Destination Features
- Sardinia is a large Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has nearly 2,000km of coastline, sandy beaches and a mountainous interior crossed with hiking trails. The island is rich in history and covered in the remnants of an ancient nuraghic culture as well as Carthaginian and Roman ruins.
- There is plenty to explore in Sardinia. The Gennargentu mountain range is vast and rich in flora and fauna, as well as animals including mouflons, golden eagles and Sardinian deer. On the coast, there is the Maddalena Archipelego with its seven sisters, a popular sailing and diving area with clear waters. Budelli Island is a wild and uninhabited island with the enchanting Rosa beach, which is famously covered in pink shells and coral. There are some lively fishing villages and seaside towns, such as Stintino. Sardinia offers some of the best sailing in the Mediterranean, and Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo are popular marinas surrounded by upmarket shops and restaurants.
- Sardinian food is made with simple and natural ingredients, and there are many local specialities such as pane carasau, malloreddus, culurgiones and fregola. Frati Rossi on the Costa Smeralda is a top dining spot, offering fresh local delicacies in a sheltered garden. Al Tuguri is a fine dining restaurant, with a relaxed and romantic vibe. Alghero has Sardinia’s densest population of bars and restaurants and is always popular. San Benedetto Market in Cagliari is crammed with fresh produce and a real treasure trove for foodies.
- Sardinians are very good at celebrating. The Festa di sant’Efisio is a colorful street parade which precedes one of the most important events on the island, the Festa di San Simplicio, with fireworks, traditional costumes and lots of singing. The Girotonno is a popular culinary competition and as well as religious celebrations, Sardinia also hosts a wild horse race, a jazz festival, and a rally car race.
- The most helpful website for fact finding and general information about Sardinia is provided by Discover Italy.
