A Guide To Marceddì Fishing Village And Lagoon, Sardinia

There are many wetlands in Sardinia, and they are all interesting places to visit. Marceddì Lagoon is one of Sardinia’s best kept secrets. Easy to visit on day trips from Cagliari, it’s a wonderful place to discover in any season. However, it’s particularly beautiful in the spring months, when everything is in bloom and there’s lots of birdlife to see.

You see, wetlands are very important for the survival of the world’s delicate ecosystem. They replenish groundwater resources. Marsh vegetation helps turn dissolved nutrients into food sources and shelter for wildlife. They are the perfect habitat for many bird species. That’s why they are wonderful spots to go birdwatching.

Wetlands in Sardinia are used as living labs to run tests and research on nature’s resilience and with the aim of protecting biodiversity. Marceddì Lagoon is currently the object of extensive research and testing of nature based solutions to climate change. Needless to say, it’s an extremely interesting place to visit for birdwatchers and beyond.

Thus, if you are looking for an unusual place to visit during your trip to Sardinia, head over to Merceddì Lagoon and explore the lovely (and tiny) fishing village of Marceddì. It’s part of the territory of Terralba, a small town near Oristano.

Continue reading as I will share the history of Marceddì and the best activities in the area, and how to plan your day trip there.

My post The Best Kept Secrets In Sardinia will inspire you to visit many other hidden gems that are away from the crowds.

The History of Marceddì

Not even Sardinians know, but Marceddì has a very long history. It used to be an important commercial and fishing center. Its strategic position close to the estuary of the Tirso river and behind the promontory of Capo Frasca played a crucial role for fishing mullet, seabass and eel.

The favorable position meant that Marceddì caught the interest of various civilizations that ruled over Sardinia.

Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans were definitely here. This is visible in some ruins that are still the object of excavation. You can see some Roman ruins inside the tiny Museo del Mare. However, keep your expectations low as most of them are still covered.

In medieval times, Marceddì became an important fishing center. The small, one-storey houses of Marceddì that you can still see today date from that time. Today, fishing is still the main economic activity of the very few people (no more than a couple of families) that continue living in Marceddì in the winter months.

More people move to Marceddì during the summer months. Most of them are locals. They come here to enjoy the lovely, relaxing atmosphere, the fresh fish, the festivals and traditions.

Now that you know more about the history of Marceddì and its importance, let’s discover its main attractions.

What To See And Do In Marceddì

Birdwatching in Marceddì Lagoon

Marceddì Lagoon is made up of several ponds. To the north, you will see Corru s’Ittiri pond. South of there, you will find San Giovanni, a freshwater pond where the Mannu and Mogoro creeks flow; and the salted Marceddì marsh.

The environment of the lagoon is the ideal habitat for many bird species. Among the various you can see, there are herons, cormorants, king fishers, great crested grebes, ospreys, coots and mallards. You will also be able to see pink flamingos. However, they aren’t nearly as many as in Molentargius Nature Reserve, because Marceddì Lagoon is not a nesting point.

Marceddì Tower

This is probably my favorite spot in Marceddì. Known as Torre Vecchia, the Aragonese Tower of Marceddì was built between 1578 and 1584, much like all the watchtowers along the coast of Sardinia.

The tower had a defensive purpose and it was used to protect the area from Saracen invasions. The towers were built in a way that whoever was inside would be able to see and communicate with the closest towers to their left and to their right. This way, the soldiers were instantly able to communicate to others to let them know of an imminent danger.

A trail that starts at the very end of the village goes along the marsh and leads to the Torre Vecchia. The view of the village along the trail is impressive.

The tower is normally closed to the public. If you want to visit inside you can get in touch with the Associazione Proloco Terralba at +39 0783 84096 or via email at [email protected]. You can try Manuela at +39 347 243 6096. I am not sure she speaks English, so you may be better off sending her a WhatsApp message.

Pineta di Marceddì

Surrounding Marceddì there’s a beautifully kept Mediterranean pine forest. It’s a lovely place for a walk, to relax and even for a picnic (there are benches and table) away from the chaos of the nearby beaches.

There is a loop trail that you can follow from the village. It goes along the lagoon and the forest. It eventually takes you to the Torre Vecchia before heading back to the village.

Wild Orchids Garden

Nobody ever mentions the Wild Orchids Garden of Marceddì, but it’s a lovely spot if you like flowers. Of course, in order to see the wild orchids you have to visit when they are in bloom. Unfortunately I visited in mid-May, past the season, so there weren’t much left.

The garden is easy to find at it’s right within the pine forest. There’s a trail you can follow so you don’t walk on the flowers, and once you exit you can continue to your left to follow the loop trail that goes to the tower.

Marceddì Harbor

One of the unmissable sights of Marceddì is its harbor. You will walk right by it if you explore the village and follow the trail that from the village goes to the tower. Here you can see fishermen on their boats, busy cleaning, fixing the nets or unloading the catch of the day.

When I visited, I spotted several fishermen going out with their fishing rod in search of seabass. I also saw one that looked like he was bending over the water and learned he was likely looking for arselle, which is a kind of clams. They are the ones we use to make our delicious fregola con le arselle.

If you want a more active experience, you can get in touch with Arennera. It’s a small local company that runs traditional fishing boat tours during which you get to catch the fish and eat it right on the boat. Tours depart from Marceddì Harbor. You can email them at [email protected] to enquire about availability.

A walk around the village

The village of Marceddì faces the lagoon and overlooks the promontory of Capo Frasca and the Torre Vecchia. It mostly runs along the lagoon and by the pine forest. It’s organized in a grid and literally consists of four roads that are parallel to the lagoon and a few ones that run perpendicular. It won’t take you long to walk through all of them.

The main attraction is the waterfront. It’s a series of colorful one-storey houses. Here, a dirt road separates the buildings from the harbor. This is also where you’ll find one of the very few restaurants of Marceddì.

Also part of the village is the small Madonna di Bonaria Church. It was built in 1924 and it’s dedicated to the saint patron of the village. This is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of August with a beautiful procession.

Behind the church, there’s the small Museo del Mare. It hosts temporary exhibits and events.

Biking and horse riding

One of the best ways of exploring Marceddì is on a horse or bike riding tour. During one of these tours you can explore the main historical sites in the area. They also visit the marshlands and the fishing village.

Horse riding tours are organized by the ASD dell’Oasi del Relax. They don’t have set departures, but you can get in touch with them (all their contacts are on their Facebook page) to enquire about tours and activities. Make sure to state your expertise on horses as this may affect the itinerary and experience.

Eat seafood

There are literally two restaurants in Marceddì.

I have only tried Da Lucio, which is located on the main waterfront in the village. It’s a fairly plain spot, but service is friendly and food is plain but excellent. Needless to say, the king of the menu here is fish and seafood, which is all locally sourced. Expect to have delicious mussels, freshly grilled mullet, seafood pasta and other staples of local cuisine.

The other restaurant is La Vecchia Scuola, and is located in the pine forest of Merceddì. They also focus on seafood and fish, but also offer pizza and pasta dishes.

Unless you are visiting in the peak tourist season (June to September), I recommend calling in advance before you go to check if they are open.

How To Get To Marceddì

There is no public transportation all the way to Marceddì. Trains and buses would only get you as far as Terralba, but from there you’d have to catch some sort of private transportation and since Terralba is not a tourist destination, you’d have very little chances of finding a taxi.

If you wish to visit, you will need to go there by car. If you haven’t rented one already, I recommend using Discover Cars, a comparison site which allows you to get the best deals on car rental from the best companies.

Should you be traveling from Cagliari, you will have to drive along the SS131 freeway northbound all the way to Terralba. Once there, take SP (Strada Provinciale) 61, then turn onto Via Reggio Emilia and finally to SP49 until you get to Via Is Poigerris in Marceddi. The overall journey takes one hour and 10 minutes.

In case you are coming from Oristano or the Sinis Peninsula, it’s a straightforward 35 minutes drive south, first along SP97, then along SP49 and westbound on SP49.

Legal Disclaimer: I visited Marceddì for the Wetland4Change summit organized by MEDSEA. I wish to thank them for the wonderful day and the interesting experience. Needless to say, the views expressed in this post are my own.

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