Posada

Posada is one of the main towns in the Regional Natural Park of the Tepilora Oasis, a splendid UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where lagoons, springs, sand dunes, forests and lakes such as the Maccheronis lake alternate: This nature reserve contains treasures of inestimable value such as the San Giovanni Pond, frequented by the graceful Pink Flamingo and the Black-winged Stilt, the Nuraghe of San Pietro and ancient burials from the pre-Nuragic era that demonstrate the presence of humans in the area since ancient times, at least 6000 years ago.

Historical notes
Posada is one of the oldest municipalities in Sardinia: originally it was the Phoenician Feronia, whose name refers to an ancient Etruscan divinity, then it was conquered by Rome, with which the Portus Liquidonis (on whose remains the seaside hamlet of San Giovanni di Posada developed) became more important. From Posada's most ancient period there remains a statuette depicting Hercules Nemeus dating back to the 5th-4th centuries BC, now kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Cagliari) and other finds discovered around the castle and on the banks of the Rio Posada.
Posada was in fact the last town to become part of the Kingdom of Italy, following the annexation of the Kingdom of Sardinia to the rest of the country, strongly desired by the Savoys: it cannot be said that the citizens of Posada initially liked this unification, because by virtue of the Aragonese domination lasting more than 4 centuries, they wanted to be more Spanish than Italian. The origin of the name of the village itself derives from a Catalan term meaning post station, the village being on the road between the present-day cities of Cagliari and Olbia.

The picturesque historic centre of Posada
The historical centre of Posada is a small jewel where narrow arches, flowery alleyways, stairways such as the one in Via Amsicora and picturesque open spaces such as the central Piazza dei Poeti (Poets' Square) alternate. Its name refers to the habit of poets and minstrels of the mid-20th century to challenge each other with verses and sonnets. Today the square is the scene of one of Posada's most evocative events, the Easter si' Incontru between the Madonna and the Risen Jesus. The townspeople of Posada also love the patronal festival dedicated to Sant'Antonio Abate, which takes place, between the sacred and the profane, with processions, bonfires and tastings of typical products: there is in fact no better occasion to taste two of the local specialities, the aranzada (made with orange peel, almonds and honey) and the cogoneddos biscuits. In this regard, the Church of Sant'Antonio Abate is one of the must-see sights in Posada: the religious building is right up there in history because of the peace signed in January 1388 between Giovanni d'Aragona and Eleonora d'Arborea.

The legendary Castello della Fava
The giudicessa Eleonora d'Arborea herself was one of the tenants of the Casteddu de Sa Fae, the Castello della Fava, dating back to the 12th century and built on top of a hill: wanted by the judges of Gallura, it was conquered by the Aragonese when they landed on the island in 1324 and then passed into the hands of the judges of Arborea in the 14th century. All that remains of the ancient castle are a few boundary walls and a crenellated quadrangular tower: from here the view sweeps over the entire valley of the Posada river and the Tepilara Park.
The curious name of the castle is linked to an ancient legend: it is said that around 1300 a Saracen army (which actually raged on the Sardinian coast in the 14th century) was besieging the village of Posada, adopting the strategy of exhausting the inhabitants who would surrender when they ran out of food. The townspeople then devised a plan: they fed some broad beans to a pigeon and, when it took flight, they wounded it so that it would crash into the attackers. When the Saracens saw the bird, they discovered food in its stomach. They assumed that Posada would be able to hold out for much longer and decided to abandon any plans to conquer it.

The most beautiful beaches of Posada
You cannot visit Posada without enjoying its beautiful beaches, starting with Su Tiriarzu, which has been awarded several times by Legambiente and Touring Club: more than 5 km long, the sandy shore is lapped by crystal-clear waters with very shallow waters, while behind it lie soft sandy dunes and the two ponds of Tondi and Longu.
Su Tiriarzu is set between Sos Palones and Orvile Beach, which is also made up of white sand and is famous for the wonderful sunsets it offers at sunset: this is surrounded by a natural area where marshy areas alternate with a fragrant pine forest.
The Iscraios beach is also beautiful, bordered behind by the Longu pond and a destination for snorkelling enthusiasts, while the San Giovanni beach extends as far as the Longu pond: except off the Aragonese tower of San Giovanni, the seabed is mainly sandy, while the pine forest protects the beach from the constant erosion of the winds. However, San Giovanni beach is a favourite destination for water sports enthusiasts such as surfing and windsurfing.