Nestled in the verdant nature of the Addolì woods, between Barbagia and Ogliastra, on the border between Seulo and Sadali, is a small masterpiece of nature that is a hole, a cave and resurgence with waterfall and lake. Su Stampu de su Turrunu is a unique hole carved into the Jurassic rock of the Tacchi – characteristic steep sided reliefs – by the erosive action of water that flows into a small cave with a stream, su Longufresu, that then drops 16 metres into a pool and finally flows downwards into the valley below.
A karstic phenomenon of uncommon beauty, a sound of a waterfall set in the verdant green that splashes into the pool below, the silvery glimmer of clear water that enlivens the entire area and makes it one of the loveliest natural monuments in all of Sardinia. The water is the star here. After having dug a sinkhole, it magically reappears in the cave, which has an even and rounded shape, surrounded by verdant green and rock faces covered in moss and climbing plants. It’s a place where you feel all the power of nature, a wonderful sensation that will linger in your heart, one that is hard to forget. Millions of years of this karstic phenomenon have created a dip where a variety of streams and rivers come together to give birth to a myriad of plants, a very real watery landscape.
An easy to follow marked path leads to this landmark, or you can engage the services of a guide. The itinerary in the heart of the Seulo and Sadali area should also include a visit to the nearby enchanted Is Janas, caves that are 350 metres deep and which, legend has it, are home to three fairies. Most of the cave interiors are easy to visit. The tour will end at Sadali, the Kingdom of Water, where a waterfall splashes right in the centre of town, not far from the Church of San Valentino, and then disappears into an underground abyss known as sa bucca manna, or the “big mouth.”