Sardinia

Back from a week-long overseas holidays, quite different than previous trips abroad. For the first time since many years I ventured somewhere for a few days with a group of friends (there were 7 of us). In such crowd some conflicts were inevitable, yet most of the time we get on with one another well. Because the timing had to fit everyone, the journey coincided with the end of high season, which impacted the price and the weather. For many temperatures between +30C and +35C during afternoons and dawn-time low of +20C are ideal, for me it was far too hot. For the first time in my life I rented a car to drive around the island (we covered more than 650 kilometres during three days). This was also my most expensive holidaying (on account of end-of-August timing) – the week set me back around PLN 4,000, despite buying reasonably cheap plane tickets.

Alghero, on the western coast of the island was the first city we visited. It has been dubbed “a small Barcelona”, but in my opinion it does not deserve such reputation. To the right, a typical Italian narrow street on the city’s old town. Note the absence of people in early afternoon heat.

On the same day we dropped in on Sassari, which is more picturesque. Here, one of many climatic backyards, with eateries, during evenings lit by lamps hanging overhead. Such places best give off the charm of Italy.

The next day was spent on a cruise boat which sailed us around La Maddalena islands. The very excursion was a kind of pricey, but the sights of rocks and celadon water were worth it.

The entire north-eastern coast of Sardinia is called Costa Smeralda, after the colour of water in shore-side bays. To the right – one of most eye-pleasing lidos I spotted there.

On our way home from the boat excursion, we took a stopover at Golfo Aranci, which is a typical holiday resort, with promenades and beaches. Had it not been for poor access to the airport, this could have been a good place to stay (we rented a house in Pittulongu via Airbnb).

The riviera to the right is located close to Cala Gonone, on the mid-east of the island. The steep, narrow and winding road to the town and back was a challenge to me as a driver to our Fiat Pandas, yet we have made it and I feel a kind of pride. Given how Italian drivers behave on the roads and how unfriendly some junctions are, I feel a more seasoned driver after travelling behind the wheel in Sardinia.

San Teodoro is also a holiday resort which, except for typically Italian architecture, much resembles towns on the Polish seaside. Note how few people roam around. On the day the photo was taken temperature topped +35C, well above my thermal comfort.

Having dropped off the rented cars near the airport in Olbia, we had to return to Pittulongu by bus. Sadly, the public transport in Sardinia is not beyond reproach (except for its cheapness). As we had to wait for over an hour for the bus, we took shelter from the heat on a typical Sardinian cemetery.

And a bonus shot, as our plane was approaching the airport from the west (which meant I could not snap my house from the air) – this is section B of the S7 expressway, somewhere north of Tarczyn. My faith is to weak to put it in promises that the road would be passable by the end of 2022. But for the record, my father drove me through the recently opened section between Warszawa Południe and Lesznowola junctions. Once going my bicycle to my parents will not be an alternative, I shall probably take S2 and S7 to get to Nowa Wola and then to Nowa Iwiczna, bypassing several traffic lights and currently marked out bus lane on ul. Puławska.