Day 1 : CAGLIARI, THE CAPITAL OF SARDINIA.
Welcome by your personal English-speaking Local Insider. Scenic drive through Cagliari’s most panoramic sites and stroll through the historical city center. We will try to spot the iconic pink flamingoes, resident colony of Cagliari wetlands. Welcome “aperitivo” overlooking the city from Cagliari Castello’s antique bastions. Overnight in Cagliari Meals (-/-/-)
Day 2 : SILKY BEACHES, PREHISTORIC TREASURES AND HAUNTING MINES.
After breakfast, we are ready to drive on the southwestern coast. See the stunning “Scoglio Pan di Zucchero” and visit “Porto Flavia” mine, a decommissioned mining port, a real masterpiece carved on a 50-meter-high cliff, overlooking the open sea. It features two 600-meter long tunnels ending with a scenic view. Afternoon visit to an impressive Roman temple (‘Tempio di Antas’) set in the green scenery of a wild canyon. Overnight in the same hotel in Cagliari Meals (B/-/-)
Day 3 : SARDINIA CHEESE AND WINE.
Check-out from your hotel in Cagliari and depart on a panoramic tour of the vineyards and olive trees around the rural church of Santa Maria di Sibiola, just North of Cagliari. Visit a small, local wine producer, its the vineyards and cellar. A refreshing wine-tasting session, will complement this visit. Later on, reach a modern milk-processing factory that has been operating in the dairy field for the last 50 years. The chees maker features typical Sardinian products made from sheep and goat’s milk, with of an exclusive local origin. An itinerary and Cheese tasting sessions, will introduce you to the secret of CLA cheese, that helps maintaining the balance of cholesterol levels in the blood. Drive to Barumini village to admire Nuraghe Su Nuraxi, a giant stone castle dating from more then 3,000 years ago; our guided tour of Sardinia includes this not-to-miss Unesco-listed, prehistoric marvel. Overnight in a warm-hearted, traditional house located in a small village. The house has been turned into an elegant inn, with all comforts. The breeze and crisp air from the hills invites you in the romantic, courtyard-garden in the evening for a fresh sparkling cup of white wine. Meals (B/-/D)
Day 4 : FAMILY EXPERIENCE AMONG FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, MAKING FRESH PASTA AND BREAD.
Our Local Insider will take you on a guided tour to a small, lively mountain town. Its cool climate and alpine character (elevation is 796m), historically caught the imagination of the Piedmont noble families, who came here to hunt boar in its forests, and harvest for top-quality chestnuts and hazelnuts. Nowadays, this is a genuine Sardinia village, with schools, resident families, churches and small museums in the mount “Barbagia” region of Sardinia. The experience with the family is held in an antique, restored ‘Barbaricina’ house, with outdoor courtyard and inner cellar. You can enjoy the fun of participating in the preparation of cheese, of fresh pasta (ravioli, malloreddus and culurgiones), of the thin, crispy “carasau” in a relaxed atmosphere. Enjoy a typical lunch with the family, all sitting together at the same table, with joy, sharing stories and traditions. After lunch, our Local Insider will escort you for a walking tour through the museum trail, along the streets of the historic district, visiting old houses, the Spanish prison from the 15th century and meeting artisans and locals, to become acquainted with the ancient craft and tools. Overnight in same hotel. Meals (B/L/D)
Day 5 : LAGOONS AND RICE-SHAPED SANDS OF SINIS PENINSULA.
Drive to central-western Sardinia and explore the Punic-Roman ruins of Tharros, a brilliant antique port, overlooking crystal waters, and dating back from more the 2,000 years ago. Discover the snow-white beaches and bird-filled lagoons of the Sinis Peninsula. Later on, reach the ancient ‘borgo’ of Riola Sardo (near Oristano) and visit an oil maker who produces valuable oils enriched with wild herbs and typical Sardinian fruits, all wrapped up in elegant, contemporary packaging. For overnight, we picked a charming house restored following the principles of organic architecture. In this hotel you can feel the spirit and the elegance of Sardinia culture, and enjoy –once more- the real, authentic Sardinia. Meals (B/-/D)
Day 6 : PASTEL-COLOURED HOMES OF BOSA AND ALGHERO’S CATALAN HERITAGE.
After breakfast drive to the pastel-coloured, alley-woven, town of Bosa, crowned by its mediaeval castle. Then follow on a dramatic coastal drive to Alghero (north west of Sardinia). Our guided tour of Alghero will reveal its jems: the town’s inhabitants still speak Catalan, the town radiates Spanish air, and its honey-coloured seawalls enclose cobbled lanes and Gothic “palazzi”. Take a “passeggiata” (stroll) along the center and the seafront. Overnight in the same Hotel Meals (B/-/D)
Day 7 : THE WORSHIP OF WATER IN SARDINIA.
The worship of water was a fundamental part of the religion in the pre-christian Sardinia. As we drive South, heading back to Cagliari, we will do a en-route stop to Santa Cristina, the breath-taking sacred well and temple. This is a major complex including: the extraordinary Bronze-Age ‘tempio a pozzo’ , one of the best preserved in the Mediterranean , a “nuraghe” tower and a church, showing how strong the devotion for water remained alive for millennia, until nowadays. Meals (B/-/-)
