Why Sardinia - Moving To Sardinia

How do I live in Sardinia? Things you need to know if you are thinking of changing your life

If you have chosen to visit the pages of my agency you will probably already know Sardinia, but I thought it might be helpful to write a short guide describing the main features of the island, with some insights into the coastal territory of the North East, the area where I was born and raised.

Island and coastal territory

White beaches, coves and inlets mirrored in a crystal-clear sea with hues ranging from blue to turquoise are the most common features of the 1849 km of coastline in Sardinia, the region in Italy with the greatest coastal development.

The sea, one of the most beautiful in the world, includes the National Parks of La Maddalena and Orosei and several regional protected areas including the Porto Conte Park and the Tavolara Island Marine Protected Area.

The island's interior features a natural environment with mountains of complex morphology, a countryside that is never dull, majestic forests, streams, waterfalls, caves, ponds and lagoons that offer visitors alternative excursions to beach activities.

The “nuraghe” characterise the entire island, as do ruins from the Punic-Roman, Phoenician and Byzantine periods. One of the latest major archaeological discoveries are the famous Giants of Mont'e Prama, the huge sculptures dating back to the Nuragic civilisation (2,300-1,800 BC).

Earthquakes and volcanoes

Sardinia, like Corsica, is an island with little or no seismic risk. The only noteworthy events recorded at sea in the southern part of the island date back several hundred years (1616 and 1771), while volcanic activity died out in distant geological eras.

Climate and outdoor activities

Sardinia has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, fairly wet winters and hot, sunny summers tempered by sea breezes. On the coasts temperatures easily reach 30 degrees, while during the winter period they only drop below 15 degrees for short periods. Inland there are more marked fluctuations.

From May to September, people live in symbiosis with the sea: relaxing walks along the beaches, excursions to parks and islands, sunbathing and diving into the crystal-clear waters. From October to April, on the other hand, it is the hinterland that receives visitors thanks to the warm welcome of the inhabitants who organise festivals with food and wine of rare quality, exhibitions of figurative arts and crafts, organised trips to nature reserves, excursions and trekking, music, dancing and singing in the millenary Sardinian tradition.

Nightlife

The coastline from Budoni to Santa Teresa is certainly the part of Sardinia with the most restaurants and nightclubs. Places like Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo offer elite facilities to suit every taste and need: you can start the evening with an aperitif in one of the many exclusive clubs by the sea and end it in a disco or bar with live music in the company of internationally famous artists.

San Teodoro deserves a special mention, a quiet village that in summer turns into movida places with the greatest range of services for young people.

Transport with the rest of Italy and abroad

Three airports - Olbia, Alghero and Cagliari - and three ports - Olbia, Porto Torres and Cagliari - make it easy to travel to and from the island. From April to October, Olbia airport is the one that offers the most destinations: daily and weekly flights to the main Italian cities such as Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Venice, Ancona, Verona, Bologna, Catania, Bergamo and foreign destinations such as London, Paris, Amsterdam, Hannover, Düsseldorf, Munich, Oslo, Copenhagen, Manchester, Vienna and many others.

During the winter time there are fewer destinations therefore daily or weekly flights to the main Italian cities and some European capitals are guaranteed.

Road network

In Sardinia there are not motorways with toll booths. The main roads are the Strada Statale 131 connecting Sassari, Oristano and Cagliari, the Strada Statale 131 DCN connecting Cagliari with Oristano, Nuoro and Olbia and the new Strada Statale 729 connecting Olbia with Sassari and Alghero. The speed limit is generally 90 km/h(56 mph), while in some sections it is possible to reach 110 km/h (70 mph).

Internet

In Sardinia, internet connection is ensured by an extensive optical fiber network that allows speeds of up to 1Gbps/300Mbps or ADSL of up to 200 Mbps. In areas not served by optical fiber the internet connection is available through extensive wireless networks or satellite connections.