Holiday in Sardinia?

Question

I am taking the fella to Sardinia for a week in early October and am after any hints and tips. We're going as cheaply as possible and plan to hire a motorbike to get around. I want to see the Roman and Punic ruins in the South, do plenty of swimming and walking, eat fabulous food and avoid the crowds. Any advice on where to stay, go, hire the bike from, eat, swim etc? I heard there's an olive festival in Sarroch in October - any details on this? I speak a little Italian (enough to get by on the mainland) but don't know the Sardinian dialect. I have explored the websites and am now asking for personal recommendations and reminiscences - everything gratefully received! K780

Answer 1

I can be of only limited help as I only really know the North (Sassari, Alghero, Bosa etc) but you should find your Italian will get you by as well on Sardinia as on the mainland - while most Sardinians use the dialect among themselves, they're perfectly able and happy to communicate in normal Italian.  Swimming (in the sea) will be a little chilly by October!  But the main season is over by then, so you shouldn't have many problems with crowds.  I tend to find that even the simplest foods in Sradinia are generally fresh and excellent quality so by sticking to simple pasta/ pizza/ seafood you'll be fine.  Sardinian wine is (I'm told) not the best, but Italian beer is among the better lagers of Southern Europe - and where possible try out the doppia malto beers like Peroni Gran Riserva or Moretti Doppia ... much stronger than usal lagers so be careful...

Answer 2

Sardinian "dialect" (which is in fact a real language) will be not an issue, as we speak Italian as well! (I live in Sardinia)

For accomodation please check this site, i guess you'll find something good:

http://www.sardegna.com/code/ricerca_str...

You'll also find other useful information here:

http://www.ciaosardinia.com/eng/what-to-...

http://www.ciaosardinia.com/eng/what-to-...

http://www.ciaosardinia.com/eng/events-t...

http://www.ciaosardinia.com/eng/sardinia

http://www.sardi.it/sardinia/index.htm

About Gastronomical specialities:

the best known Sardinian pasta is malloreddus. They are made from semolina and warm lightly salted water, which in the best Sardinian gastronomy tradition are flavoured with saffron. They look like an empty shell and are characterised by small rises obtained by rolling small pieces of pasta in the bottom of a basket.

There is also fregula which are small hand made balls of pasta which are toasted in an oven. They are very good in soup or seasoned with fresh sausage and tomato.

Pillus is a semi-fresh pasta similar to "tagliolini" which is cooked in beef or sheep stock served on a bed of fresh sheep's cheese.

Panadas are salted cakes which, depending on the area, are stuffed with meat or vegetables.

Cakes you should try: seadas (fried pastry with cheese and lemon inside, covered with honey), papassini (biscuits whit raisins, walnut, covered with sugar icing), formaggelle (pastry cooked in a hoven, with cheese, raisins).

Most famous Sardinian beer is called Ichnusa (not the ones told in the previous answer, they're Italian beers)

Sardinian wine which I like most is Perdera (a red and really intense one), but you should try and taste Terre Bianche (white), Vermentino (a white sweet one), Astice (white), Cannonau (really really really famous red wine).

Besides, if you have never tasted the liqueur made of myrtle, I think you dont't know what Sardinia tastes like! The liquer called Mirto is fantastic served iced, after a good Sardinian meal.

Ooops, sorry I can't talk about Sardinian meat dishes but I'm vegetarian!! So please check one site more to find about meat dishes:

http://sogaer.infoturistiche.it/code/eno...

Well, what else? Oh, yes, have a good Sardinian holiday!!!

Answer 3

The weather will be great and there won't be any crowd. Forget about the dialect: they speak three different languages in the island but everyone will talk to you in Italian.

Have fun!

Answer 4

Absolutely no need to worry about learning the dialect!

Answer 5

Hi! I used to live in Sardinia...for me, it's the most beautiful place in Europe!!! I thought I could reccommend you some nice places to visit.....

1) The Maddalena Archipelago - north east sardinia (If you go, make sure you visit the islands of Budelli, Razzoli and Spargi - the sea here is just as beautiful as in the Seychelles - my other favourite place) To get to the islands, you can take a day trip from Palau or La Maddalena town.

2) Capo Coda Cavallo and surrounding area. This is situated on the East coast, south of Olbia. The sea views are magnificant and you wont forget them easily. The beaches here have shallow, clean water which has so many tones of blue.

3) Golfo di Orosei - East coast. Head to cala Gonone and get a day trip along the coast. The following coves are particularly worth seeing - Cala Mariolu, cala Biriola, Cala Goloritza and Cala Luna.

4) Costa Rei and Villasimius in the south east - The beach of Costa Rei stretches for miles and looks like it should be in the tropics. Many smaller beaches with blue blue water can be found between here and Cagliari.

5) Chia and Tuerredda in the south west. Both beautiful beaches and particularly tuerredda with a strip od sand which goes out to sea and so many blues!

Sardinia has some of the most beautiful beaches in the the Mediterranean. You'll fall in love with it! Buon viaggio!