Tharros, Sardinia: Everything You Need to Know to Visit

Where is Tharros & What to Expect

Tharros is located on Capo San Marco at the southern tip of the Sinis peninsula on Sardinia’s western coast. It is located about 1,5 hours drive north of Cagliari, and 2 hours drive south of Alghero.  

Tharros is an ancient city founded in the 8th century B.C. by the Phoenicians. It was a prosperous port that made it possible for them to trade salt and raw materials like bronze with the Nuraghic civilization that occupied Sardinia.

Tharros was successively occupied by the Carthaginians and then the Romans who destroyed the temple dedicated to a Phoenician deity to build one dedicated to a Roman deity. But the city kept growing until the 11th century when the Saracen raids forced the people to move further inland and to found another city, Oristano.

Today, Tharros is one of Sardinia’s most important archaeological sites due to the variety of its remains attesting to the different periods of Sardinian history and its good conservation state. The ruins, facing the sea, offer an exceptional panorama, especially at sunrise/sunset. 

How to Get to Tharros 

You need to reach the town of San Giovanni di Sinis on the Sinis Peninsula to visit Tharros. 

🚗 By car – the best option 

If you have a car, simply write “Tharros” on your GPS device and you will find it. The archaeological area is served by route SP6 you can reach through SP1 when coming from south Sardinia, or SP7 when coming from the north.  

• From Cagliari – 1h30 drive: drive north through route SS131 to SP70 towards Oristano, then take the SP57, SP93 and SP1 to SP6 
• From Bosa – 1h15 drive: go south following the SP35 to SS292, then take the SP66 and SP7 to SP6
• From Alghero – 2h10: drive south through route SP105 to SP49, then take the SP66 and SP7 to SP6

When arriving at Tharros, you will find a parking lot. You can park there, but be careful not to park in the first spots near the toilets as it is forbidden. The parking fee is 2€/hour (prefer cash).    

🚌 By public transportation 

There is no public transportation going directly to Tharros. The closest you can get with public transport is Oristano, about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from Tharros.

Even though I don’t recommend choosing this option, find below how to do so you know:  

• From Cagliari: a direct train will take you to Oristano (Piazza Ungheria Fs station) in 1h20   
• From Bosa: bus 703 will take you to Oristano in 2 hours for 4,90€
• From Alghero: you will arrive at Oristano in about 3h30 by taking 2 buses (line 9312 to Bosa, then line 703 to Oristano). It will cost about 9,50€.   

In all cases, you will have to take a taxi from Oristano to Tharros for 30min, which will cost about 30€.  

Tharros Tickets & Opening Hours

Tharros archeological site is not the only visit you can do in the area. Indeed, there is also a dedicated museum and a medieval tower (the Torre Spagnola di San Giovanni di Sini), both open to the public, so there are different ticket options: 

• Tharros entry fee: 6,50€/person (3,50€ for minors from 5 to 17 years old) 
• Tharros + Tower combined ticket: 8,50€/person (4,50€ for minors from 5 to 17 years old) 
• Tharros + Museum combined ticket: 10€/person (5€ for minors from 5 to 17 years old) 
• Tharros + Tower + Museum combined ticket: 12€/person (6€ for minors from 5 to 17 years old) 

You can book your tickets online here or directly at the ticket office. 

Tip: I strongly recommend taking the Tharros + Tower ticket because of the incredible view of the site and the Cap San Marco you will have from the top of it. Simply amazing! 

The site is open all year round from Tuesday to Sunday, but opening hours vary according to the season, so make sure to check them: 

• April – May & October: 9 am – 6 pm 
• June – July & September: 9 am – 7 pm 
• August: 9 am – 8 pm 
• Winter months (November to March): 9 am – 5 pm

Last entrance is 45min before the official closing time.

Best Time to Visit Tharros

Visiting Tharros is best visited in spring, fall, and early/late summer. 

🌸 Spring (March to June): temperatures are not under 20°C already, and nature is blooming everywhere. At Tharros, there are lots of wildflowers at this time of the year, which add colors to the white rocks. 

☀️ Summer (June to September): Tharros in summer is very hot, so prefer going in the morning or at the end of the day to avoid the burning summer. In June and September however, the weather is perfect for long walks on the peninsula.     

🍂 Fall (September to December): prefer exploring Tharros in September-October as temperatures are still very pleasant, perfect for hiking. 

Discovering Tharros 

Nesrine and I decided to visit Tharros on the 6th day of our road trip in Sardinia. We were sleeping in Guspini the day before, so it took us about 1 hour to reach the archeological site.

We parked and walked about 10min toward Tharros to get our tickets. We chose to visit both the tower and the archeological site.  We started with the tower as recommended by the ticketing officer, but I recommend doing the reverse to avoid going back and forth. 

After climbing the narrow steps of the medieval tower, we arrived at the top of it where we discovered a breathtaking 360° view of the surroundings. From there, you can admire the Sinis Peninsula to the north, Capo San Marco to the south, and the ruins of Tharros to the east. 

View of Tharros

View of the Sinis Peninsula

View of Capo San Marco

We came back to Tharros to start visiting the ruins. We were very surprised by their condition given their long history, especially the iconic white columns that are still standing. 

After this visit which lasted about an hour, we walked to Capo San Marco, right behind Tharros. You can discover the hike in this post. 

Visit Sardinia

Going to Sardinia? Here are further readings that will help you plan your trip to Sardinia:

👉 Here is the main travel guide: 7 Days Itinerary in Sardinia (with free map)

If you are looking for Sardinia’s best beaches, here are other dedicated guides:

• All the Most Beautiful Beaches in Sardinia
• The Best Beaches on La Maddalena archipelago
• The Best Beaches in Northern Sardinia
• The Best Beaches in Southern Sardinia
• The Best Spots to Snorkeling Sardinia
• The Best Beaches Near Olbia

Also, find below my guides to discovering some of Sardinia’s best attractions: 

• The Best Things to Do in Olbia
• Visit Cala Goloritze in the Gulf of Orosei
• Hike Guide to Cala Napoletana, La Maddalena 
• Discover Masua’s Porto Flavia & Pan di Zucchero
• Visit Laveria Lamarmora
• Hiking Capo San Marco
• Visit Neptune’s Grotto
• Complete Guide to Cala Li Cossi

Finally, if you’re looking for a home base in Sardinia, you will find my best accommodation recommendations below:

• The Best Areas to Stay in Sardinia
• The Best Place to Stay in Sardinia for Couples
• The Best Places for Nightlife in Sardinia

I hope you have found everything you need to visit Sardinia’s Tharros; if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below.

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