BURSTSardinia is a well-loved rock climbing destination. It has world-class sport climbing, trad climbing, and bouldering on limestone and granite. There are thousands of routes, including multi-pitch climbs.
Most climbers visiting this paradisiacal Mediterranean island arrive in Cagliari, the capital and largest city in Sardinia. If you find yourself in the city, be sure to set aside some time to climb at the gym. It’s true, the thought of climbing at a gym when so much rock awaits sounds absurd, but S’Avanzada is such a unique gym that it is well worth the visit.
At most climbing gyms, you’re lucky if there is a window. But at S’Avanzada, the gym is entirely outdoors. The gym is built into a rock wall of the historic Castello neighbourhood, a city district founded by the Pisans in the 1200s. While route climbing or bouldering, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Cagliari and the Mediterranean Sea. On their sport walls, there are 23 routes from 5.6 to 5.12 drilled directly into the towering walls that connect to the historic Porta S’Avenzada. It’s a bit like Red Bull’s multipitch competition built into the Verzasca Dam in Ticino, Switzerland, only not nearly as tall.
The climbing gym is located in Cagliari’s Public Gardens Park, which housed the Royal Powder Magazine in the early 19th century. Today, the green space houses a MoonBoard, Kilter Board, spray wall, and 40 panels of boulder problems. There is a large training area equipped with bars, weights, a campus board and several hangboards. There is also plenty of comfy seating for you to kick back, socialise, and enjoy the spectacular setting.
S’Avanzada offers rentals if you need shoes, a harness or a rope. They also have basic, advanced and children’s climbing courses – perfect if you’re visiting Sardinia with non-climbing family members or friends who want an introduction to the sport. For prices, hours, and contact information, visit their website here.
So if you find yourself in Cagliari, sightseeing as you recover from jet lag, don’t miss the chance to squeeze in a training session as you experience a historic site in a remarkably unique way.
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