And here’s another example of what I truly enjoy about living in Sardinia and the variety of it’s landscape: take Argentiera for instance halfway between Alghero and Stintino (both well – known tourist destinations) on the northwest coast of the island. There you will find something unexpectedly gloomy and definitely creepy as you lay your eyes on the rests of the abandoned mining structures that still endure time and weather conditions. Story tells that after hundreds of years of production the mines closed eventually in 1963.
All of a sudden buildings, blocks, shafts, temporary shelters were all left behind leaving a sort of a hollow void that gives you the feeling that something made everybody leave at the same time. As a result you’ve got this very particular place in front of you seemingly long forgotten by everyone. A place that seems to be a setting of a Sergio Leone western movie after everyone has gone for their lunch break. And – as you may expect it – many ghost sightings have been reported all over the place too. My idea in fact remains the same: anyone who wants to make a creepy movie should seriously consider this place as setting. Argentiera is a place that seems to have very little in common with the rest of the island. Obscure pointy rocks confine the shores and the sand itself reveals its dark shades. As a matter of fact people from Iceland that I know found the view quite familiar.
And now let’s go underground
The mines of Argentiera have been inactive for almost 60 years now but that doesn’t mean you can’t get into these artificial caves. Although there are no signs or warnings the cave system is rather unpredictable and without knowing the place well I didn’t dare to go far from the entrance. Well, you can call me a wimp but Blair Witch Project is still a lively memory in my mind!
Wandering among the ruins of the town in winter it’s kind of difficult to recall memories of the summer festival that took place on the nearby beach and in the main square just a couple of months ago. No kidding: good thing about these festivals of literature, music, artisans ect. is that they pop up like mushrooms in places where you’d never expect them. Like the one in a place called Rebeccu (number of inhabitants: 0) that used to host a tiny film festival in the summer and all of sudden it would get ‘flash – mobbed’ by people who wanted to spend some quality time in central Sardinia. Thing is when it’s over everything goes back to normal …
And when I say normal I mean still …
However the little town of Argentiera is right in the middle of a spectacular path that sets out in Stintino and leads you directly to the area of Alghero or even further down to the south! If you feel like taking a walk on the coastline check out the posts (part 1, part 2)
