My favorite attractions are those that don’t have a red rope to keep you away from the exhibits, ones that let you completely immerse yourself in the past (as good museums should!). If you visit this next stunning place, you’ll not only see 5000-plus-year-old underground rock tombs, but will be able to enter and explore them from the inside.

The houses of fairies

There are hundreds of small tombs around the Italian island of Sardinia, which the locals believed to be houses of fairies (domus de janas in Sardinian). They simply couldn’t think of any other explanation for the peculiar formations they found all over the island. One of the most impressive places to admire these structures is the Necropolis of Anghelu Ruju, with 38 rock-hewn tombs that look like small houses, featuring windows, doors and rooms linked together with tunnels.

Anghelu Ruju near Alghero by © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

Why it’s worth visiting Anghelu Ruju

The most amazing thing about these rock tombs is that they weren’t carved with metal instruments but with other pieces of rock. The people of that time (from the local Ozieri cultures) found a type of rock that was harder than the one they had to excavate and, considering the limited tools they had to work with, performed an amazing feat of artistry. In some of the tombs you’ll see engraved images of bulls with horns – a symbol of the male god in Ozieri cultures. Examine the walls for traces of ocher – the color of rebirth – to make sure this is not your last life on earth.

Some of the tombs are linked to each other with windows, while others are accessible by staircases leading underground. The entrances are sometimes narrow, but it’s not impossible to squeeze in. Once you’re inside, you’ll feel like a prehistoric man or a fairy in your own magical domain.

Anghelu Ruju near Alghero by © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

A brief history of Anghelu Ruju

While building a house in 1903, workers came across a human skull and an ancient vessel. Further excavations revealed 38 underground tombs – with both mass and single graves. The prehistoric Ozieri culture, whose people created these tombs, was dominant in Sardinia between 3200-2700 BC.

Add some local wine to the trip!

Less than a mile (1.6 km) down the road there is a winery – Vigneti Sella & Mosca – where you can taste and buy wine made from local varietals, including Vermentino, Torbato, Cannonau, Carignano and Monica. It’s best to book your tasting session in advance.

Anghelu Ruju near Alghero by © Maria Angelova/www.203challenges.com

How to get to Anghelu Ruju

The easiest way to visit Anghelu Ruju is by car, as there’s no public transportation to get you there. The historic site is located 6 miles (10 km) from Alghero and 2.5 miles (4 km) from the local airport. An entrance ticket costs 3.50 euros. Opening hours: from 1 November to 31 March: 10 am – 2 pm. From 1 May to 30 September: 9 am – 7 pm. April and October: 9 am – 6 pm.

Other large domus de janas include Montessu, near Villaperuccio, and Sant’Andrea Priu in Bonorva.

The post Anghelu Ruju: visit a fairy house in Sardinia appeared first on 203Challenges.

Reina Sofia Museum

The museum is housed in a six-story building, which was formerly the Old Madrid General Hospital. Nowadays, the building is home to one of the finest collections of 20th-century art in the world. The museum is divided into three collections and includes masterpieces by Picasso and Dali.

• Guernica by Pablo Picasso. Guernica is undoubtedly Picasso’s most famous work, and one of the most moving anti-war art pieces in the world. Created in 1937, it reflects the tragic consequences of war and the toll it takes on civilians. The painting depicts the Nazi bombing over the Basque village of Guernica, as requested by the Spanish Nationalists. It was not just an aesthetic statement; this painting brought international attention to the horrors of the Spanish Civil War.

Guernica by Picasso, 1937 / Wikipedia

• The Great Masturbator by Salvador Dali. This is one of Dali’s most famous works from his surrealist period. The centrally placed head is a kind of self-portrait of Dali and is shaped like the rocks of Cape Creus, where he lived at the time. The nude female figure resembles Gala, who was Dali’s muse during this period. One possible interpretation connects the painting with Dali’s conflicted sexuality and his surreal attempts to express those feelings.

The Great Masturbator by Salvador Dali, 1929 – Richard Mortel/flickr

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

The Thyssen-Bornemisza’s collection was once the second biggest private collection in the world. Now it is often seen as a supplement to the other two museums in the ‘triangle’. Nevertheless, it covers some styles and epochs that the others miss, and houses some world-renowned paintings that are well worth checking out:

• View of Vessenots, Auvers by Vincent van Gogh. Bright colors depict a few cottages and some swaying trees on the horizon in this iconic landscape. The painting – and more specifically the disturbed brushstrokes – is typical of van Gogh’s last period; he painted a lot of landscapes in this manner in the weeks before his death.

View of Vessenots, Auvers by Vincent van Gogh, 1890/ Wikipedia

• The Grand Canal from San Vio, Venice by Giovanni Antonio Canal. Better known as Canaletto, Canal was one of the most famous Venetian painters in the 18th century. His accuracy in depicting the city’s landscapes was appreciated by art lovers and important figures of his era.

The Grand Canal from San Vio, Venice by Giovanni Antonio Canal, 1723/ Wikipedia

Read more about Spain

Pin it so you don’t get lost in the ‘Triangle of Art’:

The post Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art: the highlights (part two) appeared first on 203Challenges.

You don’t need a time machine to go back to the Stone Age and feel like the Flintstones. All you have to do is set off to the village of Chavdar  and the St Petka hill (Sveta Petka) above it to end up among small Neolithic houses made of mud, poles and straw, and to see how primitive people lived 7,000 years ago.

Topolnitsa Archaeological Park

When archaeologists were digging up an orchard by the River Topolnitsa, not far from Chavdar, they accidentally found a mound from the Neolithic period (a prehistoric time when people still didn’t use metal). The excavations reveal how our forefathers lived in this period. The Topolnitsa archaeological park above the village gives us a peek at five Neolithic houses.

In the museum, you will learn what life was like in the Neolithic period. Bring some wheat to grind as the primitive people did, with a device called a chromel (a mill made of two stones).

One of the houses available to spend the night for as little as 6$ per night per person

Everything is simple inside, the bed is right under the roof.

>>> Read more: How to practice aylyak in Bulgaria and be happy

Other things to do at St Petka hill

• light a candle in the beautiful temple on the top of the hill and enjoy a panoramic view of Chavdar from above (it’s especially beautiful at sunset)
• bake food in the furnace for free or grab a bite at the summer house
• have something in the restaurant if you don’t feel like cooking
• visit the children’s corner with a sensory garden, two climbing walls and a rope garden

Taking a walk in the village of Chavdar is also a must – it is one of the most beautiful in Bulgaria.

The chapel St Petka

The contemporary village of Chavdar, Bulgaria

Read more: 7 strange places to spend the night (real stories)

Useful information:

Chavdar is 70 km from Sofia and 120 km from Plovdiv. The archaeological park is open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. You have to pay BGN 2 (a little more than 1$) to get inside, and a family ticket will cost you BGN 3 (2$). You can stay for the night in three of the houses, which can accommodate 4 people per house (BGN 10/6$ per person, you need to book in advance). The beds are wooden, right under the roof, with soft hay laid on them. The conditions are primitive, but the bed sheets are clean and the experience is unforgettable. Contact details: +359 7189/ 2448.

All photos: © Maria Angelova/ 203challenges.com

>>> Discover more fun travel challenges in Bulgaria!

The post Sleep in a neolithic house in Chavdar, Bulgaria appeared first on 203Challenges.