Sardegna Overview

An old legend says that when God finished making the world, He had a handful of dirt left over, which He threw into the Mediterranean, stepped on, and—behold—created the island of Sardinia (in Italian, “Sar-DEN-ya”). Another myth claims that Sardinia is truly the land of Atlantis, covered by a tidal wave in the second millennium BC. However Sardinia came to be, control of the island has bounced back and forth between empires for centuries, rendering many of its current inhabitants wary of any type of foreign investment or exploitation. Shuffled between the Phoenicians and the Carthusians, Sardinia got a slight break when the Romans made it an agricultural colony. But by the 13th century, it was again a theater for conflict among the Pisans, the Aragonese, the newly united Spanish, and the Piemontese. Until just decades ago, padroni (landlords) controlled the land, and farmers toiled under a system akin to serfdom. Though agriculture is still a significant economic staple, today the island proudly plays host to tourists that come in droves to bask in the perfection of its beaches and the glory of its mountain vistas and to indulge in its unique and delicious cuisine. The architecture, language, and food of Sardinia render it a cultural anomaly—hybrid of African, Italian, and Spanish influences. Though officially a part of Italy, Sardinia is classified as an autonomous region—an administrative manifestation of the island’s strong sense of independence.

Transportation

Flights.  Alitalia flights link Alghero, Cagliari, and Olbia to major Italian cities. Though flights are significantly faster than water travel, exorbitant fares discourage most would-be air passengers. Recently, Ryanair and EasyJet have begun to serve Sardinia’s airports. easyJet (www.easyjet.com) flies from Olbia to Berlin, Bristol, Geneva, London, and Milan, and from Cagliari to Geneva, London, and Milan. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies from Cagliari to Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, and Pisa; from Olbia to Birmingham; and from Alghero to Barcelona, Bremen, Dublin, Dusseldorf, East Midlands Frankfurt, Liverpool, London, Madrid, Milan, Pisa, Rome, and Stockholm.

Ferries. The cheapest way to reach Sardinia is by ferry from Civitavecchia, Genoa, or Livorno to Olbia. Civitavecchia, the official port of Rome, is easily reached by train from Rome’s Termini station (80min., €4.50). The ticket offices and ferry info centers are at the dock. Exit the train station and make a right, following the signs leading to the centro and the ferry terminal. Expect to pay €23-75 each way, depending on the company, season, boat speed, and departure time (night trips, fast ferries, and summer ferries cost more). The cheapest fares are for daytime posta ponte (deck class) slots on slow-moving boats, but most ferry companies require that poltrone (reserved armchairs) be sold to capacity before they open posta ponte. Expect to pay €10-20 more for a cabina with a bed, plus €5-15 depending on the season, trip duration, and taxes. Travelers with vehicles, animals, or children should arrive 1hr. before departure; everyone else should arrive 45min. ahead. Transporting vehicles can cost €50-120, depending on the voyage length and the season. The ferry schedule below is for summer service. Winter ferries sell at lower prices and run overnight. Prices and times are extremely variable depending on time of day and the boat speed; call the companies for more info.

• Tirrenia: (☎89 21 23; www.tirrenia.it). Offices: Arbatax (☎07 82 66 78 41); Cagliari (☎07 06 66 065); Civitavecchia (☎07 66 58 19 25); Fiumicino (☎06 65 21 670); Genoa (☎01 02 69 81); Olbia (☎07 89 20 71 02); Livorno (☎05 86 42 47 30), on Calata Addis Abeba-Varco Galvani; Naples, Rione Sirignano 2 (☎08 15 51 90 96); Palermo (☎09 16 02 11 11); Porto Torres, V. Mare 38 (☎07 95 18 10 11).
• Sardinia Ferries: (☎19 94 00 500; www.sardiniaferries.com). Offices in: Livorno (☎05 86 88 13 80), at the Stazione Marittima; Civitavecchia (☎07 66 50 07 14), at Terminal Autostrade del Mare; Golfo Aranci (☎07 89 46 780), at the Stazione Marittima.
• Moby Lines: (www.moby.it). Offices in: Olbia (☎07 89 27 927), Stazione Marittima; Livorno, V. Veneto 24 (☎058 68 99 950); Genoa (☎01 02 54 15 13), Terminal Traghetti. General help desk (☎19 93 03 040), in English (☎61 11 40 20).
• Grandi Navi Veloci: (☎0102 09 45 91). Offices: Civitavecchia (☎0766 59 631); Olbia (☎0789 20 01 26); Genoa (☎0102 54 65); Porto Torres (☎0795 16 034).
• SNAV: (www.snav.it). Offices in: Civitavecchia (☎07 66 36 63 66); Olbia (☎07 89 20 00 84); Naples (☎08 14 28 55 55).