About Italy - Sardinia
Sardinia is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea just south of Corsica it’s French neighbour and about 120 miles west of the Italian peninsula. Its 2000 kilometres of coastline are probably Europe's most spectacular. Its waters teem with fish and shellfish. Its broad valleys turn into golden oceans of wheat in summer. Its rugged mountains, dotted with caves, and large flocks of sheep. Nestled into its silent olive groves are some of the region's oldest archaeological remains, dating back to around 1700 BC. Sardinia ihas become one of the most popular holiday locations for those who enjoy sunshine, water-sports and relaxing beach holidays. Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia, which is second only to Sicily in size among all the Mediterranean islands, and other main towns are Nora, Tharros, Olbia and Turris Libissonis - Porto Torres which is found on the Northern coast of Sardinia.
Sardinia is a really popular holiday destination, especially for Northern European tourists. The warm Mediterranean seas around this pretty island are among the most beautiful and transparent seas in the world. The people speak a language not understood by other Italians, but seem to celebrate more saints' days than any other Italians. Sardinia is ideal for sun worshippers, as in summer the heat can be scorching, and although reports from tourists areas are usually packed in high summer, it remains an ideal location and one you’ll never forget.
Activities
Sardinia is a paradise island with plenty of activities to enjoy both inland and around the coast. With its natural rustic beauty Sardinia is the perfect environment to take part in various sporting activities. Known mainly for its coastline it is very easy to forget that Sardinia has some of the most spectacular inland scenery in Europe. The vast mountainous terrain allows for a number of sporting activities such as mountain biking and rock climbing. With fantastic crystal clear seas and warm climate, Sardinia is the perfect place to practice all forms of water sports. Try diving among the corals around Alghero or adventure sailing just off the Emerald coast. Whatever you are looking for, Sailng, diving, surfing or cycling you will find the activity for you in Sardinia.
Currency
The Currency in Sardinia is the Euro, as it is for Italy:
Euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries .
Monetary unit: 1 euro = 100 cents
Food / Eating Out
When eating out in Sardinia your choices are many. The traditional food of the island tends to be meat orientated such as roast suckling pig and pasta with a sausage ragu.. For visitors who enjoy seafood, Sardinia has a good selection of seafood restaurants to choose from. A local favourite is Lobster Catalan style, popular in Alghero or more generally, freshly caught grilled sardines. You can find numerous restaurants that serve a traditional Sardinian menu but you may wish to also take a look at agriturismos.
The agriturismo is one of Italy’s best kept secrets. These unique places hold the essence of everything that a visitor to Italy could wish to find. The concept of the agriturismo is based upon a working farm with lodging and dining facilities for guests. What makes this different though from a traditional Bed & Breakfast is that all the food that is served at the agriturismo comes from the farm. This means that not only is the food of the freshest and highest quality but guests can be sure to enjoy authentic examples of cuisine from the local area.
Being a guest at an agriturismo is a fantastic opportunity to take part in the local environment in which you are spending your holiday. Even if your accommodation is elsewhere, agriturismos still welcome independent diners and shoppers alike.
Getting around
Once you arrive on the island, you can rely on a good network of public transport which covers most if not all of the remote areas. There is the island-wide bus service run by ARST and the private PANI for longer journeys between towns, while trains connect the major towns of Cágliari, Sássari and Olbia. It has smaller narrow-gauge lines linking with Nuoro and Alghero. If you're planning to use the buses frequently during June through to September, you should consider buying a 'biglietto turístico' which is available during this period from main ARST offices and are valid on all ARST buses. The 7-day version costs L61,500/€31.98; 14 days costs L105,000/€54.60, and they are also available for 21 or 28 days.
Language
The Sardinian language, Sardu is considered the most characteristic of Latin languages, and has been elaborated over recent the centuries. Approx 1.5m people speak Sardu, and still preserve the original peculiarity of this native language - Greek and Latin.
Shopping
SHOPPING CENTRES IN SARDINIA:
There are supermarkets in all the main tourist areas, although at a reasonable distance.
Some shopping centres which include an ‘Auchan’, ‘Carrefour’ or a ‘Mercato’ and are close to the tourist areas and can be found in Cagliari, Sassari and Olbia.
Sights
Some beautiful and spectacular sights can be found in many places around Sardinia. Check out these if you are staying nearby:
The great coastal-walled city of Alghero.
The lighthouse and promontory at Capo Bellavista, Arbatax.
The Baja Sardinia, a large bay with sandy beaches, beside a crystal clear sea. It's famous as an 'aquatic park'.
Sassari- the second most populated city of Sardinia and looks out over the Gulf of Asinara.
Weather
Sardinia has a warm temperate climate. The weather is hot and dry in summer and mild and humid during the winter.
The average temperature is 17 °C. Sardinia enjoys a mild climate, with periods of high temperatures also during the winter. Autumn and Spring are particularly pleasant with the summer hot but not unbearable.
During the coldest months; December, January and February, the average temperature is about 7°C., with colder temperatures in the middle of the island depending on the height above sea level. During Spring, March, April and May, the average temperature is about 13-14°C., with brief moments of rain.
At the beginning of June the average temperature reaches 21.5°C to 23°C. in the Northerly resorts of Olbia to Cagliari. During the hottest months, July and August, the temperature is on average 25°C. along the south coast. Temperatures can reach over 40°C but the sea and the winds can bring welcome relief on the hotter days.
Rain: Sardinia has little rain but generally it appears in the Autumn and early Winter. Sardinia is also a windy region. The main wind during the winter is the mistral which comes from the north-west. During the summer it blows hot, drying out the land and burning the vegetation.
The temperature of the sea between January and March does not generally fall below 13 degrees but in September it goes up to 21-23 °C (24 °C in July and August).
Wine
Sardinia is only now emerging as a serious wine producer. The coastal regions are ideal for growing vines. As with food, the wines are a mixture, many were brought from all over the Mediterranean by previous historic invaders. Aragon brought Spanish grapes, today yielding Vermentino whites from Sassari, Carignano in Sulcis, and Giro in Cagliari. There is Vernaccia, a sherry-type of wine, the dry version is often drunk as an aperitif and the sweet as a dessert wine. Torbato, again of Spanish provenance, provides soft, flowery white varieties. You'll find Carignano (imported French Carignan) is used for barroque-aged reds, and Bovale is a red grape used in many blended wines. There is Grenache (known as Cannonau here) and Muscat on the west of Sardinia.