Giara di Gesturi, Natural plateau in central Sardinia, Italy.
The Giara di Gesturi is a basalt plateau in central Sardinia with rolling, open terrain shaped by volcanic activity. The landscape features Mediterranean scrub vegetation and natural water pools called paulis that form depressions across the rocks.
The plateau was inhabited in ancient times, as shown by the remains of nuraghe structures from the Bronze Age. These stone towers were built by the Nuragic civilization that flourished on the island thousands of years ago.
Shepherd shelters called pinnettas dot the plateau, showing how herding families lived and worked here for generations. These simple structures reveal the long connection between people and this windswept land.
Several hiking paths cross the plateau with varying difficulty levels for different visitors. Spring is the best season to visit when water fills the paulis and animals are most active across the terrain.
A small population of wild horses with dark coats and flowing manes roams the plateau. These animals have adapted to life on the rocky terrain and are an unexpected sight in this barren landscape.
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