If you are hankering for a European tour, why not consider the
island of Sardinia, a region of southern Italy? Depending on
your 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. Some parts of the island remain
undiscovered by tourists, while others are jet-setter favorites
and priced accordingly. This article presents southern Sardinia.
Companion articles present northern Sardinia and central
Sardinia.
We'll start our tour of southern Sardinia at its capital and
largest city. Cagliari has been inhabited since prehistoric
times. The old city, called the Castle, lies on a hilltop and
offers an excellent view of the Gulf of Cagliari. The old white
limestone city walls are mostly intact. Look for two Thirteenth
Century white limestone towers, the St. Pancras Tower and the
Elephant Tower. D.H. Lawrence, who wrote Sea and Sardinia and
Lady Chatterly's Lover compared Cagliari to a "white Jerusalem".
You will find the fairly well preserved Second Century Roman
Amphitheatre, an aqueduct, ancient cisterns, and the ruins of a
small temple. Summers the amphitheatre hosts open-air concerts,
operas, and concerts. The Archeological Museum located in a
Fourteenth Century castle contains many artifacts coming from
Nuraghe, unique Sardinian stone structures. The nearby the
Poetto beach is a whopping 8 miles (13 kilometers) long.
Pula is known for its lovely beaches, bays, and coves. Admire
the flocks of flamingos in the marshes. Nearby lies the
Phoenician site of Nora, perhaps Sardinia's oldest city. Ongoing
excavations have uncovered many ruins from ancient Carthage and
Rome.
In early May Nora and Cagliari host perhaps the greatest and
most colorful religious procession in the world, the Festa di
Sant'Efisio, honoring a martyr beheaded by a Roman soldier in
303 in Nora. According to popular belief this Saint's
intervention stopped a deadly Seventeenth Century plague. In
gratitude thousands of traditionally costumed marchers transport
his statue back and forth from a Cagliari church to one in Nora.
The festivities end with a torchlight parade.
What about food? Despite its magnificent coastline, native
Sardinians don't seem to go very much for fish and seafood.
However, if you are on or near the coast you can get fish and
seafood. Look for burrida, a delicious fish soup sometimes based
on shark. A more familiar and often expensive specialty is
lobster, some of the best in Italy. Carignano del Sulcis DOC is
produced in the southwestern tip of Sardinia mostly from the red
Carignano grape.
About the author:
Once upon a time Levi Reiss wrote ten computer and Internet
books either alone or with a co-author. And yet, he really
prefers drinking fine Italian or other wine, with the right food
and friends. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what
he wants, in moderation. He teaches computers at an Ontario
French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel
website
http://www.travelitalytravel.com which focuses on local
wine and food.
You will find the fairly well preserved Second Century Roman
Amphitheatre, an aqueduct, ancient cisterns, and the ruins of a
small temple. Summers the amphitheatre hosts open-air concerts,
operas, and concerts. The Archeological Museum located in a
Fourteenth Century castle contains many artifacts coming from
Nuraghe, unique Sardinian stone structures. The nearby the
Poetto beach is a whopping 8 miles (13 kilometers) long.