Approaching the Italian Region of Sardegna I feel to write just a few lines of general introduction.

Far away from the other Regions of Italy , separated by the Mediterranean sea ,Sardegna is surely the island that better preserves the old traditions more intact. Its coastline is breathtaking, but its mainly the internal part of the island , strangely wild and impervious that deserve to be known.

The natural environment is very rich, made with completely different sites (they alternate calcareous, granites and alluvial grounds) and landscapes which change suddenly and remarkably in few kilometres distance.

The Human settlement presence inland has millennium origins; traces of King shepherds ancient civilisations are spread all over the island , proving that the Sardos always have preferred looking at the internal island instead of searching the sea horizons.

Down the centuries Sardegna has been invaded by the Punics, the Romans, the Maritime republics of Genoa and Pisa , the Arabs, Spanish and in the end the Piedmonteses from the Savoy Family. All left their cultural and architectonics influences which enriched the artistic heritage of the island with beautiful churches, but none changed deeply the Sardinian life and cultural habits , made by shepherds , stones and forests where the classic Mediterranean oak ( Quercus Ilex) and the cork oak tree (Quercus Suber) dominate most of the valleys.

Briefly, the geological history of Sardinia began in the Cambrian. Indeed, Cambrian sandstones form the backbone of the Sulcis Iglesiente together with its mining fields. These sedimentary rocks are followed in the Carboniferous by volcanic ones ,an indication of the mighty eruptions of those times. Later, as a result of orogenesis, the island emerged in all its extension, was then flooded again by the sea in the Eocene, and eventually achieved its current morphology starting from the Lower Pliocene

The morphology is far for being monotonous , as each geologic epoch has modelled quite different landscapes. Few examples are from the granitic mountains of Gallura, with its typical pinnacles and spikes, turning into more mountainous with wide ridges; limestone –dolomite formations dominate in the Mount of Oliena with steep ravines, bare and whitish, that confer to the countryside a moon like aspect and also the karstic action has carved a number of shafts, grottos and caves also underwater ( like the Bue Marino /monk seal cave at Cala Gonone).

An unrivalled naturalistic treasure in the entire Mediterranean Sea,it has preserved the ecological habitat of over a century ago. Vegetation cover consists mainly of hollies and Mediterranean shrub and it preserves some typical plants unique to Sardinia , such as the “thorny knapweed” ( Centaurea horrida) . This is also important area for the breeding of several wild animals, someof which quite rare: the Sardinian painted frog ( Discoglossus sardus) , the shag, the European Mouflon and the Asinello bianco ( white donkey), which has given name to the island itself.

The flora consists mainly of Mediterranean mountainous species, along with rare shrubs and grasses; whereas the fauna, quite rich , included some remarkable specimens: mouflon, boar, Sardinia wild cat, marten, weasel and fox. Amongst the birds are the Sardinian vulture , golden agle, common raven, and peregrine falcon. There are 180 species , in total which populates the south eastern area of Cagliari full of swamps and lagoons (over an area of 4500 ha.) including the purple swamphen, the black-winged stilt, the marsh harrier and many others, let alone the well-known pink flamingo which has been nesting in Cagliari since 1993. The Gray bigeared batis endemic to Sardinia ( only found in the island) and was discovered only in 2002.

Sardinia is a land rich in mineral resources , whose exploitation dates back to eight thousand years ago, when the people of Sardinia learned to work the obsidian ( a type of volcanic glass ) for the manufacture of sharp tools. Later on, they began to extract from the earth’s bowels tin and copper to make a bronze alloy, a raw material employed both for their weapons and for the human figurines known as “bronzetti” ,utmost expression of the Nuragic Art. The many people that later reached the island exploited extensively the Sardinian mining fields which are located in the south-west part of the island, in the Sulcis Iglesiente region, where quarrying activities have altered the lifestyle of local inhabitants, along with the geography of their settlements . However , an evocative mining countryside remains preserved with abandoned buildings at the back of a superb nature. In 1998, UNESCO declared the mining areas of Sardinia Human Heritage , giving rise to the Geological, Historical and Environmental Park of Sardinia.

One of the most beautiful hiking areas is without doubt along the Supramonte massif, which runs from Nuoro to Baunei on the east coast. Today, this area remains one of the most unpopulated and rugged areas in Europe. The narrow gorges, imposing chalk rocks, wide plateaus and hidden canyons run in an uninterrupted stretch of natural beauty. In Supramonte di Oliena you can explore the final retreat of the Stone Age Nuraghi people, who fled to a secret cave in Monte Tiscali. In Supramonte di Baunei you can marvel at the Su Gologone tableland, the deep chalk cavity of the Voragine di Golgo and at the Gola su Gorrupu, Europe's mightiest ravine. Only experienced hikers should attempt to take on the Supramonte without guidance. You should also double check that you have all the necessary equipment with you for your trip.

The ten Sardinian beaches not to miss:

  1. The closest to town ; Poetto, the beach closest to Cagliari the most lively and biggest of the island.
  2. The most hidden ; Cala domestica, protected by a Saracen tower.
  3. The highest dunes are those of Piscinas, 9 km of dunes that reach 50m high, are the highest in Europe.
  4. The most carrabean, is Arutas, very small rice grain quarts on an emerald see water.
  5. The cleanest see water; Bosa Marina has been the cleanest Italian water.
  6. The best windsurf site; Porto Puddu always offer wind for suffers.
  7. The most pinkish; The sand beach of Budelli island formed by peaces of shells, corrals and see microrganism.
  8. The youngest; The Cinta beach, 1km long between the see and the lagoon loved by under 20s.
  9. The most lonely; Berchida, with a white sand beach and red rocks.
  10. The most inaccessible; Calaluna, we can reach it by boat or by foot; Turquoise water, and candid sand beach.

I’m not available just for a day walk in Sardegna ,but at least 2 or three days tour.