An entire village frozen in time: after the 1951 flood, Gairo was abandoned and rebuilt higher up. Its empty houses, clinging to the slope, are among inland Sardinia's most evocative and photographed places.
The story
In October 1951, torrential rains destabilised the hillside: Gairo and neighbouring Osini were evacuated, never to be lived in again. Families rebuilt just above, leaving behind staircases, kitchens and coloured plaster that still resists time.
The visit
Walk the alleys quietly, with respect: wind and views of the Pardu valley pour through the empty windows. Photographers come for golden hour; the curious find details everywhere — a tile, a carved date, a fig tree growing in a living room.
Pair with
Old Osini is next door, with the San Giorgio gorge and the Serbissi nuraghe above: together they make inland Ogliastra's most intense day. Finish at the Jerzu winery, fifteen minutes downhill.