The Sinis

Between the desert and the salt-water lakes

Here you can admire the remains of the most extensive sand dunes in Europe, which existes until the early seventies and are now almost entirely covered with an enormous pine grove stretching down to the sea.

The Sinis peninsula is of international importance because of its remarkable system of marshlands and salt-water lakes, which provide habitats for many types of birds, including the pink flamingo, the heron, the Black-winged Stilt and others.
Levantine shearwater, cormorants, jackdaws and rock-pigeons nest on the white chalk cliffs, while birds of prey, such as kestrels and peregrine falcons circle continuously above the coast in search of prey.

Several species of plants are unique to this area, such as the Viola del Sinis (Shrubby Violet) (Viola Arborescens), Polygala sinisica, different varieties of Limonium (tharrosianum, cornusianum and lausianum), Cat's Head Rockrose (Heliantemum Caput-Felis) and others.
The peninsula is filled with beautiful beaches, Porto Suedda and Is Aruttas are the most famous, thanks to their snow-white sands of quartz grains. The beach of Is Arenas, instead, is famous for its lenght: 6 km.

Many archaeological monuments can be found on the Sinis peninsula. Thanks to its favourable position, it has been inhabited since ancient times. In Sinis there is the greatest concentration of "nuraghi" on the island, coastal towers dating fron the Spanish occupation, the temple of San Salvatore, the remains of the Phoenician-Punic-Roman city of Tharros and "The Giants of Mont'e Prama" in the Museum of Cabras