If you are planning to tour Europe, why don't you consider the
island of Sardinia, a region of southern Italy? Depending on
your own specific interests, this beautiful area can be an ideal
vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it
down with fine local wine. Many parts of Sardinia remain
undiscovered by tourists, while other sites are favorites of
Italian and international jet setters and are priced
accordingly. This article presents central Sardinia. Companion
articles present northern Sardinia and southern Sardinia. Before
we give you our itinerary you must realize that central Sardinia
is hardly flatland. Sometimes to get from point A to point B you
must pass by point C; the actual distance traveled may be much
further than your initial estimate. Enjoy the trip, and drive
carefully (or even better let the pros drive you.)
Su Nuraxi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the finest example
of a 4000 year-old stone defensive structure called nuraghe
found only in Sardinia. Nuraghe typically resemble beehives.
They are built with huge stone blocks, but without foundations
or cement. Each mound contains one or more rooms and perhaps a
courtyard and may be over sixty feet (twenty meters) high.
Sardinia boasts over 8,000 nuraghe. Don't miss the ruins of the
surrounding Bronze-Age village.
Giari di Gesturi is a 28 square mile (45 square kilometer)
basalt plateau. It's home to dwarf wild horses and wild sheep
with beautiful curved horns that made them an endangered
species. Make sure to see these magnificent animals while there
is still time.
Nuoro overlooks the mountains. This is the real Sardinia, not
the coastal resorts. Natives feel a special pride that
foreigners have never conquered them. Traditions are an
essential part of the local daily life and the numerous village
festivals.
Nuoro is proud of its captivating landscapes, walking and riding
paths along old shepherd's trails, and extravagantly romantic
places with rare species of birds. Archaeological finds and
fascinating folklore and legends abound. Yet this city is no
intellectual wasteland. It is called "the Sardinian Athens"
because of its large number of poets, writers, and intellectuals
including Grazia Deledda, the second woman to win a Nobel Prize
for Literature (1926), born and raised in Nuoro.
There are more than 500 types of bread in Sardinia, one for each
village. The most famous is the pani carasau that resembles thin
pita. The Vernaccia di Oristano DOC wine is produced in a small
area near the city of Oristano from a local white grape of that
name. According to legend the vines come from the tears of Santa
Giusta, patroness of Oristano and the wine helps fight malaria.
About the author:
Over the years Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books
on computers and the Internet but simply prefers drinking fine
Italian or other wine, with the right foods. He knows about
dieting but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation. He
teaches a variety of computer classes at an Ontario
French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel website
http://www.travelitalytravel.com which focuses on local
wine and food.
A Quick Tour Of Italy - Central Sardinia