Famed for its pristine beaches and dramatic granite cliffs, the Italian island of Sardinia has long been a playground for jet-setters. Beyond the mega yachts and the glitz of the Costa Smeralda resort, however, much of the Mediterranean’s second-largest island remains a rugged, untouched wilderness ripe for exploration.

Now, a group of hikers and former miners aims to attract adventure-seekers to Sardinia’s little-visited southwest coast by offering free lodging along the island’s breathtaking 500km Santa Barbara Mining Route.

Named after the patron saint of miners, this 30-stage route winds through towering sand dunes, lush forests, craggy outcrops, and nearly 150 abandoned mines. It also provides travelers with ample opportunities to engage with local Sardinians and savor the island’s renowned cuisine.
“Before my trip, I knew nothing about the history of that part of Sardinia,” said Giorgio Pedulla, a 26-year-old data analyst from Milan who spent five days hiking the trail in March. “This hike truly immerses you in the culture and the lives of the people there.”

Pedulla was benefiting from the trail’s new “Leg’s Go In Cammino” initiative, which began in October 2023. This program offers visitors under the age of 35 up to three consecutive nights of free accommodation. When hikers register, they receive vouchers that can be used at local inns, campsites, and bed and breakfasts. After the free stays, the standard rates are €20 per night at posadas (small family-style inns) and €28 per night at private accommodations.

“We aimed to lower the average age of our visitors from retirees to those in their 20s and 30s. It’s crucial for us to educate people about the history of this trail,” said Margherita Concu, the association’s 30-year-old secretary and a hiker who has traversed all 500km of the route. “We want people to learn about this community, a place even some Sardinians are unfamiliar with.”

The area’s stunning beauty and affordable accommodations have been a strong draw. In 2023, 1,199 hikers embarked on the trail. So far this year, 1,521 have set out, trekking along mule tracks dating back to 800 BCE, stone bridges built by the ancient Romans, and 19th-century rail lines. Since the trail opened in 2017, 196 hikers have completed the entire route, often taking a month to do so. Those who finish receive more than just bragging rights; they are awarded a trophy made by a local artisan, depicting a ceramic tower with three windows – the symbol of Santa Barbara.

Beyond the stunning scenery, hiking the trail offers the chance to savor Sardinia’s renowned cuisine made from hyperlocal ingredients. Travelers can enjoy bluefin tuna pasta in the village of Carloforte, the island’s famous sweet onions in San Giovanni Suergiu, spiny artichokes in Masainas, chickpeas in Musei, and the celebrated cherries and oranges of Villacidro. Along the route, visitors also immerse themselves in the area’s ancient history, encountering sites that reflect the island’s complex heritage and its historical vulnerability to conquering forces.

South-western Sardinia has been inhabited since 6000 BCE, with evidence of mining and metal trading dating back to the Bronze Age Nuragic period and lead and silver ore excavations starting in the second millennium BCE. When the Romans took over the island in 138 BCE, they introduced advanced mining techniques and established mining cities, forcing slaves and prisoners to work there. After the fall of the Roman Empire, these mines were largely abandoned.

In true Italian style, the trail traces a history shaped by aristocrats, strikes, and protests. In the 12th century, Pisan Count Ugolino della Gherardesca developed the silver mines in Iglesias, the starting point of the trail. A century later, when the Aragonese conquered the island, they closed the mines and sent the miners to Catalonia. In the late 19th century, as Italy was becoming a nation, the mines regained importance, with Sardinia supplying almost all of the new country’s lead and zinc. Many of the mines remained productive through both World Wars but began to decline in the 1960s and ceased operating in the 1990s.

To honor the heritage of the mines and miners, activists proposed creating the Historical and Environmental Geomining Park of Sardinia. In 2001, Italy’s Minister of the Environment signed a law recognizing the park, allocating government funding, and creating 500 jobs for former miners and those who maintained the facilities. Some of these individuals now give tours, sharing their stories with hikers throughout the 3,770 sq km park in Sardinia’s southwest Sulcis Iglesiente region, where the Santa Barbara Mining Route is located.