Sardinia (Italian: Sardegna, Sardinian: Sardinna, Sardinya, Sardinia – depending on which region) is an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located just south of the island of Corsica, west of the Boot of Italy, and north of Tunisia. With 24.090 km², it is the second largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily. It has about 1,65 million inhabitants.
The capital of Sardinia is Cagliari, which is located in the south of the island. Other important places on the island are Sassari, Nuoro, Olbia and Oristano. The main ports are Porto Torres, Olbia, Golfo Aranci, Arbatax, Porto Foxi and Cagliari. Sardinia is also an autonomous region within the Italian Republic.
The island has a subtropical, Mediterranean climate. Summers can get very hot, and winters are generally mild, with snow in the mountains being no exception. The coastal regions are usually protected from snow. In addition, the island is always under the influence of the wind: the mistral (maestrale as Italians say), scirocco, libeccio and levante.
Prehistoric tribes that lived here have left impressive monuments. Such as the Domus de Janas (from the neo-lithic period) and the thousands of Nuraghi scattered here, built from loose stones and used as towers or entire fortresses. Later came the Phoenicians and the Carthaginians (500 BC). Then the Romans, the Vandals, the Byzantines and in the 11th century the Saracens. Partly because of this, the island contains a melting pot of peoples and cultures, brought together on an area of less than 25.000 km².
The many churches and basilicas are particularly beautiful in a picturesque landscape setting. The highest mountain peak reaches almost 2 kilometers. The island is further surrounded by a large series of small rocky islands, sometimes inhabited, sometimes used by ranchers who return home at night to the mainland.
Innumerable are the small sandy coves, surrounded by many cliffs, while the sea water on site has a specific color. The Grotta di Nettuno is a sight to behold. Porto Cervo in the northeast has a spacious harbor and is a starting point for various routes across the island, such as to Cagliari, the capital, but also to Olbia or Sassari.
Nine seaside resorts and only one city in the mountains. Those are the 10 most popular Italian summer destinations this year. At least according to Airbnb. The platform that connects landlords and tourists worldwide has compiled a list of the locations that are most in demand. The result is of course not representative of all […] More
Inland at the Golfo di Orosei (east coast) in the Supramonte Mountains lies the Gola di Gorropu. Gorrupu is Sardinian for 'cliff', 'gorge' or 'steep wall'. The gorge was created by the Fluminéddu, Sardinian for 'small river'. This small river, often no more than a small stream in summer, has […] More
RTL4 is filling GTST's summer break this year with The Italian Village: Ollolai, a six-week real-life soap about Dutch people in a Sardinian village of 1.500 inhabitants. Over the past thirty years, the population of Ollolai in the heart of the Italian island of Sardinia has halved. What remained is greyed out. The young people have left. Houses are empty and […] More
Well, an article about the 10 most beautiful places on the major Italian islands. Quite a challenge! First of all, let's define what the largest islands actually are. Of course Sicily and Sardinia, they are almost the same size and comparable to the surface of Belgium. The third island of Elba – part of the Tuscan archipelago – is […] More
Sardinia has long been a popular holiday destination for Italians, but more and more people from outside Italy are also coming to explore this island in the summer. Logical, because it is a beautiful island that has something to offer for every holidaymaker. For example, you have great nature with rugged mountains for experienced hikers, picturesque towns […] More
