Sardinia

Alghero, Sardinia – Part II

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This is the last post in my Sardinia series. I may have only spent a week there but there was so much to see and do – when I got home and started wading through all the photos I realised how much we’d packed in. If I could do it all again I would go for longer so that I could take a little more time to soak it all up. It really is a little gem of an island.

On my last night on the island, I was really craving Pizza so, on a recommendation, we headed of to ‘Casablanca’ – which must be the cosiest little bistro in the Winter months as the restaurant has gorgeous vaulted ceilings. It was so warm though, that we opted to sit out on the street under the night sky and take in the atmosphere of the Old Town.

Dress: Grace & Mila (similar here)
Sandals: F&F

La Pelosa & Neptune’s Cave, Sardinia

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Having had such success with our guidebook when looking for somewhere to eat out, we decided to give it another spin for the next day’s activities.

La Pelosa was listed as one of the most spectacular beaches on the island so we headed over to it. Unfortunately, everyone else must have thought so too… when we got there you couldn’t see the beach for people. The waters were a stunning colour but the area lacked the tranquility we were craving so after snapping a couple of photos we turned around and headed back to Alghero.

On the hunt for another activity, I remembered reading about Neptune’s Cave and we managed to book ourselves onto the last trip of the day.

Things couldn’t have worked out better – even if we’d planned them. We had a quick bite to eat on shore, then hopped aboard and set sail for the cave. It takes about 40 minutes to reach by sea – and you have to pay extra for the crossing – but it is preferable to walking from the car park, which involves a climb of 654 steps.

The cave itself is roughly 80 million years old. I can never remember which is a stalactite or a stalagmite – but there were a lot of them! The very helpful guide (who spoke 4 languages) told us that only 1% of the cave is still “living” due to reduced rainfall in the area.

Tall folks take note though – there are a lot of low ceilings and things to bang your head on (as demonstrated by the blurry photo lower down)

Alghero, Sardinia – Part 1

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Alghero may not be the largest place to visit in Sardinia but it’s certainly one of the prettiest.

The old-town is by far the most picturesque part – and can be reached via little archways leading off the harbour. Be warned though – the streets are made up of pebble-stone cobbles and therefore not somewhere you should venture in heels.

On our first night we headed for dinner at Il Pavone – a restaurant the guide book recommended. We got there a little early, which was a blessing as we managed to catch the sun setting over the sea in the harbour – a little bit of pink-tinged magic.

Almost everywhere you go in Sardinia dinner is made up of 4 courses: Antipasti, Starter, Pasta/Risotto course and Dessert. Il Pavone did not disappoint on any level. I’s been owned and run by the same man for decades and he took the trouble to introduce himself to all the diners that evening. The waiter had been there for 25 years and between them they helped us pick the most amazing selection of food. However, our guidebook had advised us to ask for ‘black gelato’ for dessert and it wasn’t on the menu. Nevertheless we asked …and were provided with the most amazing gelato I have ever tasted.

I didn’t take my camera to dinner so unfortunately can’t show you this wonderous dessert on the blog. I did manage to snap a quick picture on my phone so if you follow me on Instagram you’ll be able to see it for yourself.

Dress: Mango (similar here and here)

Porto Conte

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After our brief stop to explore Castelsardo, we continued on to our next destination.

For the second part of our trip we stayed at the Corte Rosada resort near Alghero. The hotel had a private beach and it was a haven for local wildlife. I spent most of my days here making more fishy friends and pretending to be Dr Dolittle.

Porto Conte itself isn’t more than a few houses grouped along the shore. It has a private harbour – but we got around that by hiring a pedalo so we could go and admire the boats.

Yellow Bikini: F&F

Castelsardo, Sardinia

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When we left Isola Rossa, we headed south along the West Coast and on the way we decided to stop off at Castelsardo. The castle itself is 12th Century but the area’s history extends back much further than that.

There is some parking higher up but we opted to walk up the hill so that we could see more of the town and it’s charming shops (note to self – next time, do shopping on the way down). It was quite a climb but we were rewarded when we got to the Castle with a blast of fresh air at the top and the most stunning views of the harbour and the Sardinian countryside behind. Oh and there was a Gelato shop up there – so that helped too!

Giraffe print top (no longer available): H&M Conscious collection.
Shorts: Warehouse
Shoes: Primark
Sunglasses: F&F

Little White Dress

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For the first part of our trip to Sardinia we stayed in the beautiful Hotel Relax Torreruja. Located on a rocky outcrop in the north of the Island it’s surrounded by stunning views – but be warned it can get a little breezy up there!

It’s a moment away from the small-but-perfectly-formed town of Isola Rossa. There isn’t a huge amount to do, but quite honestly that didn’t seem to matter as the days slipped by easily. I spent them laying out in the sun overlooking the sea, reading a few good books and slipping into the sea to make friends with the fishes whenever I needed to cool off.

I packed a lot of summer dresses for the trip and the Topshop one below is an oldie but a goodie. It’s very girly and flirty – perfect for sunny summer evenings. As it’s one from way-back-when it’s no longer available in stores but there are similar options here and here.