North-eastern Sardinia: beyond Costa Smeralda luxury.

Gallura is a north-eastern region in Sardinia with a primary role thanks to the tourism presences and to the quality of the territory and services. Several airlines and shipping companies connect frequently Olbia with the rest of Europe. Thanks to this feature Gallura is the best connected area of the whole Sardinian territory and for that reason suitable for short stays and breaks.

Gallura, originally a part of the Sassari province, has recently obtained the power to administer directly its own territories with the institution of the Olbia and Tempio province.

The regional tourism was born in this area with the Costa Smeralda resort and Sardinia has become internationally famous as a charming destination for its gorgeous coastline, emerald green sea, Mediterranean nature and also for the luxury hotels and villas.

Over the years brand new resorts were born and the target of the incoming tourism has changed: today Sardinia offers not only exclusive holidays but also a wide range of possibilities to the middle-class customers.

Now, thanks to the regional laws protecting the environment, Gallura has reached a fair balance between buildings and nature to make possible a tourism respecting the territory.

Accommodations such as hotels, holiday homes, villas, aparthotels and bed&breakfasts have medium-high quality and are available with different rates to fulfill needs and wishes of different customers.

The culture, the high level enogastronomic traditions (thanks to quality food and wines) are other good reasons to visit this part of Sardinia also during spring and autumn months.

International motor competitions such as Sardinian rally, one of the main races of the world championship, or activities such as sailing, sport fishing, diving, golf, windsurfing and kite surfing make Gallura an ideal destination to practice or support sports in nature.

The main happening of the whole year 2009 will be for sure the G8, the meeting of the representatives of the most industrialized countries to the world, that will take place in La Maddalena municipality. Thanks to this international meeting new roads will be realized and existing ones will be repaired upgrading the quality of the services.

Gallura intends to be also for 2009 one of the most wished tourist destinations to the world, renovating its offer and keeping in step with high demanding market and customers.

Luca Frau

Discovering Sardinia and the charm of Costa Verde and Piscinas.

Sardinia offers, in addition to more notes tourist locations, fascinating places still wild or not completely explored. The Costa Verde area, which belongs to the Arbus municipality, is one of them and surely deserves more consideration.

Costa Verde preserves still now its wild beauty thanks to the fact that is not very well connected to the rest of Sardinia. The roads are small, not comfortable, full of blends and sometimes still unpaved. However the travel difficulties are offset by the beauty of the places.

The main features of the Costa Verde are panaromas and landscapes of yearning beauty. A lush nature changing its appearance according to the seasons faces a unique coastline that alternates big cliffs with sandy areas characterized by high dunes modelled by the wind.

Piscinas stands out for the beauty between the sandy beaches of the whole area. It has been declared by the UNESCO world heritage site and its landscape cannot be altered in any way. Reach Piscinas means crossing not comfortable unpaved roads. The main road crosses what remains of the old Ingurtosu mines, a true example of industrial archaeology, that create the impression of a land abandoned by the humans. This aspect makes even more fascinating the journey necessary to achieve this place.

After 12 kilometres we find a gorgeous natural scenery where the only building is the one of Hotel Le Dune obtained by the old warehouses of Ingurtosu mines. This high quality small and charming accommodation allows to the few and privileged guests to enjoy 8 kilometres of wonderful sandy dunes.

A stay in this place is the ideal solution to escape from noises, stress and bothers of big city life. It is not random that this destination is appreciated from long time by managers, writers, politicians that love Sardinia but not its cool places full of people and gossip journalists.

Luca Frau

Photo by Tiziana Pala

Costa Rei the pearl of southern-east Sardinia

Costa Rei is a tourist resort of the Muravera municipality in the southern-east Sardinia. It was founded at the end of seventies by a group of foreign contractors and, over the years, has become famous thank to its gorgeous coastline and to the pureness of its seas.

Costa Rei has one of the longer sandy beach of the whole southern Sardinia (about 8 kilometres). Thanks to this feature it is never overcrowded also during the high summer season. The sea is really impressive for its transparency and for the colours changing from sky blue to dark blue. The sea water slopes down gently and allows to the children to have a bath in complete safety.

The surroundings are characterized by a lush nature with its typical Mediterranean features. The Mediterranean bushes offer colours and perfumes very intense creating a suggestive ambience ideal for a nature holiday.

This territory preserves traces of a very ancient past dating back to the Nuragic era. The natural environment is the perfect habitat for genuine vegetables and fruits cultivations. Small farms produce tasty cheeses, fragrant honeys and liqueurs made with natural berries.

The wine tradition is mostly based on cannonau grapes that find here the perfect environment for a quality wine making. The features of the red wine obtained by cannonau grapes are a intense perfume and a generous alcohol content.

The typical cuisine is based on genuine products and on fresh fish reared or caught locally. The holiday farms and the restaurants prepare the traditional recipes or tasty mixed grills with meat or fish served with the typical Sardinian wines.

On top Costa Rei offers the possibility to practice several sport activities according to the individual preferences. The sea sports such as windsurfing, canoeing, kite surfing and snorkelling allow to enjoy the beauty of the coast. Other sports such as mountain biking, trekking and horse back excursions are perfect to appreciate the surrounding nature.

Visitors may find locally all the main services, shops and restaurants. This feature helps to ensure a comfortable and relaxing stay and makes Costa Rei the right place also for a stay without a car.

Discovering Cagliari, the Sardinian capital city

Every year thousand of tourists plan a trip to Sardinia considering only its wonderful coasts that make it one of the most suggestive islands to the world. When they come to Sardinia for their beach holidays, they discover that beyond the beaches and the terrific sea there other aspects that deserve to be known.

The capital city of the island, Cagliari, is one of the possible destinations for a cultural tour to discover southern Sardinia. The richness of its history, witnessed by several archaeological sites of the Roman age, the historical districts dating back to the Medieval times, the seafront with its characteristic limestone cliff called "La Sella del Diavolo" (The Devil Saddle), the salt flats declared protected areas populated by spectacular flamingos, create an unique and fascinating ensemble.

The popular and religious traditions reach their maximum splendour with the celebrations in honour of Sant’Efisio, the Patron Saint, and every 1st of May the streets come alive thanks to this procession. People of Cagliari, in respect of an ancient vote, thank this way the Saint that did save them by the plague during the year 1652.

The food tradition is based on simple dishes mainly inspired by the sea. The restaurants and taverns in the Marina, close to the city harbour, preserve and offer still today old fishermen recipes such as “la minestra di fregola con arselle” (a soup made with a typical Sardinian pasta and clams), “la burrida” (small fishes marinaded in a nuts sauce), “lo scabecciu” (made with fried small mullets marinaded with tomato sauce and vinegar).

During the winter months it is particularly appreciated the tasting of the sea urchins, served raw with white wine and bread in the small taverns along the Poetto beach. It is a pleasant break during the nice winter walks on the sea shore.

Cagliari offers to its visitors nice mini-hotels and bed&breakfasts with a good quality and rates. The more suggestive are located in the historic city center or in the seafront.

Luca Frau

Hotels in Sardinia: many possible alternatives.

Sardinia offers several high quality accommodations for different needs and customers. The most important thing to do, to find an hotel suitable for specific demands, is to follow some useful tips and if possible consult with a tourist expert.

In Sardinia a lot of possible alternatives are available. For example mini-hotels (with no more then 10 rooms) are suggested for who is looking for a private accommodations and for a familiar atmosphere. The charming hotels have few rooms too (usually no more then 50) and are located in suggestive places or on the beach; in comparison to the mini-hotels they offer a superior comfort and high quality services. Club-hotels, on the contrary, are big accommodations (very often with more then 100 rooms) but offer a lot of entertainments for adults and children, sea sports activities and an amusing night life.

A couple looking for an intimate and calm place but avoiding luxury or particular solutions, can choose a mini-hotel. This kind of accommodation is ideal for a small family too but not suitable for a big one.

People looking for suggestive and exclusive moments, also with their families, can choose a charming hotel. Usually charming hotels are located in gorgeous natural sceneries or on the beach. They also offer an high quality catering service and are suitable for who desires spend a relaxing holiday being cuddled in the same time.

Club-hotels are perfect for a family looking for a good quality and price, a simple but good catering service and a lot of entertainments for adults and children. Usually this kind of hotels offer mini-club activities, sea sport schools and competitions, night shows and piano bar.

Every single hotel, irrespective of the category which it belongs, has its special features that make it different from the others. For that reason choose an hotel could be a bit complicated and it is a good reason to consult with an expert that can give suggestions to the customer in accordance with his demands. A serious tour operator must know very well the destination and every single accommodation offered. Only this way he can guarantee professional advices and high quality booking services.

Domus&Tour staff

Holiday Homes in Sardinia

The Holiday Homes in Sardinia can be a good solution for a pleasant stay, keeping in mind the budget. However it is necessary keep in consideration some useful advices and cautions.

First of all Holidays Homes are not equal everywhere: you find the ones offered directly by the private owners, the ones selected and visited by professionals and finally the ones managed directly by tourism professionals.

Any offer you will receive keep in mind the following cautions: verify exactly where the house is located (avoid approximate indications), check carefully the interior and exterios photos (distrust from close ups too narrow) and of course check very well the rates (specially the hidden costs).

Before starting the search it is better consult people that will spend the holiday with you: keep in mind everyone needs is the best way to avoid unpleasant arguments. It is useful know that you can find solutions of every kind: apartments or villas, simple or luxurious.

In case of doubts is better ask for more information or search something else. If you are looking for a self-catering apartment keep in consideration the Residences too: they offer a better quality and more services and ask in change rates a bit higher but not always.

Rent ad Holiday Home is a great solution to enjoy the gorgeous Sardinian sea and following these simple tips you will never find unpleasant surprises.

Luca Frau

Domus&Tour s.r.l.

Easy Sardinia

Easy Sardinia is a free of charge service offered by Domus&Tour the web agency based in Sardinia and managed by people fond of their own work and country.
Sardinia is absolutely a gorgeous land but sometimes not so easy to discover and explore. Many people don't speak english, the roads don't have english signs, the tourist offers are conceived for the italian market without thinking to the needs of the foreign customers.
We have decided to open this blog to help people planning a trip to Sardinia that need a qualified assistance to get tourist infos or to share their experiences after an holiday spent here.
Feel free to contact us, to ask for more information, to write your opinions and suggestions.
We desire to help you to discover our land in a pleasant and profitable way.
Welcome in Sardinia.

Domus&Tour staff