Sardinia
From CruisersWiki
| Sardinia
| |
     
|
Sardinia is the 2nd largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily. It offers some of the most varied sailing in the Med along its nearly 1900 kilometres of coastline, with a number of small, picturesque harbours as well as the main ports of Alghero, Cagliari and Olbia. Other attractions for the yachtsman include enchanting offshore islands such as the Maddalena archipelago on the NE side and Carloforte and Sant'Antioco at the southern tip; smart and exclusive marina developments like Porto Rotondo and Porto Cervo; idyllic anchorages with dazzling white sand and crystal-clear water - especially on the eastern side - and overall a more laid-back and friendly ambiance than will be encountered on mainland Italy.
Inland, the island boasts some spectacular scenery, especially in the mountain wilderness of the Gennargentu national park, the romantic, lake-dotted plateau of the Giara de Gesturi and the peaceful solitude of the Monte Arcosu nature reserve west of Cagliari. The landscape is a palimpsest of several successive cultures, of which the most fascinating in terms of remains is the Bronze Age Nuraghic culture, which left massive, stone-built circular structures (whose function is still shrouded in mystery) and unusual 'giant's tombs' all over the island. Most of these attractions can be accessed from one or other of the harbours around the island, where motor scooter or car hire is usually easy.
Most yachts arrive in Sardinia from the Balearics or across the windy Straits of Bonifacio from Corsica; alternatively from the west coast of Sicily or the Italian mainland around Rome.
Charts
- BA
- 1985 - Ajaccio to Oristano including Bonifacio strait
- 1990 - Oristano to Arbatax including Golfo di Cagliari
- Imray-Tetra
- M8 - North Sardegna
- M9 - South Sardegna
- NIMA
- 53110 - West Coast of Corse and Sardegna
- 53130 - East Coast of Sardegna
Weather
The prevailing winds are from the NW - especially when the mistral is blowing - many yachts intending to circumnavigate decide to go anti-clockwise, when the significant exposure to the risk of strong headwinds is limited to the area between the Maddalena archipelago and the island of Asinara at the NW tip of Sardinia.
- Arpa Sardegna -- marine forecasts for Sardinia and the region
Sources of weather forecasting info: see Italy - weather
Passages
See Mediterranean.
Communication
Add here VHF channel for coastguard, harbor masters. etc.
Also see Cruiser's Nets
Details?
Entrance
Sardinia is a port of entry for Italy. For details see Entrance: Italy.
Islands, Ports, Marinas, & Anchorages
| South | West | North-West | North-East | East |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Castelsardo |
 – harbour | Porto di Castelsardo |
 – marina | |
Porto Turistico, Palau |
– marina | Marina di Portisco |
– marina | |
Marina Baunei |
– marina | Marina Di Villaputzu |
– marina | |
– island || 
– port of entry || – harbour || – marina || 
– anchorage || 
– needs data ||Note: Other anchorages and harbours may be found within the section for each main entry
Amenities
See entries for each port
Provisioning
See entries for each port.
Eating out
An outstanding restaurant (1996) serving Sardinian food (Sardi Tipico) is Su Cologone Restaurante. It is located about 60 km from Cagliari near the town of Nuoro. Their "menu tipico" is an amazing procession of dishes. To begin with there are the antipasti: Sardinian salami, prosciutto, a kind of kokoretsi (a shish-kebab made of entrails), hot cheese dumplings, funchi, sweet breads, and a very sharp soft sheep milk cheese spread accompanied with Sardinian bread (thin crusty pita). These are followed by the "primo piato" consisting of a colorful arrangement of ravioli with grated Sardinian cheese, macaroni, and a dish of some kind of an omelet. Then the "secundo piato" of a combination of roasted baby lamb and roasted baby pig accompanied with a potato dish. These were being roasted on spits at an enormous fireplace. Following the meat was a green salad with fennel. --Istioploos
Transportation
Tourism
The most unique place in Sardinia is Su Nuraxi, near the small town of Barumini. This is the largest Nuraghic site on the island. It has a very impressive stone fortress (circa 1200 BC), reconstructed and surrounded by the ruins of a sizable Nuraghic village.
Another notable site is Nora to the SW of Cagliari. Here in a lovely setting is a Nuraghic ruin (the Nuraghies were the oldest known inhabitants of Sardinia) and a Roman town with a darling little theater and two hot bath-houses. The site is quite large and right next to an old lighthouse.
The town of of Alghero which was built by the Arabs and was occupied for a long time by the Catalans. Its inhabitants are still speaking a Catalan dialect, is very picturesque.
In addition, there many lovely beaches and mountain passes.
Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance
Forums
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
Links
References
See Italy.
Comments
We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.
Verified by
Date of member's last visit to Sardinia and this page's details validated:
- June 2003 --Atheneoflymington 16:10, 10 February 2010 (UTC)
- October 2004 --Istioploos 11:10, 14 July 2008 (MDT)
- July 2013 --RobbieW 08:05, 2 August 2013 (BST)
| This is a usable page of the cruising guide. However, please contribute if you can to help it grow further. Click on Comments to add your personal notes on this page or to discuss its contents. Alternatively, if you feel confident to edit the page, click on the edit tab at the top and enter your changes directly. |
 Contributors to this page |
|---|
|
Names: Lighthouse, Istioploos, Ebraglia, Atheneoflymington, Wayward, RobbieW |
