Atobius Festival 2026: Sharing Culture and Traditions in Dolianova

Some experiences stay with us long after the final goodbye: in memories, conversations and the skills we discover together. Atobius Festival 2026 – Incontri di Culture, meaning “Encounters Between Cultures”, has come to a close after bringing people together in Dolianova, Sardinia, through local food, crafts and shared experiences.

Visits, tastings and practical workshops introduced participants to local traditions through the people who keep them alive. Watching a craftsperson at work, listening to their stories and trying a technique firsthand offered different ways to explore the area’s culture and connect with one another.

Discovering Dolianova Through Local Flavours

Food experiences were an opportunity to explore the relationship between local products, their makers and the surrounding landscape.

Tastings brought participants together around tables of cheese, bread and grapes, encouraging conversation and curiosity. Sharing food also meant taking time to appreciate the work behind it.

A visit to the COPAR olive mill in Dolianova offered a closer look at olive processing. Participants followed a route that included the grading machine, where olives are sorted, the collection bins, the oil itself and the tasting room.

The visit combined direct observation with a video explaining production, helping participants connect the finished product with the different stages of its preparation.

Hands-On Workshops at B&B Ollu e Stentu

On Saturday 17 October 2026, B&B Ollu e Stentu in Dolianova hosted the festival’s closing gathering. Among the olive trees, workshop tables became meeting places where craftspeople shared their skills, tools and time with curious participants.

Questions, first attempts and plenty of smiles accompanied the afternoon’s activities. Local traditions took shape through the hands of both experienced makers and those learning something new.

Ceramics Workshop

The ceramics workshop invited participants to explore shapes and decoration through clay. With guidance, they worked the material and developed their own creations.

Each stage offered an insight into the care, patience and skill involved in making a handcrafted object.

Traditional Sardinian Cooking Workshop

The cooking workshop focused on two traditional specialities: malloreddus, Sardinian pasta, and gateau, an almond brittle.

Preparing dough, shaping pasta and following each step together gave participants a practical introduction to local food traditions. Demonstrations were accompanied by questions, conversation and the pleasure of learning side by side.

Cooking became a way to exchange knowledge and experiences, as well as an opportunity to discover new flavours.

Loom Weaving Workshop

Colourful yarn, small looms and gradually emerging patterns filled the weaving tables.

Participants learned to guide threads through the loom and build their woven pieces with support from the instructor. The activity required patience and concentration, rewarded by the satisfaction of seeing something take shape in their own hands.

Scannus, Scateddus and Pallineddas Workshops

The scannus, scateddus and pallineddas workshops introduced participants to traditional weaving and basketry techniques, using different materials and forms.

From woven chair seats to baskets and smaller handmade pieces, participants watched craftspeople at work and tried some of the techniques themselves. Individual guidance helped make unfamiliar processes approachable while revealing the precision they require.

Sharing these skills creates opportunities for more people to understand, appreciate and help sustain local craft traditions.

Celebrating with Gruppo Folk Città di Dolianova

Music and dancing from Gruppo Folk Città di Dolianova brought everyone together for the final part of the celebration.

Traditional dress, dance steps and the audience’s enthusiasm filled the outdoor spaces at B&B Ollu e Stentu. People who had initially watched from the sidelines joined in, following the steps and taking their place alongside the dancers.

The circle of people holding hands captured the spirit of the occasion: meeting others through a shared experience. Dancing, smiles and farewells continued into the evening light.

A Festival Made Possible by Many People

Atobius Festival – Incontri di Culture was shaped by everyone who contributed: those who organised activities, welcomed visitors, shared their knowledge and took part with curiosity.

Our thanks go to the craftspeople and workshop leaders, the businesses and venues that hosted visits and tastings, B&B Ollu e Stentu, Gruppo Folk Città di Dolianova and everyone who helped bring the programme to life.

Above all, thank you to everyone who participated. Every question, first attempt at the loom, shared tasting and dance step helped make this edition memorable.