A Drent and a Frisian have caught the travel virus and travel with their 4×4 motorhome around the world. We are Cor and Grietje from NoFear travel and we'll take you on roadtrip adventure through Sardinia. Sardinia is an island and belongs to Italy† We start our first report at the Capo Caccia, a huge cape that rises high above the azure blue sea level with its straight walls. We stay around this huge rock formation for a few days, partly because it is a bit quieter. There are tourists, but not the hectic crowds as we saw around the Costa Smeralda and Maddalena.
Travelogue Roadtrip Sardinia
In this travelogue, as you can see in the photo below, we drove several times from the east to the west side and vice versa. We started our roadtrip in the north of Sardinia in Capo Caccia and ended Cagliari.
Also read: Vanlife Sardinia | Motorhome route through the North of Sardinia
Diving and Snorkeling at Capo Caccia
We find places to stay with fantastic sea views.
On one of the days Cor goes diving and Grietje goes snorkelling. After about fifteen minutes of getting used to it (it was already a year and a half since the last dive) the fun could begin. While floating through the water, Cor spotted many fish, including the Morale, a not harmless snake-like fish.
Grietje stays on the water surface right next to and below the 180 meter high cape and from this position also spots many beautiful fish.
Hike in Regional Natural Park
At the top of the cliff we take a walk in the nature reserve Regional Natural Park of Porto Conte† In the middle of this area is the 361 meter high Mount Timidore and on the other side is a nice viewpoint over the cliffs. Great day!
Alghero
15 kilometers to the south is the city of Alghero, a nice town with narrow streets on the coast. There is a cozy atmosphere! The town has historically been occupied by Spain† The Spanish influences are still there and part of the population even speaks Catalan. A must for anyone who wants to visit Sardinia.
Just a day from the diary
Monday August 30
Via ferrata
From our overnight stay we are looking for the entrance to the Via Ferrata. Actually that is very close but we are walking in the wrong direction. And that's not a bad thing because the views are beautiful. Along the way we eat fresh figs from the many fig trees we encounter. Finally we find the entrance and start the climb. The Via Ferrata is new and looks good. Quite early on, Cor decides to go back because it leans back too much. Later we try again with Grietje leading the way. Then it will work. There is a Tibetan bridge in it and we really enjoy the climb and the view over the lake.
Bosa
Back at the camper we first have lunch and then continue towards Bosa. Through the interior of Sardinia we see a beautiful landscape; hilly, natural, cork oaks and olive trees determine the picture with beautiful views.
Near Bosa we rinse off in the sea. Here is a stretch of sea behind rocks where it hardly waves. A kind of sea pool. Refreshed, we look for a place for the night. We don't want a spot in a parking lot in the village, so we look for it outside the village. We drive up a steep narrow road. While we go higher and higher into the “bushbush” we can't find anything. Not even a place to turn…so we drive on.
Hospitality
Suddenly there comes a fork where we can turn with a lot of twisting. At the same time, a woman approaches to see what is going on. We tell her that we are looking for a place for the night. She spontaneously offers a place in her 2 hectare olive grove. She talks about her life and her living situation here in the "middle of nowhere". She owns the land here acquired by inheritance and lives alone without gas, water and electricity.
The house is actually and officially a barn because it is not allowed to live here due to the archaeological importance of the area. She is very nice, shows us around and we eat melon together.
Then we go our own way and agree to go for a walk on the adjacent rocks in the morning. Before we say “good night” she hands us another shovel: “Very handy if you want to bury your need somewhere tonight or tomorrow” she adds.
Nuraghe
There are many remains of life in the Bronze Age in Sardinia. These often tower-like structures made of stone are found all over Sardinia. Archaeologists have determined that the structures date from about 800 to 3000 years before the start of the Common Era. This makes them unique in world history. If you want to know more about these buildings, take a look at: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuraghe
Fire in the interior
We continue our roadtrip through Sardinia. We drive inland and see the terrible consequences of the fires that raged here a few weeks ago. The blackened landscape gives a sad sight. It must have been very anxious for the residents to protect themselves and their property. The villages are like islands between the blackened fields and forests. In one of those villages we have lunch on a picnic bench in the shade of the trees. Next to us are “old men” chatting together on a bench.
Gorropu Gorge Hike
We stay during our roadtrip through Sardinia a few days in the coastal town of Cala Gonone where Cor obtains his advanced diving certificate, including a night dive and two deep dives to a ship that was sunk in the 2nd world war.
Then the journey continues to a very special gorge called Gorropu. Before we reach the gorge we first have to descend 650 meters, but that is not a punishment. We reach the gorge and climb and clamber over the huge rocks. It is fantastic to see how geological development over the many centuries has shaped this special piece of earth. Of all kinds of strange shapes, types of stone, huge rocks and a straight wall of 500 meters high. Great, we are in our element to the max!
In the evening we find a spot, so remote that there is no sound at all and the only light comes from the stars.
The southwestern coast | Pan di Zucchero
We sting during our roadtrip across Sardinia again across the island to discover the southwest coast. The winding road through the mountains is beautiful. Here in the interior there is little tourism and the villages are authentic and quiet.
After passing an abandoned mining area we reach the town of Portixeddu, then the coastal road to Masua is incredibly beautiful. The hairpin bends take you to places with fantastic views over the rugged coastal landscape, always with the azure blue sea in the background.
The next day everything seems to come together… we take a boat taxi to the tiny uninhabited island of Pan di Zuchero (sugar bread). A Via Ferrata has been made on this huge rock surrounded by the clear water. The climb with ladders and ropes starts directly from the boat and has 133 altimeters. Arriving at the top we have a fantastic 360 degree view.
Also read: Motorhome route through western Sardinia
Bye Sardinia…
Our roadtrip through Sardinia comes to an end. Sardinia is a fantastic island that we can recommend to everyone. It is very varied with beautiful nature, history and a friendly population. Many exciting secluded coves and beautiful beaches. From the southern capital Cagliari we take the night boat for an 11-hour trip to Palermo, Sicily.
Also read: The most beautiful beaches in Sardinia (on followmyfootprints.nl)
