Discover the enchanting island of Sant’Antioco, the largest among the islands surrounding Sardinia, stretching 18 km in length and reaching a maximum width of 8 km. It ranks as the fourth largest island in Italy after Sicily, Sardinia itself, and Elba.
Sant’Antioco stands as the vibrant heart of the island, nestled on the slopes of Castle Hill. This location inherits from Sùlcis, an ancient Phoenician settlement dating back to the 8th century BC, showcasing traces of a Nuragic village and a nuraghe near the seventeenth-century fortress.
Under Carthaginian rule, Sant’Antioco flourished due to the rich mining resources in the Sulcis-Iglesiente region. In 258 BC, a historic naval battle between the Punics and Romans took place near Sulcis, resulting in victory for the Romans.
During the Roman Empire, Sant’Antioco was granted “municipium” status. It later became a diocese seat in 484 AD, enduring through Byzantine times despite Saracen raids. However, from the early Middle Ages until the eighteenth century, it was abandoned due to constant enemy threats.
- Explore Piazza Italia, where you’ll find the historical Roman fountain named “Is solus,” originally built as a drainage system for a marshy area and still operational today;
- Visit Via Eleonora d’Arborea to admire the remains of a stone funerary mausoleum dating back to the republican era, adorned with Punic decorative details and a burial chamber embellished with Egyptian motifs known as “sa tribuna” or “sa presonedda.”
