Sardinia: A Gentle Trip Through the South

It's a scorching midsummer day when we complete the preparations, putting into the camper everything needed to face this new journey... a very special journey, because it will be the first (outside the maternal womb) for our little Leonardo (twenty months tomorrow). Given the presence of the child we won't go conquering exotic or impervious places, grinding out thousands and thousands of kilometers, but we'll go to Sardinia, a wonderful land, which we partly already know, for a "soft" vacation, all sun and beautiful sea... With Leo's enthusiasm through the roof we set off after lunch, at 14:15, and twenty minutes later we enter the highway at Faenza.

It's time for the usual afternoon nap for the little one who, lulled by the rolling of the wheels on the asphalt, shortly after falls asleep (as planned), while the hands of the clock read 15:00 and we're about to pass Bologna to take the A1 heading south. The adrenaline in Leonardo's little body, however, is at high levels, so at Sasso Marconi he's already awake and lively... Getting to Piombino will be really tough! At 16:00 we leave the Apennine pass behind us and descend toward Florence, where we arrive half an hour later to leave the highway and then take the Fi-Pi-Li, a four-lane artery that will take us as far as the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Having arrived near Livorno we travel a short stretch of the A12 highway as far as Rosignano, where it ends and merges into the Strada Statale Aurelia.

It's almost 18:00 and, while on our left a vast area occupied by wind turbines appears, reminding us of California, the little one begins to run out of patience... Fortunately we've practically arrived, in fact at 18:45 we make our entrance into the port of Piombino, from which we'll set sail for the second largest Italian (and Mediterranean) island after Sicily. While waiting for boarding we have dinner and at 20:25 we board with our vehicle the ferry Giuseppe Sa of the Moby Lines shipping company. To pass the time we stroll around the ship, with the little one galvanized and uncontrollable, scampering up and down the little stairs between the various decks, so much so that we have quite a struggle to convince him to return to the camper, because, with the "camping on board" formula, that's where we'll spend the night.

Ten minutes early, at 21:50, the ferry pulls away from the pier of the port of Piombino, while Leonardo is hilarious and at the cry of "It's leaving!... It's leaving!..." absolutely wants to be well strapped into his car seat... then he's convinced it wasn't necessary, asks to get down and finally agrees to go to bed... and we follow him, because tomorrow morning a very early start awaits us.

A few minutes after 6:00 the shouts of the sailors and the noises of the ship about to dock give us our good morning, and half an hour later we disembark in Sardinian territory. Sabrina and Leonardo stay in bed, while in the company of Federico I head along the coast toward the south, in the direction of the first beach of this journey. A handful of kilometers from the town of San Teodoro we turn left following the signs for Capo Coda Cavallo and almost immediately we find ourselves in front of the entrance to the Cala Brandinchi parking lot, just as the barrier blocking access is about to be raised. We pay the fifteen euros requested for the whole day and settle into the designated camper rest area. We go exploring: Cala Brandinchi, better known as Thaiti and dominated behind it by the imposing silhouette of Isola Tavolara, is invaded by a

There are a few too many clouds in the sky this morning too, but, they say on the web, they should clear up fairly quickly... Indeed, by the time we head to the beach, the clear patches are already in a clear majority over the gray ones. The beach of Cala Berchida is particularly charming, immersed as it is in practically untouched nature... Pure white, deep and very long, against a backdrop of green hills and dotted with the whitest wild lilies... only the sea seems never to be completely calm, as today in fact, and the waves crash constantly on the water's edge. The water, though, is beautiful and transparent, so we have a nice swim, then a walk, and noon arrives in a flash. In the afternoon of this super-holiday day the sands of Cala Berchida are packed with bathers, but still pleasant given its size.

The weather conditions are optimal, and the sun, now at our backs, brings out the transparency of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We stay on the beach until past 7:00 pm, coddled by the Mediterranean breeze and cheered by the place gradually emptying out, then we return to the camper and, for dinner, retreat inside, given the shocking experience of last night with those hated mosquitoes! Later, with the sky dotted with stars and the faint glow of the moon coloring the waves silver, we take a barefoot walk on the beach in absolute silence and then race to bed, looking forward to another day of this interesting journey into the heart of the Mediterranean.

Early wake-up... as early as it can be with a sleepyhead child like Leonardo... at 8:00! Already before 9:00 we say goodbye to the parking area at Cala Berchida, and accompanied by a trail of dust we leave behind its dusty dirt track. Following the state road we arrive in the built-up area of Siniscola, where we do a quick grocery run, and then we take the superstrada, which runs southwest, literally crossing Sardinia along a hypothetical diagonal. We pass Nuoro, the provincial capital surrounded by harsh mountains, and a little later we exit at the town of Ghilarza to go visit the interesting Romanesque church of S. Pietro di Zuri... but we don't find any indication of it and risk getting wedged with the camper in the town's narrow streets, so we give up. We get back on the superstrada and exit after just a few kilometers to go see the nuragic site of Losa.

The Nuraghe of Losa is certainly to be counted among the most important prehistoric monuments on the island. It was built with basalt blocks starting from the Middle Bronze Age (first half of the second millennium BC), in different phases of construction, and is an exceptional testimony to Sardinian architecture and ancient civilization. The monument has a complex structure consisting of a central tower and three secondary ones, joined by walls that give rise to a bastion in the shape of an equilateral triangle. The central tower, the oldest core of the construction, rises in height for over eleven meters, with overlapping chambers connected by a spiral staircase that culminates in a vast terrace. Under a scorching sun we thus treat ourselves to our dose of culture... surprisingly well digested by Leonardo, who, quite amused, absolutely refused to leave the ancient stones.

Shortly before noon we leave the Nuraghe of Losa, and getting back to racking up kilometers, first on the superstrada and then on ordinary roads, almost an hour later we come within sight of the sea in the heart of the Sinis Peninsula, in the province of Oristano, and more precisely at the locality of Mari Ermi... but we don't go to the beach; instead we go to the rest area Agricampeggio Muras (a few meters from the water's edge) so as to have lunch and put the little one down for a nap. In the afternoon we go to spend some time by the sea, at what everyone knows as the "beach of rice grains." The sand is in fact made up of an infinity of tiny white quartz pebbles that vaguely recall that very common cereal...

The "risotto," however, is also (unfortunately) well seasoned with abundant and unpleasant piles of seaweed, and consequently the sea isn't exceptional either, but we're not giving up hope because we'll only have to stay there a few hours. In the end we linger anyway on the beach of Mari Ermi, which being west-facing, later rewards us with at least a fiery sunset, and then we end the evening eating good fish at a kiosk by the sea.

Mari Ermi beach really didn't thrill us, so this morning we set off in the camper and, following a short dirt track that runs parallel to the coast, we go to Is Arutas, a spot that in theory is very similar and with a beach of identical characteristics... in theory, because in practice the sand is much cleaner and the sea more appealing! And so we spend the whole morning among the "grains of rice" of Is Arutas and, after lunch, the whole afternoon too, enjoying a pleasant climate and crystal-clear water, though surrounded by many (perhaps too many) bathers. With Federico I also go exploring with mask and snorkel among the rocky cliffs to the right of the cove... We're in a marine protected area and the snorkelling is pleasant, with countless fish all around us...

Of course, with the Maldives seabeds still in our eyes, less than four months later, it's hard to get excited, but for the Mediterranean I'd dare say it's not bad at all! We linger a while on the beach, almost until sunset, when, finally, the umbrellas are nicely sparse, and then we return for the night to the stopover area at Mari Ermi, retracing the bumpy route we took this morning. Tomorrow we'll leave the Sinis, a day early, not because we didn't like it, on the contrary, the little bay of Is Arutas is truly beautiful, but because pebble beaches aren't really suited to Leonardo, who finds it a bit hard to move around on them and can't enjoy himself playing the traditional sand games, but above all because we believe we'll find plenty of other worthwhile alternatives along the planned itinerary...

Having unanimously adopted this decision, under a magnificent starry sky, we close the camper door and go to sleep.

We say goodbye to the Mari Ermi stopover area early, but not yet to the Sinis, because we still have to visit its most representative spot: San Giovanni di Sinis, which lies at the southern tip of the peninsula, at the mouth of the Gulf of Oristano. Barely half an hour later we park the camper where the paved road heading towards the cape ends, and there we notice, first of all, the characteristic early-Christian church of San Giovanni Battista, dating, in its original layout, to the 6th century and later remodelled. Right near the religious building we then find the terminus of the rubber-tyred little train that will take us, south of the village, into the heart of the Tharros archaeological area.

With a smile spreading across the little one's face, fascinated by this (for him) unusual adventure, we approach aboard our winding vehicle towards Capo San Marco, where the Phoenicians, in the 8th century BC, founded one of their colonies scattered around the Mediterranean. Surrounded by beautiful sea views and equally beautiful beaches, which would deserve more attention but which for us, with Leonardo, pose insurmountable logistical problems, we get almost as far as the lighthouse, where there's an ancient and evocative burial site, then, on the way back, we stop at the actual ruins of the city of Tharros. The ancient settlement was first Phoenician, then Carthaginian, then Roman, before finally being abandoned in the Middle Ages and reaching us, essentially, in its late-Roman appearance (3rd-4th century AD)...

Essentially, because what remains is little more than foundations and its most evocative part is perhaps the streets, which in several places still have the original paving, with a "modern" drainage system down the middle. Under the blazing sun we walk the ancient streets, all the way down to the seafront, where two raised and restored Corinthian columns stand, then we slowly make our way back to the entrance of the archaeological area. The visit fully satisfied us and the little one had a great time too (an excellent sign!), so much so that he kept us there much longer than expected... in fact it's almost noon and we're still on site. There are still many kilometres to go before the end of today's leg, so we set off and just after Oristano we stop in a parking area by the roadside for lunch.

The stop lasts only as long as necessary and we set off again as soon as possible, while on our left the interesting basilica of Santa Giusta, one of the most representative examples of Sardinian Romanesque architecture on the island, scrolls past, which we sadly have to skip because Leonardo is dozing off in his car seat and we're running late. We take the expressway towards Cagliari, pass the regional capital and head towards the south-eastern region of Sardinia, following the signs for Villasimius. In mid-afternoon, with the little one awake and lively again, we stop near Geremeas to enjoy a few hours of sea at the beach whose name bodes well: Mari Pintau. We leave the camper along the main road and go down to the beach, which turns out to be largely rocky, but the "painted sea" in front of us is truly beautiful, with a soft sandy bottom and a thousand shades of blue...

and the water is particularly warm, much more so than in the north of the island, inviting us to take a very long swim. Later, as the shadows begin to lengthen, we tackle the climb back to the camper, and then the winding twenty kilometres of beautiful coastal road that separate us from Villasimius, our stop for the night. Once we arrive, though, we have quite a struggle to find the Gli Aranci stopover area, the only one in the area, and it gets a bit late... but in the end we settle in and, after a refreshing shower, we enjoy our well-earned rest, at the end of an intense but appealing day.

We leave the stopover area, located inland, a few kilometres from the sea, drive through Villasimius and head towards the peninsula that extends south of the town and therefore towards Capo Carbonara. In no time at all we arrive at the car park behind the famous and beautiful beach of Porto Giunco. We park the camper in the shade of some trees and set off on foot to reach the sand, when we notice, albeit sheltered by the vegetation, a strong breeze coming from the sea... and immediately a bad feeling comes over us. What could be worse on a beach holiday than a cloudy or rainy day?... Of course, a windy day... which in this case is blowing quite hard from the south-east, straight onto the beach, and relentlessly stirring up the sea, which I remembered seeing in every photo as an immense blue tabletop...

What a shame, especially since all the beaches worth visiting in the area face the same way. We gloomily position ourselves a few steps from the water's edge (which despite everything is overflowing with people!) trying somehow to pass the time, and we even take a swim that is in some ways amusing, so the morning slips away, neither good nor bad. To complicate things further, after lunch, the camper's water pump also acts up, absolutely refusing to work... we take it all apart and put it back together... then, thank God, it starts working again, but we really haven't understood the reason for the breakdown and, above all, we hope it doesn't happen again.

In the afternoon, finally, we go back to the beach, where the wind has continued relentlessly on its course, without easing off a single knot, and we somehow make it to evening, then we head to the Gli Aranci stopover area to spend another night there... Of course, the day that has just ended wasn't a very lucky one, but we're hopeful and trust in better times ahead.

While waiting, as expected tomorrow, for the wind to turn, we decide to spend this day too near Villasimius, at a beach presumably sheltered from Aeolus's wrath and pointed out to us by the elderly caretaker of the stopover area, thus also making up for the day gained by leaving the Sinis early. After breakfast we head towards the locality of Simius and more precisely towards the beach of Is Traias, located right by the village. Having checked out the sand beforehand, I agree it deserves our attention, especially since, given the sea is still rather rough, I reckon there's nothing better nearby. The morning passes peacefully, as per routine, without any exciting peaks, also because the bay is nice enough, but we're crammed together at the water's edge and that really doesn't thrill us... The afternoon is much the same...

even after an exploration with mask and snorkel along the rocky coast to the right of the cove: nice visibility, but fish are few and far between... In the evening we return for the third consecutive time to the Gli Aranci stopover area (not exactly cheap, but with no alternatives within a short distance) and for dinner we go, on foot, to the nearby pizzeria La Pergola, which seems lost in the Sardinian countryside, but is instead packed to the rafters and we have to wait ages before being served... In short, even in these little details, after a week away from home, this holiday just won't seem to take off a hundred percent... but we absolutely don't want to get discouraged and we're ardently counting on the next seven days, even though unfortunately, by now, half the trip has already gone up in smoke for good.

We leave the Gli Aranci stopover area after a rather sleepless night, due to the racket made by a group of youths (to say the least bullies) nearby. We pass through the town of Villasimius and head north along the beautiful coast of this part of Sardinia. After about ten kilometres, amid intriguing panoramic views, we take the dirt road that leads to Cala Pira. We park in the shade of some trees, paying the ten euros required for the whole day, and then walk down to the beach. At first glance we notice that the sea has calmed down and is finally a blue tabletop, then, closer up, we also find beautiful clarity...

and, after all, thank God, we're in the Sardinia we'd been longing for from the start! We set up our umbrella a few metres from the edge of the "pool" of Cala Pira, immersed in a delightful natural setting, with granite boulders characterising the ends of the bay, soft sand and warm, crystal-clear shimmering sea, which slopes gently, to Leonardo's delight, since he can scamper about freely in it. In these conditions the first part of the day literally flies by and before we know it we're at the table, in front of a good plate of pasta... In the afternoon, after the little one's inevitable nap, we continue to enjoy the place, between sunbathing and a beautiful sea, permanently watched over by the Spanish tower dominating the promontory to the left of Cala Pira...

Only one flaw in all this: the excessive crowding of the bay, but we're in Sardinia, on a Sunday in August, and we have to overlook it somehow. In the evening we leave Cala Pira and its car park, where staying overnight isn't allowed, and move a few kilometres to reach the nearby Cala Sinzias, where, according to information in our possession, we go and park in the square of the Tamatete kiosk (to all intents and purposes a beach establishment in the Romagna riviera style), making use of the showers kindly made available, and thus bringing to an end the best day at the sea since the start of the trip.

The alarm goes off a little more calmly than usual, because we're already at the place where, today, we'll spend all the time at our disposal: Cala Sinzias. We have breakfast and then go to the beach, a very wide beach, all of light sand pleasant to the touch, lapped by a beautiful blue and clear sea, against a backdrop of harsh hills dotted with Mediterranean scrub. We set up our umbrella just a step from the water's edge and then get ready to spend the morning, between sand games and very long swims... It's lovely at Cala Sinzias and the day is particularly pleasant also because, being Monday, there are far fewer people around us and the atmosphere is more relaxing, and since the Ferragosto week ended yesterday, with the likely return home of many holidaymakers, in the coming days too it's reasonable to expect to find, everywhere, less of the usual scrum.

In these conditions the whole afternoon slips away nicely too, with Leonardo galvanised by the presence of a small playground he absolutely refuses to tear himself away from by nightfall. Cala Sinzias truly satisfied us and only with the arrival of darkness do we have to swallow a small disappointment: the Tamatete kiosk, which we were counting on for a nice dinner on the beach, in the moonlight, is closed on Monday evenings... what a shame! So we retreat inside the camper, wearily dragging ourselves towards the world of dreams and towards the dawn of a new day on Sardinian soil.

We set off early from Cala Sinzias, drive a handful of kilometres north and, after a timely stop at the supermarket, take the sign that leads to the car park of Santa Giusta Beach. We position our vehicle, complete with a ticket valid for the whole day, and set off on foot towards the sea. After a short walk we arrive in front of the so-called Scoglio di Peppino: a tiny islet, located just a few metres from the water's edge, all smooth granite shaped into fantastic plastic forms by the force of the sea and the weather. We plant our umbrella at the edge of this wonderful stretch of coast, characterised by beautiful shallow, clear water in which everyone, but especially Leonardo, can paddle and wander about freely...

We explore the rock thoroughly, which offers truly intriguing views, and take long swims, so noon arrives in a flash, then we head back to the camper under the blazing sun, hotter today than ever! In the afternoon we return in front of the Scoglio di Peppino, still very picturesque, and at a certain point we notice a paparazzo hidden under an umbrella snapping photos like mad, but in whose direction?... Next to us is a tourist village of IGV (I Grandi Viaggi) and on its private beach there is, of course, a VIP. It's Alessandro Preziosi, a "soap opera" actor (just ask the wife!), with his current partner... Paparazzi are indeed dreadful, but VIPs are no better... The couple in question had in fact settled in the front corner row, in the most visible spot...

weren't they perhaps precisely wanting to be photographed? After this little unscheduled show, evening falls and for the night we return to Cala Sinzias, to the Tamatete kiosk, where we'd like to manage to have dinner, but yesterday it was closed and today... it's fully booked!... So we put it out of our minds and think no more about it...

Today we'll leave the south-eastern region of Sardinia to go to the south-western one, so the first part of the day will be dedicated to that transfer. We try not to leave too late and, following the inland road, we pass through Villasimius again, taking the opportunity to do a camper service at the Gli Aranci stopover area, then we follow the coastline to the gates of Cagliari, and then move away from the sea to bypass the Sardinian capital. Back on the shores of the Mediterranean we cover another stretch of coast road and, almost at noon, we arrive, near Pula, at the entrance to the Nora archaeological area... and our intention would be to visit the ruins of the ancient site, first Phoenician, then Punic, then Roman like Tharros, but it's peak time and all the car parks in the area are packed with cars... belonging to bathers!...

So, unable to leave our bulky vehicle (but also a Smart car, had we had one), we have to abandon our noble cultural intentions and take to the road by the sea again... And so, addressing the mayor of the Municipality of Pula: it wouldn't be a bad idea to reserve a corner of parking for those intending to visit the archaeological site!... A little irritated, I follow the signs for the locality of Chia and after barely half an hour we reach our destination, heading straight to the Cala Cipolla car park, where we stop for lunch and to let Leonardo have his usual nap. In the afternoon we go to the beach of the same name: a beautiful cove, with wonderful sea starting a few dozen metres from the shore (perhaps due to the excessive crowding) and surrounded by granite cliffs typical of the Sardinian coast... all of which we also confirmed after an interesting exploration with mask and snorkel.

At Cala Cipolla we stay until late, in complete relaxation, then for the night we move to the nearby Su Giudeu stopover area.

Today promises to be a very relaxing day, because as always the sun is shining brightly and the whole time we'll stay in the Su Giudeu stopover area, but above all on the beach of the same name, the largest and best known in Chia. We allow ourselves a bit more sleep than usual, but then it's Leonardo who wakes us up... so, after the traditional morning routine, we set off on foot towards the sea, which is a few hundred metres away. We walk alongside a small inland lagoon, ideal habitat for marsh birdlife, and cross the vast expanse of soft light sand with golden reflections, which turn reddish at the water's edge. We then place our umbrella as close to the shore as possible and there we get ready to spend the morning. There's no denying it, the sea at Su Giudeu is very beautiful, even if it isn't the classic Caribbean-looking lagoon...

The temperature and clarity of the water, however, invite endless swims, which we certainly don't need to be asked twice to take. In the afternoon, same (pleasant) tune, including, with Federico, an excursion first swimming and then on foot up to the top of the islet of Su Giudeu, which gives the beach its name... definitely one of the best beaches of the trip and of southern Sardinia... a shame only about the slightly rough sea due to the breeze blowing constantly from the south-east. We stay by the sea almost until sunset and then return to the stopover area to have dinner and spend another night there.

We set off early from the Chia stopover area to go to a nearby beach. We leave Capo Spartivento on our left and after a handful of kilometres, just after 9:00, we're in the car park of Tuaredda Beach, which takes its name, needless to say, from the islet facing the bay. A few hundred metres on foot and we're on the sand, all whitish and lapped by an extraordinary sea with crystal-clear reflections... Perfect!... if it weren't for the fact that today the wind is blowing quite hard and rippling the water, as well as being rather annoying. Once the umbrella is up, rather irritated, I go exploring along the water's edge and discover, with satisfaction, that the beach, beyond a sandy point, curves round and stretches on for another hundred metres or so, just as beautiful but above all sheltered from the wind!...

So we immediately move towels and umbrella and carve out our own corner of paradise, because the sea at Tuaredda is undoubtedly the most beautiful of this Sardinian trip. With a wonderful natural setting in front of us time flies and before we know it noon has arrived, so we briefly return to the camper for lunch and to let the little one recharge. In the afternoon we pick up the story we left off in the late morning and enjoy the fantastic sea of Tuaredda in every possible way... Then Leonardo makes friends with two other children, older than him, and plays the whole time, so it's really bliss and without realising it we stay on the beach until the sun almost grazes the low vegetation of the promontory in front of us, then we tidy up all our things and beat a retreat.

For the night we return once again to the Chia stopover area and there, a little later, we bring to an end a truly special day from a beach point of view, while the holiday is now, irremediably, drawing to a close...

We set off as early as possible from the Su Giudeu stopover area, but not before doing the camper service. We drive the whole spectacular road that skirts the Costa del Sud and then move away from the sea, leaving the Capo Teulada peninsula on our left, a vast military area with no paved roads and inaccessible... Inaccessible yes, but not completely, for a few years now. Shortly before the town of Sant'Anna Arresi (... Arresi... a strange and ironic nickname for a place near a military zone!), we turn off at a gate that gives access to the area, flanked by signs indicating the Is Arenas Biancas dunes. A dirt road of almost six kilometres ventures into the Capo Teulada peninsula, passes by the Stagno di Breoéis, a vast marsh area colonised by a substantial flock of flamingos, and reaches the coast.

From there we walk the last five hundred metres that lead, by the sea, to a wonderful area of enormous white dunes, shaped by the force of the wind. On the dunes, tens of metres high, climbing is strictly forbidden because of mysterious contraindications linked to their survival (we've been to several American parks, known for their strictness in preserving the environment, and never had we been denied the chance to climb on dunes!)... so I have to settle for photographing them exclusively from below! The place, extremely wild, is very beautiful, but today unfortunately the sea is rough and a very annoying north-westerly wind is blowing, so we stay on the beach until noon and then flee at top speed... It's impossible to resist the sand flying and stinging the skin, carried by Aeolus's wrath! We go to the camper to have lunch and then... What to do?...

Going back to the beach is out of the question, other shores nearby have a similar exposure, except perhaps going to the Island of Sant'Antioco, but that would mean going somewhat blindly and wasting a lot of time, and besides, very similar weather conditions are forecast for tomorrow... so?... We decide to bring forward the transfer towards Olbia, to stop nearby with the hope, tomorrow, of being able to spend one last day at the sea before boarding the ferry that will take us back to the mainland. Right after lunch we set off, with the little one falling asleep after just a few kilometres... and thank goodness, given the more than three hundred that separate us from our goal.

After half an hour of driving we make a very brief stop to capture the interesting Romanesque church of Santa Maria Tratalias, built in the first half of the 13th century and now perfectly restored, along with what remains of the ancient village that made up the settlement of Tratalias, before it was abandoned at the beginning of the 19th century due to water infiltration and subsidence. Having resumed our asphalt route, we pass through the city of Carbonia, skim past Iglesias and cross countryside burnt by the sun, then we join the expressway and, leaving the centre of Oristano on our left, we prepare to cross Sardinia diagonally once again. Once near Ghilarza we exit to dedicate ourselves to the search for the church of S. Pietro di Zuri, which on the way out on this trip we hadn't managed to find...

My stubbornness is rewarded and in the tiny village of Zuri (as was obviously inevitable) we find it. The religious building, all in red trachyte and with its characteristic bell gable on arches, was built in Romanesque-Lombard forms at the end of the 13th century and, truly appealing, has only stood in its current position since 1922, when it was moved from the valley floor (a bit like the temple of Abu Simbel in Egypt) following the construction of the dam on the Tirso and the subsequent formation of Lake Omodeo. Once this little cultural interlude is over, which in part also galvanised Leonardo, we resume clocking up kilometres and, leaving the exits for Nuoro on our right as well, by evening we reach the eastern coast of the island.

Our destination is the town of San Teodoro, a very popular seaside resort, so popular that we have quite a struggle to find, in the absence of stopover areas, a place to spend the night. In the end we park near the sports field, in the company of other campers, then we go for pizza and a stroll in the lovely centre of San Teodoro, full of stalls and decidedly touristy little shops, while we sadly have to note that here too a strong wind is blowing. So later we retreat to our quarters with the hope that during the night the atmosphere will calm down and tomorrow will grant us one last, pleasant day at the sea.

Our intention is to spend this last bit of our Sardinian holiday at La Cinta beach, the most attractive and famous in San Teodoro. By 9:00 we're already in front of the entrance to the car park facing the beach, but to our great dismay we notice that campers are not allowed in... and there's no other way to leave our vehicle nearby... It's not fair! We pay taxes too, as much as and perhaps more than many others! We have no choice but to fall back on another beach: the road to Isuledda is closed for works, so, to stay in the immediate vicinity, there's nothing left but the little-known Cala d'Ambra. We easily find parking and walk down to the beach, which certainly can't be called a marvel, but we make do, after all we'll only have to spend what's left of the morning and part of the afternoon there...

and besides, the view of the island of Tavolara opposite is, all things considered, pleasant. We pass the time daydreaming a little about the almost modern fairy tale of the tiny Kingdom of Tavolara, then we look around... The beach, certainly not crowded, and the wind, which has slowed its course but continues to blow rather fresh and doesn't invite restorative swims, convey a feeling of packing up and a certain end-of-summer atmosphere... So we drag ourselves somewhat wearily until late afternoon when, shortly before 18:00, we officially kick off the journey home. We take a quick shower and head towards Olbia... Half an hour of smooth driving and we're at the port where we had disembarked two weeks ago, but it's not the right one, because they direct us to the commercial one, a few kilometres away.

Leonardo has great fun watching all the heavy vehicles being loaded onto the ferry, while the sun sets marvellously behind the city, then it's our turn... We go on board, have dinner, and a few minutes after 21:00 the ship Giuseppe Sa of the Moby Lines company (the same as on the way out), casts off from the pier at Olbia heading for the mainland coast. Bye, bye Sardinia... I take the little one (irrepressible!) for a wander around the vessel until, exhausted, he gives in, and then we all go to sleep, because tomorrow morning we'll be disembarking very early at Piombino.

After a fundamentally quiet night we moor, at 6:20, at the pier of the well-known Tuscan resort town, near the Argentario peninsula, and immediately start racking up the miles. I drive in the company of Federico, while Sabrina and Leonardo stay in bed, so at 7:10 we merge onto the A12 motorway at Rosignano. At Livorno it's 7:30 and a little later we exit the motorway to begin following the Fi-Pi-Li fast-flow road, which takes us as far as Florence, where at 8:00 we take the A1 motorway northbound. A stop for breakfast and then off again right away, with the team once more complete in front of the windshield... this way we cross the Apennines and are in Bologna around 10:00.

From the Bolognese capital we follow the A14 as far as Faenza, and in that Romagna town we exit, at 10:30, and then, after another short stretch of road, we conclude the journey in front of the gate of our home, at 10:55. All things considered it was a good trip, positive in several respects: first of all the ever-delightful Sardinian sea, perhaps a little too crowded for our tastes, but still delightful; then the little flashes of culture, always welcome; and finally the moments spent all four of us together... Of course, the little one limited us somewhat in our movements and daily activities, but given his tender age he was more than good... So, after all, shall we consider this "soft" trip as an ideal launching pad towards other future, more exciting adventures in the four corners of the Planet!