Sardinia - wild nature, wild boars & dream beaches

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, only Sicily is larger. Sardinia, or lovingly called 'Continent in Miniature', is a beautiful island that belongs to Italy. If you search for pictures on the internet, you will quickly be amazed by the turquoise sea and white beaches. Before my vacation, a friend told me: 'If you want to have a Maldives feeling, but don't want to travel so far, go to Sardinia - you will love it!' And he was right. I think you can get a small impression from the pictures I have attached to this post - if you want to see more, you should definitely explore Sardinia on your own. It's worth it, believe me!

However, the road network and the condition of the roads leave something to be desired - you have to be prepared for the occasional pothole. A rental car or your own car, if you arrive by ferry, should be equipped with good shock absorbers. Also, be prepared for many winding roads - especially on the rocky coastal roads, the drive can be very long - but the view and the landscape you are offered here are definitely worth the possible hardships.

Our nearly 3-hour drive to Arbatax Park, Hotel Il Borgo Cala Moresca in Tortoli was a bit exhausting, but definitely worth it. And after a 1.5-hour flight from Stuttgart, you can live with that - definitely shorter than flying to the Maldives :-) And if you want to travel, you simply have to bring a bit of patience and a good amount of serenity, because usually you can relax and recover wonderfully after the journey.

The Arbatax resort is huge and divided into various resorts. We were warmly welcomed in an open main reception area and taken to our 'hotel village' Il Borgo Cala Moresca by golf cart after check-in. I deliberately chose this word because our hotel was actually designed like a small, typical Sardinian village. Cobbled streets, many plants, and the rooms arranged terraced - each small house had 2 rooms, one on the ground floor and one accessible via a wrought iron staircase. Really idyllic and beautifully done, we were enthusiastic and felt at home from the very first moment.

The room (photo attached) was also typical of the country and Spartan, but completely sufficient and clean. Finally, unpack the suitcase, freshen up briefly, and then set off on a discovery tour - that's how a first day of vacation usually goes for me - first see where I ended up and let the first impressions sink in.

The first impressions definitely stuck until today. I was able to enjoy a fantastic view of the rocky bathing bay (Cala Moresca) and the turquoise blue water from a platform... (I have also attached a photo for this) - live, of course, it is generally much more impressive than in pictures, the view is complemented by the sea breeze and the sun burning on your back, the chirping of birds and the feeling of having arrived - I love it, every vacation anew! In the evening, enjoy the sunset with a typical Italian 'aperetivo' - and the holiday mood is perfect!

But back to the resort: what I particularly liked was the adjacent animal park, which is really beautifully designed with a lot of love and care and integrates wonderfully into the hotel landscape - as I said before, I always had the feeling of being in a small village... never in a hotel complex - and I especially like that: when I don't feel cramped and have to undergo the typical hotel animations. For many, it may be important to have something like that, I definitely don't need it - on the contrary, I am always a bit annoyed by these offers and the hustle and bustle. But to each his own - everything has its justification and demand :-)!

In the natural animal park, there were wild boars, deer, goats, ibexes, sheep, and horses to admire, some of which ran freely and had no fear of visitors. The rocky chains and the wild water in the bay were also great to look at and some great pictures were taken here. (see attached)

From the very beginning, I felt that relaxation and integration of local customs were the focus at Arbatax Il Borgo.

Even on the culinary side, the international standard buffet, as you know it from many hotels, was not offered. Instead, authentic Sardinian food was offered, which was very varied, fresh, and simply sensational delicious! Personally, I want to get to know everything about a holiday destination - not just the beaches, the most beautiful places, etc., but also the culture and customs... and the typical food is of course part of it.

It always makes me sad when I see guests complaining in the restaurant that there is no schnitzel with french fries and that they don't know the food and therefore can't/won't eat it. I have experienced this so many times, also in other vacations, and all I can say is a little annoyed: 'Then stay at home and eat your fries and schnitzel there!' Sorry, but shouldn't you want to get to know the country and the people with a certain interest and respect ... or am I completely wrong about that? Otherwise, I can really stay at home. That is my opinion, but live and let live :-)

For me and fortunately also for many other guests I spoke to, the food tasted very good and I was really impressed by the variety and attention to detail that was presented at the buffet every evening. I was able to experience some new flavors in the 8 days! I particularly liked the 'carta-di-musica bread', which is baked really thin and crispy. The Sardinian cuisine is of course influenced by the Italian cuisine, pasta, fish, and fresh ingredients. But I found the spices and ingredients to be somewhat different, for example, there is a lot of cooking with fennel and saffron. There is a lot of fresh fish and seafood and meat, such as wild boar and lamb, is also frequently eaten. I think I have never seen as many wild boars as in Sardinia - it is also obvious that these animals are eaten. But really amazingly delicious! There was also delicious goat cheese and even homemade ravioli... so culinarily top!!!

In Il Borgo, there was also a small 'village shop' where you could buy typical Sardinian food and spirits.

The owner was so kind and even gave us a little 'liqueur tasting'. Of course, we also bought something. The owner was so happy about that, that he even gave me a cookbook - so sweet, and I was really very happy about it! The pomegranate liqueur is definitely recommendable and perfect as a souvenir :-) The typical Mirto, a pleasantly sweet myrtle liqueur, tasted good to me and is one of the most consumed liqueurs in Sardinia. Just give it a try! You can certainly buy it in well-stocked supermarkets here too - although, as you probably have experienced, everything you bring home from the vacation spot and eat and drink there, doesn't taste quite as good at home. The atmosphere and the holiday mood, and maybe even the climate, are simply different from ours in Germany and certainly contribute to the taste experience :-)

You can easily go on fantastic, kilometer-long beaches from Tortoli by bus, rental car, or mountain bike, which definitely leave nothing to be desired for beach chillers. Crystal-clear water and fine sandy, almost white beaches invite you to relax and enjoy. Since Cala Moresca, to which our hotel was adjacent, is more of a rocky bathing bay, we also enjoyed having sand between our toes - so we often visited Lido di Orri, one of the most famous beaches on the east coast. The beach is divided into three parts, one is adjacent to the local campsite, so a bit more frequented; the middle part offers infrastructure, such as a bus stop and 2-3 beach bars, as well as wandering vendors :-) and the third section, where we usually spread out our beach towel, is the more secluded and natural section, which is accessible via a well-walkable, albeit rocky path. In the relevant holiday guides, you will certainly find more beach tips and precise driving directions...

In conclusion, we had 8 great, relaxing, and impressive days in Sardinia and I hope I could give you a closer look at Sardinia with my little contribution - I was amazed and enthusiastic about this island and would definitely come back at any time.

For sports enthusiasts among you: mountain biking and hiking are definitely possible here. For the chillers: dream beaches and pleasant water invite you to linger! For the shopping fans: There are the typical Italian markets ('mercatini') here and also great shops in every town that you (or rather, women) can visit :-) So I think there is something for everyone!

Short flight times, moderate prices, and a breathtaking landscape, nice people, and culinary delights are also waiting for you! Dolce Vita a Sardegna!