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Sardinia - The Heart of the Mediterranean

Thursday, November 06, 2008

Local legend has it that Sardinia was created by God stepping on a boulder in the sea with his sandal. This wonderful island boasts miles of coastline, beautiful beaches and stunning landscape.

Location

Situated to the west of mainland Italy, Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Surrounded by the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands, Sardinia is solely Italian, granted a special statute of regional autonomy under the Italian Constitution.

History

Equidistant between the Italian and North African mainlands, this idyllic island was once described by DH Lawrence as ‘lost between Europe and Africa and belonging to nowhere.'

Sardinia is an ancient island, rich in history and legends, with traces of human settlements going back to the Neolithic Age.

Inhabited for many thousands of years, human remains were discovered on the island in 1979 that dated back to 150,000 BC. In 2004, in a cave in Logudoro, a human phalanx was found that was dated to 250,000 BC.

Emerald Charms

In more recent years, Sardinia has become a popular tourist destination, particularly for those looking to escape to a luxury island environment.

Sardinia boasts some of the best beaches in the Mediterranean, as well as crystal clear waters and a magnificent mountainous landscape.

During the high season, the island turns into the headquarters of the rich and famous, especially on the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast).

Megalithic building structures called nuraghe are scattered in great numbers throughout Sardinia. Su Nuraxi is an important nuraghic site located in Barumini. It was inscribed on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 as Su Nuraxi di Barumini.

Sardinia has three airports - Olbia on the northeast coast, Alghero on the northwest and Cagliari in the south. Flights from the UK take around two-and-a-half hours.

From top to toe, Sardinia is renowned for its exquisite cuisine, splendid wines and friendly locals and everywhere you go in the Med's answer to the Caribbean, a thick mantle of aromatic herbs, ‘macchia' (Mediterranean maquis), covers the land and perfumes the air.

Sardinia Property Scene

This two bedroom apartment on Sardinia's popular north coast is just 400 metres from the beach in Lu Bagnu. It offers stunning sea views and is located three kilometres from the charming medieval town of Castelsardo.

Around the town of Lu Bagnu, there are numerous white sandy beaches (Marina, Lu Bagnu, Vignaccia, Baia Ostina), as well as rocky shores ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling. Lu Bagnu is quickly becoming one of the most popular resorts in north Sardinia. Purchase price £142,990.

This newly constructed, detached three bedroom villa is located near Porto Cervo, just one kilometre from the beach, on Sardinia's north east coast.

The villa is set on a hillside at Pantogia, on the famous Costa Smeralda, with spectacular sea views over the Pevero bay.

The property enjoys a picture perfect setting with beautiful beaches, the marina at Porto Cervo and the exclusive Pevero golf club all within a few minutes' drive. Purchase price £1,114,170.

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Photo by MegaBash

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