Sardinia

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, characterized by a jagged and rocky coastline, interspersed with marvelous beaches of very fine sand. The island lies between Italy, Spain, and Tunisia, south of Corsica; it is one of the autonomous regions with special statute under the Italian Constitution. The past fifty years have seen Sardinia become a hotspot for tourism, with the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) in the northern area becoming a favorite retreat of Italian celebrities. There are numerous Bronze Age remains throughout the islands, the best known being the Nuraghi - circular (sometimes conical) stone dwellings left by an otherwise unknown people. The largest collection of these may be found at Su Nuraxi, about 80km (50 miles) north of Cagliari. The island contains numerous extraordinary tourist areas, including the Costa Smeralda and Gennargentu. The island is particularly famous for its beaches, but is also rich in other interesting places, such as some charming sea towns and archaeological ruins. The Sardinian coast may be dedicated to tourism, but the interior still belongs to native Sardinians who still hold onto their customs, food and unique language (Sardinian is a direct descendant of classical Latin and is considered an official language). A trip along the shore makes a fantastic getaway, but exploring away from the beaches will give the traveler a glimpse of real Sardinia.

The cuisine of Sardinia is the most distinctive of Italy's regional cuisines, mainly due to the island's geographic isolation from Italy's mainland. An island civilization that did not utilize seafood in its diet. Since Sardinia's coast has always been victim to invasion, the Sardinian people found refuge in the mountainous hinterland of the island. Therefore the traditional foods of Sardinia were always more influenced by the land than the sea. Today much has changed and now seafood has been embraced by Sardinians, no longer having to fear invaders or pirates and thus creating a truly unique gastronomic experience. Spicy fish soups called Burrida and Cassola along with lobsters, crabs, anchovies, squid, clams and fresh sardines are all very popular along the Sardinian coast. Sardinian cooks insist on fresh ingredients. And, their cooking style is less complex than in other regions, which suits Sardinian diners. They want their foods cooked relatively simple and straightforward so as not to overwhelm the food's natural flavor. Favorite Sardinian pasta dishes include Spaghetti con Bottarga, with dried gray mullet roe shaved on top, Malloreddus is a gnocchi flavored with saffron and served with a tomato sauce. Culingiones are round ravioli stuffed with spinach and cheese. Sardinian is known for its rustic sheep and goat cheeses like Pecorino Sardo and Fiore Sardo, which can either be served fresh or aged. The Sardinian interior produces some of the best lamb in all of Italy and known for being very lean. Sardinians enjoy their meats roasted and Porceddu, (Sardinian version of Porchetta) suckling pig or kid (suckling goat) is a favorite roasted outdoors over aromatic woods.