- Sardinia
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Italy
It's a little corner of Cuba in Sardinia! I am a local and love Sardinian cooking, but also love trying new cuisines.
This little spot in the old Marina quarter serves authentic and hearty dishes (rice, meat, fish).
Don't miss a real mojito and the fried bananas!
Via Porcile 17 Cagliari, Phone +39-340-9243996. adjacent via Roma (main thoroughfare opposite Cagliari's harbour).
Sardinia is all beautiful from north to south. Where you go depends on what you are looking for, but if you are looking for the unusual and the most authentic side of Sardinia, then you have to aim for its rocky heart.
From the villages of Oliena and Orgosolo with those beautiful and controversial murales (graffiti) to Mamoiada and its mysterious carnival masks; from the spectacular views of the supramonte of Oliena down to the woods of Gavoi, Tonara, Fonni.
And, if you still miss Sardinia’s blue waters among all this green, head for Tortoli and visit its golden beaches, or go all the way up to the Gulf of Orosei stopping every now and then to enjoy its paradise bays.
There is so much you can do and see in this area of Sardinia, trekking, hiking, visiting some incredible archaeological sites such as Tiscali - yes, this was a Sardinian site long before being a Sardinian web company!
Our last excursion included a visit to Orgosolo and an outdoor lunch with the shepherds - delicious! If you like strong cheese, fresh bread and suckling pig that is.
We also took a guided tour of the mountains (Supramonte of Orgosolo) in an off-road vehicle. It was great, the shape of the rocks, the vegetation and the animals that you can view are unbelievable.
We finally allowed ourselves some time to view the Museum of the Masks in Mamoiada and to discover more about the ancient rite of carnival here. Nothing like you can imagine. Forget about the lovely, elegant masks of the Venice carnival. Here it is a totally different story!
Plan your itinerary very well. Roads are not always very good and because of the mountains you might need to drive much longer than what you expected to cover such small distances.
Orosei is a good place to reach both stunning beaches (e.g. Cala Gonone, Cala Liberotto) and the mountains (Oliena, Orgosolo, Mamoiada and Dorgali) for day excursions.
If you are staying for at least a week, it is worth spending a few nights in a agriturismo (farm house) around here.
From Arbatax you can easily reach the beautiful costs of Tortoli, Barisardo, Santa Maria Navarrese, Baunei and head for the mountains around Tonara, Aritzo, Sorgono where, again, you should spend a few nights.
In both cases you should hire a car, although some places can be reached in the summer season with the Trenino Verde, a tourist train.
Last summer, for the first time, we hired a boat and went sailing. As Sardinians living in London we go to the island quite often but we had never hired a boat before.
We started from Cagliari and drove for one and a half hours to Portovesme where we caught a ferry to Carloforte, a small town in the island of San Pietro, 45 minutes from Sardinia. We also boarded our car and the trip was quite comfortable.
On arrival, we unloaded the car and parked it near the harbour, easy peasy! Man, that boat was something.
The morning after the real fun started, we sailed for most of the morning and the views of Carloforte and Sardinia's south-west coast were just there, like a precious frame for a priceless painting, my sea.
We stopped just on a side of Pan di Zucchero, a stunning huge surfacing rock in front of Masua bay, and stayed there swimming and diving and snorkeling.
We stayed two days more, going to hidden bays very early in the morning or during the night, fishing etc. It has been an unforgettable experience and I will definitely do it again and suggest it to the readers.
I've put more details and driving directions in our blog.
www.blog-sardinia.co.uk
It only takes about an hour to drive from Cagliari to another not very well known but beautiful spot of Sardinia: the peninsula of Sinis, located in the Oristano Gulf on the west coast.
I have visited one of the most fascinating archaeological and panoramic sites of Sardinia, Tharros. This was a Punic, Phoenician and then Roman city located on the very tip of the Gulf of Oristano.
Nowadays, it is basically an open air museum surrounded by the sea... spectacular! You can walk around the ancient ruins and then up to the top of the promontory to the Tower of San Giovanni that dominates this site. I recall enjoying the views of the endless sea and the peace of this place from there. Even if you are not a heritage fan, you will love this.
The ticket to the site is cheap, about four euros, and also includes entrance to the museum of Cabras (not far from Tharros), where many of the objects that were discovered in Tharros are displayed.
If you want to mix culture and sunbathing, drive north to the beautiful and famous beach of 'Is Aruttas', this is a must if you are visiting in spring or summer. It is also worth taking a panoramic drive along the coast going north to enjoy the blue views. There are many other things to see and do around here so you might want to book a hotel or a farmhouse and spend some days in this area.
It only takes about an hour to drive from Cagliari to another very well known and beautiful spot of Sardinia: the peninsula of Sinis, located in the Oristano Gulf on the west coast.
I have visited one of the most fascinating archaeological and panoramic sites of Sardinia, Tharros. This was a Punic, Phoenician and then Roman city located on the very tip of the Gulf of Oristano. Nowadays, it is basically an open air
museum surrounded by the sea... spectacular! You can walk around the ancient ruins and then up to the top of the promontory to the Tower of San Giovanni that dominates this site. I recall enjoying the views of the endless sea and the peace of this place from there. Even if you are not a heritage fan, you will love this.
The ticket to the site is cheap, about 4 euro, and also includes entrance to
the museum of Cabras (not far from Tharros), where many of the objects that where discovered in Tharros are displayed.
If you want to mix culture and sunbathing, drive north to the beautiful and famous beach of 'Is Aruttas' - this is a must if you are visiting in spring or summer. It is also worth taking a panoramic drive along the coast going north to enjoy the sea views.
There are many other things to see and do around here so you might want to book an hotel or a farmhouse and spend some days in this area.
More tips about holidays in Sardinia and driving directions for Tharros in
www.blog-sardinia.co.uk
Although Alghero airport is modern, the toilets are just a hole in the floor, two footprints and no handrail, try and go before you get to the airport if you can. Sardinia has great beaches, by the way.
If you fancy a bit of a change of food while in Alghero then Ko De Kap Sushi and vegetarian cafe is fantastic. The modern decor is great, staff really friendly and food delicious.
It's closed Mondays and limited menu on Tuesday lunchtimes. They also do takeaway. We were really pleased to find it - sure this is a top tip for an area where the range of types of food is a bit limited; especially for veggies.
Via Asfodelo 35, Alghero. It's opposite the marina; you can see the sign if you look across the road and on the other side of a large car park.
www.kodekap.it
Seafood dominates the menu. Lobster is the pricey local delicacy, but there are plenty of other affordable seafood delights that are caught locally and arrive fresh at the restaurants every day, the best being red mullet, shell-fish and squid.
Try bottarga (mullet roe), the Sardinian equivalent of caviar that is grated on top of spaghetti and drizzled with olive oil. Spaghetti con vongole (with clams) and alla marinara (with seafood) are also delicious. Culurgiones are pockets of pasta stuffed with pecorino (cheese made from ewe's milk) and ricotta and served in a tomato and mint sauce. Ravioli al sugo di noce (walnut sauce) comes a close second.
No matter how full you are, there is always room for seadas. This Sardinian dessert is the most delectable envelope of deep-fried pastry, stuffed with ricotta or sour cheese and drizzled with a bittersweet honey and burnt citrus peel. If that sounds too rich, try dolci sardi (Sardinian sweets and biscuits) or visit one of the many crowded gelati bars.
Hire a car and drive the 45km coast road south from Alghero to Bosa.
Around every curve in the road there is a sandy cove or rocky inlet, blue-green water, cliffs and mountains.
It's hard to make any sort of progress along the road, as the water is just too inviting and the clifftop photo opportunities too many.
Bosa itself is an unspoilt town, overlooked by most tourists in favour of the nearby marina and beach. A ruined castle perches on top of a hill, from which cobbled streets and quiet squares tumble down to the river, lined with huge palms and elegant mansions.
Take the SP105 from Alghero.
Alghero's locally produced wines are impressive, and won't set you back any more than £10.
Tanca Farra is a velvety red wine from Sella & Mosca, the island's biggest wine producers who also offer a cellar tour and wine-tasting session.
A cheaper red option is La Bombarde, and two crisp, refreshing white wines that go well with seafood are Aragosta and Vermentino, from the island's north.
The best day trip out from Alghero is a boat-ride to the Grotti di Nettuno (Neptune's Caves), hidden at the base of towering cliffs at the Capo Caccia peninsula.
It's a three-hour round trip taking in great views of Alghero, the local vineyards, the bay of Porto Conte and the distant hills.
The tourist office in Alghero has lists of all the boat trips, or just wander along the waterfront
Listed as one of Sardinia's nest beaches, Spiaggia della Pelosa is about an hour's drive from Alghero up to the north-west coast. It's a dreamy crescent of white sand and sparkling emerald water guarded by an ancient stone watchtower. It's very popular in summer though, so be prepared for traffic jams. The nearest town of Stintino is a little port that makes a nice stop for lunch.
on the SP 34 road, past Stintino
Bosa is a beautiful little town just inland on the western coast of Sardinia. Although it is about 5km up river from the sea, it has the atmosphere of a harbour town, as local fishermen bring their boats right into town to moor them on the banks of the river. There are several beautiful beaches nearby which are easily reached on bike, bus or car, and the food is to die for. I'd especially recommend staying at the Agriturismo Bainas which is a short walk out of town. It is a very scenic spot at this organic farm and it is very relaxing sitting out on the veranda watching the friendly farmer weeding amongst the artichokes and aubergines.
For Agriturismo Bainas email Ernesto at agriturbainas@tiscali.it or call 00 338 2090967. They don't speak much English though so brush up on your Italian before you call!
Sardinia is mostly famous for its beaches, but it also offers mountains and forests of stunning beauty. The best way to explore Sardinia's hidden gems is by mountain bike.
Just by looking at the map you will realise how wild Sardinia is: you can cycle for hours or days without meeting anybody. Some of the mountains, although not very high, are very tough, ideal if you want a challenge. In any case, you are never too far from the sea, but you will be very far from crowds, cars, etc.
The weather is ideal for cycling: it is never too cold or wet, although it might be too hot in July and August.
One of my favourite places to cycle is the vast forest around Monte Arcosu, west of Cagliari, where there is a WWF reserve protecting, among others, Sardinian deers.
If you want to organise a trip, you can try Ichnusa Bike (www.ichnusabike.it): they will provide assistance for every aspect of your trip (from bike hiring to accommodation).
It is the oldest part of town and the highest. Its walls nad bastions are mostly still intact. You can start by climbing the stairs of one of the two remaining marble-white watch towers, Torre di San Pancrazio (Saint Pancras' tower). From the top of the tower you have a full view of the old town, which looks like a boat on the sea. After that you can wander in the narrow streets of the town that has changed little since the middle ages. You will find many artesan workshops and scenic views. You can then end your walk in one of its cafes: I recommend Libarium Nostrum, close to the other watch tower, Torre dell'Elefante (Elephant Tower), where you can sip your drink with a stunning view of the sunset on the eastern lagoon from an old fortified bastion overlooking the lagoon, the sea, and the old Stampace neighborhood.
You will see it from every point of the town. Local buses from central Largo Carlo Felice.
If you only visit one of these beaches in the Golfo di Oresei, make is Cala Marioulu. This is hands down, the most spectacular beach I have ever seen. Pristine white rocks that you could eat your lunch off and turquoise seas that you have to see to believe. An unbelievable experience.
This bay in eastern Sardinia has water that has to be seen to be believed. Bright blue, green, turquoise and even purple. Hidden coves are backed by a mountainous, rocky and remote national park, which means the beaches can only be reached by boat. Out of season you can rent a dinghy for a reasonable price and have the place (almost) to yourself. Absolutely stunning.
Boats can be rented from Cala Gonone, which is 120kms south of Olbia. Catch a bus from Olbia to Dorgali and then a bus to Cala Gonone.
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