The turn off from the SS125 is easy to miss. It’s a small dirt road turning right with a sign pointing to Tomba di Gigante.

Within a few minutes you’re immersed in Macchia Mediterranea, goats bells jingle in the background and a border of wild lavender scents your journey. As you keep going up, the views down to the coast and beach of Poetto wow you at every bend. The vegetation changes as you progress, eucalyptus trees give way to pine, then cork. Stop at any opportunity to gaze at views, pick herbs, flowers and listen to the breeze. In spring we’ve seen locals forage for truffle and mushrooms in the secret hidden spots of the macchia shrub.

We continue along the winding road until the Tomba di Gigante where we park the car next to a fence and unload our picnic gear. It’s only a few steps through some bushes and you’re there. A magnificent puzzling ancient site.

The giants ‘tomb of Is Concias, called “Sa Domu’ e s’Orku”, can be dated to the Middle Bronze Age – Recent Bronze Age. It has a rectangular body slightly tapered towards the bottom and a large semicircular arcade. The masonry is built with rows of jutting stones; the floor is made up of the flattened natural rocky surface. In the area in front of the entrance a granite betylus (sacred stone) was found at the time of the excavation; today, this is found straightened, to the right side of the entrance.

Small paths lead off the tomb to clearings which make idyllic picnic spots surrounded by shrubs and cork trees. There are circular stones set up for building a fire. Curious, un-shy butterflies, birds and lizards flit through the bushes, eager for a taste of any titbits from our barbecue and salad lunch.

Back in the car with full bellies, we follow the road up to the mountain plateau. The steep windy road becomes a narrow single lane, enough space for a small car and only if you’re careful to avoid scratches from thorny hedgerow. Glad it’s not tourist season and oncoming traffic is non-existent. The marshland plateau is a lovely spot for a walk or hike and it’s here that we come across a herd of wild horses with a very young foal.

From the crossroads here you can keep exploring by car, taking one of the roads that lead across the mountain range back down to the coast. There a few Nuraghe here too. We head NW, back down to the SS 125 via a road that gives views of the valley, takes you through old cork forests and then past isolated houses. Take it slow, animals can appear at any time. We came across a pair of very friendly donkeys and a deer on our drive!