Sardinia Part IV: Alghero

Given the lack of warmth and things to do in the more remote areas of Sardinia, we decided that for our final two night we’d head to the big city of Alghero. We were pleasantly surprised by the charming old town, city walls and impressive marina. We saw this house and could immediately see ourselves enjoying living there!

We also saw the world's smallest car!Upon arrival, it seemed as if our luck had changed and the sun was shining brightly and the thermometer was rising. We dropped out stuff at our not so great hotel with a lousy terrace and dashed out to the beach, which was only a 5 minute walk from out hotel. It was great for about a half hour and then the wind began to blow and the temperature dropped. We just couldn't catch a break on the weather! We dashed back inside and decided to go and explore the old city. The sun came out once again and we enjoyed a beautiful evening. In fact, the evening sunshine was so warm that we actually thought we might be able to take a dip. So we dashed back to the hotel, changed our clothes one more time and ran out to the beach. Unfortunately, the wind was up again and the air temperature was just chilly enough to keep us out of the water! Even so, the setting sun over the water was reminiscent of my days sitting on Newport Beach in California watching the sun come down over the water. We sat on the sand for a good while and enjoyed the beauty of the changing sky as another day ended.

Having eaten 4 course meals the previous 2 nights, we decided that pizza and a cold beer were a good idea. We trekked back into the old city, avoided the overly touristy restaurants and found a local pizza joint that served up great food! It wasn't nearly as cold as it had been in the mountains and we were cautiously optimistic that the following day would provide an opportunity to be out in the sunshine!

Sardinia Part III: Sant Antonia de Gallura

Doug had found this little country inn on the internet and it looked cozy enough. One of the draws was that it offered a half board option for very little more money. We figured, well, if we are going to be cold, we might as well have good food! This was an adorable place and again, if we’d had even a little heat the pool surroundings would’ve been a wonderful place to unwind. We took some walks and some drives. The low point however was a raging hail storm that hit on Sunday afternoon. We wondered if we’d ever be warm. At least our the heater in our room worked. Fortunately, I had brought my computer and we were able to get online here as well play DVD’s. On a whim, I had packed season 2 of the American television show, 30Rock which we find hilarious, along with two movies: Mamma Mia and Amazing Grace. We consoled ourselves on that chilly Sunday afternoon by drinking red wine and watching Mamma Mia with the heat cranked up high in our room. It wasn’t exactly sunbathing but it was very relaxing and we enjoyed the snuggly afternoon it provided for us. The 4 course meals in the evening were lovely with the pasta course being our favorite. The second night they served Panocotta for dessert and it was absolutely delicious. All in all, it was a lovely stay at the cozy inn nestled in the Sardinian mountains. It was very cold however and our little getaway to warmth was not looking good.

Sardinia Part II: Beautiful Beaches and Great Views

Ok...so the weather wasn't fully cooperating but on Friday morning we decided to go have a look at these gorgeous beaches. They did not disappoint. Sugary white sand and crystal clear water beckoned. But the cloud cover and the air temperature were not encouraging a dip in the sea. We explored the coastline taking in the beauty and by midday the sun was warm and the clouds were diminishing. We decided that we'd go back to the hotel, put on our swimsuits and try to spend the afternoon in the sun. The wind was still up and once we got back to the hotel we realized that the pool deck was enclosed and warm so we spent a couple of hours lounging by the icy waters of the swimming pool. At least we got to read and nap in the warm sun and have a feeling of being on vacation in a beachy community! The evening remained clear and beautiful so we returned to the seaside to watch the setting sun dance on the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. While walking on the beach we saw a diver come up with a fresh squid. Fried calamari on a plate looks much more appealing than this critter from the sea. At that moment I wasn't so disappointed that I didn't get a chance to swim there!We decided to take a little drive before dinner and discovered an amazing view. It was such a treat to turn a corner and have this come into view.Hunger was setting in so we took off for Mama Latina's, a restaurant that had been recommended by our hotel and one of the few that was actually open.
The restaurant didn't open until 7.00 so we found a little place with a terrace overlooking a most beautiful stretch of coastline and enjoyed an aperitif while watching the setting sun. It was a wonderful time of relaxing and soaking in one of the most beautiful views I've ever seen. The golf course on this side of the island is something to behold. It was great to see it from above and Doug definitely would've enjoyed trying his luck. Cost was a bit over the top and he would've had to have rented clubs so we simply enjoyed it from afar.
Dinner at Mama Latina's did not disappoint. We split a pizza and then I indulged in Ravioli and Doug ate Fetticcine with vegetables and Parmesan. Delicioso!
This ended up being one of our favorite days. Beautiful views, warm sun, great food. Hard to ask for anything more. OK, 10-15 degrees warmer would've been great but I was thankful for the chance to enjoy clear, sunny skies and sit out in my swimsuit (even it was poolside and not on the beach) for a couple of hours!

Sardinia Part I: Emerald Coast

We had heard that the Costa Smeralda had the most beautiful beaches on the entire island and so we decided to lodge ourselves near this community. We had read about this incredibly wealthy enclave on the Costa Smeralda on the western coast of Sardinia called Porto Cervo. Unfortunately, Mr. Weather was not cooperating with us. It was chilly and stormy as we drove across the island from the airport. (The first night we stayed at an agriturism farm, where the room was sparse and close to camping while the small Italian dinner they served us was delightful.) After stopping for a delicious pizza lunch, we finally found our hotel. The pool was beautiful but clearly unheated. Our terrace didn’t really get any real sunshine pouring onto it but the room was lovely. It was cold however and we are quite sure that the owners of the hotel were not going to run the heat. They were closing for the season in 3 days so were clearly on the wind down. After dropping our stuff, we decided to check out the fancy and upscale Porto Cervo. When a coastal community has closed for the season, it means, it has CLOSED for the season. While the yachts in the marina were of impressive size, the entire little community had rolled up the sidewalk for the winter. Additionally, there was nothing charming about Porto Cervo, but rather was a modern rendering of say Fashion Island, Newport Beach. We were not impressed and couldn’t really figure out why the rich and famous would gather here. We expected a quaint little old city feel and instead we got a modern shopping mall. Perhaps when the rich and famous stroll about in the glistening sunshine, it is a different story, but by mid-October it all felt like a deserted beach community.