brett

We are planning our first trip to Italy in early October. We will be staying for two weeks in northern / central Italy and are then finishing up our trip in or around Nice (France). We are planning on traveling to Nice via Sardinia and/or Corsica. We are looking for a few days to slow down and take in some seaside views and possibly a few less crowded towns. Does anyone have any thoughts on visiting Sardinia. Is it a worthwhile stop or should we be looking at a small seaside town on the mainland. Any suggestions would be appreicated.

GAC

You need a minimum of five to seven days to justify a trip to Sardinia.

Geoff Hamer

Most ferries from the Italian mainland to Sardinia are overnight, so it doesn't take any time - you can spend as many days as you want in Sardinia without wasting any days in Italy.

Gareth

Sardinia is often a forgotten part of Europe, relatively unspoilt coast lines and fantastic interior. definitely a place to go in its self.

Jan

Hi Brett,<BR>Two years ago, we visited Sardinia on a family holiday. We stayed two weeks and really enjoyed it. The only disappointments were Porto Cervo--the whole city. Just a tad pretentious with lousy food. Actually, the food was disappointing throughout the island. Not bad, just not up to typical Italian standards! But, the nice surprises were many! Absolutely outstanding beaches with warm, clean, clear water, nice people (we lost a wallet with a lot of money in it. Left it on the car roof---absolutely classic! It was returned in tact!). Cities we enjoyed: Cagliari, Alghero, Oristano. If biking is of interest, the mountain biking is phenomenal here.<BR><BR>We were there the last two weeks of September and the weather was perfect. It was obviously the end of the season and some things (mostly restaurants) were closed, but no crowds and very mellow atmosphere.<BR>Enjoy!<BR>Jan

GAC

Jan: Did you eat at the Ristorante La Lepanto in Alghero? I had their Penne al Salmone and thought they were excellent!

Alice Twain

Jan:<BR><BR>You can't go to Sardinia and expect the same kind of food you are most used in the rest of Italy. Sardinia is a peculiar part of Italy, with an ancient culture of its own. As a matter of facts, culturally it is probably closer to Corsica, or even to the Baleares than to the rest of Italy. Sardinian is a language rahter than a dialect, and one of the European languages with roots that date the further back in time, probably it is just a little younger than Basque. Also it is REALLY hard to understand and speak and has a viariety of dialects throughout the island. In large areas of Sardinia people even speak Spanish, or rather Catalan.<BR>Food in Sardinia is not based on fish, unlike what one would think thinking of an Island. Sardinia has relatively little fish dishes and most of these are based on fishes that live near the shoreline (probably the most imporant and well-known Sardinian fish dish is "Polpo alla catalana", a octopus salad with fresh vegetables and boiled potatoes and sometimes other greens, dressed with olive oil, salt, lemon juice and a little powdered red pepper). Also other seafood can be prepared the same way.<BR>On the other hand the main source of proteins in Sardinia was goat milk: in the island you can find great goat cheeses, both young and old.<BR>Pasta was almost unknown until not so long ago, but a particular kind os Sardinian bread, known as "carasau". This is a crispy and thin crust that can be eaten alone, warmed and eaten with some olive oil on top or made into several dishes such as pane guttiau or pane frattau, in which layers of this bread are garnished with cheese, eggs, vegetables and stock or water than cooked in the oven. One of the very few kinds of pasta made in Sardinia are malloreddus, small and elongated pieces of pasta that are served with a sausage and tomato sauce and grated goat cheese. One last traditional first course of Sardinia is culurgiones, large ravioli-like egg shaped pasta pieces filled with a potato and cheese (or cheese only or... many more kinds of filling) cream and cooked in hot water than served with more cheese on top.<BR>Sardinian people used to eat little meat, in spring they often perpared "agneddu" o "porceddu", goat or pigs killed very young, still at the nursing stage, skewered and cooked on the fire, that offer a very tasty and tender meat. Nowadays these delicacies are available all year round, obviously. Pork meat (and sometimes also goat meat) is also turned into sausages, hams and similar threats, usually heavily slated but delicious.Sardinia has woderful sweets. Probably the most characteristic is a large round pastry filled with fresh cheese, fried and served with honey called "seada", but you can also find delicious bisquits and cookies flavored with almonds, raisins, candied orange peels or filled with fresh creamy cheese.<BR>Finally, Sardinia produces good wines such as strong Cannonau, delicate Vermentino di Gallura and aromatic Malvasia. Also in Sardinia you can find two different local spirits: Filo 'e ferru, and aromatic mirto (one of the wery few liquors that I can drink).<BR><BR>If you went to Sardinia expecting to find the same kind of food you would find in Naples or in Rome, you were certainly disappointed. Sardinian cuisine is unique and different from the cuisine of any other part of Italy. Nevertheless it is wonderful, rich in tastes and smells, if you know what to look for.

Cindy_Fear

I bought a Sardinian cookbook and am having difficulty finding a few items. I know it is local, but what flavor of liqueuer is Filo e ferru? Would like to substitute as I don't have time to try and purchase some to be shipped to me in the United States. Also, Pecorino cheese is not readily available in my city. Any good substitutes?

Pvoyageuse

"what flavor of liqueuer is Filo e ferru"

It is brandy - not much flavor by itself but very strong.
You can replace Pecorino by Parmigiano.

zeppole

Filu e ferru is a grappa, but you could also get by with a strong aquvite.

I'm surprised you can't get any kind of pecorino (sheep's milk cheese) where you are. Do you have any sort of cheese store or a Whole Foods where you could talk to the person behind the counter and ask for a recommendation? If not, Spanish Manchego is the closest I can think of.

Also, there are a number of online stores in the US that sell Italian cheeses. This one looks promising:

http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/prodv...cts_Sel&cprod=

zeppole

Sorry for my typo. I meant "aquavite" in case it wasn't clear.

Parmigiano is a cow's milk cheese and pecorino is a sheep's milk cheese. Whatever you are making will taste quite different if you use parmigiano instead of pecorino.

nspotz

this very detailed trip report may help you:

http://www.hitherandthither.net/2010...september.html

(not my blog, btw)

Cindy_Fear

Thanks guys, I do have some grappa on hand. I have checked at the gourmet stores here but will keep trying and check out this Italian online store. THANKS AGAIN and buona notte!!!