While we’ve been lucky to visit most cruise ports in Europe, we have not yet been able to visit Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea that is an autonomous region of Italy, and is located just south of the French island of Corsica. European blogger Italo Rizzo did visit the Gallura region in Sardinia recently, and shares his insights on the destination.
Sardinia is a popular destination for cruiser tourists: this is the land of clear crystal waters, unpolluted nature and ancient traditions still followed by Sardinian people.
I recently went to Gallura, the region of northern Sardinia worldwide renowned for Costa Smeralda (the Emerald Coast), where the VIP’s favorite beaches are located.
I wanted to explore the heart of this island and I found many attractions and activities which I recommend to everyone who likes genuineness and luxury; Sardinia is one of the few destinations in Italy where these two sides are in harmony.
Mini-Cruise across the Strait of Bonifacio
Once arrived at the port of Santa Teresa Gallura I booked a mini-cruise planned by my hotel: everyday they offer boat trips with fast motorboats for a maximum of 12 guests per boat, so I suggest to book in advance.
The excursion goes along Capo Testa, a small peninsula where the long band of sand is surrounded by rocky coves: here the waves lap the shore and the wind shapes the rugged granite coast, an ideal place where to let my mind wander.
I crossed the Strait of Bonifacio onboard a motorboat and I was amazed by the panoramic view; the French island Corsica is only 11 kilometers away.
I visited the small town of Bonifacio, located at the southern tip of Corsica, a sort of labyrinth crowded with historic buildings and fashionable bars and restaurants.
The mini-cruise continued towards the island of Lavezzi, a destination that I recommend for a swim stop and for sailing. This area is well-preserved because is classified as natural reserve; in fact I didn’t meet large groups of tourists because Lavezzi island is considered a paradise for scuba divers, hikers and swimmers.
I chose to stay at Capo d’Orso (part of Delphina Hotels, a group of resorts located in Gallura) because I found a lot of activities to do while I was on vacation, above all the sea routes onboard a classy boat. The Delphina Hotel staff offers a wide range of mini-cruises, such as Cala Corsara tour, a cove included in the La Maddalena National Park area. The soft hues of the blue sea, the perfume of juniper, rose and broom, the fine grains of sand describe the uniqueness of this dreamy corner in Sardinia.
I spent an entire day walk around Cala Corsara, it was very exhausting but exciting at the same time.
Play Golf in a club overlooking the sea
I played golf for the first time in my life in Sardinia, at Pevero Golf Club, a popular venue among golf players because the course was designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1972.
This Golf Club allows to amateurs like me to take lesson from a golf master, so I started a beginner lesson surrounded by a truly amazing setting.
Discovering Nuraghe, the symbol of Sardinia
Visit Sardinia and ignore Nuraghe is a mistake, because the Nuragic civilization (developed during 1900 and 730 B.C.) it’s a distinctive culture of this island and a tour to discover Nuraghe it’s an unmissable chance to know more about these mysterious buildings.
Sardinian people explain me that Nuraghes are megalithic edifices and they could have been religious temples, graves, dwellings or military strongholds.
I went to Nuraghe La Prisgiona, located near to Arzachena and comprising 100 buildings. The guided tours are available every day from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and I took the opportunity to see the excavations conducted by expert archaeologists that are looking for traces from the past centuries to discover the real function of Nuraghes.
Taste Sardinian typical dishes
Sardinia boasts a wide range of savory dishes like malloreddus (a kind of pasta made with semolina, water and saffron) paired with a slow cooked meat sauce, suckling pig (they called “porceddu” a typical recipe of the sheepherder tradition) and mirto liqueur.
Maybe mirto is the most famous Sardinian liqueur outside the island: is made from the myrtle berries (in fact, the myrtle grows freely in Sardinia) and is served chilled, I recommended it as an aperitif or an after dinner.
Would you like to go on vacation in Sardinia? Which are the best activities to do in your opinion? Please leave your comment!
This post was written by Italo Rizzo, a blogger who helps businesses to improve their relationships with customers through social media and digital marketing strategies. He likes travel, listening to music, reading books and comics. He also collaborated with Delphina Hotels in Sardinia.
To learn more about Sardinia, consider these books:
Sardinia Travel Guide – Lonely Planet
The Rough Guide to Sardinia – Robert Andrews
Sea And Sardinia – D.H. Lawrence
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