On January 6, 2023 “Pasca di Natali in Carrera” in Gallura
The most heartfelt event in Calangianus, a municipality in Gallura, in the province of Sassari (which will soon be suppressed in favor of the province of North-East Sardinia being established), is “Pasca di Natali in Carrera“, dialectal form of Holy Christmas on the street, now in its eleventh edition.
In the historic centre, in the area of the Ex Convento (in the cover photo), on 6 January, starting at 11:30, the large living crib, animated by various figures in traditional clothes, is surrounded by the artisan shops of the ancient crafts with related handicrafts; traditional songs and dances and refreshment points with typical dishes complete the picture of the event organized by the cultural-tourist association “Contiamoci” and sponsored by the Municipality of Calangianus.
The association let us know that “whoever comes will enjoy an atmosphere of other times, ancient flavors and traditions, places of profound historical and cultural value and a wonderful welcome”.
Event program
- At 11:00 there is the departure of the Three Wise Men on horseback in search of the Child Jesus from Piazza Santa Giusta towards the Crib area, with expected arrival at the manger at 15:30.
- From 11:30 in the Cloister of the Ex Convent the dancers of the New Dance Gallura dance school stage the Court of King Herod.
- From 2.30 pm there is the traveling musical show “Canti a Ghitterra” by Vincenzo Murino.
- At 15:30 the traveling exhibition of the Loiri Choir begins.
- At 17:30 the Befana arrives with lots of sweet surprises for the children.
- From 20:00 the musical show “Lu Baddatoggju” with the accordion of Gianfranco Salis.
The menus of the refreshment points
During the event you can taste various typical dishes in the various refreshment points located along the route. Here are the menus:
- La Graiglia: polenta, tripe and sandwiches with sausage.
- Li Fidali: meatballs, fried potatoes and stewed beans.
- Lu Carrasciali: Gallura soup and stuffed coconuts buns.
- Lu Cuili: roasted donkey meat and dried fruit.
- Paranza and Contiamoci: gnocchi, fried donuts and seada (sweet made with semolina, cheese, honey).
How to get to Calangianus from the Peninsula
To get to Calangianus from the Italian peninsula you can take one of the ferries to Olbia departing from Livorno or Civitavecchia. It is not difficult to reach Calangianus, which is about 40 kilometers from Olbia, via the 127 Northern Sardinian state road, by car or by bus, once you have landed in the Olbia port of Isola Bianca.
The departures of the Livorno – Olbia ferry runs are multi-day even in January and are carried out both in the morning and in the evening. The duration of the crossing, which covers 165 nautical miles, is 8 hours and 30 minutes or 9 hours. The cheapest deck passage, or the reclining seat, as well as the cabin can be booked. The quality of the furnishings and on-board services makes the carriers operating on the route comparable to cruise ships. By clicking on the proposed link, you can find out departure and arrival times, prices and other useful information, before proceeding, if necessary, with online booking.
The departures of the Civitavecchia – Olbia ferry rides, in January, are exclusively in the evening. The night crossing is completed in 8 hours, 125 nautical miles are covered. Both deck seats and reclining armchairs and cabins are available, the latter two types of accommodation on board are advisable since the journey takes place at night and deck passage can be uncomfortable. The arrival and departure times, prices and further data can be viewed at the link of the route, which allow you to have an overview and possibly continue with the online ticket purchase.
The territory of Calangianus
Calangianus is located on the slopes of Mount Limbara, 518 meters above sea level, where, in prehistoric times, there was no shortage of human settlements; there are in fact eleven nuraghes and two giants’ tombs in the area. The local archaeological finds also date back to the Roman era. In 1300 the name of Villa Calanjanus appears for the first time, belonging to the curatorship of Gemini Josso del Giudicato di Gallura. The town was included in the X Division of Sassari during the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Located on a granite plateau, in the center of the Limbara regional park, between hills and streams, vineyards and cork oaks, Calangianus is the Italian capital of cork, both economic and cultural, as well as an important place for the production of Vermentino di Gallura wine. The Convent of the Capuchin Friars, from the eighteenth century, suppressed, is currently the seat of the Cork Museum; in the cells on the ground floor there are the ancient machinery for processing cork, while on the upper floor there is the multimedia section and a room for conferences and educational workshops. And it is precisely in the area of the former convent that the scheduled events take place.
In the historic centre, made up of the districts of Lu Rizzatu, La Rampa, Luccareddha and La Carrera Longa, there are ancient granite buildings, historic palaces such as Palazzo Corda (built in the late 19th century by the homonymous forerunner of the cork industry, it is currently a municipal library) and Lu Palazzu Mannu (17th century) and the 16th century religious complex of Santa Giusta; next to the parish church, in the oratory of Our Lady of the Rosary, there is the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art, where the treasure donated by Father Bonaventura is kept. Even the streets in the center are granite. The whole center is listed as a cultural asset, being a perfect and valuable example of Gallura architecture. Corso Niccolò Ferracciu, called Carrera Longa (long street) is the main road, with granite slab paving.
