Introduction to the region: Sardegna
A clarification on spellings: ‘Sardegna’ is the contemporary Italian spelling adopted after the unification of Italy, but in English ‘Sardinia’ is used, which interestingly enough, was the historical spelling. Therefore, you will see both spellings throughout my entries; as you will see below, D.H. Lawrence uses the anglicized spelling.
Attribution: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32782
I love D.H. Lawrence, and he was enchanted by Sardegna. His mixed and multifaceted impressions from a trip taken in 1921 are articulated in a travel book called Sea and Sardinia. Taken out of context, however, some of his quotations are the greatest endorsements for the island. Don’t get me wrong, one Instagram photograph will be enough encouragement. Still, of Sardegna, Lawrence wrote: “This land resembles no other place. Sardinia is something else. Enchanting spaces and distances to travel-nothing finished, nothing definitive. It is like freedom itself.” It is. In fact, the southern coast of Sardegna still feels very much like this with ‘nothing finished’ just shy of 100 years after Lawrence recorded his impressions.
Driving from the Cagliari airport to Villasimius
I visited the region with three of my closest friends in June, after we closed the academic school year to embark on the long-awaited summer holidays. It felt just like “freedom itself.” I started with my friend Shelley on an early, cheap and expeditious flight from Rome. We rented a car at the Cagliari airport and set off on our “distances to travel.” The coastline from Cagliari to Villasimius (our first stop) is stunning; it rivals an Amalfi Coast drive and felt much more spacious, much ‘freer’. We took this trip at the end of June, and I wholeheartedly recommend this time frame if you want to have the full beach experience without the crowds. I made this recommendation for Calabria as well, and it stands true for all regions boasting beautiful beaches, especially in the south. The beaches are not empty, but they are nowhere near crowded, and we were always able to rent an umbrella easily, everywhere went went. It felt like the perfect time, the perfect balance. That said, I was considering a trip with my parents over the Easter holidays, during the month of April. Their intention was not to ‘bake in the sun’ as my mom would say, yet a visit during this time of year would have other advantages (even fewer people). Even if you are not looking for beach time, seeing the Sardinian sea, especially without throngs of people is a worthy bucket list item.
While planning our trip, I got in touch with Marco, a friend, who moved to the south of Sardegna quite a few years ago. His advice proved very useful, and I have requested to reproduce it here. He explained that the south coast of Sardegna is not as urbanized even as the Costa Amalfitana or the Cinque Terre in Liguria. He explained that ‘there are incredibly beautiful and wild places’ but not the same structure of ‘nice little towns’ built right along the water’s edge. This proved to be very apt advice. Villasimius, we discovered, does have more of a ‘town center’ than Chia. Again, I would encourage you to rent a car in order to experience the ‘freedom’ that Sardegna offers. I am a rather nervous driver, and my travel companion is the antithesis of me. Assertive and provocative, she actually enjoys driving in Rome for the thrill it brings. Driving in Sardegna is not this way. We found that there were not too many cars and if you have a Google Maps or Waze on your journey, the driving will not cause extra stress. Driving to some beaches, Punta Molentis, for example, does require a precipitous turn onto an unpaved road, but if you trust the navigation system, he or she will not do you wrong.
A few more general comments on Sardegna. Perhaps you have heard of the Costa Smeralda; this ‘coast’ is where the rich and famous flock in Sardinia. Prices are high, but the natural beauty is still present along with 5 star hotels and million dollar superyachts. No where else in Sardinia is like this; thus, I would recommend travelling anywhere else, as the beauty is even greater and prices more reasonable.
Shades of sparkling Sardinian waters
On other note, I had heard Italians talk for years and years about the incomparable waters surrounding this island region. I scoffed at this a bit. I had basked in Caribbean waters, Greek waters. Yet, upon visiting this isle, an almost inevitable baptism takes place. Once you bathe in the crystalline waters, a change occurs. It is dramatic. Yet, I begrudgingly admit, it is true. As Lawrence put it, “Sardinia is something else.” I returned to Rome after my all too brief sojourn and wanting to build on my early tan, went to one of my ‘favorite’ beaches around Rome, Santa Severa. It is a nice beach; it has a castle, and I certainly recommend visiting. Yet, it is just not the same. After experiencing the water of Sardegna, the potential to turn into an Italian beach snob is there; it is unavoidable. But it is more than that. The land does have an ‘enchanting’ quality, a mystery. It conjures a profound longing to return, almost uncomfortably strong, even as I write these words from my bedroom in Texas.