| Sardinia |
In Jerzu, every year on the 13th of June, a procession is held in honor of Sant‘Antonio; Dorgali is famous for its historic center with a lot of religious buildings; Orosei, in the province of Nuoro, has beautiful beaches and the marble quarries, which, along with agriculture, are quite important for local economy. In the area encompassing the provinces of Cagliari, Oristano and Nuoro, a white wine called Nuragus is produced, taking its name from a local grape variety, mostly planted in the Campidano plain and one of the last to be harvested. Between Cagliari and Oristano, the Monica di Sardegna Doc is produced. In addition, in the province of Oristano, the Vernaccia di Oristano can be found and in the Planargia hills, the Malvasia di Bosa. Another place, where the wine tourist can stop, is Santu Lussurgiu, an old town located on the eastern side of the Montiferru, in an area full of traditions: not to be missed, during Carnival, is the Carrela Sa 'e Nanti, a wild horse race on clay tracks. In Oristano, about the same time, the Sartiglia takes place, a historic equestrian race, both spectacular and evocative (www.sartiglia.info). The town of Bosa has Roman, medieval and Aragonese ruins, like the coastal tower of Bosa Marina. A wine and food itinerary can be followed along the paths of the Sulcis mountains and of some parts
of the Iglesiente territory, where the red Carignano del Sulcis Doc wine is produced, in the province of Cagliari. Among the most interesting places are Santadi, which was founded in the Middle Ages and developed in the eighteenth century; Decimomannu, with the Roman bridge crossing the Rio Mannu River in the Bigia Manna country district; Teulada, with its fantastic beaches. In northern Sardinia, in the Vermentino territory, from Olbia to Alghero, the best known white wine of the island is produced. The Gallura area offers romantic landscapes with cork oak woods. At Berchidda, in the province of Olbia-Tempio, a famous music festival, Time in Jazz, takes place in August. In Berchidda, the Enoteca Regionale della Sardegna is based, a regional wine shop, where all Sardinian wines can be found (tel 079.704587, closed on Mondays).
Monti, with its vineyards and wineries, is in the southern part of the Gallura area. Tempio, located at the foot of Monte Limbara, is a town rich in monuments and with a long history; it is the seat of a major research center on cork, the raw material for the production of bottle corks. Sennori, in the province of Sassari, is famous for its traditions and festivities, such as the six festivals in honor of the patron Saints of the town, each one lasting a few days.
Places not to miss
Alghero, in the province of Sassari, is the most Spanish among Italian towns. It is called little Barcellona, because the Catalan language is still spoken there and in the town a delegation of the Government of Catalonia is based. The street names in the historic center are often written both in Italian and in Catalan. Even the town planning shows the influence of its long history and of different dominations. The first system of fortifications, of Genoese origins and now almost totally destroyed, dates back to the thirteenth century. The town was conquered by the Catalans in 1354. The fortifications, which are still visible, with seven towers and three forts, were built in the sixteenth century, during the reign of Ferdinand the Catholic king. In the town center, the tourist can admire various ancient palaces: the Gothic Palazzo de Ferrera and Palazzo del Pou Salit, or Palace of the Salt Well, the Baroque Palazzo Serra and the Neoclassical Palazzo Civico. Among the churches, the beautiful seventeenth-century church of San Michele has a dome covered in multicolored majolica tiles, while the Cathedral of Santa Maria dates back to the sixteenth century.
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