Tips from local

Coming to Sardinia is a dream for a lot of you, but organizing the trip can be challenging, that’s why I want to give you some tips.

Did you know Sardinia is the second largest island of the Mediterranean sea? Travelling from north to south can take you more than three hours, as for an east-west trip.

The history of the island is very rich and this gave us old traditions and the Sardo. The Sardinian language is a real neo-latin language divided in different types as the nuorese, logudorese and campidanese. Don’t worry we are also fluent in Italian and in your own language.

The climate in Sardinia is always perfect. You can travel here even during the winter, when temperatures are never lower than 10°C. If you’re planning a cultural trip to Sardinia, the best time is Autumn and Spring (from March to July, and from September to November) when temperatures are between 18°C and 25°C. In these months you will be able to enjoy the beaches more than in high season like July and August.

Life in Sardinia is relaxed, some shops and restaurants, in touristic towns, can stay open till late without a break during the high season. In general shops work from 9am to 1pm and from 4.30pm to 8pm. Restaurants start working around 12am till 3pm and from 7.30pm to 11pm, but sometimes it happens that they work till the last client.

There are plenty of souvenirs to bring home, but keep in mind that on the island it is strictly forbidden to take away stones, plants and sand, fines can reach 3000€. It is the first step to preserve nature as it is for future generations.

transport

The best way to discover the untouched corners of Sardinia is to rent a car. If you want to experience it with public transport, all services are provided by ARST and Trenitalia, but be aware that it can take you long time to reach 100km away. Private companies and taxi offer a better experience.

  • Renting a car costs ~ 50€/day
  • Transfer from airport to town can cost from 25€ to 70€ +10%VAT
  • Renting a 20 seats bus with a driver can cost ~500€/day
serving-dish

Tasting local products is part of the experience and you cannot really discover the island if you don’t taste it.

  • Bread: Carasau, civraxu, guttiau, spianata
  • Wine: Cannonau, vermentino, cagnulari, malvasia
  • Pasta: Campidano’s gnocchetti, Gallura’s soup, culurgiones
  • Meat and fish: Pork loin in milk roasted, sheep’s broth, lamb, seafood, mullet and mullet dry caviar bottarga.
  • Dessert: Sebadas, papassinos, tiliccas, arantzada, gattó, pardule, torrone and ice-cream.

Are you already hungry or thirsty?

The best places to try all these dishes are agritourism: so called restaurant in a farm complex, from where almost all products come from.

With me you will also get the chance to visit a wine cellar and then have a wine tasting. Or you can try to make your own cerimonia bread or even listen to traditional music and see folk dances after eating.

Oh my cheese! I’ve almost forgot to quote our rich cheese culture. You can’t leave the island without tasting Sardinian or Romain pecorino cheese, or the fiore sardo made following ancient traditions, or the fresh goat cheese. For the most brave there is the casu marzu or rotten cheese with live insects larvae.

shopping-bag

An important part of the journey is the shopping for objects that will remind you about your holiday. In Sardinia there are plenty of options. If you’re looking for some international brands, then you better check in the big cities like Sassari and Cagliari, or Porto Cervo for more exclusive brands.

If you want the best souvenirs to bring home, then you have to look for:

  • Cork objects
  • Ceramic with traditional patterns
  • Textile objects and filet lace
  • Filigrana jewelry and real coral
  • Weaved objects
  • Local products (see food)

Remember that it is always a good idea to buy souvenirs directly from the artisan, in order to help local economy. A local guide will always be happy to help you find them.

fireworks

Sometimes the best way to get to know a land is to live the local holiday experience. In Sardinia every town has its own Saint patron’s holiday but the most important ones are those following:

January 17

Sant’Antoni in Mamoiada

February/March

Carnival

La Sartiglia in Oristano, Merdules in Ottana, Thurpos in Orotelli, in Bosa, in San Gavino Monreale, in Tempio Pausania

April

The Holy Week

The Lunissanto in Castelsardo, in Alghero, in Cagliari

May 1st

Saint Efisio procession in Cagliari

Last sunday of May

La Cavalcata in Sassari

July 6/7

S’ Ardía in Sedilo

August 14

Candelieri in Sassari

Last week of August

Il redentore in Nuoro

1st saturday of September

Barefoot run in Cabras

They can all be a real opportunity to make you feel like a local in a place between reality and magic.