Savvy Destinations

Sardegna, Italy

Little known, little explored and with no tourist crowds. Just over an hour by air from Milano and Roma, Sardegna is a destination that offers spectacular uncrowded beaches, friendly locals, low costs, and great food and wine. The average cost for accommodation and dining are far lower than major destinations on the mainland. However be prepared to have some basic knowledge of Italian if visiting smaller towns. Some of the best eateries and lodging options appear in no tourist books.

If the high-end Costa Smerelda in the north or Cagliari in the south are too congested, try basing yourself in the centrally-located and very quaint town of Guspini.

Within 20-50 minutes you of Guspini you can reach ancient ruins of the Phonecians, Romans, castles, nuraghi, tombs of the gigantic, and tombs of the fairies; there are wonderful hiking and trekking in the mountains with beautiful terrain and waterfalls, Add to that streams, rock formations and magnificent views. The close proximity to Costa Verde and wonderful unspoiled and not crowded beaches are very much some of the best kept secrets in Sardegna. And along the beaches – Torre del Corsari has a lovely long beach area and small sand dunes for hiking and views from the top. Beautiful beaches are found in and around Capo Pecora, Buggerru, Marina di Arbus, Porto Palma, and the famous beach and sand dunes of Picinias – one of the largest, if not the largest, in Europe !

Historical buffs will find pleasure in exploring the some 7,000 Nuraghi - hilltop fortresses built from the middle of the Bronze Age (18th-15th centuries BC) to the Late Bronze Age. Some historians claim the Nuragic civilization produced the most advanced and monumental architecture of the period in the western Mediterranean. Some are in good condition, but many are decayed almost beyond recognition. The nuraghi lend the landscape an aura of archaic melancholy, in which all attempts at progress seem out of place.

One of the largest uncovered sites is Il Nuraghi “Su Nuraxi” – located in Barumini, about 35 minutes from Guspini and about 45 minutes from Cagliari. This site is centered around a three-story tower built around 1500s BC. This site was recently made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Nuraghi Losa stands in peaceful timelessness on a small rocky eminence just a few dozen yards from the noise and frenzy of the traffic on the Carlo Felice superstrata below.

Near Torre Grande (Oristano) the ruins of Tharros draw many tourists. The complex is open after lunch in and late into the day in summer. A snack bar is available for drinks and also has clean lavatories. A stroll to the top of the nearby hill at sunset is a must! Rumour has it that more ruins are buried under the sea - an invitation to snorkeling buffs in summer.

See Savvy Traveller's top pick of Sardegna wine in the wine section and dining picks in Savvy Diving.