http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20130 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20130 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19136
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!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19136 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17270
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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17270 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17214
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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17214 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17115 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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17115 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16865
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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16865 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16602 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16602 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15898
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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15898 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13708
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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13708 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13707
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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13707 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13706
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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13706 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13705
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.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13705 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13704 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13704 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10818 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10818 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8836
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).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8836 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8834 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8834 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8622 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8622 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7069 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7069