In Sardinia you are never far away from stunning beaches. From sun-drenched strips of sand to boulder beaches, much preferred by snorklers and divers, the choice is yours. The crystal clear and very warm waters make Sardinia an ideal location for watersports. Our favourite beaches are at Pistis and Porta Palma on the Costa Verde. Many beaches, like the one at Pistis, have kiosks for food, drink and toilets. Check out the in-house guide books for hints and tips on where to go.

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Places to visit.

    
You can find out more information
    about places to visit both near and far in the guide books on
    the book case in the lounge. Some notable places are within very
    easy reach from Collinas. Just a short drive from the house are:

    
Genna Maria at Villanovaforu: an important Nuraghic
    archaeological site just five minutes away. Villanovaforu also
    boasts two modern hotels with excellent restaurants. Also there
    is a brilliant Pizzeria in this village as well as a Museum and
    Art Gallery.

    
Su Nuraxi near Barumini: one of - if not THE -
    best Nuraghic site on the island.



    The Giara di Gesturi: this is a lava plateau and nature
    conservation area with wild pigs, miniature horses and a vast
    array of flora. Or you can just go for a stroll in the countryside
    around Collinas.

    
The brand new swimming pool is
    adjacent to the Museo del Territorio, just a five minute drive
    away.

    

    
Beaches.

    
Beaches tend to be crowded at
    the weekends in the summer when locals flock there with their
    children, but they are quiet during the week.

    The nearest beaches are on the Costa Verde, a 40 minute drive
    away. Go north up the motorway (SS 131) to Uras then east to
    S. Antonio di Santadi. The road south from here leads to several
    beaches. Alternatively, you can take the more spectacular but
    slower route over the mountains. Go to Sardara then on to Terme
    di Sardara, Pabilliones, Guspini, and Montevecchio then over
    to the coast. We like the small beach at Porta Palma but you
    can find more secluded spots on the sand dunes further south.

    If you head for Cagliari there is a large well signposted beach
    at Poetta. This beach is well served by bars and kiosks and is
    the one used by people living in Cagliari.

    
Excursions.

    
If you want to go further afield
    to explore the island, it is possible to see quite a lot in one
    day, but you may wish to make an overnight stay and travel at
    a more leisurely pace. It takes about 1½ hours to drive
    to Nuoro. From there you can either go north to explore Olbia
    and the Costa Smeralda or south down the road through the spectacular
    mountains of the Gennar Gentu. Read the guide books and plan
    your sight-seeing before you set out.

    
There are several places worth
    seeing on the north coast including Badesi and Castel Sardo,
    an old fortified hill town. It is worth spending time exploring
    the major towns. Cagliari has a lot to offer and Oristano is
    worth a visit. During Mardi Gras there is a spectacular festival
    in Oristano called Sartiglia. It involves people in traditional
    dress parading through the streets, then a jousting tournament
    followed by an acrobatic competition on horseback. Many towns
    and villages have their own traditional Mardi Gras festivities,
    many of them dating back to pagan times. At San Gavino there
    is a more modern parade with floats, music and everyone in fancy
    dress.

    A few miles beyond Oristano is the ruined Roman/Phoenician city
    of Tharros. This is definitely worth a visit. Much of the city,
    which was built on an original Nuraghic settlement and developed
    by the Romans and Phoenicians, still remains. To the south near
    Pula, you will find another major archaeological site, Nora,
    in a stunning setting.

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