Domus Deiana

Ogliastra stretches from the high Flumendosa basin to the east side of the Gennargentu, and looks over the Tyrrhenian Sea with a high, rocky and spectacularly beautiful coastline. It also includes, at its southernmost boundary, part of the area that historically was part of the marquisate of Quirra. Well aware of the importance of safeguarding this area, the Region and the Comunes have invested in reforestation and developing the forests for walks where you can discover the area\'s natural and archaeological heritage. Ogliastra has a great variety of coastal scenery. In the north, overhanging limestone cliffs are punctuated by quiet sandy bays, such as the famous Cala Goloritzè, reachable only on foot or by boat: Ogliastra is the perfect place for trekking. Further south, at Arbatax, Tortolì and Gairo, broad sandy beaches such as Cea, San Gemiliano, Orrì, and Musculedda alternate with rocks of red porphyry, granite or Coccorocci\'s unusual black beach. Ogliastra is one of those marvellous places in which, between the mountains and the sea, you discover a different view around each corner. Mountains, rocks, crystalline sea: this is the landscape that is found in the territories that make up this section of Sardinia, that is, the Ogliastra with its ‘Tacchi’ (mountain outcrops), desert areas and small isolated coves; the Gennargentu with its snow-covered mountain tops and its skies, playground to the majestic golden eagle; and finally the Supramonte, an uncontaminated paradise of still unexplored caves, centuries-old forests and archaeological and naturalistic treasures. In these areas the keen sports enthusiasts can find their dream: in fact, there is all the space needed to practice equestrian sports, even long rides on the beaches, to climb up the tall, vertical rocky walls that look out onto the sea, to do a variety of surfing activities, to go trekking and go on mountain bike excursions, all pleasant alternatives to visit otherwise inaccessible areas.

Beginning from Santa Maria Navarrese the landscape changes completely, and from a jagged coast from imposing rocks and cliffs where they open sudden and sheltered calette, he passes to a characterized coast from wide beaches, Tancau and Lido delle Rose of Lotzorai and the Beach of Girasole, and particularly beginning from Capo Bellavista, a shore of ample beaches starts of thin sand and low waters, Porto Frailis, San Gemiliano, Beach of Orrì, Cea, the Beachof Barisardo with its Tower that he will extend up to the Beach of Cardedu and Perd\'e Pera where the rocks they push him up to the sea creating the golfettis of Coccorrocci and Su Sirboni that marks the border with the shore of the Beach of Tertenia, with Capo Sferracavallo and the Beach of Sarrala. The modern Tourist Port of Baunei and Saint Maria Navarrese has been inaugurated in 1998, a sure and pleasant shelter in the oriental Coast of Sardinia that can entertain up to 340 boats with a maximum length up to 30 meters. The personnel is competent and cordial and the variety of the offered services are able to satisfy the different demands of the diportistis. From June 2005 the port has been endowed with the \"Pequod\", the lifter to otherwise allow the access on board of the skilled people, becoming so the \"first accessible port\" of Sardinia. In 2006 for the second consecutive time the Tourist Port has gotten the prestigious recognition Blue Flag of the tourist landings, that is assigned for quality of the landing, services and safety measures, environmental education and information. The Tourist Port every year increases his presences thanks to the quality of the services that offers and to the magic scenery where the is drawn the port that from the sense of the nature thanks to the green that surrounds it.

Barisardo, Barì till Italy’s unification, originated from the joining of four ancient villages that sprung up around the rural churches of Sant’Antine, S. Leonardo, S. Cecilia and S. Susanna, identified still today with the villages four main neighbourhoods. Ogliastra, a fairly recent discovery with its beautiful coasts and mountainous interior. Its territory, wedged between sea and mountain, offers a vast array of unique landscapes. A paradise of remarkable beauty situated along the eastern side of Sardinia, where nature is at its best. Some people think that the name Ogliastra derives from the wild olive trees growing in great numbers in the region, but more credited sources link it to the Agugliastra, a huge monolith overlooking the sea. The Ogliastra coasts are splendid oases set between sea and rock, rugged nature to dazzle us with some of the most fascinating marine landscapes of the Mediterranean. Leaving from the north we encounter the renowned coves of Cala Luna, Cala Sisine, Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzé, accessible only by boat or on foot; further south there are the beautiful beaches of Tancau, Girasole, Orrì, Cea ,Barisardo, Cardedu, Coccorrocci and the gulf of Sarrala. Enchanting, too is the landscape that climbs up the hills as far as the Gennargentu mountains, indulging the eyes with scenarios of rare beauty. Ogliastra is a land that must be relished slowly, it deserves more than just the hurried glance of conventional tourism. The entire territory is scattered with archaeological monuments, well-worth visiting: Nuraghi, Domus de Janas, Tombe dei Giganti and Menhir.One can follow trekking itineraries to the discovery of unforgettable places on foot, horseback or by bike, car or land-rover; walking from the mountains towards the sea following underground waterways amid century old forests, flowers, wild animals to reach incredibly beautiful coves. For those who prefer to travel via the sea, an excursion aboard one of the many motor-boats that cruise along the coast is ideal. The following pages are dedicated to those who wish to discover a paradise of priceless beauty, its culture, its people and its hospitality: Ogliastra. No printed image can fully describe the magic and harmony of this land.

Travelling between Art and Nature It is often said that Sardinia, thanks to its variety of landscapes, traditions and accents is not an island, but rather a continent. However, it happens that someone who gets to the island may fall in love with a village, a beach, and life rhythms and has not the curiosity of discovering anything else. An island of expertise and tastes The taste̢۪s roads, the paths of typical Sardinian specialities, produced thanks to its rich territory that offers, in season, delicate and intense tastes, but also to the ability of both farmers and shepherds to wait patiently for the right time to reap the fruits of their labour. The pulsating heart of the island lives here, in this piece of Sardinia that warmly embraces the territories of Barigadu, Barbagia, Goceano, Mandrolisai, Marghine, Marmilla and Sarcidano, an oasis of tradition and culture, characterised by a variegated landscape that stretches from the mountain to the soft hill, from the river to the falls, all seasoned with uncontaminated, harsh nature, rich in endemic species of flora and fauna. And then the enological-gastronomic commodities are its masters: a dense cuisine of tastes and authenticity accompanied by wines of continually renewed bouquet.

February - November

Traveling by air: Flying to Sardinia became really easy and convenient in the past couple of years with many direct flights around major European countries and charters which only operate for short periods (generally from May to October). Another option if you are already in mainland Italy is to get a domestic flight to Sardinia. The national Meridiana, Air One but also Ryanair serve the island of Sardinia. These Airlines connect Sardinia to the different airports in the mainland of Italy. Meridiana and Airone are the main airlines that serve Sardinia with daily flights from numerous cities around the peninsula.Ryanair offers flights from Alghero Fertilia or Cagliari to Pisa (Florence) or Milan (December 2007) at very competitive low rates. There are numerous low budget airlines that have daily or weekly flights to Sardinia, to mention only a few, Ryanair, Easyjet, Tuifly, and Thomsonfly. For more info click here. On that page you can choose the country you are departing from and you will find a well-detailed list with direct links to the airlines booking site.

Barisardo is situated 4 km from the sea; the town was developed inland to avoid the frequent pirate raids. The conical Torre (Tower) was ordered to be built by the King of Spain in the 17th century as a defence against such raids. Situated between the hills of Su Planu, Pitzu e Monti, and the Teccu plateau, the countryside surrounding the town is characterised by centuries-old olive and almond trees and Mediterranean macchia. as well as several domus de janas and many nuraghi. The seaside, which extends for 10km, starts at Cea and continues with the area known as Teccu, formed of basalt outcrops formed by the eruptions of an ancient volcano. The coastline, with its beautiful sea bed, has long sandy beaches, and in the middle are the rocks on which the Torre of Barisardo is built. In the town, the Chiesa Patronale, with its balustraded steps of multicoloured finely inlaid marble and dating from the 6th or 7th century, is of particular architectural interest. In Barisardo you find simple traditional dishes eaten by shepherds and farmers: culurgionis, malloreddus, pintau, pistoccu and moddissosu bread, coccoi focaccia with pumpkin, pecorino and casu ageru cheeses, spit-roast meat and red wine.

Arriving by ferry to Sardinia. Our advice: If you enjoy traveling by sea and do not like flying you can reach Sardinia by ferry. There are different ferry lines available to suit every need. We recommend to book in advance directly with the ferry lines via Internet. Sardinia can be easily reached from the main Italian ports by ferry. There are two types of Ferries: Ferries that do long night crossings and fast ferries. The crossing can be rather long and passengers can stay overnight in ferry cabins. The longest journey is from Naples to Cagliari and it takes approximately 16 hours. From Civitavecchia to Olbia the crossing is up to 7 hours. If you travel overnight it is advisable to book a cabin in advance. It is also possible to cross with cars, vans or campervans. There are different ferry lines that serve Sardinia main ports. All Ferries are equipped with cabins, restaurants, lounge, bar area, and often even cinema and other extra facilities. Tirrenia is the main Italian Ferry Company, which connects to all Sardinian ports. Most Tirrenia ferries have been recently renovated and offer now more comfort to passengers. The Grandi Navi Veloci \"Grimaldi\" is a very modern and competitive ferry line that travels all year from Genoa to Porto Torres or Olbia. The Grimaldi fleet have only elegant cruise ships. Moby line is another ferry line which connects Sardinian northern ports such as Olbia, Porto Torres and Golfo Aranci with Livorno, Genoa and Civitavecchia. Its fleet includes very beautiful ferries like Moby Wonder and Moby Freedom. Linea dei Golfi ferry services are available only during the high season from Piombino to Golfo Aranci and from Livorno to Olbia. From 2001 Cagliari port is also served by Sardinia and Corsica ferries from Civitavecchia twice a week. For the island inner connections, therefore to reach the archipelago islands, from Palau to La Maddalena or from Calasetta and Portovesme to San Pietro island the service is by Saremar that is part of the Tirrenia Fleet or by Tris. If you would like to visit the twin sister island of Corsica while you are in Sardinia you can comfortably travel on a short crossing from Santa Teresa di Gallura to Bonifacio with Saremar. The ferry for Corsica is available twice a day.

A priceless heritage \"A situation teeming with complexitiesâ€�, this is the way the anthropologist Alberto Maria Cirese has defined heritage in Sardinia. And he has hit the mark indeed. A popular culture which finds expression in two periods of time: one that goes from prehistory to the present, and one that flows fast under our very eyes, inevitably transforming the past. The eno-gastronomic commodities are what characterise this section of the island: the fish dishes of the Cagliaritano, such as the burrida and the cassola, the olives and the oils of the Parteolla, of changing colours of green to gold, the intense flavours of the different types of cheeses of the Trexenta, famous at a national level, the good quality of citrus fruit of the Sarrabus and the fruit of the Gerrei, all commodities found on the menùs of local restaurants. A world of typical flavours that go from the commodities of the sea to those of the fertile Sardinian lands, to delight the palates of all those that stop by for a taste and to enrich their knowledge and experiences.

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