Sardinia is a jewel of the Mediterranean ocean.



It's the second largest island of the Med, only Sicily is larger but Sardinia has only 1.6 million inhabitants. The north west of the island is the place I know best, Alghero in particular. I've spent many holidays in this beautiful medieval walled town at differing times of the year and have never been disappointed by the town's beauty and the warmth of its inhabitants.

The walks through the old town are always a joy, watching holidaying Italian families strolling through the narrow cobbled streets, stopping to do a bit of window shopping or to speak to a fellow holiday maker.

Children playing outside one of the many wonderful Gelateria's, locals sat on benches in one of the piazza's talking loudly about life in Alghero. Stopping for an espresso or a red wine at one of the piazza cafes and watching the world go by is a must, the place seems so alive but yet so relaxed. A walk along Il Bastioni (the fortified perimeter wall) as the sun is setting over the distant hills, looking out to sea and Capo Caccia, the vast headland jutting out into the sea is a wonderful way to see the day out.

Strolling couples arm in arm, families out for the evening with the children, old Algherese fishermen sat in groups outside their houses singing traditional fishing songs, there really can't be many better ways to end a day. If you are staying in a self catering apartment in Alghero the day is best started with a visit down to one of the many small family bakeries to buy a selection of breakfast pastries and buy fresh bread for lunch. I've never tasted fresh bread as good as that from the bakeries in Alghero, accompanied with Sardinia butter and jam it's hard to beat.

Take a stroll down to one of the local cafes where the locals get their early morning fix of espresso, to read the days sports papers and have a heated discussion about last nights Calcio game or the latest scandal to hit Italian society, just sit back, sip your coffee and observe, it's so stereo-typical but it really is the way Algherese people are, shouting the odds at each other one minute and then giving a polite Ciao before finishing their coffee and going about their business.

Alghero is relatively quiet during the day time so taking a stroll through the old town can be quite a quick and a pleasant experience, the streets are quite narrow and it can get very crowded when busy. I would recommend hiring a car if staying in Alghero for loner than a few days, it's a very easy place to drive around, it's very difficult to get lost in the surrounding area and there is plenty to explore within a short distance.

To the north of Alghero are the beaches of La Pinetta, La Bombardi, Lazzaretto and Mugoni. Mugoni has a wonderful cafe beach bar, Bar Delle Ninfe which has been run by the same family for over thirty years and is open everyday except Christmas Day. Out of season all of the beaches are very pleasantly quiet; don't be surprised to find yourself the only person there! Even as far into the season as June you may find yourself on a deserted stretch of beautiful white sand.

Be sure to head for Mugoni, order a beer or a coffee from Rafaele at Bar Delle Ninfe and sit and watch the sea and Capo Caccia from outside the bar. As you sit there and drink your beer or coffee listen to the silence of the beach and sea and remind yourself that there's a whole world of hustle and bustle that you've left behind to be sat there, and enjoy your drink that bit more.