Embark on a breathtaking experience with this ticket and tour of Porto Flavia. Soak up stunning views of the deep blue Masua sea and the surrounding Pan di Zucchero sea stacks as you uncover the secrets of this port which hangs between heaven and earth. Meet your guide and begin a journey back in time at this genuine engineering masterpiece which improved miners' lives and reduced mineral transportation times and costs. To fathom the scope of the revolution this port represents, hear how minerals were once loaded by hand on small sailing vessels (bilancelle) and brought to Carloforte port, from which large vessels distributed them all over the world, but when Porto Flavia was opened in 1924, everything changed.  Learn how minerals were transported by a narrow-gauge railway built inside the sea stacks and then loaded from the coaches into large moo tons silos (a system of conveyor belts, built in a tunnel under the silos) and transported the minerals directly into the holds of ships moored under the cliffs.

Treat yourself to an unforgettable experience in the deep south of Sardinia, discovering the blue sea of Buggerru and the Mines Coast! With an 8 meter rubber-boat you will visit the hidden pearls of the south west coast of the island with the company of an expert skipper who will guide you and tell you about the area.  You will be able to access all the caves and coves that can be visited only by sea, such as Faraglioni, Arco de Baci, Grotta del Forno (Su Forru), Grotta Sardegna and the splendid and unique Pan di Zucchero islet. Much more is waiting for you, with the possibility of practicing snorkeling and bathing in crystal clear waters, for a short but intense tour that will make you fill up with fun and relax! Swim stops are generally 2, of about 10 minutes each; one near Cala Domestica and one near Pan di Zucchero.  However, the itinerary may be modified according to sea or wind conditions and the skipper's decisions.

Accompagnati dalle guide del Consorzio turistico per l'iglesiente, in questo nuovo e avventuroso tour alla scoperta di "Iglesias Medioevale" Questo tour ha la durata di 1h30’ che ti porterà lungo il percorso interno alle cinta murarie, alla Torre Guelfa e al Castello Salvaterra con il “Museo di Storia e tortura medioevale”

The area surrounding Iglesias was already inhabited in Prehistory. It appears that in Roman times many people from outside Sardinia would regularly visit the island, especially because of its silver mines. Some official sources mention Metalla, the lost city, which was perhaps situated at the border between Iglesias and Fluminimaggiore. During the Middle Ages, under Pisa’s domination, Villae Ecclesiae grew to be one of the largest, most important, and most populated towns. That was when Iglesias flourished thanks to the strong boost in the extraction of lead and silver. Later, during the Spanish domination, the mining activity developed further, and Iglesias took on its current appearance. The tour of the old town and the visits to the museums will allow you to grasp the history of the town in full.

La grandiosa miniera metallifera di piombo, argento e zinco ha rappresentato a lungo uno dei più importanti impianti produttivi dell'Italia ed è a tutt'oggi fra i più caratteristici insediamenti minerari della Sardegna. Si è sviluppata per aggregazioni successive, saturando le aree disposte a livelli diversi del pendio, secondo la consueta logica dell'utilizzazione progressiva dei filoni più idonei. Gli impianti più antichi sono i due pozzi principali (Vittorio Emanuele II, 1869, e Quintino Sella, 1874), che nonostante la destinazione industriale mostrano un'architettura di derivazione classica con timpani, paraste e cornici. Gli edifici che hanno via via soffocato questi pozzi sono un'interessante traccia del progresso tecnologico e produttivo della miniera. Nell'insediamento abitativo spicca il palazzo Bellavista, sede della direzione, costruito nel 1865-66 dall'ingegnere Adolfo Pellegrini, direttore della miniera. In posizione preminente e un tempo isolata, ha una pianta a U, con un alto zoccolo per le finestre del piano terra e una serie di paraste, che inquadrano le aperture del piano nobile, con un richiamo evidente a modelli aulici di gusto classico. Sul retro un giardino terrazzato ad emiciclo, abbellito da essenze esotiche come le palme, permette una magnifica vista della vallata sottostante. Il verde avvolge anche le abitazioni per dirigenti e impiegati, isolate più a monte, mentre secondo principi gerarchici ricorrenti in tutte le miniere, verso la strada statale proveniente da Iglesias, a valle sono disposte le case operaie su file parallele a schiera. Ad una quota intermedia, il piazzale d'ingresso fornisce anche il volto pubblico della società mineraria, con il busto di Carlo Baudi di Vesme (1877) e gli edifici di servizio: oltre il vecchio ospedale, la chiesa, l'asilo, la scuola, tutti rispondenti a criteri di semplicità e di razionalità, costruiti tra le due guerre mondiali. Il più singolare è la chiesa, inaugurata nel 1945, semplice e geometrica d'impianto, che in realtà nasce dalla trasformazione della casa del fascio (1936) con la soppressione di alcune parti e l'aggiunta di un campanile e di un timpano geometrico. (fonte Sardegnacultura.it)

La città di Iglesias si trova nella parte sud ovest della Sardegna. Dal suo nome deriva Iglesiente, il territorio protagonista dell’epopea mineraria sarda, di cui è centro principale, popolato da 27 mila abitanti, nonché sede vescovile, erede dell’antica diocesi di Sulcis. Iglesias in spagnolo significa ‘chiese’. Non a caso: in un luogo dal passato glorioso, specie durante il dominio catalano-aragonese (quando era città regia), spicca la celebrazione dei riti della Settimana Santa in forme e colori di tradizione spagnola. Le processioni dei Misteri del martedì e del venerdì santi sono le espressioni più suggestive. Le processioni dei Misteri del martedì e del venerdì santi sono le espressioni più suggestive. Fra le chiese, meritano una visita la cattedrale di Santa Chiara (XIII secolo), la Madonna delle Grazie, la chiesa del Collegio, ‘tempio’ dei Gesuiti, e San Francesco, una delle architetture gotico-catalane più intatte e significative della Sardegna, che custodisce un retablo del 1560.

In the outskirts of Iglesias You'll find the impressive complex of Monteponi mine and Villamarina gallery, (State Road No.126). The original plan has left a few industrial buildings of historical and architectural interest. Galleria Villamarina (at 174 m a.s.l.) was dedicated to the vice-king of Sardinia and has got two entrances. It connects the two main shafts of Monteponi mine: Pozzo Vittorio Emanuele (1863), used to transfer miners and minerals, and Pozzo Sella (1874), once hosting large dewatering pumps.

Discover the dramatic coastline of an important former mining district, on this guided walking tour. Pass three idyllic coves at Masua beach, known for crystal clear waters and impressive rock formations. Visit Porto Flavia and explore the tunnels connecting the mines to the sea. Meet your guide by Masua beach and start your walk along the coastline. Admire old piers and mining buildings, built into the beaches’ steep rock faces. As you walk, learn about the history of mining in the Iglesias region from your guide. Continue along the coast to Porto Flavia, an impressive mining port built into the cliffs, so that ore could be loaded directly onto ships. Take a tour of the tunnels, which connect the mines to the sea, and gaze out at the uninterrupted views over the water from the balcony.

By visiting “Giorgio Asproni” Mining Institute you'll have access to two museums. In the ground floor there is the museum that houses some scale model reproductions, newspaper articles about life in the mines and an important collection of vintage pictures. The museum also contains various types of machinery for the different phases of excavation, drilling and transport, as well as a reconstruction of a mechanical workshop and modern machinery. In the first floor there is the mining museums. It has two rooms with about 3000 items, constituting one of the most complete and valuable collections in the sector. The first room has samples from all over the world, including some striking original samples from the Paris basin. The display cases are also fascinating, with grotesque and arabesque carvings and herms, fully embodying the aesthetic of functionality combined with Liberty elegance.

In the wild territory of Iglesias, in south-west Sardinia, you can venture on a suggestive quad bike excursion! Our patient local guide will accompany you on a fun route, through dirt roads, immersed in the Mediterranean maquis, aboard comfortable Quad suitable for beginners. You can get up close to stories and anecdotes of the area and get to the top of Monte San Giovanni, from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of the south-western coast, between crystal clear sea and the famous and imposing cliff of Sugar Loaf. An unmissable tour to experience Sardinia from another point of view. - The route starts on a short asphalt stretch on the outskirts of Iglesias, which will lead to the mining area - Then you leave the dirt road to follow paths surrounded by the Mediterranean, which will lead to a disused mining pit. - Scheduled stop of about 15 minutes with brief description of the site - Route to the summit of Monte San Giovanni with a view of the southwest coast. Scheduled second stop of about 15 minutes  - Challenging trail where you will see mining ruins - Arrival in the town of Iglesias with short passage in the historic center  - Reentry