# Other Places Around The World > Italy Travel Forum >  >  Sardinia

## JoshA

We just returned from Sardinia. We stayed near the spectacular Capo Caccia.

At the foot, there is a sea cave called Neptune's Grotto.

Just off the cape are these eroded formations.

It's not hard to find secluded beaches.

The trail to Punta Giglio has views over the bay of Porto Conte.

There is an abandoned WW II barracks and fortifications at Punta Giglio.

From the walls of old town Alghero you can see both Capo Caccia and Punta Giglio.

The coastline on the way to Bosa is spectacular.

It includes this secluded beach.

The island is full of Nuraghe megaliths from a civilization that existed 3500 years ago. Here are some monuments to the male and female forms.

Here is an impressive Nuraghe tower which overlooks a broad valley from a high ridge.

The Romans were in Sardinia as well as evidenced by these ruins around a thermal spring.

This tour ends with a view of the walled city of Alghero from the harbor.

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## amyb

Thank you for these great pictures that showed me sights I have never seen. What a wonderful world!

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## JoshA

You are very welcome, Amy. I hadn't seen this part of the island before either. It's off the beaten path for sure. The beautiful people are on the Costa Smeralda during the summer season but the rest of the island has the history and, IMHO, real character and beauty. Residents of Alghero still speak a Catalan dialect like that in Barcelona.

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## GayleR

Thanks for this. I have just started researching Sardinia. What part of the island do you stay in?

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## NHDiane

Spectacular photos Josh, thanks for taking me somewhere I've never been!  I love all the pictures but that one of the cave took my breath away!  Italy is on our bucket list...Sardinia may have to be included

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## JoshA

Gayle: We stayed near Alghero on the northwest coast of Sardinia. 
Diane: It's a unique island and well worth a visit if you can carve out time from a trip to Italy. A short flight from Rome.

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## katva

Josh---- I was in Sardinia in the very early 80s for a month or so, Costa Smeralda------ loved it---- it's a place I definitely want to return to. I recall the CS region as being very remote and not so touristy, but it sounds like it has changed. We never explored the interior of the island, unfortunately ( I was a teenager, and staying with a friend who's family owns a spectacular home on the water). I remember it as being perhaps the most beautiful, wild scenery. Similar to,the Granf Frond / Toiny areas of SBH. Thanks for this report.

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## JoshA

Kathy: I didn't get to the Costa Smeralda this time but I think it is something like St. Barts in that it is an upscale playground and has beautiful megayachts in the harbor at Porto Cervo. I'm sure it was pretty remote when you were there and maybe accessible mainly by boat. There are still some pretty remote parts in Sardinia but Costa Smeralda is not one anymore. Then again, neither is St. Barts.

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## katva

We got there by ferry, and had to 4 wheel it to the villa---- and driving at night was out of the question. Your report makes me want to explore other parts of the island. Just beautiful!

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## lmj

We loved Sardinia, spent about 10 days there a couple of years ago at the tail end of our month-and-a-half visit to places we hadn't been in Italy.  We started on the Costa Smerelda at the Hotel Cervo (a Starwood hotel that we got with points and LOVED), and really liked it. Although found it to be ridiculously expensive in certain parts, it was a good base for exploring the northern end of the island.  We moved down to the southeast coast and stayed in an amazing hotel there, Su Gologone.  Then we crossed over to the western part of the island and enjoyed that as well.  LOVED the bottarga over on that side, which we didn't see much on the east coast.  I've put together a website with some of my recommendations for Italy, you can see some of my pictures here:  http://www.romanticitalia.com/the-big-islands.html  The website is still under construction, I have a ton more info to add but at least I've got some major regions covered.  I created it because so many people asked me to help them plan their vacations, now I can just point them to the website and let them do the work  :cool: .  But if anyone has any specific questions, let me know, we've spent well over a year in Italy with 14 trips over the past 25 years and I'm happy to help!  Ciao!

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