Nuoro is the most populous city in Barbagia, rich in tradition and culture, home to museums and art centres immersed in fascinating and perfectly preserved historic districts.

Nuoro is known as the Athens of Sardinia. Artists and writers born here, such as Salvatore and Sebastiano Satta, Francesco Ciusa and Grazia Deledda, have become famous throughout Europe.

A stroll in the historic centre is a pleasant and relaxing experience, during which you can be transported back in time by walking through the narrow ancient cobbled streets, or admiring the ancient stone houses, courtyards, porticoes and small squares.

Among the historic districts, we should mention Séuna, once home to peasants and artisans, and Santa Pedra, which hosted shepherds and landowners. The aforementioned Grazia Deledda, who was born in Nuor and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926, also has her museum here. The house is a tribute to the memory of this artist who opened the borders of Sardinia to the world. Her remains are buried in the small church of Solitudine at the foot of Ortobene, the town's mountain that she defined as the soul of our natural park, which is definitely worth a visit.

Corso Garibaldi, once Via Majore, has always been the social centre of the city, with its shops and timeless cafés. Treat yourself to a coffee at one of the outdoor tables, then wander the narrow streets and enjoy a meal at one of the many characteristic restaurants or trattorias.

The ancient Church delle Grazie and the majestic Cathedral of Santa Maria della Neve are a few steps away. Next to it is the panoramic Belvedere, from where you can reach the Tribu, the cultural centre, and the Ciusa Museum, home to the fascinating sculptures of Francesco Ciusa, who won first prize at the Venice Biennale (in 1907).

Also a short walk away is the Nuoro (Man) Art Museum, which hosts temporary international and permanent local exhibitions of works by 20th-century Sardinian artists. There is also the Museum of Sardinian Life and Folk Traditions, which gives you a taste of material and immaterial culture through examples of clothing, jewellery, masks, textiles, instruments and references to traditional singing, religion and festivals.

If you want to see traditional costumes live, don't miss the Sagra del Redentore festival, held on the last Sunday of August with a parade of folk groups from all over Sardinia. During this celebration, the faithful make a pilgrimage from the town to Mount Ortobene, where the statue of Christ the Saviour (Cristo Redentore) stands at an altitude of around 1,000 metres.

The Sedda Ortai Park around the mountain covers an area of about 1 600 hectares and here you can find the remains of settlements or the burial site of the Domus de Janas, which dates back to prehistoric times. At the top you will be rewarded with an endless amount of beautiful scenery. Granite cliffs of unusual shapes tower over the valley and are home to a variety of mammals and rare birds of prey.