Sardinia
Sardinia I: Perd’E Sali
We were so very excited to get to Italy – obviously, it’s ITALY but also, all the “grandmas and grandpas” (Sean’s parents and mine) were meeting us on Sardinia. Our flight landed a few hours prior to everyone else’s, so we found our rental car, drove the half hour to the tiny town of Pula, got groceries (and champagne!), and drove to the even tinier community of Porto Columbu-Perd’E Sali.
Our first few days were full of meals cooked and eaten together at the villa we’d rented, town runs for coffee and groceries, naps, walks, pool dips, and chats. We attempted an outing to the Nora archeological site one (very hot) day, only to learn we had to take a guided tour that didn’t leave for another 45 minutes, so that was a bit of a bust (though we ended up at Nora Resort’s restaurant for lunch in their lovely inner courtyard, so not a total loss!). We also had a day exploring Cagliari, which was the nearest city (and the airport we flew in and out of). Our day there consisted of wandering around the narrow streets of the fortified Castello area, enjoying pistachio gelato, poking our heads into churches, and relaxing over lunch at the lovely Caffé Libarium Nostrum with views over the city and the sea.
Having the grandparents around meant Sean and I could fit in some longer hikes and workouts. We tried to do a walk and a workout most mornings, despite the heat. One day we tried to hike to a trail we could see up in the hills, only to be foiled by a beachfront gulley we could neither get down into nor around. We did a great little beachfront loop (more war bunkers!) a few days while the kids swam with our parents. But our very favourite was the Antica Strada Romana – the Old Roman Road hike. It started at a beach and ascended up into the hills above the clearest, bluest water we’d seen (and we’ve seen a lot on this trip!). We could clearly see the sharp, dark shadows of fishing boats on the ocean floor deep below them, and stopped for a nature pee with perhaps the most stunning of views high above the rocky shore. We hiked along to another beach where we stopped for beachside cappuccinos, and were so energized on the way back that we trail ran half the way home!
Perd’E Sali is a tiny little community. The Marina seemed to be the social centre, and we frequented it often after a morning walk for a perfect cappuccino or espresso. We worked out on its grassy area which had a great selection of outdoor exercise equipment. We walked to the end of its long breakwater where there were often locals trying their luck with a fishing rod. And, we enjoyed a long dinner there one evening complete with tiny fried whole fish, incredible fresh pasta, great pizzas, lots of local vermentino wine, and limoncello to finish it all off. The other main beachfront hang spot was Bobo Bar on a lovely sandy beach. There we could sit at a shaded table enjoying snacks and white wine while the kids (and grandmas!) swam the afternoons away – blissful.
We went into Pula, the nearest small town, a few times for meals and cocktail hours. Pula’s centre is a delightful square festooned with crisscrossing flags and surrounded by restaurants and outdoor cafés. From there, cobbled streets branch out like spokes lined with windows displaying an array of lovely colourful scarves, local olive oil and honey, books, artisanal jewellery and sweet treats. We let my mom take the kids to a “fill your own bag” candy shop down one of the streets one day; big mistake! They all came back with HUGE bags of gummies, marshmallows, and licorice.
Our time in Perd’E Sali coincided with the Euro Cup soccer and the Stanley Cup playoffs, which saw Sean’s beloved Edmonton Oilers in the finals. So some of us also enjoyed watching some of the soccer (or rather, football) games and worriedly checking NHL scores from afar. All in all, we loved the quiet setting, the little backyard pool, and the big kitchen – all of which were perfect for catching up and hanging out with our families.
Sardinia II: Alghero
After spending ten days in the tiny Perd’E Sali, we said a sad goodbye to Sean’s parents and drove northwest to the city of Alghero. On the way, Sean and I stopped at Ristorante Egisto e Simone where we had an amazing braseaola, squid, and pulpo lunch sans kids (who were in my parents’ teeny tiny rental car).
Our first impressions of Alghero weren’t excellent. There was a cute little Piazza Civica, some towers built along the old sea wall, and a lovely multicoloured dome on the Chiesa di San Michele, but overall, the town lacked interest, parking was impossible, and beaches were packed. Luckily, our rental house was out in the country a bit, surrounded by lovely fields and vineyards. We did head into town here and there (for groceries, a nice pizza dinner at Demodé Bistrot, new runners for Sean and I… we have put a LOT of miles on our shoes so far!) but mostly spent our time relaxing at the house and its pool, working out in the little park next door, and hiking in the Porto Conte Regional Nature Park.
Ahh, Porto Conte! I feel like we really lucked out by staying near this gem. We purchased a month-long park pass as it was more reasonable than paying the daily rate a few times, and I think we definitely got our money’s worth. In all, we visited six times, some with the kids and my parents, and some just Sean and me. Our favourites:
- The Porto Conte Marina to Punta del Giglio hike, and exploring the WWII bunkers (and ocean views!) at the top
- Picnic-ing and swimming in the pristine, tiny cove that is a 10-minute walk from the Porto Conte Marina park entrance, before heading off on a huge ramble through the park’s trails with Grace and Sean
- The Pegna Tower via Dragunara Cave hike… breathtaking for the sheer cliffs beside the trail, the incredible amounts of wind, the seething royal blue seas below, and the stunning views
- Our longest single-day hike of the trip (so far)… over 15 km of hot, rugged, exhausting, stony trail looping up, down, and around the entire park
- A lovely cappuccino at the café at Dragunara Beach followed by a walk to the ancient tower nearby (and the prettiest aquamarine bay of the trip!)
Because we were staying together with my parents, and because we have some wonderful chefs among us, we enjoyed most of our meals at home. Many caprese salads care of Grace, and a lemon and ricotta pasta by my Dad stand out in memory. But we also had an absolutely wonderful five-course set menu dinner at Rifugio di Mare. The restaurant is up at Punta del Giglio in the park. If you don’t want to hike up, you can arrange a golf cart pick-up when you reserve – a nice-to-have for the way up and a must for the way down in the dark! The food was stunning and the sunset views from the top are unmatched. Highly, highly recommend.
Other highlights from our time in Alghero include cuddling up inside while awesome thunder and lightning crashed down; a day trip to the adorable little town of Castelsardo and exploring its fortified centre; a lovely (and super sweaty!) run alongside endless rows of vineyards; and our last dinner at Bonta Sarda where Sean ordered (and finished) a calzone the size of his head.
Our time in both Perd’E Sali and Alghero gave us a taste of what the island has to offer. We loved the hot, dry climate, the miles and miles of beautiful coastline, the stunning cliffs and excellent hiking, the food, and the friendly locals. And there are so many areas of Sardinia we’d love to continue to explore!