Cascà photo on the cover: @Sardinia Country flavorful and with a texture that is delicious to the palate: this is couscous which has therefore successfully found its way into many food cultures on the northern shore of the Mediterranean We are talking in particular about the gastronomic culture of Carloforte (as of today between 5,000 and 6,000 inhabitants) and Calasetta (3,000) two beautiful seaside towns on the Island of San Pietro and the Island of Sant'Antioco these two small islands are a year-round tourist destination gastronomic excellence and an extraordinary grape variety which often grows free-range and gives brilliant and intense red wines Carloforte and Calasetta were founded in the eighteenth century by Genoese exiles they had settled there two centuries earlier to trade and fish coral; by the eighteenth century relations with the Tunisians had deteriorated so they returned to the Kingdom of Sardinia founding first Carloforte (1738) on the desert island of San Pietro Since then these stubborn and resilient fishermen and farmers have never abandoned the Genoese language which is an interesting contamination of Genoese cuisine Sardinian cuisine and precisely Tunisian cuisine And this is where the cascà carlofortino precisely comes in an identity dish that is celebrated every year with a fine gastronomic festival interpreted according to the sensibility of this population of Ligurians transplanted to Sardinia Carlofort people are said to be as good farmers as they are fishermen mentioned as early as a 1931 Italian Touring Club cookbook following the seasons; in winter it is full of cabbage and leafy greens in spring and summer it is colored with broad beans nourishing dish with little expense since practically all Tabarchans have a garden in the village others meat; there are as many variations as there are families in this seaside village where even the children speak a kind of ancient Genoese and know nursery rhymes and ditties now forgotten in the motherland also celebrated in an annual festival that attracts thousands of visitors The preparation of the cascà consists of placing the semolina on a smooth surface (or a large earthenware bowl) pouring lukewarm water by sprinkling it and exerting a rotating action with the hand that causes the semolina to agglomerate into small balls After forming the cascà this is left to rest before being stewed and then seasoned with seasonal vegetables and legumes previously sautéed and then stewed with spices to taste Pilaf or pilau originally was an oriental rice-based preparation enriched with meat Historical sources indicate that “pilaf” designates the cooking method rather than an ingredient a delightful village whose houses are painted white and blue it denotes a preparation of couscous (called scucuzù) with a tasty red sauce with shellfish and/or fish after sautéing garlic and onion and fresh tomatoes (or peeled or pureed tomatoes) to add other crustaceans or small fish as an alternative to the spider crab and cichalas depending on what was available at the fishmonger's counter a way to consume without waste what the fishermen of Calasetta brought home when ecology and sustainability were a necessity to make ends meet Do you want to discover the latest news and recipes of the most renowned chefs and restaurants in the world La nostra società utilizza inoltre cookie funzionali per registrare informazioni sulle scelte dell’utente e per consentire una personalizzazione del Sito; ad esempio Questi cookie possono essere installati dalla nostra società o da Terze parti In caso di disabilitazione di questi cookie la qualità e l’esperienza di navigazione potrebbe non essere soddisfacente Questi cookie sono installati da social media per consentire la condivisione dei contenuti del presente Sito Essi sono in grado di monitorare la navigazione compiuta anche in altri siti e creano un profilo dell’utente sulla base dei suoi interessi Ciò potrebbe avere un impatto sul contenuto e messaggi visualizzati sugli altri siti visitati non sarà possibile utilizzare o visualizzare questi strumenti di condivisione per l’installazione e l’uso di tali cookie occorre il consenso dell’utente Per maggiori informazioni consulta la pagna cookies policy A sustainable technique for catching tuna that goes back thousands of years is on the verge of extinction in Italy – but not for a lack of fish four men jump into a net where 49 giant Atlantic bluefin tuna are fighting for their lives fins and sleek silvery bodies before finally securing a metal hook through the gills of the nearest fish From one of seven wooden boats framing this càmira dâ morti (“chamber of death”) a majestic creature about three metres long one man swiftly cuts its jugular and the vessel fills with blood Italy’s version of an ancient Mediterrranean fishing custom which traps and harvests bluefin tuna in the intimate gruesome struggle known in Italian as the mattanza (“killing”) He comes from a long line of raís (from the Arabic for chief) almost sacred leaders of the hunt – a mantle passed from father to son in designated families may be more humane than suffocation in trawler nets But the men in among them can end up in hospital from a whack of the thrashing fishes’ tails The harvest is violent and can seem barbaric, as the dying tuna are hooked, stabbed and hoisted on to boats. However, fisheries experts regard it as a rare sustainable method of catching bluefin tuna, one of the world’s most overfished species But they are not disappearing due to a lack of fish While the practice was threatened in the early 2000s by a collapse in tuna populations due to commercial overfishing EU regulations helped tuna numbers recover over the past decade They fish tuna with Italian quotas and then sell the fish through Malta all over the world – except in ItalyFabio Micalizzi“We carry on a tradition that’s thousands of years old,” Biggio says traditional fishers have largely failed to secure permits under successive governments under the quota system and are now struggling to compete with big fleets in the region While in the 1920s, more than 50 groups fished this way across Italy also own half of the only other such fishery still active a tonnaroto (tuna fisher) hooks an exhausted tuna “[The tonnara] is the only eco-friendly system for bluefin tuna fishing because it does not touch or disturb the rhythms and biorhythms of tuna stocks,” says Greco who has been working with Sardinia’s Tonnara di Carloforte since the early 90s Unlike modern seine-net and trawler fishing vessels that catch everything in their paths the tonnara nets are designed to catch only adult tuna which ensures the fish return the next season It also employs dozens of people in the community With its swift harvest, the fish may suffer less compared with the slow suffocation in trawler nets. However, even the WWF – which considers the tonnara as sustainable – warned against making a spectacle of it Each tuna is weighed once unloaded at the Carloforte canning factory Quotas are seen as ‘truly disastrous’ for small fishers Italy’s tuna quotas are held by a few boats “They fish tuna with Italian quotas and then sell the fish through Malta all over the world – except in Italy,” says Fabio Micalizzi a Sicilian fighting for fairer distribution of quotas Workers at the Carloforte factory gut the tuna before freezing them bluefin tuna populations in the Mediterranean plummeted to critical levels by the early 2000s In an effort to stop overfishing, the EU implemented an extensive recovery plan in 2009 It allocated fishing quotas to member states put limits on the number of boats allowed to fish and mandated a 30kg minimum weight for fished tuna The ambitious plan seemingly paid off. Tuna populations rebounded so successfully that, since 2014, large boats “capture their yearly tuna quota in a day”, according to Alessandro Buzzi, of the WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative “Many newspapers still report today that tuna is an endangered species,” he says the tuna can’t read the stupid things that humans write because otherwise it would get worried.” The premium-quality Carloforte tuna sells for about €25 (£21) a tin but can fetch even higher prices But the quotas that have helped fish numbers to recover have been “truly disastrous” for artisanal fishers The EU plan anticipated member states distributing quotas among local communities But in Italy these became skewed toward larger companies it is illegal for many small fishers in Italy to catch tuna Even landing tuna as bycatch while fishing for other species can be penalised the tuna jump into your boat,” says Micalizzi in Sicily In 2023, the Italian government redistributed a quota for 295 tonnes (roughly 1,200 adult tuna) out of 5,282 tonnes in total to small operators especially since most of the Italian quota is allocated to a few seiners and longliners potentially fished without the right permits “In these games who is the loser? The smallest,” says Antonio Di Natale, a UN expert on sustainable fisheries and former research director at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) In these last few years, the tuna have got bigger and bigger. So in that sense, the quota workedStefano SannaAs one of the oldest human industrial activities, according to Di Natale, the tonnara should be protected as a Unesco “intangible cultural heritage”. It is also invaluable as a sustainable fishing practice as it so easily controlled and highly selective, he adds. Today, much of the wild tuna caught in Italy is slowly transported in large floating cages to Malta, Spain and Croatia. There, they are fattened for up to six months to appease lucrative markets such as Japan that prize large and fatty fish. A tractor takes the heavy fish from the factory’s dock to the Carloforte processing plant in Isola San Vito. Smaller fish are immediately released, so only large adults are taken “There is nothing illegal in this practice,” Buzzi says. “But the impact of farming a tuna in a cage is not even comparable to the environmental impact of catching a wild tuna.” This year, before the harvest, Greco’s team released a shoal of 1,200 young tuna from their nets because they were too small. “What other fishing system allows for such selection?” he asks. But running a tonnara is neither quick nor cheap. Read moreWhile a big seine boat can go out with a small crew and catch the entire year’s quota in a week the preparation of the tonnara takes about six months The multi-chambered nets spanning 3km (and 40 metres deep) take two months to prepare and two days to mount at sea using 122 anchors Greco says he invests €1.5m a year in the tonnara to fund what is one of Italy’s last two tonnara he reluctantly sells 75% of his trapped fish to large-scale tuna cagers “It certainly doesn’t create first-rate fish and it pollutes … I would have declared cages illegal.” His tonnara is open to tourists who want to learn about the ancient practice – and it helps that they buy his premium-quality tinned tuna for €25 a pop Fausto Siddi takes a break between sessions of pulling the nets as they wait for the tuna shoal to swim further within the tonnara trap exhausted from a morning of work and the final has been working at the tonnara for the past decade The others respond: “Aoooohh!” Most of Biggio’s team return to shore with their 49 giants several exhausted fishers sip local Ichnusa beer and bask in the sun the tuna have got bigger and bigger,” muses Stefano Sanna The tonnaroti relax after a long morning getting the fish in This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center The Carloforte tuna fish meets the highest quality standards for bluefin around the world (via South China Morning Post.) According to Fine Dining Lovers, its smell (or lack thereof) all come together to make the bluefin of Carloforte superior to other bluefin and other tuna Even its nutrient profile is better than other tuna as the temperatures in the west Atlantic help the tuna stay fatty which helps it remain tender while cooking Importers are prepared to pay as much as $1 million euros for the right bluefin because of its particularly tender flesh and the preservation techniques used on the island (per South China Morning Post) then pierce or impale the tuna to bleed out The bluefin is then cleaned and prepped for sale and consumption ItalyChevron SardiniaChevron Paola & MurraySave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links Geographically isolated from the rest of the island by steep peaks, Sulcis is half-abandoned, as decades of emigration to find work in Sardinia’s resort towns and European cities have whittled away the population But this impoverishment is countered by the area’s bucolic beauty with sheep grazing among scraggly almond and pear trees and lush citrus groves lining the riverbanks abandoned greenhouses are overgrown with wildflowers left over from a burst of optimism in the ’90s There are plenty of empty open spaces in which to feel lost and alone When I was first getting to know Sulcis, I was consistently thrown by these contradictory images. It was not the mild, man-made beauty of Tuscany and had none of the ruffled decadence of Sicily It was its own quiet world—wild and skittish “Do you really think anyone would want to come visit this place?” I was asked repeatedly by locals when I moved here “we have incredible wines and one of the largest forests in Italy a fishing village turned farmhouse rental property I first came here in 2005, with Ivano, who would soon become my partner in all things work, life, and home. He was born and raised in Milan He told me about his summers as a child spent at his grandmother’s small stone house: no streetlights he would tag along when the shepherds brought their flocks into the low mountains for water we were married in a sheepfold overlooking the ribbon of river that winds through small agricultural plots and quiet towns huddled up against the road We wanted to research the particularities of Sardinian craft and culture investors) with local entities that interested them We bought a cluster of late-18th-century derelict farmhouses and settled in with our two young children as the resident aliens of Santadi 10 minutes from where Ivano had spent his summers Our plan is to show them Sulcis as insider-outsiders who know a place intimately but still register its uniqueness We’ve arranged for them to photograph a pair of dark-eyed sisters from our town We’ll visit a woman who weaves golden byssus from the solidified saliva of protected mollusks 30 miles west of us in the town of Sant’Antioco the giant prehistoric stone buildings that resemble fortresses and pepper the entire island We’ll explore the crumbling mines up the southwest coast that—active for thousands of years but now defunct—attest to both the area’s past importance and its current decline We’ll tour the winery of the Cantina di Santadi and roast a goat with my father-in-law then drop in on artisans and drink the potent native carignano del Sulcis wine they pull up in the graveled drive and we usher them inside and marvel at being in the same room A Sardinian version of ravioli filled with potato “Attention, tourists! Sardinia is not Italy!” exclaims Murray, and we all laugh: He is referring to the graffiti on the side of a nearby ruin that serves as a welcoming, if forward, missive for anyone arriving in Sulcis by car. Yes, we nod, that is also true. Even if Sardinia has been part of Italy for more than 150 years and still feel a deep connection to the native Nuragic civilization from the Bronze Age The omnipresent prehistoric sites (more than 7,000 of them) on the island are a source of much pride And so we start by taking Paola and Murray to the ancient burial site of Montessu but it gradually opens into a natural horseshoe of a valley with numerous stony pockmarks on its grassy face caves that were gouged directly into the volcanic rock around the third millennium b.c They have intricate carvings on the walls and include wide The larger ones have the appearance of giant staring skulls Sardinians used to believe these domus de janas (fairy homes) were the dwellings of mythical sprites has never heard of the janas and is interested to know about the island’s legends So I tell her some of the stories I’ve heard My father-in-law says we’re not supposed to go to the forest springs in the evening so as not to anger the fairies—that is the time for wild animals to drink in peace recounted how a powerful jana could be heard beating the weft of her loom in a nearby cave We walk slowly along the ridge where the empty graves sit stonily prayers and rituals that Sardinians use to rid themselves of the evil eye It isn’t hard to imagine the caves filled with spirits and the sun begins to slant to its golden hour we head west to the whitewashed town of Calasetta to board a friend’s vintage wooden sailboat for the island of San Pietro It was founded in 1739 by coral fishermen from outside of Genoa who had spent the previous 200 years off the coast of Tunisia King Charles Emmanuel III gave them this island in order to repopulate the western coast of Sardinia shining port and set out to explore the tiny island Murray worked as a boatbuilder’s apprentice when he was younger so we find one of the last shipwrights here walking up the coastline to the industrial part of town Tonino Sanna welcomes us into his cluttered which holds the enormous skeletons of multiple vessels but Sanna smilingly shows us one hulking frame he began building from scratch in the local style but he expects it to sit in his workshop for a while Carloforte was once famed for the skill of its boatbuilders but the industry has declined drastically in recent years There is a small crowd of men gossiping and sipping coffee “They speak a completely different language,” Ivano says Sardinia contains many worlds: the glitzy Costa Smeralda; the Catalonian retreat of Alghero; the wild mountain coastlines both east and west; practical insular Barbagia; the rice fields of diligent Oristano and temperament between lively Carloforte and the rest of Sulcis are a perfect example But Carloforte has become a haven for vacationers despite being a small island off the coast of our own island We move on to a languid lunch of local tuna and cascà—a dish that resembles couscous a holdover from when the Carlofortini lived in Tunisia—on the sunny terrace of the endearingly shabby Al Tonno di Corsa The tuna is prepared six different ways—boiled cured—and gets progressively more intense as you work your way up the plate culminating in a last sliver of tuna so powerful I slip mine stealthily onto Ivano’s dish we drive to the far side of the island and visit the natural reserve where Eleonora’s falcons breed on cliffs of ragged sandstone before they head back to Madagascar for the winter sitting under the shade of four enormous ficus trees watching the locals and tourists mix noisily in the main piazza we meet up with a group of women at Sa Domu Antiga modest home with river canes lining the roof and thick mud-brick walls is a sort of living museum—everything inside has been donated by local families and as such the town views it as a communal space and during the Matrimonio Mauritano (a wedding staged in the traditional local style) the bride is dressed at Sa Domu Antiga we’ve asked to use the typical round oven to make a bread called coccoi; the dough is trimmed with scissors and baked into extravagantly decorated shapes This is the bread offered to brides and made for religious occasions one that often feels too beautiful (now that bread is abundant) to eat since the low-ceiling room is painted a dark pink and crowded with baskets afraid the harsh Sulcis heat will dry it out before they can work it into rounds and points “If we could just move outside,” Murray suggests “Then it won’t come out beautifully,” the women counter This moment feels emblematic of my life here: We often act as cultural translators attempting to explain on each side the richly cultural presumptions we all unknowingly hold 1 / 13ChevronChevronPaola & MurrayA church in Villamassargia.When I first began coming to Sulcis I could not reconcile the richness of the various crafts—brightly colored complexly patterned textiles; minutely overdecorated ceramics; hand-shaped knives that seemed to be in everyone’s pockets—with the region’s all-too-apparent poverty Attention to detail was something that I associated with the luxury of free time and wealth But there is a pride here in making things beautifully this bread is sacred because it is the bread they baked with their mothers and grandmothers in years that now seem lifetimes away Many Sulcitani in their 60s grew up without shoes or running water; now their grandchildren have smartphones and Nikes this is a ritual that brings them back to the years in which a loaf of bread was still a precious commodity And they have invited us to be there with them I convince the women to move a table into the shade on the side of the house self-conscious of the photographers at first and soon they begin to relax and trade quips all the while muscling the white dough over the old wooden tabletop They gather plump pieces and industriously snip them into intricate designs The molded loaves sit dutifully in the large flat baskets The day is shockingly hot; even standing in the shade of a large oak tree we are all subdued and sweaty The women use bunches of dried rock-rose branches to light a fast-burning fire in the oven and the fragrant smoke that fills the courtyard will let everyone in town know that someone is baking bread today One woman steps forward with a handful of flour and then throws the grains into the hot oven scraping out the ashes from the fire and loading the oven with the heavy wooden paddle the bread is ready and they pull out the loaves: first a horseshoe decorated with little nesting hens and next a puffed-up loaf with a tiny star shape on its middle The women cluck humbly about how clumsy each loaf looks They divide the loaves between us and deliver them each with a kiss on our cheeks and a warm squeeze of our hands Peter OumanskiWhen to come: It’s no use saying not to visit in July and August—the heat is grueling and the beaches are crowded—but all of Sardinia is best at any other time the countryside a lush green; spring is filled with wildflowers; and autumn has a soft evening light Look out for local festivals—there’s the Sant’Anna Arresi Jazz Festival in September and Settimana Santa a Iglesias before Easter Getting there: You’ll need a car to get to and around Sulcis is only 90 minutes from most of Sulcis’s towns which makes flying in and renting relatively easy Don’t be deterred—get lost and ask a shepherd for help up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Italy is heading back into lockdown this Easter as it struggles to contain the third wave of COVID-19 has also had this restriction imposed upon it despite being one of the only regions in the country to hold the virus at bay Italy has a colour system that reflects the level of risk from the virus it's in the highest risk category and thus has the most restrictions White is the lowest risk level with the most relaxed restrictions Sardinia was in the unique position of being in a COVID ‘white’ safe area small population and a thorough screening campaign As the rest of Europe was starting to shut down she tells us what it means to be in a white low-risk zone It's a relief because they can "finally move around the region freely" Sardinia has succeeded in keeping the number of COVID-19 cases below 50 for every 100 000 residents for almost a month Some Italian regions on high alert can have over 500 cases for every 100 000 However, restrictions can change very quickly and that is why the Mayor of Carloforte does weekly speeches to inform the population of what is going on. His Facebook lives have become a must-see for everyone from the area It's the Mayor of Carloforte who prepares the locals for the sad news that Sardinia will now be in an orange risk zone This means that bars and restaurants will close and residents won't be able to leave their towns He tells us that being a white zone isn’t a goal achieved by chance "it is something we worked really hard to obtain and we should try to keep it like that The way forward is to respect regional directives" For residents like Marisa and Stefania it's a change for the worse They don't understand why the decision was taken so abruptly "The cases we see on TV are far from our reality The residents of Carloforte got to enjoy one last weekend before having to deal with the new restrictions They went out to bars and enjoyed the terraces of restaurants owned by people like Cristiano He feels puzzled by the decision to put Sardinia into a higher risk category But to him the greater issue is not the finances he doesn't understand why the island is moving into an orange zone The colour status of every Italian region is re-evaluated every week and depends on how the pandemic evolves Perhaps Sardinia will once again go back to its safer status shortly According to internationally renowned virologist this risk system strategy has "proven totally inefficient" He believes that after the first Italian lockdown they missed "the occasion to set up a control and tracing system based on automatic closures and restrictions whenever a cluster emerged" The initial optimism that the emergency had stopped was coupled with "a series of mistakes the government’s decisions have ignited controversy among regional authorities Its local administration has chosen not to comment on Rome’s decision He tells us that Sardinia deserves to remain in a lower risk zone "because out of 21 factors used by the government to evaluate the level of risk but its touristic areas became clusters in August any passenger arriving without a negative COVID-19 test or a vaccination certificate is tested on-site thinks that when thousands of tourists come during the summer months "thorough screening" like this will not be possible the number of cases now is already too high especially compared to last year’s post lockdown months He suggests that the best course of action is "three complementary strategies: vaccination distancing and the development of surveillance and tracing systems supported by IT and PCR tests" Everyone seems to agree that the best way forward is vaccination though many countries are experiencing delays due to vaccine shortages Sardinia is at the tail end of the number of jabs administered in the brand new vaccination centre in Olbia authorities are trying to accelerate the process Marco Cilliano a contagious disease specialist there tells us that they are "almost in line with the programme in the supply of doses and in keeping stock for second doses We need to keep around 30% which means we’ve used 70% of the vaccinations received" the vaccination rollout is improving around the world The idea of a vaccine passport is also gaining support The EU Commission is expected to launch it in June Advocates consider it could boost economies This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the elegant Luisetta Mercalli she reached the milestone of 109 years surrounded by the affection of her daughters Angela and Myriam Luisetta she is now the second oldest woman in Sardinia surpasses in the island panorama and is positioned as the oldest in Cagliari The city retirement home where she resides was the heart of an extraordinary anniversary with the participation of the Municipality of Cagliari which honored Luisetta with a medal and a parchment intertwines with the centuries and becomes a fascinating story of a life lived intensely The fundamental stages of a career dedicated to teaching and love for the family branch out from the Institute of the Carlo Felice Sisters where Luisetta began her studies at just 12 and a half years old Having graduated early at the age of 16 from the School of Method for Maternal Education Luisetta lived through the most dramatic events of the twentieth century His memory tells of the bombings in Carloforte in '43 even following them to the hospital in Iglesias Luisetta also witnessed the pandemics that have marked the centuries surpassing the Spanish at just 3 years old and defying Covid unscathed in this millennium "forced" by the headmaster to accept a 15-day substitute job in Carloforte her passion for education remained unabated including a trip to Padua in 1938 to obtain the title of the Professional Magisterium for Women and the State exam in Rome The sweetest chapter of her life was written at the age of 36 she taught technical education in the introductory schools leaving an indelible mark until the reform of 1963 when she continued to teach Technical Education in the Alfieri middle school until 1979 daughter of Piergiorgio Mercalli and Limbania Rivano comes a powerful message that spans the last century up to the present day: the realization of life between work and family to give life to dreams and projects that resist the passage of time Read also other news on Nova News Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Metrics details Human populations are often dichotomized into “isolated” and “open” categories using cultural and/or geographical barriers to gene flow as differential criteria the use of these alternative categories could obscure further heterogeneity due to inter-population differences in effective size We compared intra and inter-population variation measures combining novel and literature data relative to 87,818 autosomal SNPs in 14 open populations and 10 geographic and/or linguistic European isolates Patterns of intra-population diversity were found to vary considerably more among isolates probably due to differential levels of drift and inbreeding The relatively large effective size estimated for some population isolates challenges the generalized view that they originate from small founding groups Principal component scores based on measures of intra-population variation of isolated and open populations were found to be distributed along a continuum with an area of intersection between the two groups Patterns of inter-population diversity were even closer as we were able to detect some differences between population groups only for a few multidimensional scaling dimensions different lines of evidence suggest that dichotomizing human populations into open and isolated groups fails to capture the actual relations among their genomic features the use of the terms open and isolated to indicate two discrete dichotomous categories could obscure the existence of further heterogeneity when applying such a distinction to genetics based on environmental and socio-cultural factors we implicitly assume that it is not confounded by inter-population differences in effective size growth rate and timing or extent of gene flow reduction current knowledge on human isolates cannot help us understand whether this is consistent with the patterning of genetic diversity the lack of recombination limits the power of these genetic systems in the detection of signatures of genetic isolation in different historical and demographic conditions the comparative study of open and isolated populations may be performed in wider transects with less confounding factors than in other continental areas Here we present a study of 24 European populations, nine of which were newly genotyped using the GenoChip 2.0 array24 We compare the distribution of intra- and inter-population measures of variation in isolated and open populations in order to understand to what extent the discrete open and isolated dichotomous categories correspond to the way in which their genomic diversity is structured Labels as in Table 1. Maps available from Wikipedia Common web page (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blank_political_map_Europe_in_2006_WF.svg?uselang=it#filelinks) were modified using Adobe Photoshop CS6 software Regarding the selection of open populations we considered the following three criteria: (i) geographic proximity with the isolated population dataset; (ii) geographic coverage of the European continent; (iii) sample size of at least 15 individuals Boxplots of (A) Average homozygosity over loci (B) Inter-locus variance (C) Average number of RoHs (D) Average total length of RoHs (E) Average intra-population pairwise IBS (F) Average population IBD blocks sharing (G) Average length of linkage blocks for standard deviation (the tests of the last two statistics were performed excluding the outlier values) A less intense but noticeable signal was observed for North Sardinia which are the only remaining populations with a proportion of significant pairwise comparisons above 50% (A) Scatter plot of the first two principal components. (B) Plot of the factor scores for the first and second principal components. Labels as in Table 1 White circles and bars represent point estimates and 95% confidence interval, respectively. Abbreviations as in Table 1 For each population at any given time since isolation, the upper and lower boundaries of Ne were obtained assuming the initial inbreeding coefficients to be equal to the highest and lowest values observed among open populations, respectively. References for time since isolation (indicated by arrows) are reported in Supplementary Text S1 (A) Heatmap of pairwise genetic distances (R package Pheatmap) Populations are clustered according to a complete hierarchical approach (B) Deviation of the average genetic distances from those predicted by an isolation by distance model in open populations (see Materials and Methods for more details) Plot of the first and second dimensions of the Multidimensional scaling analysis (A) Plot of the third and fourth dimensions (B) with migration arrows coloured according to their weight (C) A high level of genetic drift can be observed for the entire Sardinian branch even more pronounced for single German-speaking islands of Sappada the Cimbrians from Lessinia are more closely related to the Northern Italians and are located in the tree upstream to all northern and western European populations Basques and Orcadians cluster on a geographic basis with Spain and close to British and Norwegians Evidence of inward migration events involving our isolated populations was limited to the root of mainland Sardinians (from Africa) Sappada and Timau (from a population ancestral to the Polish and Norwegians) and Basques (from the ancestral population of Sardinians) variation among isolates was also higher for the second principal component scores which was found to be significantly correlated with effective size of isolates (R2 = 0.620 These results prompt a discussion of three different points the principal component analysis helped disentangle the effects of the different forces that have shaped the genome of isolates the analysis seems to indicate that most of their heterogeneity reflects variable intensities of drift and inbreeding rather than their size or the time since isolation as suggested by historical sources Taking the score of the first principal component as a means to rank populations according to their degree of isolation Sappada and Basques were found to be the most isolated Carloforte and Sulcis Iglesiente were the least despite the much longer time since isolation compared to German speaking islands Sardinian populations seem to have maintained a certain homogeneity due to their larger effective population size which could have weakened the effects of genetic drift and inbreeding This could account for their lower variation of intra-population diversity measures evidenced in the first principal component We were able to find the same pattern over a wide continental range regardless of the presence of isolates in the dataset implying that they do not depart significantly from what is to be expected under isolation by distance The only way to pinpoint a difference for some isolates was by considering specific MDS dimensions which highlight a more pronounced scattering among individuals from Sauris these are also the populations in which we noticed the highest levels of inter-individual variation This discrepancy between genetic systems may be explained by the smaller effective size and the higher mutation rate of unilinear markers The former feature makes variation of mtDNA and Y chromosome more prone to the effects of genetic drift while the latter means they can be hit by mutations even after relatively recent population splits we gain new insights into the genomic diversity of European populations that have been subject to linguistic and geographic barriers to gene flow We were able to shed more light on their heterogeneity challenge the generalized view of isolates as units that originated from small founding groups and reveal that genomic patterns of intra-population variation in open and isolated populations are distributed along a continuum We believe that there are two possible avenues to follow up these first results a comparison of the structure of open and isolated populations using whole genome sequences would provide a complete representation of their genomic diversity extending comparisons to geographical contexts other than Europe will help us understand to what extent the observed patterns may be appropriate to isolates in other continental or regional scenarios we hope this first study can reach its own target: in making us more aware of the value of human population isolates to understand how the interplay of environmental We assembled the genome-wide SNP chip data of 561 healthy unrelated adult individuals from 24 European populations New genotype data were obtained for 211 subjects from three areas: (i) Sardinia (Benetutti Sulcis Iglesiente); (ii) German-speaking linguistic islands of the eastern Alps (Sappada Timau and Cimbrians from Lessinia); (iii) the Aosta province in the Val d’Aosta region (north-western Italy) Only individuals with grandparents born in the same geographic area of sampling were enrolled in the study Informed consent was obtained for all subjects All methods were carried out in accordance with Italian Law (Decreto Legislativo della Repubblica Italiana All experimental protocols were approved by the Bioethic Committee of the Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana (Pisa This index represents the total length of the shared IBD blocks averaged over the number of possible pairs of individuals IBS values were estimated using PLINK v1.9 (–distance ibs option) this option produces a lower-triangular tab-delimited text file with pairwise IBS between all individuals in the dataset we extracted the values calculated between pairs of individuals belonging to the same population in order to obtain the intra-population pairwise IBS Blocks in linkage disequilibrium were calculated by using –blocks option (default settings) in PLINK v1.9 We used the –hardy option in PLINK v1.9 to obtain the average observed heterozygosity (het) per population and the inter-locus variance between all pairs of individuals calculated as the square root of the standard deviation Homozygosity was calculated as hom = (1 − het) The Levene test for the equality of variances was performed with the R software package Car54 a termination criterion set to stop when the log-likelihood increases by less than ε = 10−4 between iterations and the quasi-Newton convergence acceleration method with q = 3 secant conditions) We applied unsupervised clustering analysis to the whole sample set exploring the hypothesis of K = 1 to 10 clusters We assessed cross-validation errors for each value of K using the ADMIXTURE’s Cross Validation procedure MDS analysis was performed using PLINK v1.9 (–distance-matrix option) The information carried by each dimension was assessed by calculating the ratio of their respective eigenvalues compared to the sum of all eigenvalues To account for the fact that nearby SNPs are not independent we grouped them together in windows of 500 SNPs using the -k flag We ran Treemix with an increasing number of migration events Runs with m comprised between 5 and 10 yielded comparable tree topologies and since a higher number of migrations only partly improved the overall goodness of fit we chose to display m = 5 following a parsimonious approach In order to control for the effects of geographical proximity we calculated the deviation of any observed genetic distance from the one predicted by the regression line obtained for geographic and genetic distances of open populations We reported estimated Ne with 95% (parametric) confidence intervals where ΔF stands for the difference between the inbreeding coefficient estimated for each population and its hypothetical value at the time of population split The latter parameter was assumed to range between the highest and lowest inbreeding coefficients observed among open populations Accession codes: All data are available at the Zenodo Database (https://zenodo.org/) with accession number: 10.5281/zenodo.50114 Overcoming the dichotomy between open and isolated populations using genomic data from a large European dataset Publisher's note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations Isolated populations and complex disease gene identification Using population isolates in genetic association studies Genetic structure in contemporary south Tyrolean isolated populations revealed by analysis of y-chromosome Paternal and maternal lineages in the Balkans show a homogeneous landscape over linguistic barriers Migration rates and genetic structure of two Hungarian ethnic groups in Transylvania New genetic evidence supports isolation and drift in the Ladin communities of the south Tyrolean Alps but not an ancient origin in the middle east Detecting genetic isolation in human populations: A study of European language minorities Linkage disequilibrium mapping in isolated populations: The example of Finland revisited Gene mapping in isolated populations: New roles for old friends Linkage disequilibrium in isolated populations: Finland and a young sub-population of Kuusamo Magnitude and distribution of linkage disequilibrium in population isolates and implications for genome-wide association studies Isolated populations as treasure troves in genetic epidemiology: The case of the Basques Genetic variation in the Sorbs of eastern Germany in the context of broader European genetic diversity Small effective population size and genetic homogeneity in the Val Borbera isolate Extensive genome-wide autozygosity in the population isolates of Daghestan The Kalash genetic isolate: Ancient divergence Genetic characterization of northeastern Italian population isolates in the context of broader European genetic diversity Correlation between genetic and geographic structure in Europe Anisotropic isolation by distance: The main orientations of human genetic differentiation The GenoChip: A new tool for genetic anthropology International, S. Ethnologue: Languages of the world. http://www.ethnologue.com (2016) Runs of Homozygosity in European populations Genomic runs of Homozygosity record population history and consanguinity Genomic patterns of Homozygosity in worldwide human populations Length distributions of identity by descent reveal fine-scale demographic history Multidimensional scaling by optimizing goodness of fit to a nonmetric hypothesis Inference of population splits and mixtures from genome-wide Allele frequency data Global distribution of genomic diversity underscores rich complex history of continental human populations Use of population isolates for mapping complex traits Minority populations as genetic isolates: the interpretation of inbreeding results In Isolation Sardinians genetic background explained by runs of Homozygosity and Genomic regions under positive selection Dissecting the genetic make-up of north-east Sardinia using a large set of haploid and autosomal markers Y-chromosome based evidence for Pre-Neolithic origin of the genetically homogeneous but diverse Sardinian population: Inference for association scans Genome-wide scan with nearly 700 000 SNPs in two Sardinian sub-populations suggests some regions as candidate targets for positive selection High differentiation among Eight villages in a secluded area of Sardinia revealed by genome-wide high density SNPs analysis La comunità linguistica In Isole di Cultura: saggi sulle minoranze storiche germaniche in Italia (ed La formazione dell’isola linguistica in Isole di cultura (Prezzi Analysis of a genetic isolate: The case of Carloforte (Italy) Evolution of marital structure in 20 Sardinian villages from 1800 to 1974 An Icelandic example of the impact of population structure on association studies Genome-wide analysis of single nucleotide Polymorphisms Uncovers population structure in northern Europe geographic and genetic isolation: a collaborative study of Italian populations PLINK: A tool set for whole-genome association and population-based linkage analyses Journal of the American Statistical Association Improving the accuracy and efficiency of identity-by-descent detection in population data Abraham’s children in the genome era: Major Jewish Diaspora populations comprise distinct genetic clusters with shared middle eastern ancestry An R companion to applied regression – 2nd edition Analysis of a complex of statistical variables into principal components The ade4 package: Implementing the Duality diagram for ecologists Fast model-based estimation of ancestry in unrelated individuals The genome-wide structure of the Jewish people Ldne: A program for estimating effective population size from data on linkage disequilibrium NeEstimator v2: Re-implementation of software for the estimation of contemporary effective population size (Ne) from genetic data Linkage disequilibrium estimates of contemporary N e using highly variable genetic markers: A largely untapped resource for applied conservation and evolution Conservation of Small Populations: Effective Population Sizes and the 50/500 Rule In An introduction to methods and models in ecology doi: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0005173.pub2 (2008) Fourth sociolinguistic survey 2006: [Basque Autonomous Community A genetic Atlas of human Admixture history Download references We are greatly indebted to all the blood donors We would also like to thank Marcella Benedetti (Municipality of Sappada) Nino Pacilè and Lucia Protto (Municipality of Sauris) Ottaviano Matiz and Velia Plozner (Timau) for their valuable assistance in the sample collection and for their warm hospitality This study was supported by a 2013 National Geographic Society Genographic 2.0 grant to ST The survey in the Eastern Italian Alps was also funded by the Università di Roma “La Sapienza” (ref C26A13HSHB) and the Istituto Italiano di Antropologia The study was also supported by the European Research Council ERC-2011-AdG 295733 grant (Langelin) to DP Giovanni Destro Bisol and Sergio Tofanelli: These authors contributed equally to this work Cinzia Battaggia & Giovanni Destro Bisol Paolo Anagnostou & Giovanni Destro Bisol Dipartimento di Scienze della Natura del Territorio Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell’Ambiente Extracted and prepared DNA for genomic analysis: C.B. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: S.T. Read and approved the final manuscript: all authors The authors declare no competing financial interests Download citation Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science slaves to African pirates and finally tuna fisherman today running one of the Mediterranean's last real But they have never really turned their hands to tourism which is why even many Italians have never heard of this tiny island off the south coast of Sardinia where blue-and-white ferries pull up so close to the cafes that the harbour master can direct fruit and veg trucks onto the quay with one hand and take sips of espresso with the other Neither do Italians know about the island's secret coves or its handkerchief-sized yellow sand beaches carved out of chunks of pink volcanic rock that rise up into dramatic cliffs to hold back the pulsing turquoise surf 'If they sent in a couple of hotshots from Rimini to turn this place around no one would go to the Maldives any more,' said the man waiting to rent out mopeds down one of Carloforte's narrow balconied streets streets where tourist trinket shops remain heavily outnumbered by bakeries the ancient zinc counter where slices of the local farinata - a delicious crispy pancake made from chickpea flour - are served straight from the oven Farinata is a key to understanding why even the Italians who know Carloforte cannot figure it out who speak a Ligurian dialect and put pesto on their tuna They are the descendents of Ligurian fishermen who settled an island further south off the Tunisian coast in the 16th century to hunt for coral until declining stocks and increasing demands for tribute from a Tunisian ruler convinced them in 1738 to take up an offer from the King of Sardinia to transfer to San Pietro The island was handily placed for the tuna shoals that stream down the five-mile stretch of water between the island and Sardinia Trouble followed in 1798 when Tunisian raiders took 900 slaves But since then the Tunisians have not been back while the tuna keep on coming when they are lured down a deadly corridor of nets to la mattanza - the killing - a spectacle so gory the name has been borrowed to describe a mafia massacre A ballet of boats and nets edge the shoal into a space the size of a tennis court The water froths red as men walk the nets plunging hooks into the space behind the jaws of thrashing tuna twice their size and then heave them over the side of a boat locals tremble at the thought of the factory ships that lurk out to sea hoovering up and suffocating tuna to death in their holds reducing stocks to the point where Carloforte is one of only a handful of commercial mattanze left in Italy Islanders know how to cook every last scrap of the fish which fetches up to €150 a kilo and explains why the fishermen celebrate every time a female is caught 'It's a pig with fins,' says rising local chef Luigi Pomata at Ristorante da Nicolo on the seafront where dishes such as tuna tartare with a purée of wild celery and green apple now attract the likes of Giorgio Armani and the big-yacht crowd who prowl the Mediterranean looking for new thrills The town has responded to the new high-end trade by restoring a handful of hotels including the Hieracon a stucco palazzo once belonging to the Danish consul which now offers a few high-ceilinged rooms overlooking the fig and palm trees that sweep down the quayside between the busy ferries and the pastel seafront houses the trick is to rent one of the whitewashed tiled-roof houses that dot the 19-square- mile island hidden down sandy lanes on gorse slopes that ooze the scent of liquorice eucalyptus and juniper and command views to cliff tops that crumble away to transparent seas Houses such as that belonging to Carlo Maria Perfetti one of few Carloforte converts from the mainland Perfetti was so enamoured of the island he planted a vineyard and never went home He now swaps bottles of his vermentino for capers with his neighbour and supplies his nectar-like passito to be drunk with warm sheep's cheese and honey at Dau Bobba a restaurant by the old salt pans on the edge of town Beyond Dau Bobba starts a string of miniature beaches and rock pools each one offering different opportunities for snorkelling high diving or just lying flat out in the shallows when there is no such thing as an empty stretch of sand anywhere in the whole of Italy but in June and early July the sun-beaten bar at La Bobba beach is a sleepy gem offering cold bottles of Peroni and sandwiches stuffed with slices of salty a psychedelic reworking of the Devil's Causeway where nature seems to have stacked up flat rocks in precarious piles to make room for green plunge pools and deep water-filled canyons inches from the crashing waves is a masterpiece so well hidden down a labyrinth of cliff-top lanes most maps do not bother to mention it at all hewn by waves out of a flat promontory of black lava gently fed by a narrow channel from the sea you can only hope the hotshots from Rimini take their time arriving on their yachts Fly to Cagliari with British Airways or Easyjet, rent a car and drive to Porto Vesme or Calasetta to catch the car ferry to San Pietro run by Saremar (www.saremar.it) Doubles cost from €110 at Hotel Hieracon (http://nuke.hotelhieracon.com) and from €120 at the Hotel Riviera (www.hotelriviera-carloforte.com) call the tourist office on 00 39 0781 854009 which keeps a list of available properties This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media warm hospitality and a sense of having discovered something a bit different The best beaches in Italy to visit this summer 104 beautiful pictures of Italy The most romantic hotels in Italy Forget the canned seafood and seared steaks, it's time to embrace eating fish from top to tail, starting with cured tuna hearts. Atlantic bluefin tuna are a fish of gigantic proportions and have equally massive health benefits. A great source of protein, Fishwatch.gov explains this fatty fish is also rich in selenium Sardinians have adopted some creative ways to use tonno rosso Curing is a no-brainer when it comes to conserving this precious catch. After removing the tuna heart, the organ isn't sliced or cut into pieces, but rather left whole. According to Caviar Star it's then covered in sea salt and pressed with weights which allows the salt to work its way into the muscular tissue — only after 20 days of dry curing is the tuna heart ready The result is a plum-colored steak with an incredibly unique Given that cured tuna hearts can pack some fishy flavor, High End Food Store recommends using the delicacy sparingly either sliced and seasoned simply with olive oil or lemon juice It can also add some punchy dimension to recipes when shaved over pasta and seafood dishes or into soups and sauces Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Discover the culture ancient sights and beautiful beaches of Sardinia on a road trip © loreanto / Shutterstock The Mediterranean island of Sardinia is home to some of Italy's most off-the-beaten-track beaches archaeological sites and culinary experiences many of which are inaccessible by public transport you can experience Sardinia's hidden treasures at a pace that pleases you though access to the most sought-after mountain and beach destinations sometimes requires travel on narrow curvy and/or unpaved roads – a perfect opportunity to slow down and enjoy the ride Between the mountain outpost of Nuoro and the stunning Golfo di Orosei coastline lies a hauntingly beautiful landscape of limestone plateaus and deep gorges known as Supramonte Planning tip: There are no services between Dorgali and Baunei so fuel up before heading south on this lonely 50km (31 miles) mountain road Scattered about the Sardinian landscape are thousands of mysterious fortified Bronze Age settlements and burial sites remnants of Sardinia's ancient Nuragic culture which thrived here for nearly two millennia before the Roman conquest Tour the classics on this two-day north-to-south jaunt through Sardinia's interior The imposing ruins here are a maze of conical towers courtyards and narrow passageways framed by massive stone-hewn walls the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) has long been a playground for the rich and famous a road trip is the next best way to experience the limpid waters and spellbinding coastlines of Sardinia's northern tip a mesmerizing expanse of translucent aquamarine waters a short drive returns you to civilization at Alghero Detour: From Castelsardo, don't miss the 5km (3 miles) detour southeast to see the bizarre elephant-shaped rock formation known as La Roccia dell'Elefante Sardinian culinary treats fuel this weekend jaunt from Oristano to Bosa North of Oristano, the RAMSAR-protected Stagno di Cabras is one of Europe's most important wetlands. The lagoon's mixed salt- and freshwater habitat is ideal for watching birdlife, including the pink flamingos that congregate here year-round. Stop in at Cabras's Museo Civico to see the impressive Mont'e Prama giants boxers and warriors dating back three millennia and unearthed nearby in the 1970s and the cliff-backed surfers' paradise of Capo Mannu including the bitter Corbezzolo and Asphodel against the backdrop of San Leonardo's beautiful 12th-century church reserve ahead for the memorable Sunday afternoon feast at Agriturismo Montiferru abounding in local delicacies such as wild mushrooms a traditional pastry stuffed with ricotta and orange peel and drenched in local honey Southwestern Sardinia is a treasure trove of splendid beaches The Strada Panoramica della Costa del Sud (SP71) between Chia and Porto di Teulada makes a delightful day trip from Cagliari but it's well worth extending this into a longer journey with overnight stays in Carloforte and Iglesias Half an hour south of Cagliari, the ancient Roman mosaics and columns springing from the sands at Nora are the gateway to the Strada Panoramica Costa del Sud a coast-hugging stretch of road that dips and dives past a string of sparkling coves Highlights along this 25km (15.5 miles) stretch include Su Giudeu a sinuous crescent of white sand lapped by crystalline turquoise waters backed by towering dunes that have earned it the nickname "Sardinia's Desert." Backtrack to the charming city of Iglesias for food and accommodation before looping back to Cagliari Detour: South of Cala Domestica, take the spur road out to Porto Flavia for a guided tour of the impressive century-old tunnels and mechanical loaders built into the cliffs here to facilitate shipping of local zinc and lead ore. you responded in droves to our request for Italian highlights reserved for friends and regulars – but a couple of drinks and phone calls by the barman later and we had our own bean bags in among it all Great beers and a great crowd – next time I’ll be bringing my Cardiff City scarf to add to their collection!Anya Festival of the Maggiolata in Lucignano possessing all the essentials of an Italian hill town: imposing gates There’s a Medici-era fortress nearby; a church rebuilt by Renaissance architect/writer Giorgio Vasari; plus outstanding olive oil extolled by the likes of Strabo and Pliny the Elder The time to go is during the Maggiolata spring festival with flower-bedecked floats and a large tent where folks sit at communal tables to enjoy grilled Chianina steaks Col Rodella in the Dolomites above Canazei We’d woken to those jagged spires for almost a week This morning’s vista was across the green valley to the shark fin of the Sassolungo An espresso on the piazza in Canazei was for fuel Then we headed for the Col Rodella gondola It’s a gateway to another world nearly 2,000 metres up where rolling meadows crash into spires of rock and ramblers scuttle like ants across the trails Thirteen hours of walking took us over the col and into the vast Alpe di Siusi Tired legs were later rewarded with a wine (or 10) at the bustling Bar Oma back in Canazei’s quaint centre.Joseph Francis Casal dei Fichi pool and house.Four readers recommended this place this week! EdIn rural Marche, not far from the Adriatic coast, Casal dei Fichi (flats from €870 a week) is a glorious place So beautiful and relaxing that we seldom travel far from its peaceful grounds We might make a quick trip or two to the local market and vineyard to ensure we are well stocked for our stay and an occasional lunch in one of the huge choice of local restaurants for the more active there is a wide range of activities/trips that can be enjoyed and hosts Ian and Bob are on hand to advise and assist We can’t wait for these lockdown days to end so that we can escape to this little piece of heaven The Sword of San Galgano in the Montesiepi hermitage, placed there by the 12th-century knight Galgano Guidotti. Photograph: Wojciech Stróżyk/AlamyThe Abbey of San Galgano (adults €4) is a glorious ruin but the real reason you are there is to enter the small round Rotonda chapel in the grounds in which you will see the “real” Sword in the Stone plunged into solid rock by the knight Galgano The mummified arms of one would-be thief remain there as a warning Then ponder the similarities to the Arthurian legends Reggio di Calabria’s ‘stunning and understated’ promenade Photograph: AlamyFresh out of uni I visited Reggio di Calabria over Ferragosto and had a transformative experience I observed a way of life both foreign and completely sensible Seemingly everyone spent their days taking it slow: extended families gathering at the beach rambling along the stunning yet understated promenade (pictured) Something clicked: it dawned on me that people live this way and I could too Years later I briefly lived in Italy and hope to move back with my family.Nick Postorino A focacceria in Camogli Photograph: Toni Spagone/AlamyAs a kid I spent many family holidays in Camogli The topography of steep mountains rising from the coast forced the locals to build upwards creating a labyrinth of alleys and stairways is the home of a most delicious cheesy version that has spread – like the molten cheese inside it – over the whole area Popping into a focacceria to get a pile of freshly baked focaccia slices and sharing them was the highlight of the day.Simon Hoer and if you need a hand on the hills and with the altitude e-bike hire means you can manage without a car.Tony Wade The medieval festival in Volterra Photograph: Wieslaw Jarek/AlamyUp the road from San Gimignano is the equally picturesque medieval town of Volterra but without the crowds of shuffling tourists – except for one weekend in August when the town dresses up in its medieval finery and goes back in time musicians at every turn and pageantry to fill the eye It is the best of Italy inasmuch as it is noisy and seemingly chaotic but enormous fun It’s a great day out for a family or even a solo traveller Modern currency is not accepted; you have to change your euros into the historical equivalent and you then buy your street food with this you then use euros if you stop for a drink or a coffee in a bar.Nick Stringer The boating lake and temple in the gardens of Villa Borghese Photograph: Rawdon Wyatt/AlamyWe were fortunate enough to discover a boating lake in a romantic corner of the Villa Borghese The joy of rowing around the small lake with the person I love is a pleasure I will never forget The sound of a harp from a nearby musician beckoned us towards the Temple of Asclepius on a small island in the middle of the lake The statues and fountains looked so alluring We got so close that at one point we feared one of the fountains would draw us in and engulf our boat with water We had to row a hasty retreat in laughter just before our time was called.Roger Trattoria Trapani on Piazza Giulio Cesare in Palermo reminded me of someone’s pantry A young man and his father greeted us with smiles as large as mine and my mother’s hunger To the left was the grandparents’ territory We were given complimentary panelle (chickpea fritters) “I get you something from my farm.” He returned moments later with a complimentary plate of juicy blood orange slices When paying I complimented the son’s English right?” Our no-frills Sicilian dream included plates of swordfish and spaghetti vongole for less than €7 a plate.Marth Snelling The Archidado Joust in Cortona. Photograph: John HellinikakisOne Saturday in June, we attended the annual Archidado Joust in Cortona Arezzo and Subbiano perform elaborate flag-tossing routines all accompanied by drummers and trumpeters The celebration starts with a crossbow tournament we witnessed a colourful and atmospheric pageant as each team performed with skill and precision This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Go to Home PageSubscribeAdvertiser disclosureSearch The Points Guy a favorite among Italian visitors and vacationers alike It's home to some of Italy's most stunning white-sand beaches as well as the glamourous yachting region of the Costa Smeralda But what you may not know is that it's also home to some of Italy's most charming villages a hideaway in the mountains or an idyllic seaside stay consider a visit to one of Sardinia's most beautiful villages For more Mediterranean vacation inspiration, check out some of our most recent Italy content: The River Temo flows through the center of the colorful village of Bosa. With the medieval Serravalle Castle (also known as the Malaspina Castle), a number of churches, a few museums and even ancient tanneries, there's plenty to do and see and this village. Plus, Bosa overlooks the sea, and there are several sandy beaches nearby Located in the Cedrino River valley, this Medieval village is made almost entirely out of stone. Nearby, hike up Mount Tuttavista for panoramic views and to see the famed bronze Christ statue, a route that many pilgrims have trekked over the years or there are numerous hiking and rock climbing spots around Tuttavista Stintino is home to one of Sardinia's most popular beaches It's a stunning strip of white sand and calm turquoise waters with views of the Torre Pelosa in the distance But the town and port of Stintino are just as beautiful Stintino is also known for having some of the most delectable seafood on the island so make sure to sample some at a local restaurant -- fan favorites are the sea urchin seaside village as Sardinia's "best-kept secret." Well we're spilling the beans: Castelsardo is an absolutely gorgeous spot for a vacation For the best views (you can even spot Corsica on a clear day) hike up to the top of the hill to visit the Castello dei Doria a giant rock formation shaped like -- you guessed it -- an elephant Did you know you can ski in Sardinia The village of Fonni is near some of the highest peaks in Sardinia apt for skiing during the winter season explore the town and its many painted wall murals there are plenty of hiking trails and wooded areas to get some fresh air Carloforte is located on the small islet of San Pietro, just off the southwestern coast of Sardinia you'll experience a very traditional Sardinian village experience: colorful buildings ancient churches and even abandoned salt pans Make sure to sample the tuna when visiting -- Carloforte has a yearly tuna festival and competition An easy day trip from the nearby city of Cagliari, Pula is best known for its nearby archaeological ruins of Nora that date back to the 4th century BC. Back in Pula, enjoy specialty dishes like the sweet and salty mixture of figs and ham in a lively square such as the Piazza del Popolo. There are many sandy beaches around Pula, too, as well as pine forests with walking and hiking trails Calasetta's white sand beaches and bustling town atmosphere are perfect for a relaxing vacation If you get tired of the expansive Sottotorre Beach visit Calasetta's Contemporary Art Museum (MACC) a stone tower located at Calasetta's highest point La Maddalena is a village located on the La Maddalena Islands just off the north coast of Sardinia. These islands not only have some of the most breathtaking beaches in Europe (if you squint you might think you're sprawled on the fine pearly sands of the Caribbean) but Maddalena village is also surprisingly picturesque Check out the Garibaldi statue in the harbor and the Santa Maria Maddalena Church when you tire of exploring the island's natural coves and beaches Known as the "village of murals," this UNESCO World Heritage site dates back to prehistoric times. Orgosolo has hundreds of murals painted around town, and the best way to see them is simply to wander around and discover them. The mountainous village also has lots of hiking and walking trails leading directly from the town into the woods and nearby hills Overlooking the Strait of Bonifacio, this seaside village is best visited during shoulder season -- you'll avoid the massive influx of tourists that summer sees but also enjoy the lovely weather that May make sure to pay a visit to the Longosardo Tower a 16th-century structure built by one of Spain's former kings Alghero is really a city, but its historical center feels like its own tiny, quaint village. With a massively long stretch of city beach, it will be a toss-up to decide whether to have a day of sand and sun or roam the old city's stone walls (yes, there are seven towers guarding them). The fortified walls are also excellent spots for viewing the sunset. Sardinia is famous for its beaches, but that's not all this Italian island has. With many tiny seaside villages, mountain collectives and even ski towns, exploring some of these lesser-visited towns is the way to go. For more beautiful European village inspiration, check out these articles: (Feature image courtesy of Gian Luca Salis / EyeEm / Getty) The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach That’s why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality Have you ever entered a tuna fishery? From the 3 to the 5 June you have the opportunity to do this by participating in Tunea, the festival that animates the ancient ones abandoned tuna traps di Carlofortein of Sardinia, reopened to the public for the first time. Book the ferry saving up with PLEINAIRCLUB In the seasonal period in which the tuna swim in schools towards the PIAM traps off the north coast ofIsland of San Pietro the community of Carloforte thus enters the disused spaces of the ancient tuna fisheries Il 3nd June an exhibition in the locality opens the event The tip born from the co-design laboratory carried out with the population during the month of April by the architect Patrizia Di Monte who will mark the access to the area with a suggestive architectural gesture an afternoon walk along the coast to the internal spaces of the Tonnara followed by meetings and moments of sharing in the following days concluding with the group's re-elaboration of the ideas collected during the process The work is made with nets used for tuna fishing kindly provided by the Tonnara Piam which is still in operation creating a metaphorical parallel with the neighboring aquatic spaces where tuna fishing is carried out using traditional methods a large treasure hunt will take place along the entire island of San Pietro which will involve the Carlofortina community and ends with the installation The Sea Chamber located on the seafront along the shoreline of the Antiche Tonnare di Carloforte created using the optical principles of the Camera Obscura consists of a nine-square-meter room that will stimulate an immersive experience of the surrounding seascape the installation will offer an ecological perspective on those places suggesting to the viewer the point of view of one of the symbols of Carloforte: the Thunnus Thynnus or Running Tuna which for centuries has been brought to the famous Chamber of Death from being caught and fished according to the traditional tuna fishing system will also liven up all the days of the Festival from 18pm to 20pm dance performance Calar tuna fishery – Studio #1 an open dance workshop consisting of choreographed movement sequences guided improvisation and exercises accessible even to non-dancers The participants perform a dance above and below the sea: men fish and meteorological-marine agents together to relive and tell the extraordinary story of the tuna fisheries of the Mediterranean.   All events are free and open to the public. Info and program on: www.tunea.it Search other results... Search More results... The rugged Mediterranean island has a cuisine all its own If you buy something from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy The first thing to know about traveling to Sardinia is that one trip is not going to cut it Visitors tend to underestimate how much there is to take in on this 9,300-square-mile island just west of the Italian peninsula rugged land of wild prickly pears and myrtle bushes set against brilliant blue backdrops and people as welcoming as the Mediterranean with regional styles that vary by landscape meals revolve around meat and cheese; along the coasts and on the smaller peripheral islands it’s all about seafood — oceanic delicacies like mullet bottarga in Cabras or tuna ventresca in Carloforte are English-language menus (that’s a good thing) we’ve compiled a list of Sardinia’s staple dishes which should help guide you through the basics As far as tasting them all during your doubtlessly far-too-short visit Perfect for breakfast, though entirely acceptable any time of day, these small pies are filled with a mix of ricotta, saffron, and lemon, bound by a thin collar of crisp puff pastry. Originally an Easter dessert, they’re now found year-round at almost any local bakery. Keep an eye out for an equally tasty variation called casadinas, made with young pecorino sardo instead of ricotta. Where to get it: Biscottificio Collu San Sperate (also available at local grocery stores) Sardinia has a long tradition of cooking snails, especially in the North area around the third-largest city of Sassari, where the cuisine is inspired by the countryside. Here you’ll find snails prepared a number of different ways, most commonly simmered with a spicy tomato sauce or sauteed with oil, garlic, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Where to get it: Le Due Lanterne Stale bread is the key ingredient for this local dish, which, despite the name, looks a lot more like lasagna than soup. Slices of stale bread are layered with lamb broth and fresh cow’s milk cheese called casizolu, then finished with grated pecorino. Where to get it: Il Purgatorio With roots in the south and central parts of the island, this petite pasta made with durum wheat semolina flour, water, salt, and a pinch of saffron is sometimes called Sardinian gnocchi because of its shape (I think they look more like cavatelli, though). Malloreddus usually comes tossed in a slow-cooked ragu of pork sausages, tomatoes, and a heap of grated pecorino sardo. Where to get it: Ristorante Italia When is time for dessert, order this giant, deep-fried semolina dumpling filled with fresh sour pecorino cheese and lemon zest, traditionally served with bitter miele amaro (also known as corbezzolo, or arbutus’ honey). Where to get it: Pastificio Vito Arra The Catalan influence on Sardinia (particularly the Northwestern area of Alghero) can be seen in the popularity of lobster stew, which is also a classic in that region of Spain. They keep it simple here: Female lobsters, complete with their red roe, are quickly steamed and then served with a sauce of tomato and onions and a quick emulsion of olive oil, lemon, and black pepper. Where to get it: La Lepanto Viviana Devoto is a San Francisco based writer and journalist she reports about food and restaurants trends for American and Italian publications The freshest news from the food world every day Regala o regalati un abbonamento al Giornale della Vela cartaceo + digitale e a soli 69 euro l’anno hai la rivista a casa e in più la leggi su PC Navigo da sempre e vivo in barca a tempo pieno da 23 anni Nel lontano 2000 ho iniziato a costruire la mia prima Kamana il nome deriva dalla fusione di due parole e significa “piacere dell’anima” Il nome Kamana non rappresenta solo il nome di tutte le barche su cui ho navigato per me e per le tante persone che negli anni ci seguono è diventata una parola che racchiude in sé la mia filosofia di navigazione: il piacere della vela estrema alla portata di tutti Conclusosi quell’ambizioso progetto a bordo di Kamana ho fatto una breve sosta sulla terraferma per venderla durante quei mesi ha fatto breccia nel mio cuore di marinaio anche la persona che avrei sposato da lì a nove mesi e con cui sarei partito per un nuovo giro del mondo Assieme a Giulia e a bordo di Kamana 2 (uno splendido Solaris 72 di nome “Plum”) ho deciso di seguire una rotta simile al passato volendo però realizzare un progetto più articolato e che prevedesse diversi soci finanziatori Il programma ha avuto un ottimo successo e per otto anni abbiamo navigato gli oceani in lungo e in largo: la Groenlandia coi suoi giganti di ghiaccio la riserva integrale delle isole Galapagos gli arcipelaghi isolati e incontaminati della papua Nuova Guinea e della Papua Indonesiana il Myanmar e molte altre mete meravigliose… Nel frattempo nel 2016 è nato il nostro primogenito Kai All’età di due mesi ha raggiunto assieme a Giulia la barca e ha iniziato a vivere a tempo pieno a bordo con noi L’anno dopo abbiamo deciso di rientrare in Mediterraneo per mettere in vendita la barca e abbiamo scelto di tornare provando a farlo attraverso il passaggio a Nordovest Potrei dilungarmi in infiniti racconti su questa meravigliosa avventura… sicuramente il fatto di avere avuto a bordo ben cinque bambini è ciò che ha reso l’impresa del passaggio una vera e propria esperienza di vita Alla fine del passaggio abbiamo potuto dire di essere stati i primi italiani nella storia a completare il passaggio “contromano” Rientrati in Italia abbiamo scoperto che l’impresa del passaggio a Nordovest ci aveva regalato qualcosa di molto più importante di un primato… aspettavamo infatti il nostro secondo figlio Aua (il suo nome in onore delle tradizioni del popolo inuit) che senza dubbio erano il meglio che il mercato internazionale potesse offrire per quella tipologia di barca I multiscafi mi sono sempre piaciuti nonostante non li avessi mai presi in considerazione perché non si conciliavano al meglio con le mete e le navigazioni impegnative che hanno caratterizzato le nostre avventure fino al 2017 Per un giro del mondo a livello tropicale non c’è dubbio che siano mezzi molto efficienti per non parlare della comodità della vita di bordo nelle andature portanti Prima di scegliere ho valutato diversi catamarani ma non sono riuscito a trovare un compromesso interessante: i catamarani sono o molto improntati al charter e quindi poco interessanti per le nostre esigenze oppure studiati più per le performance e quindi con volumi interni piuttosto ridotti ma costi molto alti che ho sempre preferito rispetto ai catamarani soprattutto per il modo di navigare più simile al monoscafo sono in linea di massima più performanti e sicuri ma in realtà fino all’uscita del Neel 51 non erano ancora stati progettati dei mezzi che avessero gli spazi interni necessari per il nostro progetto Il concetto di Neel mi ha da subito colpito sulla carta ma non riuscivo a trovare informazioni tecniche sufficienti e/o prove a mare fatte da professionisti La soluzione per capire se potesse andare bene per i nostri scopi o meno è stata di andare a provarlo personalmente a La Rochelle Dopo appena un’ora di navigazione mi è stato chiaro che stavo timonando quella che sarebbe diventata Kamana 3 (che abbiamo chiamato Kamana 3.3 per via dei suoi tre scafi) Ho avuto la fortuna di poter collaborare con il cantiere e intervenire in vari aspetti dell’imbarcazione visto l’uso che ne avremmo fatto ho apportato alcune modifiche al modello proposto Vele e albero/rigging sono stati valutati per le miglior performance e il miglior passaggio sull’onda ma la vera differenza è stata quella di cercare di mantenere la barca il più semplice possibile con svariati accorgimenti sull’impiantistica e scelte di materiali specifici che abbassassero drasticamente le ore di lavoro di manutenzione In questo momento siamo a bordo da oltre 9 mesi abbiamo navigato oltre 10.000 miglia e posso dire che tutto quello che avevamo sperato in termini di efficienza e comodità di vita a bordo Sul tema comodità vorrei spendere qualche parola in più… sicuramente ci aspettavamo un cambio radicale rispetto al monoscafo ma le nostre aspettative sono state ampiamente superate a maggior ragione con due bambini piccoli che corrono di qua e di là Direi che alle volte ci si dimentica quasi di essere su una barca Se le condizioni del mare cambiano e si naviga controvento in un mare piuttosto formato con onda di prua Ma se si hanno a disposizione le tempistiche giuste con uno studio adeguato delle previsioni metereologiche è veramente difficile trovarsi in condizioni complicate il mezzo è assolutamente in grado di affrontare anche queste condizioni Le tappe che abbiamo fatto sono quelle classiche anche se dopo una sosta nella bellissima Carloforte abbiamo fatto rotta su Palma de Mallorca e siamo stati bloccati otto giorni per un susseguirsi di tempeste con intensità fuori dal comune per quel periodo Dopo Palma approfittando di una finestra meteo favorevole abbiamo deciso di navigare oltre Gibilterra a nord dello stretto di Gibilterra dalla parte oceanica Durante quella navigazione il nostro piccolo Aua ci ha regalato una grande emozione…ha mosso i suoi primi passi tra un’onda e l’altra attraversando l’intera dinette per correre tra le braccia di Giulia Da Ragusa e Nassau fortunatamente non abbiamo avuto nessuna sorpresa impegno e tutta la mia esperienza al fine di preparare la barca al meglio prima di salpare per godermi poi completamente il vento e la navigazione seppur sia un’esperienza vissuta più e più volte mi affascina e mi emoziona come la prima volta… tutti i consigli di Enrico e Giulia per la vita di bordo… Sostienici anche su Barche a Motore e Top Yacht Design Per rimanere aggiornato su tutte le news dal mondo della vela iscriviti alla newsletter del Giornale della Vela accettare la Privacy Policy e cliccare sul bottone “Iscrivimi” E’ gratis e ti puoi disiscrivere in qualsiasi momento E’ una cosa che mi sono sempre chiesto nell’arco dei suoi giri cambiano anche barca come fanno a mantenersi uno stile di vita così Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato Iscriviti ora alla nostra newsletter gratuita e ricevi ogni settimana le migliori news selezionate dalla redazione del Giornale della Vela E in più ti regaliamo un mese di GdV in digitale su PC accetta la Privacy Policy e clicca sul bottone “iscrivimi” Riceverai un codice per attivare gratuitamente il tuo mese di GdV Avviso ai naviganti in Adriatico: in Croazia sono cambiate alcune regole che riguardano i diportisti dal 29 marzo 2025 ha infatti adottato un nuovo regolamento di sicurezza in Il SoloSailor Andrea Lodolo ha appena superato in Atlantico il waypoint a 2000 miglia dalla sua partenza da Brest necessario per la qualifica alla Golden Globe Race 2026 I consigli del SoloSailor Andrea Lodolo (la sua storia ve l’abbiamo raccontata Il navigatore italiano Alessandro Tosetti era impegnato nel “Global Solo Challenge” il giro del mondo in solitario quando nelle acque dello Stretto di Gibilterra la sua barca “Aspra Sail” è stata assalita da un branco di orche Un anniversario che celebra la nascita di un mito assoluto della vela e della navigazione oceanica Bernard Moitessier iniziava la sua vita di mare vagabonda e ribelle che ha ispirato generazioni PER COMUNICARE CON LA REDAZIONE02 535 811111 – speciali@panamaeditore.it PER LA PUBBLICITÀSenior account:Guido De Palma:tel Cookie policyPrivacy policy 02 535811 111/200abbonamenti@panamaeditore.it Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Crazy!’ A woman points at our bikes and down towards the hill we’ve just climbed and disappears over the rise. What she didn’t know is that we’re 150 kilometres (km) into a 210km but the views more than made up for the challenge of today’s 550 metres of climbing.  Today is day four of our UTracks self-guided cycle and it’s been the most scenic which is close to the southernmost point of Sardinia and there’s no mistaking you’re in the Mediterranean.  Cliffs cleave into emerald waters and bathers lay on sugar-white sand under multi-coloured umbrellas While the northern part of the island – known as a playground for the mega-wealthy with plenty of flash resorts – can be heaving with tourists in the peak season making it the perfect place for those who prefer to pedal than pose on beaches We start our Italian sojourn in Rome to get us in the right time zone and then make the one-hour flight to Sardinia’s main airport it’s a roughly one-hour drive to the starting point of our cycle which is connected by a causeway to Sardinia.  We drive past pink salt ponds and bucolic countryside but the pièce de résistance comes when we check into our room at MuMA Hostel where you can lay in bed and listen to the lap of the ocean and watch boats bob in the sparkling sea. That afternoon we jump on our bikes to test them out and acquaint ourselves with this picturesque village lined with pastel-coloured houses where the smell of salt and fresh seafood fills the air.  we have breakfast al fresco and load our pannier bags to officially begin our cycle It has maps of our rides each day of the week with information on elevation miles and a description of where we’re going making it easy for any level of cyclist to use.  taking us to the village of Calasetta in the far north of Sant’Antioco where we board a ferry with our bikes to Carloforte the only town on the island of San Pietro. This ‘island off an island off an island’ is home to about 6000 people it is lined with pastel-coloured houses and narrow cobbled streets We cycle off the ferry and through the main street and do a loop of the southern part of the island past vineyards rolling fields dotted with farmhouses and roads lined with prickly pear cacti The cars that do pass seem to almost expect you here Back on the ferry to Sant’Antioco we check our distance on Strava and are surprised to see what felt like a short scenic ride was actually 48 kilometres.  The following day we ride a loop around the south of Sant’Antioco reaching the top of a hill where we take in the postcard-worthy views of Maladroxia Beach through a mass of burgundy-coloured bougainvillea This picturesque beach is too good to pass by and we head back down the hill to take a dip in the gin-clear waters and eat gelato forgetting we’d have to make our way back up the almost vertical road We end the day doing 250 metres of climbing which proves to be the perfect taster of the hills yet to come These first few days have given us a great insight into Sardinian life We learn that the island is closer to Africa than Italy “closer to Spanish than Italian” and while many Italians can understand it including a pasta specific to this region called fregola and is often served with clams in a fresh tomato base which seems to be the beverage of choice everywhere we go (other than Aperol spritz) and we learn to become accustomed to the slower pace of life The next day we reluctantly farewell Sant’Antioco and MuMA Hostel MuMA is also home to a museum and the Ceas Isola di Sant’Antioco (Environmental and Sustainability Education Centre) so you leave filled with knowledge about the important role the master shipwrights played in this region we’re headed away from the seaside to the hinterland of the Teulada region We pack our pannier bags and leave our suitcases at the accommodation to follow A blessing of a tour like this means larger bags are transported for you to your next accommodation.   We cycle alongside vast fields of farmland and then wind the narrow streets of the abandoned medieval village of Tratalias it was abandoned in the 1980s after the creation of an artificial lake where water seeped into the homes although there’s not a single person here when we cycle through the eerie streets.  Blink and you’ll miss the sign to this unassuming property It’s a fixed home-cooked menu using ingredients sourced mostly from the farm I am fascinated to learn this area is Sardinia’s newest Blue Zone There are only five original ‘Blue Zones’ in the world (Sardinia’s central region was one of them) and Teulada is Sardinia’s latest region to gain the accolade (November 2023) to describe the regions where people live the longest I head into town where I meet local historian and author and the head of the local council’s cultural sector who tell me it took the local council ten years to prepare for the status But they were confident they’d achieve it.  “It’s not just that locals are living to an old age here,” Bernardini tells me “None of them have had any serious illness It’s rare to see anyone with dementia or Parkinson’s.”  Loi’s extensive research had documented every centenarian He found many similarities in the way they lived that could give away their secrets to longevity.  “People who kept goats lived longer,” he says “So maybe there’s something in the fact they all worked from a young age on the land.”  The following day we cycle along the coastline to Chia where the bluer than blue ocean forces us to take pause it’s a laid-back beach lifestyle with no crowds wander the icing-sugar-like shore and dine on moreish handmade pasta and pizzas bigger than our plates.  There’s no village here – restaurants are dotted around the region We find a local supermarket and buy some Sardinia wine to take home (and drink in moderation because there’s definitely something in the water here bathing on the largely empty stretch of beach or chatting to each other on the street – a common occurrence among all ages.  we leave Chia and ride up the coast past a medieval ‘savoy tower’ built in the 17thcentury and past seemingly endless beaches to the bunting-lined cobbled streets of Pula – and I think I may have just stepped into a fairytale.  Our hotel Villa Madau is in the heart of the city From here we sit on our balcony and watch as people wander the pretty square. We have booked a few extra days here If there is an award for Italy’s prettiest town I spend hours wandering the cobbled streets then sip Aperol spritz and watch the world go by in the little central square We also visit the nearby ancient site of Nora (4th-century BC) Excavations in the 50s revealed a wealthy imperial Roman city We wander the ruins and learn about the way the Romans once lived then bike back to the centre of Pula for more plates of pasta before we have to prepare to go home.  I pine for the hills and those pretty views where fiats whizz tight bends I long to go back and wander the abandoned village of Tratalias I want to linger longer on the sparkling Mediterranean beaches with colours so vivid it’s as if a texter was taken to them And I eye apartments in Pula and imagine myself living right here Cycling by day and savouring the Sardinian cuisine by night.  When we are picked up the next day and leaving the cobbled streets of Pula I am filled with hope that this southern region of the island retains its casual because there are few places that offer such a special place for cyclists ‘You must come back,’ our driver tells us as he pulls our bags from the car at the airport See Utracks for info on this and other cycle tours in Italy around a one-hour drive from Cagliari airport You will need a good level of fitness to complete the week-long cycle Our cycle was a little more than 210 kilometres; however you can cycle this in around 130 kilometres if you stick strictly to the GPS map. Day 1: takes you from Sant’Antioco to the island of San PietroDay 2: is a circuit of southern Sant’AntiocoDay 3: takes you into the hinterland of Teulada – a Blue ZoneDay 4: sees you cycle from Teulada to the seaside region of ChiaDay 5: is a short ride around ChiaDay 6: takes you from Chia to the town of PulaDay 7: is a look around the Pula region By subscribing you become an AG Society member helping us to raise funds for conservation and adventure projects Even if on theisland of San Pietro they are not present campgrounds there are places that in the low season lend themselves to camper parking; alternatively you can rely on camping ofisland of Sant'Antioco In September the sea it's always something else Pleasantly warm water awaits bathers while on the paths to those who set out in search of landscapes and silence the Mediterranean scrub parched by summer offers sweetish scents The villages regain their usual calm but not completely still offering the comings and goings on the seafronts and the lively tables in the restaurants and it is precisely now that it offers its best moment Le small islands they are no exception Struggling with the onslaughts of July and August small spaces and those traveling in suffer more than ever camper he is often the first to be penalized Just wait – for those who can afford it – until i Ferries crowded and empty parking lots off-limits are transformed into exclusives pitches with sea view Le islands that make up theSulcis archipelago in addition to a crown of minor emerged lands include the major ones Sant'Antioco e San Pietro It is precisely the latter that is considered one of the natural paradises of Italy for the intact coastal environments and above all for the presence of one of the main populations (about one hundred and twenty pairs) of the queen's falcon (Falco eleonorae) in this small island sanctuary it is therefore possible to experience the magnificence of Mediterranean nature with rare intensity San Pietro island has an extension of approximately fifty square kilometers and includes six thousand residents largely concentrated in the locality of Carloforte with small beaches mainly located along the southern coast kilometers of cliffs and one of the few tuna fisheries still active in Italy it can all be visited with a stay of just a few days Stands out for its naturalistic importanceLIPU Oasis established by the Sardinia Region in 2011 but managed by the environmental association since 1980 The reserve extends over over four hundred hectares in the western portion of the island and covers six kilometers of intact coastline the cliffs and the environments immediately behind them host the most important representatives of thewild bird life: not only the queen's falcons but also peregrine falcons great swifts and numerous species of passerines such as the blue rock sparrow and the Sardinian magnanina Here is a concise guide to discovering the island Carlaforte is the only inhabited center on the island of San Pietro and extends flatly in the center of the eastern coast Between Monument to the Fallen and the tourist port behind the wide seafront pleasantly animated by bars and restaurants you can walk along straight streets that lead to some churches the Casa del Duca civic museum (housed within the old fortifications) and the monument to Charles Emmanuel III The arch with underlying are characteristic staircase in Via Solferino and the power station Republic Square with old circular iron benches around monumental ficus specimens Having ceased production for about twenty years the salt pans which extend west of the town of Carloforte today offer refuge to numerous species of birds including flamingos All 'northern end on the island of San Pietro stands the complex of tonnara partially abandoned The fishing activity still involves a few dozen workers and produces between four thousand and five thousand bluefin tuna every year mostly destined for the local and Japanese markets The neighbor's tuna fishery Flat Island has been privatized for some time and transformed into a holiday village Small and located mainly on the street south-western coast are generally easily reachable with short walking routes from the backwaters parking lots you will find in succession the beaches of Giunco At the end of the road you reach Cala di Spalmatore or della Caletta a detour from the provincial road leads to this inlet surrounded by long cliffs vertical overlooking a panoramic path (reduced parking spaces) offers panoramic views on the cliffs below including one large cave the path leading to the singular starts from a small clearing on the right rock formations of the Mushroom and Pulpit (reduced parking spaces) On the solitary northern side of the island they can be visited from the sea with aboat o from the ground (better if with LIPU guide due to the rough terrain and the absence of signs) L'technology it is wild and the cliffs are dizzying with a pebble beach and often beaten by the mistral hosts the small permanent camp behind it LIPU extension The access road is reserved for the staff of the environmentalist association but the large spaces at the entrance - near a bend in the provincial road to Capo Sandalo - are well suited to camper parking the Equipped green path from LIPU (preferably practicable with a guide from the association) which in an hour and a half zigzags between rocks sculpted by the wind overlooking the sea climbing up a small promontory and descending to the LIPU camp and then returning to the provincial road which first touches the Lighthouse and then widens into the large (but not flat) final clearing A small wooden hut houses the LIPU visitor center In the middle of the square an easy stepped path leads to the sea in a landscape as intact as it is spectacular with the sky crossed by the flight of seagulls a further ramp descends steeply on the right to a small former jetty surrounded by rocks with curiously shaped shapes sculpted by the wind Access to the little ones lookout huts for falcons from which the photographs illustrating this article were also taken is instead permitted only with prior authorization and in the company of a LIPU guide The inhabitants of the island are called tabarchini and they speak a variant of the Ligurian dialect called tabarchin The reason is easy to say: in the 18th century gods settled there settlers of Ligurian origin descendants of the three hundred families who had settled in the area two centuries earlier Tunisian city of Tabarca Among the most singular species ofEuropean avifauna characterized by a wingspan of around one meter in width this bird of prey takes the scientific name of falco eleonorae by Eleonora d'Arborea who since the 15th century declared all the falcons of Sardinia protected. Gregarious and migratory species in Italy it is present from April to October with around five hundred pairs found mainly in Sardinia Its habit of nesting between the end of summer and the beginning of autumn is very particular to make the reproduction period coincide with the migration of the passerines which falcons they hunt with acrobatic dives along the rocky coasts; in the rest of the year it feeds mainly on insects You can read all PleinAir itineraries on Sardinia in the digital magazine on your PC, tablet or smartphone. With a year of subscription to PLEINAIR (11 paper issues) you have the available special inserts, digital magazine e the digital archive since 2015 (with attachments) With your PleinAir subscription you receive the next issues comfortably at home and savings ________________________________________________________ weekends and travel diaries on the digital magazine from smartphone For the registered with the PLEINAIRCLUB Access to the digital magazine is included With thesubscription to PleinAir (11 print issues) receive the magazine and special inserts comfortably at home and save analytics and third-party cookies.By continuing to browse On the occasion of Fare Cinema 2021, the Italian Cultural Institute of Tunis presents the documentary ‘Il mare che unisce. L’epopea dei Tabarchini‘ (The sea that unites. The epic of the Tabarchini) on its Facebook page a town in north-western Tunisia of ancient Phoenician origin is perhaps the place in Tunisia that has the strongest ties with Italy who kept it until the mid-sixteenth century with the exclusive privilege of exploiting what was the greatest local resource at the time: the coral In 1542 the same island was given in concession by Khair ed-Din Barbarossa (probably as a ransom for his ally Dragut) to the Genoese Lomellini family (from the circle of Andrea Doria and related to the Grimaldis) The Lomellini family colonized Tabarka with a group of inhabitants of Pegli whose presence in Tabarka lasted about two centuries due to the depletion of the coral reefs and the deterioration of relations with local populations a large group of Tabarkini moved to Sardinia the Bey of Tunis invaded the island and enslaved its inhabitants or to Calasetta on the island of Sant’Antioco (also in Sardinia) or to the island of San Pablo near Alicante the Tabarkini of Carloforte and Calasetta have kept their cultural identity intact: the dialect of these two localities is a Ligurian-type idiom in a linguistically Sardinian territory The stories of this community constitute a dossier presented by Tunisia to UNESCO for recognition as an intangible cultural heritage and supported by Italy and Spain the documentary will be presented by the Italian Cultural Institute of Tunis at the end of 2021 To find out more, go to iictunisi.esteri.it Fare Cinema is a week-long event held annually between May and June and dedicated to the "seventh.. The Italian Film Festival Berlin is one of the most important events dedicated to Italian culture in the German capital The short film 'Noi italiani parliamo con le mani' (We Italians speak with our hands) The short film 'Guardami così' (Look at me like this) recounts the emotion of exploring the world through the voice.. The short film 'Il Sole e le altre stelle' (The Sun and other stars) is a journey through the night.. the great actor and director Gabriele Lavia leads us An international documentary film festival organized every year by Sole Luna - A bridge between cultures a non-profit association whose main purpose is.. Launched in 1952 by the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) and the Municipality of Trento For International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021 Studio Azzurro Produzioni has produced  a documentary film version of the project 'Testimoni dei.. the Biografilm Festival has been offering audiences the best in recently produced documentaries particularly focusing on biographies and.. Sguardi Altrove is a cultural association that was founded in 1993 to promote female-directed films