Villagrande Station – Arzana (B-540)

The trail network in the Monte Armidda and Monte Idolo area runs along the edge of what is called the ‘amphitheatre’ of Ogliastra, offering a wide-ranging view of the coastal plain from Santa Maria Navarrese to Cardedu. 

The trail network reaches the towns of Arzana and Lanusei at the railway station, allowing you to combine hiking with travelling on the historic railway. Alternatively, you can board the train at the railway station at Villagrande Strisaili. If continuing on foot, you can choose between the Monte Idolo trail and the Monte Armidda trail. On this latter trail you can also visit the Calliumi Astronomical Observatory along the way. 

Another area of great interest is the Seleni forest, a magnificent holm oak wood much loved by the people of Lanusei and visitors. The area’s plant life includes holm oak forests that developed naturally, found at Seleni and Abbafrida along Trail C104, as well as reforested pine woods planted in the 1950s and 1970s, which have today developed into true forests with trees up to 40 m tall. Particularly striking are the stone pine woods of Monte Idolo (Arzana) and Sarcerei (Gairo) and the radiata pine woods of siccaderba and su pradu (Arzana), where the tallest trees are found. From the paths in these areas, you can easily move on to other areas of the network by using the connecting trails near the summit of Monte Idolo, near the Santa Barbara area of Villagrande, and at Genna ’e Contu, near the Villagrande train station, to head towards Gennargentu, Perda Liana and Montarbu.

Cell phone service is only available in some parts of the routes. The main services are the tourist accommodation facilities in the villages in the Seleni area and the local hiking guides that can make your trip more enjoyable and safer. 

In the winter season, beware of possible snowfall and very windy days.