Sure there’s plenty of sun, sea and sand in Sardinia, but as local Cagliari Tripbod Elena reveals in her favourite things about Sardinia, there’s so much more to the Island that captured the imagination of D.H.Lawrence and keeps its citizens youthful, well into their twilight years…
“This land does not resemble any other place. Sardinia is another thing: enchanting space around and distance to travel, nothing finished, nothing definitive. It’s like freedom itself” D. H. Lawrence, Sea and Sardinia (1921)
My favourite things about Sardinia..
1. Unique Villages
Every village is different from the others. It might be the kind of bread or sweets, the artisanal craft (wood, iron, ceramic, leather, carpets, nests, knives or jewels), the typical product (that usually ends up in a local feast), or the surrounding landscape. In Sardinia you find towns in the mountains, on the lake, by the river, by the sea, in the countryside, towns made in granite, in trachyte, or old mines.
2. Nuraghi
In every part of Sardinia you can find nuraghi in the middle of the countryside – megalithic edifices that date back to the bronze age – tombs of giants and Romanic churches, castles and of course, flocks of sheep.
3. Being active outdoors
In Sardinia you can go diving, sailing, trekking, climbing, biking, kayaking, or just relax and enjoy sea and sun all year around. Plus if you eat sheep cheese and wine everyday you can live up to 100 years (as many Sardinians do).
4. Poetto beach at the weekend
The city of Cagliari has a beautiful city beach, called Poetto. During the weekend people spend Saturday or Sunday afternoon playing beach volley, rollerblading, running or just drinking coffee and enjoying the scenery. This happens almost all year round.
5. Local feasts
You can choose from many gastronomic feasts, depending on the season and on the village’s typical product: strawberries, oranges, almonds, watermelon, wallops, wine, carnivals, bread, fish, pork, and more.
6. Carnival in Barbagia
Depending on the village you can experience a variety of  rituals. In the area called “Barbagiaâ€, anthropomorphous and zoomorphic masks evoke mysterious and propitiatory rituals and remind you of the strong relationship between man and animal. In other areas there are burlesque carnivals or horse riding exhibitions. All these shows are organized by local associations that are very passionate about their traditional Carnival rituals.
7. Pane Carasau for breakfast
Milk and pane carasau (traditional flatbread, thin and crisp, usually in the form of a dish half a meter wide) is the traditional Sardinian Flatbread and eaten almost everyday for breakfast.
8. Local beer with history
Local beer at brewpub Birrificio di Cagliari includes a history lesson on Cagliari’s city centre. Beers on offer take the name of historical neighbourhoods, Casteddu (the Castel), Biddanoa (new town), Marina (Marina) and Stampaxi.
9. Lighthouse Faro Cape Spartivento
Faro Cape Spartivento has an amazing 360 degree panorama overlooking the blue sea. Its secluded location allows you to really enjoy the silence of nature and take time for yourself. I like to meditate in this area but also to explore the territory in search of hidden coves and wild corners.   Built in 1856 by the Italian Navy, the Lighthouse accommodated the family of the lighthouse keeper up to the 80s. Today the Lighthouse has been turned into a luxury guesthouse while keeping its charm, and has been renovated with a panels system using the solar energy to heat water, and a phyto-purification waste water system, which is reused for the garden.
10. Campidanese cuisine at Su Furriadroxu
Lunch at Su Furriadroxu is one of my favourite local experiences. Su Furriadroxu is the name of the typical house built around a courtyard that distinguishes the architecture of the villages and boroughs of the Campidano valley. In the heart of Pula old town, Su Furriadroxu is a typical restaurant serving the best specialties of campidanese cooking. I can never decide whether to sit in the courtyard, adorned by perfumed orange and lemon trees, or inside the saloon covered by a splendid truss ceiling, or else under the nice loggia surrounded by an atmosphere of times gone by…
Sardinia Tripbod Elena offers 1-to-1 tailored trip planning at Tripbod.com. Connect with Elena directly to make the most out of your time on the captivating Island.
On the coast, Calvi modifications and every summer adorns itself with it is attires of Riviera to welcome the crowd which invades it. It is supposed whichthe inhabitants have got something out of it. To those who ventured into this town, I leasing by way of whispered, this pigeonholing of Pierre Dominique . The Citadel is a house to stay. One of the nearly all upscale Mediterranean ports, full of smart boutiques and superb restaurants, Calvi also has a labyrinth of picturesque streets and a fascinating naval history.