Villa with a large luxury apartment , situated at a short walk from Torre di Bari.

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.

On the whole, Sardinia\'s smaller centre is the most attractive, but the capital, Cágliari - for many the arrival point - shouldn\'t be written off. With good accommodation and restaurants, it makes a useful base for exploring the southern third of the island. The other main ferry port is Olbia in the north, little more than a transit town but well geared for accommodation and conveniently close to the jagged northern coast. The Costa Smeralda, a few kilometres distant, is Sardinia\'s best-known resort area and lives up to its reputation for opulence. The prices may preclude anything more than a brief visit, although there are campsites for those outside the ranks of the super-rich. Both Olbia and Cágliari have airports, as does Sardinia\'s main package destination of Alghero - a fishing port in the northwest of the island that has been known to British holiday-makers for years, yet retains a friendly, unspoiled air. But Alghero\'s main attraction is its Spanish ambience, a legacy of long years in which the town was a Catalan colony, giving it a wholly different feel from the rest of the island. Inland, Nuoro has impressive literary credentials and a good ethnographical museum. As the biggest town in Sardinia\'s interior, it also makes a useful stopover for visiting some of the remoter mountain areas, in particular the Gennargentu range, covering the heart of the island. This is where you can find what remains of the island\'s traditional culture, best embodied in the numerous village festivals.

Authentic Italy offer self catering holiday villas and apartments for rent in all areas of Sardinia. So that you can select the ideal location for your Sardinia holiday accommodation we have listed the icons below which link to background information about all aspects of Sardinia. There is information to assist you in selecting your Sardinia vacation with pages on Sardinian Food and Wine and also some typical Sardinian Recipe ideas and dishes that are commonly found in the area. There are also sections on People and Culture, Geography, History and a few ideas for Places to Visit in Sardinia. These pages are only a brief starting point into helping you find out more about this region and assisting you with planning a holiday in Sardinia. We have also given links to some other quality sites which might be of interest to you when planning your vacation in Italy.

Sardinia is a beautiful and fascinating island; this portal strives to catalogue its numerous tourist attractions. It is a wonderful and captivating island for those whose visit is motivated by its medieval churches, extraordinary scenery and nuraghe; for those with a passion for hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback-riding or for those wishing to play golf in Sardinia; for individuals interested in visiting its Phoenician, Punic and Roman historical testimonials or satisfying their curiosity on subjects concerning geology, nature and mineralogy, and finally, for those who are interested in its genuine folklore and celebrations, its many beaches and transparent coastlines, sudden gorges and hidden grottoes. Lastly, let̢۪s not forpost its marshes and their typical fauna or pleasure boating along its coastline from which one of the most scenic and remarkable views of the Mediterranean is offered.

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. It is easy to reach Sardinia ! Sardinia lies in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, few hours far from Africa, Northern and Eastern Europe, British Islands. It is connected to the major Italian and European Airports and Ports. Travelling by air Sardinian airports are: Cagliari-Elmas, Olbia-Costa Smeralda, Alghero-Fertilia. Sardinia is served by the following National Airlines: Meridiana, Alitalia and Air One. Alitalia operates almost all over Italy and Europe; Meridiana provides connections to several Italian Cities like Bologna, Verona, Pisa, Turin, Rome and Naples as well as connections to several European Cities. Air One operates daily flights from Alghero and Cagliari to Milan. Many low-cost airlines operates in Sardinia, connecting it to the main European Capital Cities.

By Bus/Rail Once on the island, you can rely on a good network of public transport covering all but the remoter areas. There is the island-wide bus service run by ARST and the private PANI for longer hauls between towns, while trains connect the major towns of Cágliari, Sássari and Olbia, with smaller narrow-gauge lines linking with Nuoro and Alghero. By Ferry The Mediterranean’s largest ferry companies run services connecting Sardinia with the main ports in Italy, France and Corsica By Air Sardinia is well served by some of Europe’s biggest airlines including Ryanair EasyJet, Hapag-Lloyd, British Airways, Alitalia and Meridiana.

Sardinia, with its quintessential Mediterranean beauty, is mainly loved for swimming, boating, windsurfing, hiking, climbing, and camping, with coastal areas tending to become over touristed especially in the warmest month, August. The inner life of the island away from the tourist spots takes longer to appreciate and requires you to peel away the layers of apparent Italianization. After all, the ancient Nuragic civilization of Sardinia of ca. 1500 BC, whose stone monuments still dot the land, predates even the Etruscan civilization in mainland Italy by several hundred years. The island\'s key attraction of natural beauty is under considerable threat from the ecological damage from livestock, farming, and mass tourism without adequate infrastructure. It is also affected by negative aspects of the Italian \'way of life\' such as an uncontrolled use of strong chemicals and sprays, and the prevalent idea that public land is nobody\'s land, i.e. everybody̢۪s rubbish tip. In general, there seem to be no public funds available for municipal restoration, conservation, and maintenance projects, and too little public awareness of the need for comprehensive, multilayered environmental protections and conservation efforts. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Submerged in Mediterranean vegetation, the territory of Barisardo has been chosen as a place to settle since ancient times and in particular during the Nuraghic Age, as evidenced by the presence of 14 Nuraghe. However, there is other evidence of previously dated human presence. With the oncoming of Christianity, numerous villages arouse near places of worship. In the following centuries, a settlement called Villa di Bari (the words have a Mesopotamian origin and mean marsh)was created. The current name dates back to the Sardinian-Piedmont Kingdom. The suffix \"sardo\" was added to avoid any confusion with the city of Bari in the south of Italy. Foreign domination over the whole area was quite numerous including the Romans, Saracens, Vandals, Pisans and Spanish. At that time, the sea was a real danger because of the incessant raids against the local population. The many Towers distributed over its 9 km. of coastline are evidence of this great threat. Today the sea, thanks to its beauty and transparency, is a real blessing for the local economy. As a matter of fact, it won the Blue Flag award given to the most beautiful and brightest coasts in Italy. This component has greatly boosted the tourism industry. The sea also provides high quality, gastronomic products along with local farming derivatives that have allowed Barisardo to become a leading centre for traditional cooking. The country festival that takes place in August and during which visitors have the chance to sample different, typical, local products is quite noteworthy.