Fodor's Expert Review Sant'Efisio

The simple 11th-century church at the base of the Nora promontory is key to one of the island's most colorful annual events. Don't be put off by the inappropriate modern frontage added to the building in 2021—the interior retains its ancient character. A four-day procession during the Festa di Sant'Efisio accompanies a statue of the martyred St. Efisius all the way from Cagliari to here and back again. The event culminates in a huge parade of costumed Sardinians and decorated traccas (ox-drawn carriages) along Cagliari's main avenue. Try to catch this if you're in southern Sardinia from May 1 to May 4.