One of the largest nuraghic sites in Sardinia, the Nuraghe Santu Antine sits 4km south of Torralba. The complex is focused on a central tower, which now stands at 17.5m but which originally rose to a height of 25m. Around this, walls link three bastions to enclose a triangular compound. The oldest parts of the nuraghe date to around 1600 BC, but much of it was built over successive centuries.
You enter the compound from the southern side and can walk through the three towers, connected by rough parabolic archways. The entrance to the main tower is separate. Inside, four openings lead into the chamber from an internal hall. Stairs lead up from the hall to the next floor, where a similar but smaller pattern is reproduced. Apart from tiny vents there is no light, and the presence of the dark stone is overwhelming. You ascend another set of steps to reach the floor of what was the final, third chamber, now open to the elements.
Back in Torralba, the Museo della Valle dei Nuraghi has a scale model of the nuraghe and a modest collection of finds from the site. It was closed for renovation at the time of research.
On weekdays there are up to nine buses from Sassari to Torralba (€3.50, 1½ hours), from where it's a 4km walk to the Nuraghe.
