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Overview

Discovery cycling trip in Sardinia

We start cycling the flat coastal plains of the Sinis wetlands where salt ponds attract thousands of pink flamingos in season, as well as a wealth of other birdlife. We can see the Phoenician ruins of Tharros with their 2,500-year history and perhaps enjoy the sherry-like vernaccia made in local wine cellars. Next we follow the Costa Verde, across reclaimed farmland, to the colourful fishing village of Marceddi where rice, soft fruit and vegetables are grown for the cucinas of Sardinia.

Next the beautiful beaches of Portixeddu, bounded by dunes to the west and the impressive massif of Monte Linas to the east. Our ride now follows the undulating coastal ride to Portoscuso where we board the local ferry to Carloforte on Isola di San Pietro. There is time for a short exploration of the island, exploring sandy coves, dramatic rocky headlands and tiny hamlets before rejoining the ferry to continue to equally unspoilt Isola di Sant' Antioco.

After a short cycle ride around Sant' Antioco to enjoy its coves, meadows and little villages we cross to the mainland and visit the Pisan sanctuary at Tratalias - one of the region's most important Roman monuments. Following the shoreline of Lago Monte Pranu we cross the rolling plains of Sulcis to enter a remote, wild and beautiful region of bush, gleaming white beaches and imposing 200-metre high cliffs. We end our journey in the little town of Pula with a chance once again to enjoy superb local food as we reflect on a week of wonderful cycling.

Don't hesitate to contact our Italy expert at Uniktour to get more information about this discovery cycling trip in Sardinia!

Itinerary

Day 1| Departure from Montréal

Day 2| Join tour Cagliari - Transfer to San Salvatore
Arriving in Cagliari this afternoon we transfer to our hotel in San Salvatore, situated on Sardinia's rugged and beautiful west coast. On arrival there will be time to freshen up before a bike briefing by your Tour Leader and an opportunity to acclimatize yourselves with your sturdy mounts for the coming week. Afterwards we settle down for our first evening's meal, a chance to experience the delights of Sardinian cuisine. Sardinian cooking is traditionally a mouth-watering combination of locally produced fare, Italian flair and fresh fruit and vegetables, all washed down of course with the local wine and possibly a glass of red Mirto to finish – a popular Sardinian liqueur made from the leaves and berries of the wild myrtle.
2 nights hotel H+.

Day 3| Cycling around the Sinis wetlands and Tharros
We begin our first morning's cycling on the flat coastal plains of the Sinis wetlands. The salt ponds around the gulf are home to thousands of pink flamingos in season, as well as a wealth of other birdlife – the marshes and lagoons that dot this area abound with fish and eels. You may see locals fishing for mullet or bass from traditional reed fassone boats. Circling the lake to Riola Sardo we return to the coast at Mari Ermi, and the spectacular white quartz beach of Is Arutas, from where a short trip down the peninsula to San Giovanni Sinis, brings us to the Phoenician ruins of Tharros. Founded in 730 BCE Tharros grew to become an important trading stop on the route from North Africa and Spain. It continued to grow with the arrival of the Carthaginians and then the Romans, who were responsible for much of the layout and architecture that we can still see today. Much of the wine production in this area is vernaccia a sweet or dry, honey-coloured wine with a bitter-almond taste. Vernaccia is produced in the Sinis countryside, thanks to waters of the Tirso river – Contini is one of the most renown winery for vernaccia and is located in Cabras, a village along the route. There may be the possibility to make a quick stop there and visit the winery when we are in the area.
(Approx. 52km cycling). (Included meals: B).

Day 4| Transfer to Arborea - Marceddi - Arbus
Transferring by road first thing, we travel to Arborea, the centre of an early experiment in land reclamation. Originally called Mussolinia, the town was founded in 1928, during a campaign by Il Duce to make the most of Sardinia's domestic production. The town remains a testament to the fascist ideals of structure and planning. From here we take to the saddle and cycle to Piscinas, on the Costa Verde and then across a 13km stretch of flat reclaimed farmland to the colourful fishing village of Marceddì. This whole area was once a malarial swamp, but the irrigation and drainage that followed Mussolini's original scheme, has transformed it. Today it produces rice, tobacco, soft fruit and vegetables, as well as supporting vineyards and the herds of dairy cattle responsible for much of the island's milk supply. From Marceddì, nestling by the banks of Stagno di Marceddi lagoon, the terrain becomes more undulating, with low hills, blanketed in verdant green, and huge sand dunes skirting the coast. Returning to Piscinas we are collected by our transport and taken up into the hills, to Arbus, our destination for the evening.
(Approx. 46km cycling). Overnight H+ (Included meals: B).

Day 5| Cycle to Nebida via Portixeddu
The toughest day of cycling, but with some glorious scenery to compensate! We start downhill, along a section of road that undulates its way from Arbus to the River Mannu, and the start of the miles of golden beaches of Portixeddu. To the left is the massif of Monte Linas, with the Costa Verde and Erica covered sand dunes away on your right. This area is dotted with old mining communities, dedicated to extracting the zinc and lead from the surrounding hills. After passing through the unfortunately named town of Buggerru and the Pranu Sartu plateau we reach the charming Cala Domestica bay, with its superb isolated beach hemmed in by cliffs. In the distance the Marganai mountain group rises to almost 1,060 metres. Continuing on, past the 400 - foot limestone cliffs of Pan di Zucchero, we arrive in Nebida, a tiny hamlet overlooking a dramatic coastline and our stop for the night. Here we sample the simple pleasures of village life and a good home cooked dinner.
(Approx. 41km cycling). Overnight hotel H+ (Included meals: B).

Day 6| Ride to Fontanamare and Portoscusco - Ferry to Sant'Antioco
This morning we make a beautiful descent to Fontanamare followed by an undulating coastal ride south to Portoscuso. Here we board the local ferry to Carloforte on Isola di San Pietro. Settled some two and a half centuries ago by Ligurians, invited here by king Carlo Emanuele III; the island's inhabitants still speak in a Genoese dialect. The only town, Carloforte (named after the aforementioned king), is a charming collection of narrow lanes and pastel hued buildings and the island itself a network of twisting roads that lead to stunning craggy coasts and hidden sea caves. There will be time for a short tour around the island, exploring the sandy coves and dramatic rocky headlands, before rejoining the ferry to continue to equally unspoilt Sant' Antioco. San Pietro's sister island, although the fourth largest in Italy, isn't actually technically an island any more. For the past 1000 years it has been joined to the mainland by a causeway built by the Carthaginians. We spend this evening on the island's north coast, in the small fishing village of Calasetta.
(Approx. 37km cycling). Overnight hotel H+ (Included meals: B).

Day 7| Explore island and cycle to Sant' Anna Arresi
This morning we have the opportunity to explore the island, with its wealth of coves and beaches, macchia covered hills and vineyards. Then it is on to the main town of Sant'Antioco. Continuously occupied since the arrival of the Phoenicians in the 8th century BCE, the town was an important centre for shipping minerals and salt and was at one time the largest city in Sardinia. We will take some time to explore the town before crossing back to the mainland, to visit the Pisan sanctuary at Tratalias – one of the most important monuments from the Romanesque period, with a 13th century church that once served as the cathedral for the diocese. From here we follow the shoreline of lake Monte Pranu and through the rolling plains of the Sulcis, passing rugged mountains that rise to around 4,000 ft. Our destination today is the village of Sant' Anna Arresi, well situated overlooking the emerald green waters of the Golfo di Palmas, with the bright white beaches of Porto Pino nearby, backed by rolling dunes and Aleppo Pine woods.
(Approx. 48km cycling. Overnight hotel H+ (Included meals: B).

Day 8| Riding along the Costa del Sud to Pula
Today we have a long ride across the rugged coastal plains of the Costa del Sud, one of Sardinia's most scenic routes. This is a remote, wild and beautiful region of the Mediterranean with shrub and coastal pools, gleaming white beaches and imposing cliffs. Cape Malfatano and Cala Piscinnì each boast a 16th century tower, while at Capo Teulada the spectacular limestone cliffs rise more than 200 metres from a translucent sea. The cliffs and hills surrounding the town of Teulada provide the raw materials for the annual sculpture competition that enlivens the town's streets with an array of original works produced each June. A short detour will take you to the beautiful beach of Su Giudeu in Chia, before arriving at Pula and the important Punic-Roman city of Nora. Strategically important, with three natural harbours, Nora was settled by the Phoenicians and remained one of the most important centres in Sardinia until the arrival of the Vandals and the rising sea led to its eventual abandonment. After visiting the site we continue on to Pula, for our final evening and the end of our two-wheeled trip!

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Accommodation and Meals: 7nts hotel staying in standard accommodation; 7 breakfasts included.

Transport: 24-gear aluminium-frame hybrid/touring bikes with panniers, water bottle holder, bell and footstand. Male and female versions available.

Group Size: Approx. 12 to 16.

Tour Staff: Tour Leader(s) who accompany the group on each ride and take turns to either lead or drive the support vehicle. Our support vehicle moves on luggage; you carry only what you need for the day.

H++ : Comfortable hotels, lodges or guesthouses with twin or single rooms and en suite facilities. With air-conditioning/heating where appropriate and with reliable hot and cold water. Generally good levels of service and often with added amenities such as restaurant, bar, gardens or swimming pool.
H+ : Standard hotels, lodges or guesthouses, usually with twin or single rooms and en suite facilities. These are generally standard, no-frills hotels with adequate amenities and service standards. Whilst comfort levels are perfectly acceptable to most, please don't expect too much! These are often small, family run establishments.

Overview

Italy – a land so rich and varied that the villages and small towns have as much to offer as the big cities. Practically everywhere you go in this country, you encounter history, art, folklore, gastronomy, and tradition: every visit is an opportunity for reflection – or simply a chance to enjoy yourself! Italians have managed to enter the modern age without having to let go of their creativity, their love of beauty, and their traditions. Between the archeological sites, cathedrals, churches, ancient houses, and statues, there are over 100,000 monuments to discover. As for Italian cuisine, each region has its own savory specialties waiting to delight your palate. Of course, Italy’s big cities also have much to offer: the eternal city, Rome, with its wide avenues and famous Squares. Venice and its charming canals. Florence and its unique arts scene. Pompeii, a fascinating Roman archeological site. These cities will capture your imagination and invite you to discover more and more of romantic Italy. Villa rentals, self-drive tours (freedom), train travel (freedom), private guided travel, customized travel…Uniktour brings you to Italy on your own terms! Contact one of our travel specialists today for more information on how to get started on your trip to Italy!

Tourism

Eat well. Drink better.
Long live the spaghettis, pizzas, tomatoes, olive oils, espressos and cappuccinos! Is that all Italian cuisine has to offer? Of course not! Italy has thousands of succulent dishes, hundreds of gastronomic specialties, and countless savory local products, thanks to a modern agro-industrial system that has managed to maintain traditional flavors, savors and values (even dietary!).
Quality and freshness are the basic ingredients to Italian specialties and all their variations: from fonduta Piedmontese to Sicilian caponata, from risotto Milanese to mozzarella di Campania, from the Venetian “risi e bisi” to the Roman porchetta, from the Ligurian “trenette al pesto” to beef Florentine, to lasagna emiliane or Abruzzo spaghetti chitarra, the list is endless! In fact, one reason many travelers come to Italy is to get to know (and sample!) its fine cuisine. There is no shortage of choice when it comes to where to eat: world-renowned restaurants in the big cities, countless trattorias lining the streets of every village, taverns and bistros scattered across the country. The latter personalize traditional dishes and allow visitors to rediscover typical agricultural products (spelt wheat, barley, corn, vegetables, olive oil, etc.) in a savory cuisine that manages to be gentle on the waistline! As for wine, Italy has caught up to countries with an older and more established wine culture. These days, in no way do Italian wines pale in comparison to those of other countries. There is plenty of variety and quality to choose from: whites, reds, rosés, straw wines, muffatos (with a characteristic moldy aroma), sparkling wines, etc. In Italy we eat and drink like nowhere else on earth!

Geography

The Italian peninsula is located north of the Mediterranean basin, with the Tyrrhenian Sea to the West, the Adriatic to the east, and the Mediterranean to the south. Italy counts some of the Mediterranean’s largest islands as its own, including Sicily and Sardinia. While the Alps line the borders with Switzerland and France in the north, a long mountain chain with an average altitude of 1,000 m running from north to south occupies the central part of the peninsula and the northern part of the country: the Apennines. No industrial or economic activity of importance has developed in these rugged regions. A rich agricultural area is found in the north of the country, in the valley of the Po. Other plains are located next to coastline. Once swamplands, they were drained and made viable to allow agriculture and tourism to flourish. Tuscany offers beautiful scenery with green hills sprinkled with small country homes and characteristic cypress trees. In the south, some of Europe’s last active volcanoes still grumble: Etna in Sicily, Vesuvius close to Naples, and Stromboli in the Aeolian Islands.

Culture

Already during the reign of the Etruscan civilization, Italy was a well-known geographical territory, as evidenced by ancient manuscripts on display in museums, particularly those of Tuscany and Latium. Though this is where the main remnants of Etruscan civilization were found, this ancient culture was also present in Umbria, Campania, and certain areas of current day Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy. Starting in the third century BC, Italy was the land of the Romans, under whose rule the peninsula was unified (as was much of Europe).

The word Italy appears on a coin dating back to the first century BC, made by a confederation of peoples who were revolting against Rome. This money was found in ancient Corfinium (now Corfino, Abruzzo), capital of the Italic confederation. Rome’s longstanding domination (from the 3rd century BC to the 5th century AD) has left an unmistakable mark in Italy: roads, aqueducts, temples, monuments, cities, bridges, theatres, etc. All reminders of a distant past that is still extraordinarily present all across the country. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Italy was invaded and dominated by foreign forces for many long centuries, mostly in the north and in Sicily. Thanks to the development of independent cities in the centre and in the North such as Venice, Florence, Sienna, Genoa, and Milan, Italian arts and commerce flourished and helped the country prosper and develop into a rich civilization. In the period that followed, the small independent states were unable to resist invasions by larger states such as Spain and Austria. Only the small kingdom of Piedmont managed to remain independent. After a brief Napoleonic occupation, it became the driving force behind the Risorgimento, a movement that paved the way for the definitive unification of Italy in 1870 under the rule of the house of Savoy. After the Second World War, a referendum abolished the monarchy and established a Republic in 1946. The rest is current history. To be continued.

Climate

Italy’s Mediterranean climate changes with the seasons and varies considerably between regions. Summers get longer and dryer as we travel south, reaching temperatures of 40°C at the lower end of the peninsula. In the southern regions of Calabria, Apulia, Basilicata and Campania, the summer drought can extend for more than its usual five months, from may to September. Sicily and Sardinia also suffer from this temperate aridity. In both the Apennines and the natural boundary formed by the Alps to the north, winters are colder and harsher with temperatures dropping below 0°C. In the north, particularly in the valley of the Po, the climate is continental, with cold winters (between 0°C and 10°C) and warm summers (30°C) and more precipitation than in the rest of the peninsula.
The best times to visit Italy are spring and autumn, avoiding July and August, when temperatures can become unbearably hot, unless you stay on the Adriatic coast (25°C). During the winter, ski resorts in the Italian Alps offer similar skiing conditions to those found in their French and Swiss equivalents.