10 Remarkable Reasons to Visit Sardinia, Italy

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Jennifer Avventura is a Canadian freelance writer living the dream in Sardinia, Italy. Here she shares a wonderful guest post with us, her top 10 reasons to visit Sardinia. 

1. Family Friendly
From the warm blue sea to kids clubs and water-parks you can find everything here to suit your family needs. Sardinia is a family destination that is enjoyed all year round. Families from Europe, Canada, Australia and Africa visit Sardinia each year for her beauty and family friendly activities like camping and an agriturismo stay. Numerous hotels, villas and apartments offer special room deals for large families. Most hotels offer babysitting services for a fee.
(More information on holidaying with the family in Sardinia)

2. Luxury at its Finest
Costa Smeralda or The Emerald Coast is Sardinia’s most exquisite 55 km of coastline in Europe. Exclusive golf clubs, stylish bars and nightclubs, helicopter and private jet service, stunning white sandy beaches, affluent visitors: celebrities, sport heroes, business leaders and politicians.  Shopping, eating and relaxing are at your fingertips in Costa Smeralda.

3. Rural Farm Stay

Looking to unwind from the hectic city life but the beach is not your thing? Why not head into the rugged Sardinian mountains and stay at an agriturismo. An agriturismo is a farm restaurant which often offers lodging. Their menus are strictly local Sardinian foods which are grown and raised on the farm. I prefer to eat at an agriturismo over a restaurant when dining out. The food is fresher, more flavourful and locally produced. Be sure to try the local digestive: mirto.

4. Relax at the Spa
Do you need to unwind after a busy year in the office? Do you want to surprise your spouse with a relaxing vacation in Sardinia? In the northwestern part of the island lies the Hotel Marinedda Thalasso & Spa.

You don’t need to be a guest at this resort to enjoy the soothing benefits of the spa treatments. The spa is complete with a half in-door sea water pool with hydro massage, cardio gym, Turkish bath and saunas, scrubs, rubs and wraps. Thai massage, face massage, hot stone massage, reflexology, treatments for two, mani’s, pedi’s and so much more!

5. Festivals
Every month there are festivals held throughout Sardinia. The summer months being the busiest time of year, full of spectacular events.

Some festivals worth checking out: Cavalcata Sarda held every May in Sassari, Sardinian Reggae Festival held annually the last weekend in July, Festa della Birra held throughout various communes in Sardinia during the week of ferragosto (August 14-20), San Costantino held the first weekend in July is a ritual horse race through the town, the most popular being in Sedilo (most communes have moved the race throughout town to sporting stadiums or large cordoned off areas in the mountains, due to danger).

6. Sports
From windsurfing to horseback riding Sardinia is your athletic gem in the Mediterranean. Whether you play or prefer to watch, Sardinia is well equipped for that jock in you. Rock climbing, yachting in Costa Smeralda, surfing at La Marinedda, hiking in the rugged mountains, swimming in the clear blue sea, golf for the master, fishing for your evening dinner and popular dive centers all around the island cater to the athletic you.

7. Sardinia connects directly with many major hubs all over Europe
To the north Olbia and Alghero airports, in the south we have Cagliari airport. Ryanair, AirOne, Easyjet, Jet2, Alitalia, and Meridiana are just a few of the airlines that connect Sardinia to the rest of the world. If you don’t like to fly then Sardinia offers ferry service from many ports in Italy, Corsica and Northern Africa.

8. Culture & History
Sardinia is filled with a beautiful mysterious culture. There are over 2000 ancient Nuraghi (stone huts) still standing, an ode to the strength of the Sardinian people. There still lies ancient villages which practice age-old customs, Nora being said to be the finest in ancient culture, even today. For more information on the history of Sardinia please click here: Tharros.info Sardinia. This site has a wealth of fantastic information on Sardinia, her culture and her history.

9. Food & Wine
They say … Italian food is the best in the world. But have you tried Sardinian food? The national dish of Sardinia is the suckling pig and when cooked right, it turned this sorta-kinda vegetarian into a meat-eater. Slow cooked by camp fire or oven spit, with myrtle to incense the meat, this dish is a must try while in Sardinia.

Local cheeses are pungent and sweet, out of this world. The best being local pecorino and ricotta. Sella & Mosca in Alghero is Europe’s largest vineyard and produces the best of Sardinian wine. Cannonau is a deep, ruby-red wine with strong personalities and is symbolic to the Sardinian reds. May I suggest a glass of Medeus 2000? Let’s not forget the Seadas!

10. The Beach
With over 1800km of unspoilt pristine coastline, Sardinia will leave you breathless. Whether you like to sit on the warm sand and exfoliate, or swim in the azure sea, Sardinia is the place to be. La Pelosa Beach in the north is one of the most popular beaches in Sardinia. It’s a small natural oasis and a breathtaking paradise.

Tinnari lies a few kilometers from Isola Rossa. Tinnari is a stunning two half-moon bay, rock beach. Access to Tinnari is by foot, boat or quad. Tinnari is one of Sardinia’s secret beaches. Find it!

There are two main beaches in Isola Rossa: Spiaggetta del Porto and Spiaggia Longo. The fresh clean waters are a magnet for scuba divers, snorkelers and swimmers. Here you will find unspoilt shorelines, family friendly restaurants and villas, and a watch tower which was built in the 1500′s.

To read the original article, please visit Jennifer Avventura at My Sardinian Life and you can follow her on Twitter @JennyAvventura

 

Carnival in Sardinia

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Sardinian Places resort rep for the south of the island Janet Lindfield shares her experience of Carneval in the small town of Gavoi. 

Friday 17th February sees the start of Carneval in Italy. Here in Sardinia each town celebrates the day differently, my favourite venue is Gavoi a small town in the heart of the ‘Barbagia’, so named by the invading Roman army in the 300s on account of the ‘barbaric Sardinians’ and hostile, mountainous territory.

‘Giovedi Grasso’ translates as ‘Fat Thursday’ and has historical origins dating back to the 1100s when  twelve pigs were presented to the Venetians to celebrate a territorial victory. It represents the start of the week leading up to Lent when it was custom to eat plenty in preparation for the 40 day fast. Carnevale in Sardinia dates back further to pagan times when celebrations were held to herald the coming of spring, the various rituals having been adapted over the centuries in order to embrace Christianity.

Last year, my brother and I enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Agroturism of Speranza before joining a crowd of ‘Gavoiesi’ gathering in the church square of San Gavino to participate in the annual procession of the Sortilla ‘e timburos in celebration of ‘Giovedi Grasso’. From the distance we heard a drummer, a second drum joined in and then a third. Over the next hour we could hear the drums approaching the square from all directions until eventually there must have been at least 600 drummers milling around, never missing a beat. The ground throbbed in time to the drum beats and the atmosphere was absolutely electrifying. Tears of emotion streamed down my face – this is the Sardinia I fell in love with more than 40 years ago.

Men, women and children from 3 to 93 took part. With the square unable to accommodate any more players the procession started to wind its way through the village. The men were dressed in traditional Sard black trousers, jackets and caps with the occasional sheep skin draped over their shoulders and the inevitable cigarette hanging from their mouths – including youngsters that didn’t look a day over seven. The drummers were accompanied by other musicians, playing reed whistles, triangles and accordions.

As dusk settled the players and hundreds of spectators gathered in one of the main squares to feast on bowls full of ‘jovia lardajola’, a soup of dried broad beans cooked with pork fat; followed by strings of zeppole, a long,sausage like hot doughnut doused with sugar and washed down with a never ending supply of local red – ‘Fat Thursday’ remember?

The whole village then took part in their traditional Sard dancing until one by one they slipped off home to recuperate in preparation for the next day’s festivities. I woke at 3.30 am to hear a lone drummer still doing his thing and still in perfect rhythm.

10 things not to miss in Sardinia

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Sardinian Places product manager Amandine Blanchard gives us her top 10 things not to miss in Sardinia. 
  1. A meal at an agriturismo – sample true Sardinian cuisineand hospitality at one of the many farm-restaurants set in the countryside; the most popular dish is roast suckling pig.

    Enjoy traditional Sardinian cuisine at a farm restaurant

    Enjoy traditional Sardinian cuisine at a farm restaurant
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  2. Cala Brandinchi beach – there are hundreds of beautiful beaches on the island so it’s hard to pick a favourite but if we had to it would be this sweeping bay with translucent shallow water in the North East.
  3. People watching on the Costa Smeralda– this 10 kilometre stretch of coastline attracts the rich and famous each summer and the main resort of Porto Cervo is filled with designer shops, luxury yachts and exclusive restaurants.

    Sardinia's north east attracts many luxury yachts

    Sardinia's north east attracts many luxury yachts
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  4. S’Ardia horse race in Sedilo – with over 1000 events each year, there’s always something going on in Sardinia. S’Ardia is one of the most exciting involving bareback riders racing around a church each July.

    S'Ardia horse race in Sedilo

    S'Ardia horse race in Sedilo
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  5. Shop for local specialities at a market– each town holds a market where you can buy meat, fish, locally grown fruit and vegetables, wine and souvenirs – a great way to soak up a little local culture.

    Shopping at a local market

    Shopping at a local market
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  6. Take a boat trip to the Maddalena Islands – swim, snorkel or cruise through the clear water of these spectacular islands, easily reached by boat from Palau
  7. The Roman cities of Nora and Tharros– these two archaeological sites on the south and west coasts are well worth visiting for their historical interest and also beautiful settings

    The Roman ruins at Nora

    The Roman ruins at Nora
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  8. Alghero’s old town– one of Sardinia’s most interesting and attractive towns with a distinctive Catalan character, narrow cobbled streets and some fantastic bars and restaurants

  9. Discover the hinterland on foot or horseback – getting out of the car and off the beaten track is the best way to explore Sardinia’s unspoilt countryside and enjoy the best views of the mountains
  10. Relax with a spa break – there are some wonderful spa hotelson the island, treat yourself to a few days of pampering and you’re sure to return home completely refreshed

    Resort Valle dell'Erica Thalasso & Spa

    Resort Valle dell'Erica Thalasso & Spa
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What’s hot for 2012?

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Sardinian Places product manager Amandine Blanchard gives us her thoughts on what’s hot in Sardinia in 2012.

2012 will be another tough year for the travel industry, and whilst Sardinian Places has had a good couple of years we are not being complacent and have been out to the island on a number of occasions to search for new good quality accommodation, here’s my top 5 new properties for 2012:

  1. Villa Montemoro, Santa Teresina – the best thing about this place are the incredible views , unbeatable really!

    Villa Montemoro

    Villa Montemoro
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  2. Apartment Vista Mare, Porto Istana – this is a great apartment that would be ideal for couples or a family with older childrenand anyone staying here should definitely take one of the boat trips to Tavolara and Molara islands.

    Apartment Vista Mare

    Apartment Vista Mare
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  3. Villa Pineta, Cannigione – a great villa full of character and just 200 metres from the beach. The resort is lively so it could be a little noisy at times but it’s rare to find villas close to the beach.

    Villa Pineta

    Villa Pineta
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  4. Wine Resort Leda d’Ittiri, Alghero – with just five rooms this little hotel is a real find, for those that like to feel like they’ve discovered somewhere that the rest of the world doesn’t know about. It’s surrounded by vineyards and olive groves and it’s possible to take part in cookery classes.

    Wine Resort Leda d'Ittiri

    Wine Resort Leda d'Ittiri
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  5. Grand Hotel Porto Cervo 4*, Porto Cervo – a great beachside hotel with a relaxed atmosphere and a couple of fantastic restaurants.

    Grand Hotel in Porto Cervo

    Grand Hotel in Porto Cervo
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As always Sardinia will host hundreds of festivals and events throughout the year and it would be impossible to list them all here, however, again my top 5 are:

  1. S’Ardia horse race in Sedilo will be held on 6th & 7th July and is definitely one of the most exciting events on the island – bareback riders race around the church of Sant’Antinu and the crowds really get involved.
  2. Time in Jazz in Berchidda is one of the biggest events in Sardinia and for Jazz fans it’s definitely worth arranging your summer holiday to tie in with this event. It is held in August each year but dates are yet to be announced.
  3. Cavalcata Sarda in Sassari held on 20th May is a really colourful, fun event that celebrates the island’s culture. Expect costumes, horse shows, poetry, traditional dances and singing.
  4. Sant’Efisio in Cagliari is said to be the world’s largest and most colourful religious procession, whether or not that is true it is certainly huge! Around 5,000 people participate in a grand procession which is held between 1st & 4th May.
  5. Carnevale (or Carnival) is a huge event in Sardinia with a 3 day event that culminates on Shrove Tuesday (21st February in 2012). Across the island there are parties, music, dancing, feasting and parades but in the town of Oristano it is celebrated in a unique way with horse racing and the re-enactment of a medieval jousting tournament.

More new flights to Sardinia in 2012 – Ryanair is returning to Sardinia and this year has flights from Luton and Stansted to Alghero. There are currently some good prices, but as with all flights to Sardinia we expect these to increase dramatically over the coming months. There’s also a new flight from Manchester to Olbia on a Sunday and an additional Gatwick to Olbia flight on a Saturday in the peak season. In total there are now more than 30 flights a week during the summer.

Also take a look at what’s hot for 2012 on the neighbouring island of Corsica.