The people looking to add a little culture to their holiday in the sun will not be disappointed as Sardinia with the many archaeological remains scattered all over the territory sprouts history from every pore. Not far from Oristano, Tharros is the most important archaeological urban site in Sardinia, which was brought to light after over a century of searches that are still in progress. The built-up area had developed during the Phoenician and Punic age over a nuragic village, the ruins of which have been recently discovered on the hill of Su Muru Mannu. The Phoenician tophet, the sanctuary used for the sacrificial rituals of animals and maybe even newborn babies was positioned on the same hill (which can be climbed through the cardo maximus of roman age, which is still perfectly paved). However the major development of the urban area dated back to the roman epoch; the religious and public monuments such as thermal baths, temples and the aqueduct also belong to the same age. Amongst the better preserved monuments the castellum aquae (which was the city's main water tank), the “monumental temple”, the “old cloister” thermal baths and another thermal bath by which an early Christian complex was built at a later time. A necropolis is situated South of the archaeological area, towards the headland’s extreme edge.
To get there from Oristano go to Cabras and take the road to San Giovanni di Sinis, the archaeological site is at the end of the road, beyond the village.