Capo Marargiu is a promontory on the north-western coast of Sardinia, in the town of Bosa. This stretch of coastline is also well known as Costa dei Grifoni, thanks to the very rare specimens of griffins which nest there.
The coast has a number of different small coves, not always easy to reach, accessible along pathways immersed in the Mediterranean shrub. The coves alternate with cliffs and dark red trachyte reefs, contrasting with the clear and transparent sea.
Porto Managu is one of the most well-known coves. This is an unusual inlet with a very fine, clear sandy beach which, due to coastal storms, often disappears, allowing the stretch of trachyte pebbles below, to emerge. The small, dark trachyte island of the same name emerges from the sea to a height of 30 m a.s.l., at about 40 metres from the coastline.
The coast is also well known for its numerous Caves of Capo Marargiu. Indeed, the reef is full of different caverns, created by the erosion of the sea on pre-existing fractures in the trachyte. Some of them overlook the sea and are accessible by boat, while others open up a few metres back, probably created by the action of sea storms during geological periods in which the sea level was higher.
The area falls within the perimeter of the Sites of Community Importance (SCI) “Hinterland and coastal area between Bosa, Capo Marargiu and Porto Tangone” (ITB020041).
In the SCI, already a Special Conservation Area (ZSC), one of the largest colonies of griffins has made its nest. In addition to these, several other important species have nested here, including the golden eagle, Bonelli’s eagle, the peregrine falcon, Audouin’s gull, the common kingfisher and the royal kite. In the past, in some of the caverns along the coastline, there have been sightings of the Mediterranean monk seal, but there has never been full confirmation of its presence there.
Another well-known place in the area is the Monte Sas Bagassas, an isolated panoramic hill, almost in the centre of the promontory of Capo Marargiu. The unusual name appears to derive from the fact that, in the past, according to popular belief, it was frequented by women with a bad reputation, at the service of shepherds in the area.
The promontory was known in the past by its name Ermaeum akron (Hill of Mercurio) and it is believed that the coves and caverns were used as landing areas and shelters during navigation.
