Until 1864 it was called simply San Gavino, and the name comes from the small church dedicated to the Sardinian martyr around which, in the Middle Ages, three little villages welded together. The town's modern history, however, was decided in 1932, when a foundry was set up here for the lead and zinc coming down from the Montevecchio mines: it closed in 2009, reopened a few years later and is still working, and the town has a museum devoted precisely to the history of its two foundries. In the fields, meanwhile, saffron is grown: San Gavino is among the largest producers on the island and in Italy, and the November fair is the most important that Sardinia devotes to it. Since about 1990 this has also been the island's second rice district.
The patron saint is Saint Clare of Assisi, celebrated from 9 to 13 August; on the last day, inside the feast, the town holds the giornata dell'Emigrato, dedicated to those who left San Gavino, for whatever reason. Saint Isidore, protector of farmers, is honoured on 15 May with a parade of horses and carts, and the tradition goes back at least to the end of the seventeenth century. At carnival, finally, out come the papier-mâché floats built by the local artists: they are reckoned among the finest in Sardinia, so much so that other towns have begun making theirs the same way.
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📅 Every year, on 12 August, followed on the 13th by the Emigrant's Day
San Gavino Monreale celebrates Saint Clare on 12 August, in the church dedicated to her. The following day, the Emigrant's Day is held, dedicated to the town's people who emigrated for any reason.
Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside San Gavino Monreale, but an easy day trip away.
