Holidays in Sardinia

by Clive West

Travelling to and from Sardinia by ferry

A whole host of operators ply the sea-lanes to and from Sardinia but the principal route is between Civitavecchia on the Adriatic coast of Italy and Olbia. In good weather, the sailing takes a little under 5 hours and typically costs around 350 euros for a family of four, their car, and reserved seats on the boat. Ferries also operate from Genoa, Livorno, Naples, Piombino, Sicily, Corsica (if you fancy island hopping) and even Barcelona.

Places to see

Olbia is an ancient medium-sized town with a mile-long causeway linking it to the ferry port on the Isola Bianca. Places to see include the church of San Simplico which dates back to the 11th century and contains many Roman inscriptions and an intriguing sarcohpagus covered with garlands. Olbia's main attraction is its proximity to the famous Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) - a popular destination. Just take the SS 125 north and choose any one of the turn-offs.

Oristano is another coast town, slightly smaller than Olbia and renowned for its pottery. The best time to see it is on one of its market days when the local people don traditional Sardinian costumes. For those liking archaeology, visit the 700-year old sandstone Cathedral and nearby Portixedda Tower which are all that is left of the old city walls. Anyone wanting to get away from it for a few moments should try fishing in the many well-stocked lagoons that make up the estuary. Fish plays a large part in the cuisine with "bottarga di muggine" (dried and salted fish roe) being a local delicacy.

Tharros is just outside of Oristano. It is an ancient Phoenician town, now famous for its birds and other wildlife.

Cagliari is the hillside capital of Sardinia and lies on the south coast of the island. It dates back nearly 3,000 years and consequently there are a plethora of archaeological digs and sites scattered around the town. Most popular of these is the amphitheater and the three domi (Villa di Tigellio) that were founded during the Roman Empire. See also the Basilica of Bonaria and the impressive botanical gardens which hold over 500 species of tropical plants.

Take the open-topped CTM bus to see the sights of Cagliari as it follows its tourist route and don't forget to try the local Burrida (sweet and sour dogfish) and the Fregola con le arselle (pasta with clams).

Around Cagliari are more lagoons which are home to many different kinds of birds – especially the lagoons of Molentargius and Santa Gilla where flocks of brightly-coloured flamingos can be seen.

Ororsei is a small village on the banks of the Cedrino – visit the ancient ruined castle.

Suggested tours

From Olbia

Costa Smeralda - Cannigione - Arzachena - San Pantaleo - La Maddalena archipelagos Tempio Pausania – Viddalba - Castelsardo – Sassari Alghero Osilo - Nulvi - Olbia

From Cagliari

Calamosca - Poetto - Parco dei sette Fratelli - Castiadas - Muravera - Barumini - Su Nuraxi - Sanluri - Iglesias - Teulada - Domus de Maria - Pula - Riserva Naturale di Monte Arcosu - Cagliari

Places to stay

In Cagliari, choose the Holiday Inn which is great for families with young children with its pool and room service. It is also one of the cheapest in the city.

In Olbia, the hotel Speraesole on Via Nazionale has all the facilities you will need but make sure you get a 'garden view' or end up looking at the car park.