Sardinia Island Driving Tour (about 720km,446 miles)

Monastir (83m/274ft) is a village of Oriental aspect on the slopes of a volcanic hill, with rock-cut tombs. 5.5km/3.5mi southwest at San Sperate is an open-air museum of modern sculpture. Beyond Monastir the road follows the east edge of the Campidano plain.

Sanluri (135m/446ft; pop. 8,000) is a town with a 14th century castle containing a "Risorgimento" museum.

24km/15mi northeast of Sanluri is the village of Barumini, near which (1km/0.75mi west, to the left of the road to Tuili) is the largest nuraghic village in Sardinia, Su Nuraxi, with 396 houses and a massive central structure with several towers.

From Sanluri S.S. 197 runs west to the wooded Costa Verde, a coastal region now being developed as a popular holiday area, with new roads, hotels and sports facilities.

By the little church of Santa Anastasia is an underground spring sanctuary of nuraghic type. 3km/2mi west is a small spa with thermal springs (50 and 68 °C/122 and 154 °F).

Santa Giusta (10m/33ft) lies on the north side of a marshy lake. It features the Stagno di Santa Giusta, with a 12th century church in Pisan style.

Oristano (9m/30ft; pop. 30,000) is noted for its pottery. It still preserves a number of towers belonging to its medieval defenses. Notable are the 18th century cathedral, on the site of an earlier building of the 13th-14th centuries and the Archeological Museum, with finds from the ancient city of Tharros, which lay to the northwest of the Gulf of Oristano. Beautiful traditional costumes can often be seen here on market days. A popular attraction is the Sariglia, an equestrian tournament dating back to the 16th century, which is held at Shrovetide every year (on the Sunday and the Tuesday).

An interesting trip can be made to the nature reserve of San Vero Milis, 21km/13mi northwest of Cagliari. This is a marshy area, and numerous flamingoes can be seen here in September and October.

Bauladu (29m/96ft) is on the north edge of the Campidano plain. The road then continues up the Bobolica valley.

The provincial capital of Nuoro (546m/1,802ft; pop. 37,000), is charmingly situated on a hillside, between limestone hills of Alpine type to the south and the peak of Ortobene (995m/3,284ft; view) to the east. Beautiful local costumes are worn on the feast of the Savior (last Sunday in August). Nuoro was the birthplace of the writer Grazia Deledda (1893-1936; Nobel prize 1926). At the southeast end of the town is the 19th century Neo-Classical cathedral.

From Nuoro there is a beautiful drive south to the villages of Mamoiada (644m/2,125ft; costumes) and Fonni (1,000m/3,300ft; pop. 5,000), the highest village on the island of Sardinia. In the surrounding area are numerous nuraghi and "fairies' houses".

Fonni is the starting point for the ascent (4 hours, with guide), of Bruncu Spina (1,829m/6,036ft; panoramic views), the northern peak of the Gennargentu massif, from which the southern peak, Punta la Marmora (1,834m/6,052ft), can be climbed (0.75 hours).

Shortly after the turning on the road from Nuoro to Olbia, we see on the left the well-preserved nuraghe of Losa, with a number of subsidiary structures.

Abbasanta (315m/1,040ft), the largest livestock market in Sardinia, on the southern edge of the Abbasanta plain, an area of black basaltic rock. 10km/6mi southeast is the Tirso Dam, which has impounded the water of the island's principal river to form Lago Omodeo, 22km/14mi long and up to 5km/3mi wide.

Macomer (563m/1,858ft; pop. 11,000) is situated on a high plateau of basalts and trachytes on the slopes of the Catena del Marghine, with beautiful far-ranging views. In front of the church of Macomer are three Roman milestones found in the area. Some of the best preserved nuraghi in Sardinia can be seen in the immediate surroundings of the town. Particularly fine is the nuraghe of Santa Barbara (648m/2,138ft; 45 minutes north), a conical structure on a high square base.

3km/2 mi beyond Macomer S.S. 129 this goes off on the left to the village of Suni (23km/14 mi: extensive views) and, 6km/3.75 mi beyond this, the little port of Bosa (10m/33ft; pop. 8,000), with the castle of Serravalle (1112). 16km/10 mi south of Suni lies Cuglieri (479m/1,581ft; pop. 5,000), on the lower slopes of Monte Ferru (1,050m/3,465ft), an extinct volcano.

On the left of the S.S. 129 is the almost completely preserved nuraghe of Succoronis (Muradu).

The three story nuraghe of Santu Antipe is 16m/53ft high.

Bonnanaro (405m/1,337ft), where a road goes off on the left (4km/2.5mi southwest) to the richly ornamented church of San Pietro di Sorres (Pisan period, 12th century). Beyond Bonnanaro the road runs through the beautiful wooded uplands of Logudoro.

S.S. 597, the direct road from Sassari to Olbia, goes off. 2km/1.25mi along this road is the former abbey church of the Santissima Trinità di Saccargia, the finest example of Pisan architecture in Sardinia, with 13th century frescoes.

Osilo (600m/1,980ft; pop. 6,000), renowned for its beautiful costumes. From the ruined Malaspina castle and the nearby Cappella di Bonaria there are beautiful views. The road continues through the wooded Aglona district.

A road through beautiful scenery, via the village of Sedini (16th century church), picturesquely situated above gorges, to the little port town of Castelsardo (114m/376ft; pop. 5,000), in a magnificent situation on a promontory which falls sheer down to the Golfo dell'Asinara. This is the principal basketwork center in Sardinia. In the parish church is a beautiful 15th century Madonna, a masterpiece of the Sardinian-Spanish school of painting. From the ruined castle there are fine views. Some 4km/2.5mi beyond the turning for Castelsardo, at Perfugas (just off S.S. 127), a fortified village of the nuraghic period and a spring sanctuary have been excavated.

Tempio Pausania (566m/1,868ft; pop. 13,000), formerly chief town of the district of Gallura, situated below the north face of the jagged Monti di Limbara (cork industry).

Calangianus (518m/1,709ft; pop. 6,000), an old town surrounded by forest, with a pretty parish church.

Olbia (15m/50ft; pop. 33,000), formerly known as Terranova Pausania, lying at the west end of the deeply indented Gulf of Olbia. A causeway 1.5km/1mi long carrying the road and the railroad which links the town with the little Isola Bianca, where the ships from Civitavecchia come in. Beside the town railroad station is the 11th century church of San Simplicio, in Pisan style, with a collection of Roman inscriptions (particularly milestones), and a sarcophagus with a decoration of garlands. From the church and from the harbor there are fine views of the bay and the massive offshore island of Tavolara (up to 555m/1,832ft; area 6 sq.km/2.25 sq.mi).

To the north of Olbia, extending along the shores of a large peninsula, is the beautiful Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast), whose beaches of fine sand are being developed as a holiday area by the construction of new roads and the provision of tourist facilities. The roads to the various resorts branch off S.S. 125, which runs north from Olbia to Palau.

6km/3.75 miles: road (8km/ 5 miles) to the Golfo di Marinella.

Porto Cervo (30km/19mi) is the chief place on the Costa Smeralda.

3km/2mi north of Porto Cervo, beyond Capo Ferro, is the bay of Liscia di Vacca, and 5km/3mi farther on Baia Sardinia (51m/168ft; pop. 4,000), with numerous hotels. At the south end of the Costa Smeralda lies the holiday center of Portisco.

17km/11 miles north of S.S. 125 is Arzachena.

12km/7 miles: Palau (5m/17ft).

From Palau there is a boat service several times daily (30minutes) to La Maddalena (19m/63ft; pop. 11,000), a port on the island of the same name (157m/518ft; area 20 sq.km/7 sq.mi), which together with the neighboring islands was strongly fortified until the Second World War, commanding the Strait of Bonifacio between Sardinia and Corsica.

Sardinia is traversed by a panoramic road 7km/4.25mi long which is carried by a swing bridge over the Passo della Moneta, a strait fully 500m/550yd wide, on to the neighboring island of Caprera ("Goat Island", up to 212m/700ft; area 15.75 sq.km/6 sq.mi).

Siniscola (42m/139ft; pop. 9,000), at the west end of a large coastal plain is renowned for its beautiful costumes. From Peniscola a panoramic road (edges not guarded) runs along the rocky ridge of Monte Albo (1,127m/3,719ft), through a region well stocked with wildlife, to Bitti (549m/1,812ft; pop. 6,000).

6km/3.75mi northeast of Siniscola is the developing resort of La Caletta.

Orosei (19m/63ft; pop. 5,000) is a village on the right bank of the River Cedrino and features a ruined castle.

Dorgali (387m/1,277ft; pop. 8,000) is a little town situated on the slopes of Monte Bardia (882m/2,911ft). Notable is the Museo Civico Archeologico.

From Dorgali a side road (7km/4.25mi) winds its way down to the little port of Cala Gonone (25m/83ft). Beyond Dorgali the road passes through beautiful montainous country.

Tortoli (15m/50ft; pop. 8,000), at the beginning of an extensive plain. 5km/3mi east is the attractively situated little port of Arbatax (pop. 1,000), formerly also known as Tortoli Marina, which ships the agricultural produce and minerals of the Ogliastra region. Nearby are picturesque red porphyry cliffs.

From Tortoli there is a very attractive trip, first on S.S. 198 through the Ogliastra uplands, with hills of crystalline limestone, sometimes in curiously contorted shapes, to Lanusei (595m/1,964ft; pop. 5,000), Seui (800m/2,640ft) and the Cantoniera di Santa Lucia; then on S.S. 128 and S.S. 131 to Cagliari. Beyond Tortoli S.S. 125 follows a winding course through the southeastern part of the Ogliastra region.

Bari Sardo (50m/166ft), from which there is a view of the Gennargentu massif. The road continues, with many bends, through lonely hill country.

Quartu Sant'Elena (6m/20ft; pop. 42,000) is a thriving town. On the feast of St Helena (May 21st) there is a picturesque procession of richly decked teams of oxen. The parish church has a large altarpiece, probably by Antioco Mainas (16th century).

8km/5 miles: Cagliari