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Sardinia is not the first place you’d think of when looking to go on holiday, however if you’re looking for something different from the normal beach holiday in the sun, then look no further than the Mediterranean Island of Sardinia.

You’ll find untouched beautiful landscape and stunning scenery combined with plenty of things to do which make holidays to Sardinia different from any other you’ve been on.

Firstly, rather than booking a hotel, why not stay on an Agriturismo farm or in a log cabin?

An Agriturismo farm is ideal if you want to immerse yourself in true Sardinian culture – you’ll live with a Sardinian family who will put you up in their home, usually on a farm.

You may be asked to help out with some of the daily tasks as part of your stay, however you’ll be away from the city; and if you’re lucky you may get away with just putting your feet up for a few days, as you’re still paying for your accommodation. Most farms offer activities to pass the time, such as cookery classes, wine tasting, tours of the local area or horse riding tuition.

You’ll experience the Sardinian way of life, and be treated to some local cuisine, at a much lower cost than if you stayed in a hotel in Calgiari.

Alternatively, you could hire a log cabin on a campsite. Again, cheaper than a hotel, but located in the middle of the countryside where you can soak up the sun in the summer when temperatures top 30°c. Some log cabins have their own swimming pool for you to cool down in, or there may be communal pools in the camping village.

Things to do

Unless you’re planning on doing literally nothing for the duration of your stay, you’ll want something to do, so read on and discover what Sardinia has to offer.

Visit Calgiari

See the Nuraghe of Sardinia – the village of Barumini is home to a megalithic monument (called Nuraghe) built over 3000 years ago that is currently on the UNESCO World Heritage List. There are over 8000 nuraghes still standing in Sardinia, some of which have been excavated and been made open to the public. Dotted all around the island; you shouldn’t have to look too far to spot one of these historic structures.

Check out Arcipelago di La Maddalena National Park – situated off the coast of Sardinia, there are many small islands in La Maddalena National Park which can be explored by boat tours starting from the small nearby town of Palau. You may even catch a glimpse of dolphins swimming in the area so remember to take a camera.

Visit Costa Smeralda – a luxury tourist destination featuring amazing beaches, Costa Smeralda is a hangout for the rich, with many yachts and boats on display in the harbor in Porto Cervo. There’s plenty to do along the coast, mainly water sports such as sailing, windsurfing and scuba diving.

Head to Alghero – one of the most popular tourist destinations on the island, Alghero is an historic town with many bars and restaurants, and immaculate white beaches. If you like outdoor activities, Alghero should be on your list of places to visit, with caving, climbing/hiking and mountain biking trails all on offer. The most famous sight in Alghero is Neptune’s Grotto, a cave in the sea, with boat trips available to tour the cave. Neptune’s Grotto is also an ideal location for scuba divers, with many underwater caves also nearby.

The lakes and lagoons of Sardinia – Sardinia has many lagoons and lakes, including Santa Gilla and Cabras lagoons; home to pink flamingos. For a day away from sightseeing, head to Lake Gusana, where you can hire a boat out on the lake, or go kayaking if you don’t mind getting wet.

Sardinia’s events and festivals: throughout the calendar year there are many different festivals on, the majority of which are celebrating the rich history of Sardinia:

April:

San Giorgio festival (St George’s Day) in Bonnanro, Bitti and Onifai is celebrated with a horse led procession through the centre of the town.

Sardinia Day – April 28th: The National Day of Sardinia, commemorating the Island’s release from Piedmont ruling, is celebrated with processions, parades and firework displays.

May:

Sant’ Efisio Festival – Similar to most celebrations in Sardinia; a huge procession is led through the center of Calgiari, carrying an effigy of Sant’Efisio, while locals play a Sardinian wind instrument called a “launeddas”. The reason behind the festival is that in the 17th century, thousands of people died during a plague, and the town prayed to Sant’Efisio to save the people of Calgiari.

Cavalcata Sarda – Usually the third Sunday in May, Cavalcata Sarda is another festival and parade, featuring over 3000 horses, horse races, dancers and musicians.

June

St John the Baptist Day – June 24th: Similar to Cavalcata Sarda, the celebrations feature horses, dancers, poetry competitions, musical performances and a huge fireworks display.

July

S’Ardia horse race – A 2 day festival in honor of the patron saint of Sedilo, St Constantine. The main spectacle is a horse race, where the best rider of Sedilo is chased around the course by 100 other horse riders.

August

The Archer’s Tournament – 24 archers take part in a medieval style competition, followed by a medieval parade.

Fireworks and fried fish – on August 14th in Alghero, at the port on Busquet walkway, a fireworks display is put on for spectators, while there are stalls selling various different fried fish dishes.

September

The Shoeless Men Run – a large battle is re-enacted to depict the fight between locals and the Saracens.

The festival of Sant Miquel – September 26th, celebrating the patron saint of Alghero in true Sardinian style, with parades, musical performances and a fireworks display.

October

Sagra della Castagna – The chestnut fair held in late October. The event includes wine tasting, food stalls and as always, a parade.

November

Mountain Products Agricultural Fair – celebrating the Island’s arts and crafts, the fair shows off paintings, exhibitions and musical performances by locals.

Try some of the local food

You can’t go on holiday and spend your time eating the same boring meals you’d have at home, so why not sample some of the local dishes such as:

• Porcheddu – roasted pig cooked on a wood fire
• Malloreddus – gnocchi served in a meat sauce with either cheese or tomato
• Stufato di capretto – a goat’s cheese casserole served with eggs and artichokes.
• Culurgiones – onion, egg and garlic ravioli, served with potatos.
• Ostrich – the meat is supplied by two local ostrich farms on the Island, and is prepared as a speciality.

Finally

Not everyone on the Island will speak English, especially the further in land you go, so you’d do yourself no harm to learn some Italian phrases. In some towns, people speak Catalan and French, so you may be able to get by using either of these languages.

If you love bicycling and Italy, taking a cycling vacation in Tuscany or Sardinia is a must. Prefer high mountains, how about Switzerland and riding the Alps? If you love France, bicycle around Provence and climb Mount Ventoux, the Giant of Provence!

Whatever your decision you will find that any one of these trips will be a perfect combination of fine riding in company of like-minded people as yourself, all bicycle enthusiasts, that love riding together and enjoy good food and lodging in charming inns. The trips are designed to appeal to riders who prefer an active cycling vacation but perhaps not overly challenging rides, wanting just as much to enjoy the pleasures of Europe as to ride, as well as those who like to challenge themselves and do not shy away from the most demanding routes.

Cycling trips are in groups of 8 – 16 cyclists and range from 4 to 9 days, from Spring to Fall. There is a tour focusing on rides around the Maggiore Lake in Northern Italy with daily rides of about 70 km each. Lodging base is in Stresa, at the 4* Regina Palace Hotel.

In Tuscany tours start from Gaiole in Chianti and go to the Orcia valley, stop in Rocca d’Orcia (4* Castello di Spaltenna hotel), then take a different route back to Gaiole.

Around Sardinia, an easy tour, “Costa Smeralda Charme”, is six days of cycling, a great tour that includes five rides promising you’ll discover the true beauty of Sardinia (4* Delphina Cala di Lepre hotel).

Raid of Swiss Alps tour, a six days raid through Switzerland departing from Stresa, a thrilling route in the Alps and among the Swiss glaciers. Possible routes include the Susten Pass, the Furk Pass and the well-known passes of San Gottardo and Sempione.

And then there is France, and splendid in mid summer of July it is on a marvelous six days tour of rides with a base in one of the most beautiful locations of Provence, Gordes. The rides will take you along romantic back roads teeming in colors of Provence, the ambiance of the lavender in blossom, and include the rewarding climb of Mont Ventoux.

The trips and locations are selected not only for their unique landscape and natural beauty but above all for the memorable character of the cycling routes, each truly one of a kind that can be found only in these parts of Europe.

For tour details visit www.bikeitaliarando.com

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