Is Perdas: Sardinia Guarded by Stone
- Jul 14
- 3 min read
Photo credit: © Mauro Prevete
In inland Sardinia, where the island speaks through earth, sky and a sense of deep time, the story of Is Perdas begins. In the village of Gergei, among the landscapes of Sarcidano, this retreat is shaped by family memory, archaeological traces and materials that have belonged to the island for centuries. Its name means “the stones” in Sardinian, and that word lives on here in its walls, paths and rural architecture.
For Claudio and Simone Ollanu, the two brothers behind Is Perdas, everything returns to a childhood spent in Fund’e Caronas, on the Giara di Serri plateau. That place remained their family anchor, tied to the land, to silence and to a feeling of belonging. That shared origin later gave rise to the idea of a place where family history could become part of hospitality itself, part of an encounter with inland Sardinia.
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Sarcidano lies in inland Sardinia, among villages, plateaus and traces of Nuragic culture. Nearby are Santa Vittoria di Serri and Su Nuraxi in Barumini, two important archaeological sites connected to that era. Is Perdas also develops its relationship with heritage through the Nuraghe Project, an open laboratory dedicated to stonework, ancient crafts and experimental archaeology. Around the retreat are fields, old roads, small settlements and landscapes shaped by the slower life of Sardinia’s interior.
The rooms at Is Perdas carry the names of old crafts and figures of local life, from the artist, the weaver and the blacksmith to the winegrower and the shepherd. Within them, local life appears through materials, objects and details that preserve the trace of hands, work and everyday life.
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In the kitchen, that same spirit carries on through seasonal produce and dishes rooted in local tradition. On the table are sheep’s and goat’s milk cheeses, grilled meat, naturally leavened bread made with Cappelli wheat, handmade pasta and olive oil with a strong, distinctive character. The wine cellar, opened in 2023, is dedicated to Sardinian grape varieties and to a wine culture with deep historical roots on the island.
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The experiences around the retreat draw on local knowledge and the surrounding landscape. In the kitchen, guests learn how to prepare traditional Sardinian pasta; archaeological sites are brought closer through 3D visualisations; and the roads of Sarcidano can be explored by bicycle. Yoga, hot stone massage and agricamping add another layer to the stay, focused on the body, the landscape and the open air.
In the spa, this relationship with the land extends into water, Mediterranean botanicals, and calm, through the salt cave, hammam, sauna, whirlpool, and treatments. The Fitomediterranea and OWAY lines used in the treatments are built on natural formulas and a sustainable approach to care.
In the evening, the gaze rises above the land. The sky over Is Perdas has earned the retreat the recognition “The most beautiful skies in Italy – Gold rank” and membership in the Astronomical Tourism Network. As the landscape settles into stillness, the eye reaches toward the stars and the Milky Way, and Sardinia gains its celestial dimension.
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Is Perdas speaks of return and of responsibility toward an inherited place. Claudio and Simone Ollanu have shaped a retreat where family memory, archaeology, craft, food, wellness and nature meet within the same space. What remains in the end is the land around the house, the evening sky above Sarcidano and a Sardinia that reveals itself here from within.
Images courtesy of Is Perdas. Photo credit: © Mauro Prevete
