• Costa Smeralda

It is famous all over the world for the emerald sea, its squares full of social life and its high quality services, is the most exclusive resort in the north-east of Sardinia.

Luxury hotels and residences, sparkling nightlife, selected boutiques, aperitifs and elegant evenings. Here is the place of relaxation and the most exclusive holiday in Sardinia. Two granite rocks bearing the name will welcome you on arrival, one to the south, on the road from Olbia leads to its most famous places, and one to the north, on the road that leads to the blue esplendente Baja Sardinia. The Costa Smeralda, with its consortium, founded by the Ismaili prince Karim Aga Khan in 1962, invites you to enjoy good food, shopping and a sweet and carefree life in the heart of Porto Cervo, between Golfo Pevero, Pantogia and Capriccioli.

Its architecture is characteristic, made of small low and white buildings, with sinuous contours and perfectly inserted in the Mediterranean vegetation, such as the church of Stella Maris, designed by Michele Busiri Vici. The fame of the Costa Smeralda is linked to some places of inestimable naturalistic value, such as Cala di Volpe, an exclusive natural marina in which some scenes of the film Agent 007 – The spy who loved me were shot.

Among the other places there is the Grande Pevero, Liscia di Vacca, surrounded by the Mediterranean scrub and characterized by the turquoise waters, Liscia Ruja, with its small bays surrounded by juniper plants, Romazzino, with the transparent sea and the white beaches, and Pitrizza.

The beautiful coves, which you will always see illuminated by the white brushstrokes of the sails, open to your eyes beaches and islets, such as the island of the Capuchins, the island of the Bisce, south of Caprera, Li Nibani, the island of Mortorio, the isles of the Rooms and the island of Soffi. In costa sorge il Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute, centro internazionale di ricerca per studio e salvaguardia del delfino.

In the surrounding area sprout various and interesting archaeological areas such as the necropolis of Li Muri (in the territory of Arzachena), dating from the second half of the fourth millennium BC, the nuragic complexes of Malchittu and Albucciu, which includes nuraghe, Tomb of the giants and village of huts, and the tomb of the giants of Coddu Vecchiu (III-II millennium B.C.).

• Olbia – The City

In the area known as Gallura, the Gulf of Olbia is spectacularly backed by an amphitheatre of granite mountains and extraordinary wind-sculpted rock formations. To the south of the city rises the knife-edge of Tavolara Island, towering over the bay. To the north is the glamorous Costa Smeralda and other resorts, all lapped by the same limpid turquoise seas. Inland awaits a different world, going back into the mists of time. The area around Arzachena is honeycombed with prehistoric sites, all reminders that this is one of Europe’s oldest islands. Olbia and its surrounding areas offer a staggering diversity of sights and attractions, as well as dining, shopping and truly unique vistas and experiences.

• Olbia – Do & See

The cobbled lanes running off the central Piazza Regina Margherita in the old part of town, around the Corso Umberto I, are full of good restaurants and pretty piazzas to linger in over a drink. Basilica di San Simplicio is the main attraction in the old town of Olbia, along with some interesting museums. After admiring the city’s best sights, be sure to take some excursions to nearby destinations along the beautiful Costa Smeralda and take in the sun at the breathtaking beaches.

• Olbia – Dining

Sardinians love roasting meat with aromatic herbs, and most menus will likely feature some variety. Seafood is also ubiquitous, from lobster to squid and sea bass. Try some bottarga, a local speciality made with tuna or mullet roe, known as ‘Sardinian caviar’ and especially delicious with spaghetti. Be sure to try some local specialities and home cooking at trattorias and small cafes for a real Sardinian dining experience.

• Car rental pick up

• Check-in at the hotel

• PARCO DELL’ARCIPELAGO DELLA MADDALENA

L’ARCIPELAGO

In the stretch of sea between Sardinia and Corsica known as Bocche di Bonifacio, there is a galaxy of islands and islets surrounded by turquoise sea: one of the most evocative landscapes in the world that for its natural value is under special protection

Established in 1994, the first in Sardinia, the Maddalena Archipelago National Park covers over 20 thousand hectares of land and sea. It embraces 180 kilometres of coastline, comprising over 60 islands, large and small, granite and schist, shaped by wind and currents. Budelli, Caprera, Razzoli, Santa Maria, Santo Stefano and Spargi stand out, destinations for unforgettable boat tours starting from Baja Sardinia, La Maddalena, Palau and Santa Teresa Gallura. The coves create a myriad of landings, the colors of the sea are unique, the rocks shaped as natural monuments and the backdrops a diving paradise, in particular the shoals of Spargiotello and Washington, punta Coticcio and grottino di San Francesco.

The park is part of the European network of areas of environmental excellence and is highly safeguarded: recreation, fishing, diving are allowed but must be allowed. It is a suggestive landscape for morphology and flora. Almost a thousand plant species, about 50 endemic, other very rare. Very particular fauna. The beach Rosa di Budelli, for example, comes from the sediments of a small organism that adheres to shells, algae, corals and shells. Characteristic is the pinna nobilis, the largest bivalve mollusc of the Mediterranean. While the bottlenose dolphin is the most common cetacean: you might see even groups of thirty specimens. You will easily meet in the park also the turtle caretta caretta. Among the birds dominate Corsican seagull and Marango with tuft. In addition to the agglomeration of Stagnali in Caprera, home to the centers of environmental education and research on cetaceans and mineralogical museums and the Sea, exhibiting minerals, fossils, sands, shells, flora and fauna, the only inhabited center of the archipelago is La Maddalena, founded in 1770 and long base of the Navy, which is witnessed by the museum Nino Lamboglia. Among its beaches of clear waters and fine sand do not miss Bassa Trinita, the French coves and Lunga, Monti d’a Rena, Punta Tegge and Spalmatore. The archipelago is an obligatory passage of the Mediterranean: its strategic position attracted Napoleon Bonaparte and Admiral Nelson. While Garibaldi lived in Caprera his last 26 years: the figure of the Hero of the two worlds is told in the Compendium Garibaldi.

LA MADDALENA

It is the elder sister of about 60 islands and islets that make up the archipelago to the north-east of Sardinia, facing the Gallura coast, the only inhabited within the national park with its historic town, former Italian and American military base.

A road runs all around its perimeter: 45 kilometers of breathtaking views. Granite and porphyry delimit jagged stretches, creeks, coves and beaches, while the hinterland is made of rolling hills. La Maddalena gives its name to the archipelago of which it is the largest island and to the national park of which it is the administrative center.

It has long been the base of the Navy, which is witnessed by the Naval Museum Nino Lamboglia. The strategic position in the Mediterranean affected its history: in 1793 the French army led by a young Corsican officer, Napoleon Bonaparte, tried to invade it, stopped by the fleet commanded by the magdalene Domenico Millelire. The island also attracted the attention of Admiral Nelson. Today it captures the holiday desires of lovers of natural scenery of extraordinary beauty.

BUDELLI

Budelli is an island in the Maddalena archipelago, near the Strait of Bonifacio, in northern Sardinia, and is part of the Maddalena National Park. The island of Budelli is nothing more than an islet with an area of just over 1.6 square kilometers, with a coastline of well over 12 kilometers, and has always been known as one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean. In Budelli there is no fixed presence of man, in fact it is an uninhabited island, as are the other islands of Caprera, Spargi and Razzoli in the archipelago. The island of Budelli is located a few hundred meters south of Razzoli and the island of Santa Maria, separated by a strip of sea, known as “Secca del Morto”.

It is particularly renowned on the island, at the resort of Cala di Roto, the Pink Beach, in the south-east. The beach owes its typical color to microscopic fragments of corals and shells such as Miriapora truncata and Miniacina miniacea.

The fragments, coming from the sea, accumulate on the shore, giving the sand this particular pink hue. Unfortunately, this exceptional sandy beach has been altered over the years by the many tourists who, despite the strict prohibitions, have gradually taken away, as a souvenir, more and more grains of this unique sand.

Following the risk of deterioration of this corner of paradise, the management of the Park of La Maddalena has prohibited the transit, anchoring or stopping of any sailing boat, professional or recreational fishing and any other underwater activity near the Pink Beach.

It is also forbidden to bathe in the area between the shore line and the buoys off the shore that mark the restricted area. It is not possible to access the beach itself. It is even thought that in the past the same beach keeper, appointed by the Park Administration, could not access the Pink Beach, despite being its guardian!

SPARGI

In the far north-east of Sardinia, among the islands of the Maddalena archipelago stands out a pristine paradise with the genuine beauty of sandy coves ideal for relaxation and wild character thanks to steep coasts to be admired by boat.

Uninhabited by its granite and rugged nature, it has an almost circular shape with few creeks and numerous sandy bays. Spargi is located in front of the western coast of La Maddalena and is the third largest island in the archipelago’s national park with an area of over four square kilometers. It is ‘accompanied’ by the ‘younger sister’ Spargiotto, where rare species of birds nest: cormorants with tufts, Corsican seagulls and storm birds. A little to the west emerges the rock of Spargiottello and its ‘dry’ cut in two by a sand gully, a diving paradise. The depths are all amazing: great underwater attractions are the shoal of Washington, off Punta Zanotto, colored by the red of the gorgonias and the wreck of Spargi, a Roman ship (35 meters) of the second century BC, found in 1939 in the dry Corsara. Part of the cargo is on display at the Nino Lamboglia della Maddalena museum.

CAPRERA

In the far north-east of Sardinia, there is an island entirely protected and therefore still wild. Its coast is sheltered by woods and the jagged profile hides wonderful coves, alternating with cliffs overlooking the sea. The second largest island of the archipelago, as well as fully protected area. Caprera is connected to La Maddalena by a 600-metre bridge, built in 1958. In addition to its beauty, the island is famous as the last residence of Giuseppe Garibaldi. The White House preserves his memories: here the Hero of the two worlds lived for 26 years before his death: 18:21 on June 2, 1882, as the clock and calendar of his room mark. Daily objects, goods and memorabilia can be found here, in the Compendio Garibaldino, one of the most visited museums in Italy.

• Private Tour at Maddalena Islands

After your breakfast, the day will start with an amazing Full day Boat Tour on a private boat, discovering Maddalena Island and its small Archipelago

Lunch at own leisure

Time for snorkeling, disembark and visit the main old borough of Maddalena Island, to appreciate the beauty of this tiny treasure

Continue to discover Spargi, Budelli, Caprera and the other sandy beaches of Maddalena Island, before boarding on your private boat and continuing your sailing

• Return to Palau before the sunset
• Drive back to your hotel
• Free dinner and overnight stay

• Check-out at the hotel

• Chek-in at the new hotel

• Visit of Nuraghe Palmavera and Alghero

• Tour to Asinara and relaxing time at La Pelosa

• Check-out at the hotel

• Check-in at the new hotel

• Bosa

On the west coast of Sardinia, in the province of Oristano, stands one of the most picturesque villages in Italy, dominated by a medieval castle, with its multicolored houses along the mouth of the river Temo that divides it in two with sinuous forms.

A charming village where tradition and modernity blend and infuse curiosity and charm. Your first indelible image of Bosa will be the historic district of sa Costa, made of colorful houses that climb the slopes of the hill of Serravalle, dominated by the castle of Malaspina, dating from the twelfth century. You will reach it on foot: from above, you will admire the panorama of the whole town. The poetic Lungotemo with the Ponte Vecchio that rides the Temo, the only navigable river in Sardinia, will accompany your walks to discover the ancient tanneries, reminiscent of the roots of a very famous center in Italy from mid-1800 to early 1900 for the production of high quality leather. This is also demonstrated by the Museo delle Conce. Inside the village you can admire the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the city’s cathedral, and its beautiful frescoes. Inside the castle walls stands the church of Nostra Signora de sos Regnos Altos, embellished by a cycle of paintings from 1370: here the most evocative celebrations of the Bosian year take place in late September. Near the town, in the country town of Calmedia, stands the Romanesque church of San Pietro extra muros, originally the center of the Bosa vetus before the population moved to the district of sa Costa (Bosa nova), where you will admire sa funtana manna, nineteenth-century monument in red trachyte. Bosa is the main center of the historical region of Planargia, a place of traditional craftsmanship and food and wine, which welcomes you with a glass of fine malvasia, one of the most beloved Sardinian sweet wines, and shows you its excellence: coral jewelry, asphodel baskets, fabrics, including the filet, born from the ancient feminine knowledge and, last but not least, the catch. Another tradition distinguishes the village: the Karrasegare osincu. The Carnival of Bosa is one of the most characteristic and populated of Sardinia, combines the charm of traditional masks allegory of modern carnivals. In the mouth of the river Temo there are the river marina and next to Bosa Marina, a very popular resort and awarded every year by the Blue Guide of Legambiente. The beaches of s’Abba Druche, Portu Managu, Turas and Compoltitu complete the scenery of coastal beauty, where you can dive and relax. While if you are passionate about trekking and birdwatching, here is the biomarine park of Cape Marrargiu and the nature reserve of Badde Aggiosu and Monte Mannu.

• Visit of Bosa

• Private Boat Tour at Golfo di Orosei

Sea and mountains: in the central-eastern part of Sardinia, a vast and uncontaminated natural complex embodies in all aspects the rugged and wild beauty of the island.

Immense landscapes, beautiful and never the same, like a huge mosaic: inaccessible peaks, green pastures, plateaus, canyons, centuries-old forests, cliffs overlooking crystal clear waters, caves and beaches. From the mountain to the sea: Immense landscapes, beautiful and never the same, like a huge mosaic: inaccessible peaks, green pastures, plateaus, canyons, centuries-old forests, cliffs overlooking crystal clear waters, caves and beaches. From the mountain to the sea: each municipality manages and safeguards its portion of paradise.

• Tour along the Gorropu Canyon and dinner in Ovile

From the top of small hills, large stretches of the Supramonte dominate: on the most impervious peaks of Dorgali, between Orgosolo, Oliena, Urzulei, Orosei and Baunei, the Cuiles, old stone sheepfolds and juniper, are one of the new attractions to increase tourism in the inland areas of Sardinia.

Until 12 years ago these ancient shelters of the shepherds remained only ruins covered with phylirèa, lentischio and other Mediterranean vegetation, as well as stones scattered here and there.

Thanks to the hard and patient work they are reborn to new life.

The love for the mountains and for these old houses, is infecting a multitude of people, Italians and foreigners. A real path on foot or in some stretches by donkey among gorges, plains and ancient woods, primary forests, old paths and paths little known, for tourists lovers of trekking and adventure, scholars of ancient traditions and archeology, eager to savour the charm of the hard life of the Sardinian shepherds of the past.

“The doors of the Ovili are always open and anyone can stop for a snack, a ‘foghile’ in the center allows you to light the fire and warm up on cold days, cook pork, grilled meat, to accompany with cheese, homemade bread, sausage and red wine. A day or a weekend in contact with a nature little trampled, surrounded by the scents of aromatic herbs and among the silences of a mountain once the undisputed kingdom of Dorgalian shepherds, goats and even the shelter of bandits of yesteryear”.

To the north west of Dorgali there is the mountain, to the valley, to the east, there is the Marina of Dorgali, and some sheepfolds offer a breathtaking view of the crystal clear waters of Calagonone.

Barbagia

The heart of Sardinia, alternative and complementary together with the wonders of the sea and the worldly life of the coast: small towns, warm hospitality, wholesome food, ancient traditions and a timeless culture.

Barbagia is the heart of Sardinia. A huge territory that occupies the slopes of Gennargentu, a mountain massif in the center of the island, and the minor reliefs around. The name Barbaria is linked to the fact that here took refuge the Sardinians who resisted the conquests of Carthaginians and Romans. In reality there are more Barbagies: the area consists of various historical regions: the Barbagies of Belvì, Bitti (the most northern), Nuoro, Ollolai and Seulo (the most southern), plus the territory of Mandrolisai, west of Gennargentu. You will be conquered by the magic of the historic centers of the villages, with granite houses, narrow alleys, coortes and vine pergolas, such as Gavoi, home of the famous Fiore Sardo cheese. In Orgosolo the streets ‘talk’ through the murals, paintings on walls that tell life, culture and political claims. Barbagia is famous for the cannonau: Mamoiada, Oliena and Dorgali are the centers of production recognized internationally.

If you like outdoor activities, visit the Supramonte, where the white of the rocks, the green of the vegetation and the blue of the sky offer striking chromatic contrasts. In Oliena you will find the source of su Gologone, the valley of Lanaittu, where the oldest human remains of the island have been found, and the village of Tiscali, where, according to legend, the last Sardinians took refuge to escape the conquerors. From Orgosolo, instead, go to the forest of Montes and enjoy the beautiful view from the top of Mount Novu santu Juvanne. You can reach the suggestive Nuraghe Mereu, made of white limestone, and the impressive canyon Gorropu, with walls up to 450 meters high, kingdom of the golden eagle.

For an overview of barbarian culture visit the Museum of Sardinian Life and Traditions of Nuoro. And to satisfy curiosity, do not miss carnival costumes, whose origin is lost in the pagan rites of fertility. Through sheepskins, cowbells and masks depicting deformed or animal faces, the contrast between good and evil, death and life, winner and loser is symbolized. The most famous costumes are the Mamuthones of Mamoiada, the Thurpos of Orotelli and the Merdules of Ottana. To be admired also in the museum of the Mediterranean masks of Mamoiada. Another barbaric tradition is the Tenor song, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The origins are lost in time: shepherds used to gather and sing when they were away from home in winter. If you can’t hear them live don’t worry, there is the muse.

Su Gorropu

In the centre of Sardinia, between Barbagia and Ogliastra, there is a deep chasm, a spectacular natural monument rich in biodiversity and home of trekking.

It is the most spectacular canyon in Europe and one of the deepest. Gorropu is a gorge of erosive origin, one kilometer and a half long, which marks the border between the barbarian territory of Orgosolo and the Ogliastra of Urzulei. It has been shaped over time by the force of the Flumineddu river that flows on the bottom, fed by waters that cross the Supramonte, partly infiltrating underground tunnels, partly emerging from sources downstream of the gorge. The stream has eroded the limestone to form the canyon. Its walls contain fossils that reveal the underwater genesis, occurred between 190 and 60 million years ago. You will find yourself in the wildest territory of the island: to tackle the treks that lead to the canyon, you need the accompaniment of experienced guides and appropriate equipment. The most immediate access is to the east, parking the car in the pass of Genna Sìlana, along the eastern Sardinian (highway 125), between Dorgali and Baunei, and then take a marked path of one hour each way and double the return. Through a forest of holm oaks, ferns, strawberry trees and other Mediterranean scents, you will arrive at the entrance of Gorrop

Typical Ovile in Barbagia

From the top of small hills, large stretches of the Supramonte dominate: on the most impervious peaks of Dorgali, between Orgosolo, Oliena, Urzulei, Orosei and Baunei, the Cuiles, old stone sheepfolds and juniper, are one of the new attractions to increase tourism in the inland areas of Sardinia.

Until 12 years ago these ancient shelters of the shepherds remained only ruins covered with phylirèa, lentischio and other Mediterranean vegetation, as well as stones scattered here and there.

Thanks to the hard and patient work they are reborn to new life.

The love for the mountains and for these old houses, is infecting a multitude of people, Italians and foreigners. A real path on foot or in some stretches by donkey among gorges, plains and ancient woods, primary forests, old paths and paths little known, for tourists lovers of trekking and adventure, scholars of ancient traditions and archeology, eager to savour the charm of the hard life of the Sardinian shepherds of the past.

“The doors of the Ovili are always open and anyone can stop for a snack, a ‘foghile’ in the center allows you to light the fire and warm up on cold days, cook pork, grilled meat, to accompany with cheese, homemade bread, sausage and red wine. A day or a weekend in contact with a nature little trampled, surrounded by the scents of aromatic herbs and among the silences of a mountain once the undisputed kingdom of Dorgalian shepherds, goats and even the shelter of bandits of yesteryear”.

To the north west of Dorgali there is the mountain, to the valley, to the east, there is the Marina of Dorgali, and some sheepfolds offer a breathtaking view of the crystal clear waters of Calagonone.

• Check-in at the hotel

• Visit of Orgosolo, Mamoiada and Cagliari

After breakfast, on the way to Cagliari. visit of the two typical villages of Orgosolo and Mamoiada, in the earth of Barbagia.

• Lunch at own leisure
• Direction to Cagliari passing the Barbagia region
• Visit of Cagliari, the capital of this wonderful region
• Transfer to the hotel and check-in
• Free dinner and overnight stay

Orgosolo

Cradle of archaic traditions in the center of the island, twenty kilometers from Nuoro, an unspoilt paradise of trekking, offers views of Sardinia enchanting and timeless.

The story told on the walls of a country-museum. Orgosolo reveals a deep connection with its barbaric roots and with the customs and customs of the past: it is the homeland of singing in Tenor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the country of murals. The village, of four thousand and 500 inhabitants, is famous all over the world for the evocative paintings that adorn streets and squares, houses of the old town and facades of new buildings. They tell of politics and culture, intimate dissent and popular struggles, malaise and social justice, daily life and pastoral traditions. At the end of the 19th century, the town was in the limelight for banditry: the director Vittorio De Seta, in Banditi a Orgosolo (1961), describes the struggle in defense of the lands expropriated by the State. During the twentieth century the cultural ferment developed, still active, of muralism, originally an instrument of protest.

Mamoiada

Tradition and passion at the heart of Sardinia: a hospitable village 16 km from Nuoro will captivate you with wine, culinary delicacies, ancestral rites and engaging parties.

A myriad of springs and streams feed lush forests, pastures and vineyards, from which arrive excellent cheeses and wines that make the country of Mamuthones and Issohadores even more famous.

Mamoiada is a welcoming center of two thousand and 500 inhabitants in the heart of Barbagia di Ollolai, on the border between Gennargentu and Supramonte.

In the reliefs there are the ‘paths of the shepherds’, roads of transhumance become trekking and biking itineraries. In the excursions you will meet sos pinnettos, ancient stone and wood buildings, where the shepherds produce Sardinian flower, ricotta, sa frughe and casu martzu, exquisite smeared on the carasau, the preparation of which is a family ritual. Intense aromas of vineyards intoxicate the sweet granite hills around the village. The local wineries obtain renowned cannonau and granazza. The cuisine is of agropastoral tradition. An opportunity to discover it is Tapas, November stage of Autumn in Barbagia: you will taste hams, maccarrones de busa, bread frattau, roast pig, boiled sheep, broad beans with lard and sambeneddu. Related to recurrences is the art of confectionery: typical are orulettas (chatter) and s’aranzada.

Mamuthones

Mamoiada, in its tradition, boasts an extremely ancient rite that is handed down from generation to generation: that of the Mamuthones and the Issohadores. Born in ancient times, as active actors in pagan rites, their origins are lost in the mists of time; with their charm and mystery they have survived the wear of time.

Their ritual is manifested in all its theatrical spectacle, for the first time after the arrival of the new year, on the occasion of the feast of Saint Anthony Abbot, which is celebrated on January 17, the day that marks the beginning of the Carnival Mamoiadino. The two figures, both male, albeit with different clothing and apparently in contrast, are in fact complementary, inseparable and unmistakable; They represent the image of a single group that has always been considered by the local community intangible heritage, unique and priceless.

The ritual begins with the dressing, which represents the “metamorphosis” of men in Mamuthones and Issohadores, a moment of intense solemnity. The dressing represents in fact a sacred and profane rite together: the various phases are followed with the scrupulousness and the of a religious ceremony, pagan, in an atmosphere of mystery and suggestions of past times, but at the same time there are no typical aspects of religious representations, such as the presence of a leading figure celebrating from an altar. All the members of the group, in fact, albeit with distinct clothing and role, are on equal terms. The culmination of the dressing is identified in the moment when the Mamuthones and the Issohadores wear the mask, respectively called “sa visera” and “sa visera e santu”: It is at this point that the components lose identity and word and become mysterious beings. Prof. Bachisio Bandinu, a well-known scholar and anthropologist from the island, wrote in this regard: “The aforementioned masks pose a disturbing question and initiate a non-canonical analysis.

They say a rite without mass and without text to represent. They deny the relationship with the face and reject any meaning and interpretation. There is a radical difference between ritual as a track and celebration as a cathartic ceremony. The ritual mask is the experience of a metamorphosis, the metamorphosis says that a man becomes animal-god”. After the dressing, the group is preparing to perform in the parade to the public.

Cagliari – The City

Cagliari, or “castle” in Sardinian dialect, is the capital of the Italian island of Sardinia. Although most of the present town was built after the 12th century, Cagliari, like the rest of the island, was first settled by Phoenicians, who called the town Kàralis or ‘city of rock,’ and then by the Carthaginians. The Romans also left their mark by constructing a fine amphitheatre and some villas, but it was not until the 12th century that Cagliari saw a settled period again, first under the Pisans, followed by the Aragonese, and eventually by the Dukes of Savoy, who styled themselves as Kings of Sardinia.

Modern Cagliari reflects all of these influences. Around the most ancient part of the city, the Marina and Stampace districts are dotted with refined buildings from the XIX century. Via Roma – parallel to the boardwalk – houses a large array of shops, while the side streets Largo Carlo Felice and Via Regina Margherita offer the perfect frame for a walk to the castle. Castello District is the largest heritage left by the Pisans and the Aragonese. The road to reach it can be challenging (lifts are available), but its beauty and the amazing view that you will enjoy over Santa Gilla Lagoon and the lakes is worth the effort.

Cagliari – Do & See

Under the arcades of Via Roma, in Largo Cargo Felice and Yenne Square you will find the historical cafès of the city with their adorable outdoor tables. Here espresso and cappuccino accompanied by small puff pastries are a real ceremony.

Below Saint Remy Bastion, two pedestrian streets host mostly fashionable shops, which make them perfect for a walk and for a shopping afternoon: Via Manno and via Garibaldi.

Lastly, Castello is the ancient district perched on top of the hill, from which your gaze will reach the lagoon and lakes, taking your breath away. Here, the aristocracy and rulers of the city used to live throughout Cagliari’s history. Indeed, even today the coat of arms is visible on the edifice’s front doors. In Castello many places deserve a visit, so take you time to appreciate them all.

Cagliari – Dining

Despite the fact that Sardinia is surrounded by the sea, the best known local dish is porceddu – roasted suckling pig. This does not mean that seafood is not part of the regional tradition, however. On the contrary, along the coast you can enjoy daily fresh barbecued fish, such as striped bream, sea bass, red and grey mullet.

Sardinians are very proud of their culinary tradition, so leave Italian and international food for later and appreciate the unique flavours of local cuisine, including–but not limited to–the delicious bread “cifraxu” and regional cheeses.

• Relax in Chia and Porto Pino

After Breakfast transfer to Chia and Porto Pino, were you can relax all the day swimming, sunbathing and enjoing the beauties of the coast,the crystalline water and the nature of these two wonderful beaches

• Lunch at own leisure
• Free dinner and overnight stay

Chia

A coastal hamlet of the municipality of Domus de Maria, Chia is located along the panoramic road of the south-western coast of Sardinia, reachable from Cagliari along the SS 195.

The ancient village of Chia, important Phoenician and then Roman center with the name of Bithia, was located in a small inlet where today there is one of the many coastal towers in the seventeenth century built by the Crown of Spain against the incursions of Barbary pirates. Among the ruins unearthed after a storm, there are the remains of a Punic tophet and the ancient road that connected it to the important city of Nora. Today it is a destination for trekking and mountain biking enthusiasts who can take the dirt road that runs along the old road, enjoying particularly fascinating corners of the coast.

From the tower, which dominates the coast, there is access to a long strip of sand interspersed with small creeks framed by dense vegetation and lapped by an emerald sea, a real spectacle of nature that remains imprinted forever in the heart of any visitor.

Along the coast to the west you cross the beaches of Sa Tuerra, Porto Campana, Spiaggia de su Sali, and Su Giudeu the most beautiful of all. Also known as Abba Durci beach (freshwater beach), is a long stretch of white sand surrounded by high dunes covered with age-old junipers, which with their shapes create a particularly striking landscape.

On the back of this stretch of coastline is located the pond of Spartivento, a precious natural oasis habitat of many animal species. In front of the beach of Su Giudeu, a short distance from the shore, there is an island easily accessible by the shallow water that separates it from the mainland.

Nella parte più occidentale di questo tratto di costa si trova la spiaggia di Cala Cipolla. Reachable only on foot, it extends in a small sheltered inlet and enclosed by a rocky promontory that separates it from the wider coastline. From Cala Cipolla a panoramic path allows you to reach the Lighthouse of Capo Spartivento, from the top of which dominates the entire southern coast of Sulcis.

Thanks to their shallow waters, all the beaches of the coast of Chia, are particularly popular with families with children and lovers of underwater fishing and diving. Often hit by the mistral wind, Chia is also the ideal destination for surfers who can perform spectacular stunts. Rich in tourist services, these beaches are accessible to the disabled and equipped with ample parking.

Porto Pino

Dazzling pearl of the Mediterranean, in the lower Sulcis, in the south-west of Sardinia, a paradise in harmony with nature: between sea, dunes, lagoons and pine forest.

You don’t have to travel halfway around the world to relax in exotic paradises. Your dream holidays are in the middle of the Mediterranean, in the extreme south-west of Sardinia, in Porto Pino, a masterpiece of nature, an enchanted place and so beautiful that it is hard to believe it is so close. The bay, which falls for three quarters in the territory of Sant’Anna Arresi, is an ecosystem in perfect balance: white beaches that immerse themselves in the blue shades of the sea, desert dunes of fine sand, coves of pink sand with clear waters, placid lagoons and a forest of rare Aleppo pines, thorny oaks, ancient junipers and lush Mediterranean vegetation. From the extensive pine forest, sheltered from the summer heat, comes the name of the town.

• Tour in Sant’Antioco

After breakfast, transfer with the car to Sant’Antioco, an island linked to the mainland with a direct short bridge.

• Visit of the town of Sant’Antioco
• Lunch at own leisure
• Visit the beaches of the island
• Return to the hotel
• Free dinner and overnight stay

Sant’Antioco

It gives its name to the major island of Sulcis, in the extreme south-west of Sardinia, was a Phoenician-Punic colony then a Roman city, today it is a seaside village with a special charm.

Marina, colorful houses and restaurants that intoxicate the air of inviting scents: it is the soul of the sea of Sant’Antioco. The famous town of the archipelago of Sulcis, populated by eleven thousand residents and tens of thousands of visitors in summer, is the main center of the largest island of the Sardinia, which is connected by an artificial isthmus, built perhaps by the Punics and perfected by the Romans. Its resources are fishing, salt and agriculture, which is witnessed by the ethnographic museum on Magasinu de su binu. Manufacturing art is expressed by weaving, byssus processing, to which a museum is dedicated, and the manufacture of wooden boats. The muma museum summarizes maritime history and traditions, including Latin sailing.

Originally it was Sulky, founded by the Phoenicians (770 BC), then conquered by the Carthaginians. It remains tophet and necropolis (V-III century BC) that occupies the entire hill of the basilica and on which arose the Roman necropolis and then a cemetery of catacombs, unique in Sardinia. Sulci lived the greatest splendor in Roman times: with Karalis it was the most prosperous municipium of the island. In the center you will admire the mausoleum sa Presonedda (1st century BC), a meeting between Punic and Roman cultures.

The island was inhabited since the third millennium BC: you will see pre-hurricane evidence, such as the domus de Janas of is Pruinis and the menhirs of sa Mongia and Para, and the ruins of about thirty nuraghi, including the imposing s’Ega de Marteddu, Corongiu Murvonis and Antiogu Diana. Next to it there are sacred fountains and tombs of giants, including on Niu and Crobu. Extraordinary is the complex of Grutt’i water, formed by multi-lobed nuraghe, sacred well, village with hydraulic works, walls, megalithic circles and grotticelle for the collection of water. The village goes as far as Portu Sciusciau, which is perhaps already a nuragic landing place. You will admire the finds, especially bronze, in the archaeological museum F. Barreca.

The name of island and city derives from the patron saint of Sardinia, African martyr exiled to the island, to whom is dedicated the basilica of Sant’Antioco, mentioned the first time in 1089, although Sulci was a bishop’s seat from 484 (to the thirteenth century). Originally a cruciform Byzantine building, today it has three naves with as many apses. The eternal bond with the saint is renewed 15 days after Easter, with the oldest Sardinian religious festival, identical since 1615. The uninhabited island, between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, was invaded by thousands of faithful who celebrated the martyr. Currently, the Saturday before the Manna Festival there is the parade de is coccois (ceremonial bread), while the first of August is celebrated another festival for the saint with parade in traditional clothes.

The coasts, high and jagged to the south with cliffs of dark trachyte, more sandy to the north, have backdrops ideal for diving. Portixeddu is the closest beach to the city, surrounded by light and green rocks of rare Phoenician junipers, centuries-old dwarf palms and Mediterranean essences. It’s pebbles, like the biggest Turri. While Maladroxa is an expanse of gray sand and thin: from its bottom emerge thermal waters, already exploited by the Romans. Pass the promontory Serra de is tres Portus and the pond of Santa Caterina, where they nest knight of Italy and flamingo, you will arrive at the wide and sinuous beach of Coqquaddus.

On the cliff of is Praneddas (or arch of the Baci’) you will stand on a terrace, 200 meters above the sea. Off the flat rocks and whitewashed salt of Cala Sapone, the Phoenicians were already fishing for tuna. Today you will observe the ruins of the nineteenth-century trap. Nearby other picturesque bays: the coves Grotta and Signora. Capo Sperone is the extreme point to the south: changing blue sea and stretches of pink peonies. In the background there are the islets of Vacca and Toro, protected areas where the Queen’s falcon flies, theatre of the naval battle between Roman and Sardinian-Punic fleets (258 B.C.).

Further on the lonely beach of Ega de is Tirias, from where you can visit by mountain bike or boat the wild coast to Portu de su Trigu

• Check-out at the hotel

• Transfer from the hotel to Cagliari airport stopping in Pula

After breakfast, check out and stopping in Pula, where you can visit the small village or you can enjoy the gorgeous beaches

• Transfer to Caglairi Airport, drop off the car at Cagliari Airport rental office
• Departure from Cagliari Airport

Pula

One of the most beautiful coastlines of southern Sardinia, a few tens of kilometers from Cagliari, but far from crowded beaches, tension and stress, an oasis for holidays of calm and relaxation.

Almost ten kilometers of soft and golden sand that plunges into shallow waters and warm green shades, with so clear backdrop that you can observe it perfectly even without diving. Santa Margherita is a pearl of southern Sardinia, symbol of Pula, which extends westward to another island wonder, the coast of Chia (in the territory of Domus de Maria). Santa Margherita di Pula is composed of a series of bays and beaches, almost seamlessly, interspersed by the rocks of small headlands, which take different names (including Cala Marina and Cala Bernardini) depending on the area they occupy and where they overlook many luxury resorts, among the most famous on the island and destination every year of celebrities, of cinema, sport and high finance.

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