10 stops along the route Castelsardo-Cagliari
1. Castelsardo
Here we go! In this pleasant town, dominated by a castle on a high rock massif. You have to climb a few steps to get to the "castle" (you can get around with a carriage), but believe me, it's definitely worth it. There is a tangle of narrow streets where countless restaurants and shops are hidden. You'll also come across different types and colours of baskets - Castelsardo is considered to be the city of basketry. And last but not least, from the walls you will have a beautiful view of the city itself, the sea and even neighbouring Corsica in the distance.
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2. Elephant rock
Roccia dell ´Elefante is a short stop on our way to our accommodation. It's not some abandoned gem somewhere in the woods, on the contrary it's right on the road just outside Castelsardo, so basically you just jump out of the car, take a picture of the elephant shaped rock (imagination required) and then you're off again. There's not really anything else to do here.
Accommodation Castelsardo
We chose the apartment next door in Valledoria, mainly because of the price. Privacy in the form of a kitchen, bathroom and two separate bedrooms for €64/night? For that price, we'd be squeezing ourselves into a mini-room in Castelsardo for nothing, so the choice was clear. Our tried and tested accommodation is called Ginepro family and we can recommend it with a clear conscience. The apartment itself was great and the communication with the owner was top notch. If you fancy something different, check out this accommodation:
- cheaper: Rocca Doria or Hotel Residence Ampurias- both nice and very well rated with a price of about €80/night
- more expensive: Hotel Blumarea with exclusive breakfast or country resort Il Borgo BagaBaga
3. Cala Li Cossi
A beautiful hidden cove with a sandy beach, not to be missed! Although it's a bit of a detour for us. We left the car in the Costa Paradiso resort in a parking lot via google maps called very originally parcheggio Li Cossi. From there you have about a 20 minute walk along a path with stone steps, wooden railings and amazing panoramic views of the wild coastline. This area is typical for its orange-pink jagged rocks, which reminded me a bit of the rocks in the American Zion National Park. Really very beautiful!
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4. Cascata di Triulintas
See opening photo :) This was a very pleasant diversification of the program in the form of waterfalls near the town of Martis, to which leads a relatively short and easy path, so even children can easily manage it. When navigating on google maps, be careful and type directly the parking lot Parcheggio Cascata Triulintas, otherwise it will try to guide you elsewhere.
The waterfalls are about 15 meters high, so they are not huge, but they fall into a small natural lake surrounded by greenery, which together make a really nice whole. There used to be even a mill here, but it was abandoned due to frequent floods and only ruins remain. It takes about 15 minutes to get to the waterfall. The advantage of Triulintas is that it is not particularly busy for tourists, so you can enjoy this green oasis in peace.
From there we moved on to the agriturismo Pedru Caddu, where we had booked accommodation and a multi-course yummy dinner. Elena, the owner, was incredibly nice and helpful, she accommodated us in everything - cot, dinner time, she even held Jonah at breakfast so I could drink my coffee in peace :) In general in Pedro Caddu beautiful environment, nice rooms and possibility to use the pool with sunbeds. For a night in a triple room + cot for Jony we paid €100 including breakfast. And dinner in agriturismo I mentioned in the first article here.
5. Monte Ortobene
This mountain is not the highest but it is very easy to reach by car. It is 955 m high and there is a road from Nuoro to the park at the top. On the way, be sure to stop in one of the coves to check out the house in the rock - Sa conca (google maps). You can then park for free at the top, drop the kids off at the playground and have a snack at the restaurant or bar. And what you came for - the view! The observation deck with the Statua del Redentore statue is where you'll be treated to views of the whole wide area. You can come anytime and there is no entrance fee.
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6. Parco archeologico Biru 'e Concas
You probably won't read about this place on any must see list. We actually found out about it completely by accident from the owner of this amazing B&B I Menhir, where we spent the night. It has two separate bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room with a fireplace (wood burning of course) + a garden... really romantic! And the price is also a total bargain - €80/night even with a simple breakfast.
Biru ´e Concas is located about 8 kilometers from the town of Sorgono, and also a short walk from our cottage, so we set out to explore on foot, however, even with parking there will not really be a problem, as the place is not very touristy.
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| B&B I Menhir |
Ironically, this megalithic site hidden in the mountains is one of the most important in Sardinia, because this is where people have been meeting and exchanging goods since the 4th millennium BC. For this reason, more than 150 monoliths were placed and carved here, making Biru e Concas the area with the highest concentration of menhirs on the island. From a practical point of view, there are several trails that you can walk to encounter the stone cairns, but for example, during our visit the hill was quite overgrown with grass. So don't be discouraged and follow the beaten track, you're bound to come across some information signs and then it's easy to find your way around.
7. Parco Aymerich
From the menhirs we only have to cross back down to the airport, but to make the trip a bit shorter for the kids, I have a few more stops in reserve. I was really looking forward to Aymerich , Sardinia's largest park (22 hectares), but the weather threw a pitchfork into the mix this time, and so our visit became more of a leisurely quick walk.
The park is the brainchild of botanical enthusiast Don Ignazio Aymerich Ripoll, who brought back rare plants as souvenirs from his travels off the island in the mid-19th century. The local flora is very diverse, from orchids to Himalayan cedars and bamboos to magnolias. Of course, you'll have a great time here even if you're not a fan of flowers and trees. You can choose one of the nature trails, enjoy the view of the ruins of a medieval castle or a cascading waterfall, or check out the caves used as shelters during the bombing during World War II.
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8. Su Nuraxi di Barumini
A must-stop for all history lovers and collectors of UNESCO monuments. While wandering around Sardinia, you must have noticed the various turnings and signposts to the nuragha = megalithic conical structures that served as defensive (and offensive) towers, and which are typical only of this island. It is said that you can find around 7 thousand of them here! The peculiarity is that they are basically just stacked boulders - they hold without any binding. And Barumini is the largest concentration of nuraghs you can imagine, which is why this place even made it onto the UNESCO list in 1997.
Parking is free, but be prepared to pay €15 per adult to enter - this includes admission to the Casa Zapata Museum and the Giovanni Lilliu Centre. Tours of Barumini are guided only; unfortunately, you can't visit the site on your own. They start every half hour and you will spend about an hour inside the site.
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| Zdroj: GetYourGuide - https://www.getyourguide.com/cs-cz/su-nuraxi-di-barumini-l161580/barumini-prohlidka-nuraghe-a-exkurze-do-parku-giara-t525344/ |
9. Sardegna in Miniatura
An amusement park for young and old about an hour from Cagliari. We didn't end up visiting it due to the nasty weather, but hopefully you'll have better luck. Here you will find miniature Sardinian monuments, a nature park with parrots, an aquarium, a planetarium, a playground and a dino park. The price of €21 for adults / €16 for children from 1m tall (up to 11 years old) includes a train ride + a boat ride. So a full day of fun guaranteed :) For more information you can check out the official website here.
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| Zdroj: Sardegna in Miniatura - https://www.sardegnainminiatura.it/ |
10. Cagliari
Instead of a miniature park we found ourselves in the capital of Sardinia - Cagliari. I hadn't found anything beforehand, so we just parked near the centre and went for a walk without any expectations. Specifically, we left the car in Via Santa Margherita, paying about 1€/hour. So our clue became Piazza Jenne, which is a great starting point as there are pedestrian zones on both sides and you'll find a huge variety of restaurants, bars and cafes.
I'd definitely recommend not missing the local landmark Bastione di Saint Remy - a giant arch of white limestone, at the top of which you can enjoy the view from the terrace (free entry). The Torre dell'Elefante and Santa Maria Cathedral are also nearby. Plus, if the timing suited you, I'd happily pop into Mercato San Benedetto for some more yumminess. But watch out for opening times there, you can find the current ones here.
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So that's all from our Sardinian trip :) If this information has helped you save some time or money or both, you can "invite me for a coffee" and contribute to the running of Travel with donuts :) account number / QR code: 1257951017/3030
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