3 Best Sights in Nuoro, Sardinia

This ethnographic collection is a must for anyone interested in the cultural context of Sardinia's customs and traditions. Among the 8,000 items in the museum's collection, you can view domestic and agricultural implements, splendid jewelry, traditional musical instruments, and dozens of local costumes. Audio guides are available, and guided tours can be booked. The nearby park on Sant'Onofrio Hill affords magnificent views over Nuoro and the surrounding country. Entry to the museum is free on the first Sunday of the month.

About 7 km (4 miles) northeast of Nuoro is Monte Ortobene, a granite peak at 2,900 feet offering lofty views over the gulch below. Here you can also see up close the imposing bronze statue of the Rendentore, or Christ the Redeemer, overlooking the valley. Pilgrimages and Masses take place in summer here. Picnic tables make this a favorite spot for an alfresco lunch throughout the year. The mountain is easily reachable from Nuoro by bus or car via SP45 .

Nuoro is the literary capital of Sardinia and was the home of the island's most celebrated writer, the Nobel Prize–winner Grazia Deledda (1871–1936), who was born and grew up in this dwelling in the old center. The restored building is now a museum dedicated to the novelist, elegantly furnished in the style of the late 19th century and permitting a fascinating insight into how people lived in that period. The kitchen and garden are especially interesting, and letters and photographs relating to Deledda are displayed on the top floor.