THE ISLAND OF WHITE SAND & TURQUOISE WATERS

Many come to Sardinia to bask in the warmth of the Mediterranean sun, splash about in the deep turquoise waters and leave the island adorned with natural rouges and browns. Even Italians immodestly admit that the snow-white beaches in Sardinia are of the most gorgeous and some kind of special.

Irene, a 27 year old girl, welcomed me with a fresh beaming smile. She had rays of sunshine painted all over the face. She lives here and kindly agreed to show me a bit her little dream island. Nearly 10 minutes’ drive away from the Cagliari International Airport Elmas, we stepped inside a real Sardinian home filled with warmth and pure joy.

“Sardinians tend to wary of strangers, do not smile, and might appear not particularly friendly. We are people from an island. However, if you are introduced to Sardinians by a friend or a family member and we get to know you, like you, you become a part of the family” - said Irene. And so I did, within a fraction of a second, conquered the Sardinian hearts and was given so much love in return. Easy-peasy.

THE SEA, SUN & FOOD - SARDINIANS’ LOVE

Sardinian people have so much love for their land. They adore the sea, the mountains, the sun and the food and they are genuinely proud of their little island that they call home. The life in Italy begins after coffee, so sipping espresso in a cute little cup, slowly started immersing into the Sardinian reality and headed to the Poetto Beach and so should you once you get here. It is the longest beach in Sardinia. It stretches for approximately 8km. It is full of restaurants, pizzerias, cafés and bars.

We all need sometimes a moment of blissful laziness and some tan! When it comes to sunbathing, nudism has always been largely practiced and tolerated in Sardinia. The approximately 70 year old topless woman on the public beach does not cause any shock. But it was kind of a surprise to me. If you do want to look like a piece of chocolate down there, you better head to the Piscinas (the biggest nudist beach in Europe), or Porto Ferro (the first official naturist beach in Sardinia). It is ok to be topless on the public beach despite the age, but if you would like to remove the bottom part too, please kindly drive to the designated places.

From Poetto Beach you can admire the Devil’s Saddle (La Sella del Diavolo) where supposedly straight from the heaven Lucifer fell down from his horse, hit and shaped the headland. Hence, the name. If you dream of eating your breakfast by beach, head to Chiosco La Sella del Diavolo and order a piece a round savoury puff pastry called “pizzetta sfoglia” stuffed with tomatoes, capers and at times anchovies. You can only get it in Sardinia. If you stomach starts rumbling around noon, the same place is great to grab lunch or a bottle of refreshing beer - Ichnusa. Eating horse meat in Sardinia is not taboo. It is as natural as eating beef steak.

THE OLD & CHARMING PART OF CAGLIARI: II CASTELLO & VILLANOVA

The old II Castello district is where you get trully seduced by the beauty of Cagliari. The modern glass elevators can whisk you up to the medival part of the city, ramparts, a jigsaw of narrow high-walled alleys, and terraces. Go on a litle walk and get lost in the maze of the old streets, little artsy shops, restaurants. Do not rush to find out where you exactly are.

But do not forget to stop for a bit, take a sit, order a glass of Aperol Spritz at Libarium (a bar with probably the best view over the city) and enjoy the view over Cagliari and the sea. The Elephant tower and the San Pancrazio tower were once a part of the city fortifications. You can climb to the top to admire the view from here too. The Castello is also a great place to have your dinner. Pani e Casu is probably a place where would be coming back perpetually.

The place that simply takes your breath away is the Cathedral Di Santa Maria. Do not miss to see it beautifully illuminated at night. But the Saint Remy Bastion is one of the most popular place in Cagliari. It was built to connect the lower and upper part of the city at the beginning of the 20th century, and it quickly became the symbol of the old town. Villanova it is located at the foot of the hill next to the Castello district and offers another lovely walk among typical houses decorated with flowers and plants.

Psss. If you are passionate about food, the San Benedetto Market, located on Via Coccu Ortu as it is the largest food market in Cagliari.

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK IN CAGLIARI (THE LOCAL RECOMMENDS)?

Restaurants:

• Antica Cagliari

• Antica Cagliari Bistrot

• Da Marino al St. Remy

• Ristorante Italia

• Pani e Casu

Bars:

• Libarium

• Cavo Bistrot

• Tiffany

• Caffe Degli Spiriti

ICE CREAM:

• Fenu

THE MAGIC OF FLAMINGOS

But Cagliari would not be the same without the pink flamingos. They became a symbol of the city. Here they are not just simple birds, they are called “Genti Arrubia”, the red people. Park of Molentargius (Free entrance) is open every day from sunrise to sunset (From May to October: every day, 8:30 am - 8:00 pm, From November to April:every day, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm) and is where you should head if you want to admire for a moment the enthralling & impressive “pink cloud”.

Oh, It is hard not to be utterly smitten for Sardinia.