della Liberta (about 2 km from the center, about 6 minutes). Alternatively you can go on foot with a 20-minute walk or by bus 01 which leaves from the center and takes about 15 minutes – Get directions
• Hours: always accessible
• Admission : free

10 – Nuragic Complex of Noddule
Not far from Nuoro is one of the most important archaeological areas in Sardinia unearthed in the 1950s / 60s. Once inside the complex it is possible to admire numerous megalithic circles followed by several nuragic settlements up to 10 meters high. The large huts with a large fireplace and some tombs are also clearly visible. Overall, this site allows visitors to have an overview of Sardinian history ranging from pre-Nuragic megalithism to the Roman age passing through the Nuragic period.

• How to get there: 13 Km from Nuoro and can be reached by car in about 20 minutes following the SS389 towards Orune and Bitti and turning at Km 86 after the junction for Benetutti – Get directions
• Hours: open in winter every day (except Wednesday) from 9:30 to 17:00 while in the other periods it is always open from 9:30 to 19:00
• Cost : the entrance ticket includes a 1 hour guided tour and costs € 5.00 for adults while it is free for children up to 6 years. For groups and children aged 6 to 12, admission is € 3.00

11 – Tiscali Village
Photo by Rafael Brix. In the deep heart of Sardinia, a few kilometers from Nuoro, there is a particular place shrouded in mystery where time seems to have stopped. The village of Tiscali stands on the walls of the sinkhole and is not visible until the inside of the cavity is reached. The site inhabited in the pre-Nuragic age and formed by two agglomerations of circular or oval shaped huts dating back to the 15th and 8th centuries BC

• How to get there: The village can only be reached by car and then continued on foot. Starting from Nuoro you have to follow the signs for Oliena, get to su Golugone and after 8 km of dirt road leave the car, from here you continue on foot facing a trek of 3 hours round trip.
  There are no buses to reach the place but you can ask the Ghivine cooperative that manages the historic site to organize the transfer from Nuoro – Get directions
• Hours: from May to October from 09:00 to 19:00; in the remaining months from 09:00 to 17:00.
• Ticket price: full € 5.00 – reduced € 2.50

12 – Borgo di Lollove
A 10-minute drive from Nuoro is the beautiful village of Lollove, a medieval village that has remained almost deserted . Most of the houses are in ruins and only a few remain intact, but walking through the cobbled alleys and stone houses will take you back in time. According to a legend told by the elders of the town, one or more penitents from the ancient monastery of via Bixio were accused of having had carnal relations with local shepherds. Before leaving the village they hurled a curse against the village: “Lollove you will be like the water of the sea, you will never grow up you will never show (to grow)”. And so more or less it was because what remains of Lollove todayit is a ghost town with no post office, pharmacy or bar and inhabited only by a few elderly people .

• How to get there: Lollove is located 21 km from Nuoro and can be reached by car following the road signs, or by bus. There are two / three daily trips made by bus line 07 which, starting from the terminus in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, connect the capital to the small village. Cost of the ticket € 1,00 valid for 90 minutes from the validation – Get directions
• Hours: always accessible
• Ticket cost: free

13 – Church of San Carlo Borromeo
This 17th century building is located in Santu Pedru, one of the most characteristic districts of the city . The church was built entirely in pink stone, it has a very simple style that incorporates Sardinian traditions. The interior consists of a single nave where a copy of the Opera Madre dell’Ucciso, created by Francesco Ciusa, is kept. The wooden tabernacle and the statues dedicated to the Madonna, San Francesco, Santa Lucia and San Carlo Borromeo are also worthy of consideration.

• How to get there: the church is located in the Santu Pedru district in Piazza Satta and can be reached on foot or with the city bus line 01D – Get directions
• Hours: open every day from 07:00 to 19:00
• Ticket cost: free

Nuoro itinerary in one day
The Sardinian capital, for those who do not have much time available, is suitable for a daily visit . We suggest a pleasant route that will allow you to savor the atmosphere of the places where Grazia Deledda lived and set her novels and some scenic areas of Nuoro. Obviously without forgetting some food and wine stops and a little shopping.

Morning : for your morning in Nuoro we suggest a good and abundant breakfast at Bar Tredicizerouno which is located along the road to reach your first destination, the Tanca Manna nuraghe.. After charging up with a coffee, take your car, follow the signs and in 17 minutes you will reach this complex overlooking the city. The visit does not take more than 30 minutes, therefore, from here, take your car back to Monte Ortobene which is 30 minutes away (16 km). Leave your car in the special parking lots and admire the Cuccuru Nigheddu where the statue of the Redeemer is located and the landscape that opens onto Gennargentu and the Gulf of Orosei. Get back in the car and in 10 minutes you will arrive at the Church of Solitude which preserves the remains of Grazia Deledda. At this point, before stopping for lunch, we suggest you leave your car at the parking lot in Via Vittorio Emanuele so that you can move comfortably on foot in the afternoon. From here go to the nearby Il Rifugio Restaurant for a refreshing break. Allow around 3 hours and 30 to visit both the nuraghe and Monte Ortobene.

Afternoon : After having lunch at Il Rifugio Restaurant and having tasted some delicacies of Sardinian and Nuorese cuisine, dedicate the afternoon to visiting this beautiful city. Immediately reach the nearby Piazza di Santa Maria della Neve , a 3-minute walk from the restaurant, where the beautiful Cathedral of the same name is located. In 5 minutes you will then arrive in the Santu Predu district where theDeleddiano Museum which is definitely worth a visit . Nearby there is also the Salvatore Satta square with beautiful granite sculptures and white and bright buildings. From here we recommend that you reach the Man Museum to learn about Sardinian contemporary art (visiting time about 1 hour). If after the culture you want to do some shopping, take Via Luciano Manara and come out in Corso Garibaldi where there are many artisan shops of Nuoro . You will find small and large wooden objects, handmade carpets, embroidered fabrics and silver jewelry. If you still have some time left, finish the tour of the city with a visit to the sanctuary and the church of theMadonna delle Grazie with the bell tower and the rose window in pink granite which are located 400 meters from the shopping street.

Evening : to end your day in Nuoro, as you will surely be hungry, we recommend that you taste the many typical Sardinian dishes cooked at the Trattoria Ristorante S’Hostera Nugoresa , a place in the heart of Nuoro. And if you want to drink something more, go to Franklin Wine Bar Enoteca for a good glass of cannonau.

One day itinerary at a glance

1. Breakfast at Bar Tredicizerouno – Get directions
2. Nuraghe Tanca Manna – opening hours: always accessible – ticket price: free
3. Monte Ortobene – timetables: consult the official website of the Nuoro ATP
4. Church of Solitude – opening hours: from 7:00 to 19:00 – ticket price: free
5. Lunch at Il Rifugio Restaurant – Get directions
6. Piazza Santa Maria della Neve – opening hours: always accessible – ticket price: free
7. Cathedral – opening hours: every day from 7:30 to 20:00 – ticket price: free
8. Deleddiano Museum – opening hours: from 1 October to 15 March open from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 15.00 to 19.00 (Closed on Mondays). From March 16 to September 30 from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 to 20:00 (Closed on Mondays). The Museum is regularly open on the occasion of Christmas, New Year, Easter, Easter Monday and for the holidays of 25 April and 1 May, August 15th and for Sa Die de sa Sardigna – ticket price: free
9. Piazza Salvatore Setta – opening hours: always accessible – ticket price: free
10. Visit Museo Man – opening hours: every day of the week (including holidays), except Monday, open all day from 10:00 to 19:00 – ticket price: free
11. Church of Our Lady of Grace – opening hours: during mass hours
12. Dinner at S’Hostera Nugoresa restaurant – Get directions

Where to eat in Nuoro

1. Il Portico restaurant : cozy restaurant with local cuisine and fish and meat dishes. Among the specialties tuna tartare, swordfish rolls, lamb sweetbreads with mushrooms, spaghetti with lobster and Sardinian fregola soup.
   Average price per person: € 35.00
   Address and contacts: via Mons. G. Bua, 13 Get directions / tel: (+39) 0784217641
2. Trattoria La Locanda: simple trattoria, but which amazes with tasty traditional dishes, prepared with genuine ingredients.
   Average price per person: € 30.00
   Address and contacts: via Brofferio, 35 Get directions / tel: (+39) 078431032
3. Monti Blu Restaurant : a particular place with a rich menu of meat and fish specialties.
   Average price per person: € 35.00
   Address and contacts: piazza Sebastiano Satta, 8 Get directions / tel: (+39) 0784231443

What to do in the evening: nightlife areas and the best clubs
Nuoro, unlike other Sardinian cities, is not exactly famous for its nightlife. However, for those who want to stay up late or have a drink after dinner in the historic center of Nuoro there are some clubs and pubs ideal for spending the evening. The areas with a greater concentration of breweries and bars and Piazza Satta and the western part of the city accessible by car.

• Trulla Brewery : pub with a list of craft beers to envy and cook until late
  Address: via Antonio Mura Get directions / Facebook page
• America Bar : place suitable for all those who want to sip a good cocktail before or after dinner, also specializing in aperitifs
  Address: viale Europa, 8 Get directions / Facebook page
• Da Franklin Wine Bar Enoteca : an ideal place to sip a glass of wine and taste different Sardinian labels and more.
  Address: Via S. Nicolo, 6 Get directions / Facebook page

Plan your stay in Nuoro: info and useful tips

• How to get there: The airport and the port closest to Nuoro is Olbia, 100 km from the Sardinian capital. From here, by car, take the SS131 and the SS 131 DCN following the signs. As an alternative to the car you can take the bus that connects Olbia to Nuoro and vice versa in 1 hour 45 minutes (tickets from € 6.00 to € 9.00).
• Getting around : The best way to visit the city center is on foot. However, if you want to discover the surroundings, the suggestion is to rent a car that will allow you to reach the places you prefer without having to wait for bus connections. Finally, in case you don’t want to take a car, there are some buses that connect Nuoro with the most touristic places.
• Where to park : the most convenient parking for putting your car in Nuoro and then moving on foot is the one located in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (Get directions). This (unattended) garage has more than 100 underground parking spaces that can be accessed from 08:00 to 15:00 and an outdoor area that is always open. The hourly rate is € 0.60 until 3:00 pm; free parking from 15:00 to 8:00 the next morning.
• Where to sleep: Hotels and b & b from € 50.00 per room – see the offers
• What to see in the surrounding area : If you have the car and time available among the places to visit in the vicinity of Nuoro we suggest the Borgo di Lollove, the village of Tiscali or the Nuragic village of Noddule. With the car you can also reach the beautiful beaches of Orosei (46 km away from Nuoro, about 40 minutes by car), Posada (50 km from the Sardinian capital, 45 minutes by car), the farthest Capo Comino (65 Km from Nuoro, about 1 hour by car) and Cascate di Mularza Noa (46 Km from Nuoro, about 47 minutes by car). Finally, if you do not suffer from seasickness and the season allows it, the suggestion is to organize boat excursions to Cala Goloritze, Cala Sisine and Cala Luna.