Aggius is a town in the Gallura inland with very ancient origins. The original inhabitants were independent and rebellious characters who used to settle disputes with their own methods, rejecting codes and laws imposed by the rulers, as well as taxes and conscription. In the 19th century, a bloody feud between two local families conditioned the life of the town and inspired the Sassari writer Enrico Costa to write his novel ‘Il Muto di Gallura”, which formed the basis of a 2021film directed by Matteo Fresi. In Aggius there are some truly unique museums, such as the famous Banditry Museum which, while not wishing to glorify the figure of the outlaw, offers visitors an overview of documents, photos, films, objects and testimonies from three centuries of banditry.
The Oliva Carta Cannas Ethnographic Museum presents all the richness of Gallura’s history, traditions and popular culture from 1600 to today, with period furnishings and everyday objects set within a large evocative structure combining green spaces and granite. Inside the museum there is a weaving room where the ancient rugs of Aggius are kept, and where even today, visitors can watch in amazement as colourful new carpets are created under the skilled hands of the weavers. The wools and yarns are coloured with dyes obtained from herbs from the surrounding landscape.
There are other inland villages which enrich the archaeological landscape of Gallura, the picture-perfect town of Santa Teresa di Gallura and ancient local capitals such as Tempio Pausania, or even the town of Castelsardo, considered among the most beautiful in Italy with its medieval fortress perched on the Anglona promontory.
