Is Arutas beach by Blog-Sardinia

I planned to visit Is Arutas many times but each time the Mistral wind forced me to change my  plans. This  wind, which blows from north-west, can hit very strongly that area, making the sea very wavy (good for surfing!) and sometimes dangerous. Last Sunday it was just perfect though, a fine sunny day with just a little breeze.

The car navigator did not seem to know the place, so I quickly checked the route on google maps and off we went. From Cagliari we took the 131 road towards Santa Giusta and Oristano, then the SP54 BIS followed by the SS292 towards Cabras. At that point, no internet or mobile connection was available to help. Luckily, some direction boards finally appeared and we arrived with no troubles.

We paid our car park fee, we rushed to the beach… and WE FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

A long bright sandy beach  with a rocky bit on its right hand-side.  The sand itself is amazing and probably the cutest you have ever seen. It is made of tiny pink, white and green grains of quartz looking just like risotto and twinkling under the sun.

The sea is crystal blue and green, but above all it smells alive. The rocks are strangely shaped and some perfumed wild sea fennel grows on them, while the lizards sunbathe peacefully.

We placed our parasols near the rocky hand of the beach and we got our masks and snorkels out to explore the area. This site is part of the marine park of Sinis, so no fishing is allowed. Thanks to this we could see full of fishes of different sizes and species, many of whom came really close to us, as if they did not fear us at all. Fabulous.

Some nice wooden bars where also available at a distance to eat and drink, together with some good opendoors showers (no very clean toilets though..).

We spent a lovely day then..and surely we will be back again!

Ciao, Manuela

PS: If you visit Is Arutas, please do not take any sand away with you, this is forbidden. Is Arutas’ sand is Art made by Nature itself, which has been violated in the past and that we now wish to preserve forever.

Strangely enough, although it is very popular and any good guide book would tell you about its myth, no many people do actually visit this natural bulwark.
In reality, all you need is an expert guide to lead you through the resistant bushes of its Mediterranean vegetation and to help you find the hidden ruins of historic buildings and ancient cisterns withouht getting stuck or fall down a cliff…

I was very enthusiastic then, when I was asked to be the translator for a group taking an excursion up there with a specialist guide. There I was then, shorts, hat, sun cream, trainers and water. Ready to go.

The Devil'Saddle by Blog-Sardinia

Our starting point was nearby the little Cala Mosca beach. We easily followed our guide up to the top of the saddle and then down through a different path. It took us about two hours. The tour focused on both the historical and botanical aspects of the promontory. We stopped to look at and smell several scented officinal herbs, learning about the properties of Thyme, Spurge, Helycrism and many others. I was surprised to listen about the ways these herbs were used to cure and heal from ancient times to now-days. 

Hidden in the middle of the luxuriant vegetation, we discovered two ancient Punic and Roman cisterns,  a Pisan lighthouse, a Spanish Tower & the ruins of the ancient church of St. Elias, from which the promontory takes is name from.

Azure Orchid - Blog Sardinia

Once reached the top of “Saddle” the view was breathtaking, stretching from the sea, to Cagliari and its many hills, to the town’s lake and its salt mines. It was only then, that I fully realised how crucial had to be to dominate this promontory for the many people who have lived and invaded Sardinia…

The best period to visit St. Elia’s promontory is from November to January and in the Spring when its vegetation is blooming and beautiful narcissus and wild orchids appear. You can still visit during the rest of the year and at early or late hours of the day in the summer. Some itineraries can include a visit of the little coves and swimming stop.

A licensed guide is recommended to undertake and fully enjoy the tour. Let us know if you want to know more or book an excursion through an English Speaking guide.

Ciao
Manu

Also, If you are staying in Cagliari you could spend the night at the Apartment Mara

Well, there is normally plenty of sunshine even in the cold season. There are not many grey or very cold days and it does not usually rain for long. The rainiest months of the year are Nov- Feb when you get about 8-9 days of rain a month. In this period temperatures are around 10-14◦ Celsius, although they often reach 18◦ Celsius or more and it feels just like the British summer!

It is very common for the locals to go for walks to the mountains and countryside or along the beach, taking children and dogs for a stroll.  On seaside locations you can spot plenty of kites and surfers and occasionally some brave chap looking amazingly tanned and having a swim! brr..

If you want to get away from a cold winter then, check the weather forecast and then book a flight to Cagliari, Olbia or Alghero. You can either go for a city break or maybe book a good farmhouse and some outdoor activities (horse riding, hiking, bird watching etc).

From March onwards temperatures go up and there are at least 18 degrees as a standard, often reaching 20-25◦ degrees. Great time to explore the blooming countryside or relax nearby the seaside taking lots of walks and enjoying the amazing views. Also, the holiday Villas tend to be much cheaper in this season, although you may want to check with the owner if they got some form of heating as often it is much colder indoors than outdoors!

May and June are normally beautiful and just perfect for those who wish to spend a beach holiday but do not like it too hot. I would say that it is ideal for families with young children but also for those who enjoy a mix of leisure and cultural holidays.

Finally, from July up to mid September you kind of roast!! (at  least 30degrees) and places are very crowded. Water sports and sea activities are now the most pleasant choices. It tends to rain very rarely and you may not get to see a single cloud for weeks. Just like myself and the.. lizards like it!!

Enjoy!

Ciao – Manu

PS: all the above is true at the moment but it may change depending on the global warming  :-)

This is the first post of our “Sailing Directory” by our friend Hiroshi.  Each time we will cover a specific subject or geographical area of Sardinia. Let’s talk about marinas in south Sardinia.

“I normally sail with a monohull with 2 mt draft, so some information may not be suitable to those who have a deeper boat, but it will be ok if you are the lucky owner of a catamaran.

There are 9 accessible marinas from S.Pietro Island (SW) to Porto Corallo (SE) that I briefly want tell you about.

-Porto di Carloforte
It is a pretty big harbour that assures the connection between Sardinia main island and the small island of S.Pietro, of which Carloforte is the only town.
Inside the harbour there are different pontoons, managed by different companies. Restrooms and showers are quite poor though.
It is a must to visit Carloforte, so do plan at least a night stop in this marina and be prepared to some water movement during the night. This is due to the ferries’ traffic. If you can, try to avoid the very busy month of August.

-Marina di Calasetta
It is a good  and cheaper alternative to Carloforte. You will not suffer any traffic related water movement during the night as ferries do not come close to it. The marina is also smaller and you will find a really friendly atmosphere together with clean and big restrooms with showers. Nearby the marina’s office there is a cheap but excellent restaurant where you can have a nice dinner. You can still reach Carloforte in only 15 minutes by ferry.

-Porto di Teulada
A very big marina but almost nothing around it. The staff are very helpful and normally will assist you with anything you may need. Facilities are pretty poor though and there is no gas station! If you need diesel ask the guy at the marina and he will kindly get it for you the day after. I normally tip him for this service.
Nearby the marina (5minutes walk) there is a camp site with a bar – pizzeria and a small shop similar to an off license where you can get some food and groceries.
If you wish to have a meal inland, you will be pleased to know that some restaurants offer transfers from and to the marina for dinner…so you can drink all the mirto you want!
-Marina del Sole
Sailing East, the first decent marina is in Cagliari. Do skip the previous ones as they are not deep enough.The Marina del Sole is inside Cagliari’s harbour and it is the cheapest one. Don’t expect any cool facility, there is just a restroom and a shower but if your boat needs some fixing, they can deal with it. There are many English and Germans that permanently live in Cagliari so you may meet some old friends
It is also close to Cagliari therefore if you have a bike you can enjoy our main city.

-Marina di S.Elmo
It is very close to the Marina del Sole so you could mistake them.
This one is much more expensive though and offers better facilities such as washing machines and bigger (but not too much) showers. As the previous marina, it is close to the city.

-Marina Piccola
A small marina and one of the favorite places for a night walk in the city during the summer season.
You may want to pick this as you can easily anchor outside the harbour in really clean waters and have a good swim. It is served by restaurants, a good sandy beach and excellent ice creams bars.
Unfortunately the restrooms and showers are not at the same standard.
Pay attention at your draft, the entrance is about 1.90 – 2.00 mt. max

-Marina di Capitana
Without any doubt, the nicest marina in the area. It offers many facilities including a restaurant, a hotel with wellness and clean showers. Unfortunately there is not any village or town nearby so your nightlife will simply consist in a having a beer at the marina’s bar.

-Marina di Villasimius
It’s a big and well served one located inside the protected area of Villasimius. You will find good facilities but if you want to have a shower you will have to get a coin at the Marina’s office.
Extremely busy in July (week-ends) and August (everyday) you will have to reach the marina not later than 5.30 pm if you want to be sure to get a place.
A small tip: if there is not wind during the night and you want to use your anchor, there is a safe and wonderful anchorage point right in front of the port main entrance (2.50 mt draft max), where you can stay ’till 8.30 am when the police will ask you to move away.

-Porto Corallo
Go there just if you have no other choice as there is nothing around. Facilities are really poor and it makes sense to stop only if you need a break during your trip.”

Hiroshi

Thanks Hiroshi for all this info!! – Manu

The Costa Verde, is on the south-east side of Sardinia. My favorite place here is Piscinas, located at about 25 KM from Arbus. What it is so special about it are the huge dunes of unbelievable thin amber sand that dominate this side of the coast, together with the usual stunning crystal waters of the sea. It is such a powerful and spectacular view that made Piscinas one of the Unesco world heritage sites. It is not so easy to get here (do not worry, we will give you directions!) which means no crowds (yes!) but also not bars or toilets..

This area of Sardinia used to be full of mines, then dismissed, which have being turned into fascinating geo-mineral parks open to visitors in recent times. If you visit Montevecchio, you will have the chance to explore the mines galleries and some of the historic villas that were built by the owners of the mines. Montevecchio is surrunded by woods and if you love trekking you may be lucky and see a some of the beautiful Sardinian deers or wild boars!

Other interesting places to visit are Ingortosu (ex miners village), Fluminimaggiore; Gonnosfanadiga (archeaology) and Guspini. There are many activities that you can take in the Costa Verde: trekking, horse riding, snorkeling, diving, excursions by Quad..and apparently you can take a tour on carriages pulled by donkeys (never tried this last one but let us know if you do!!).

If you want to spend some days in Arbus try clicking on our Hotel category on the right or look at our villas in the area like the The Danish Villa….

Enjoy!

Manuela

PS. Be aware that there are two places called Picinas in Sardinia!

As usual, at the end of this post some useful info and a link for driving directions, but now I would like to begin from the end of the story: at the end of our sailing weekend, my sister and her boyfriend, who is an experienced sailorman, asked me if everything was all right, it didn’t look like I had fun. The truth is that I was speechless and a bit sad that the amazing experience was over. Thanks again guys, I really did have fun!

Now then.. we started from Cagliari and drove for one and a half hours to Portovesme where we met a third couple and caught a ferry to Carloforte, a small town in the island of San Pietro, 45 minutes from Sardinia. We also board our car and the trip was quite comfortable. On arrival, we unloaded the car and parked it nearby the harbour, easy peasy! Man that boat was something…

It was already quite late so we had a pizza and few beers on the boat and went to sleep.
The morning after the real fun started, we sailed for most of the morning and the views of Carloforte and Sardinia’s south west coast were just there, like a precious frame for a priceless painting, my sea. We stopped just on a side of Pan di Zucchero, a stunning huge surfacing rock in front of the Masua bay, and stayed there swimming and diving and snorkeling and …. I think you got it.

After lunch, we pointed towards a small bay in S. Peter island, very slowly this time because apparently we took a dangerous way were rocks are there just for you to hit them! It didn’t matter the longer you could enjoy those views, the better. In the bay we dropped the anchor and prepared to have dinner. Guys we actually cooked on the boat. Pasta with shellfish, white wine (Vermentino) and everything. Then the night..stars, moon, chats with friends, finishing the bottle, Manuela very close and staying silent… no word is enough.

In the early morning, we reached the beach with a small rubber dinghy. Nobody there, just desert. We had breakfast there. When people started to arrive we paddled back to our boat. Later some more friends arrived (two of them swimming their lungs out!!) and we spent the rest of the day having fun. In the evening we went back to Carloforte and returned the boat where we hired it.

Having the opportunity, the time and somebody that has got a license ..sailing is an experience I want to repeat.

Luca

Useful info:

At the end it was not so expensive, if I don’t remember wrong, we spent more or less 150 € each for the whole weekend (plus food).

Cooking in a boat is good fun at night, but bring plenty of easy stuff to make sandwiches, and fruits and drinks.

Suncream protection, when you are on a boat there is not escape from the sun, and from 12 to 4pm in Sardinia you can burn.

Take your snorkeling equipment, is real fun there’s another world down there.

Take some time to visit the village, Carloforte has a very peculiar history (may be in another post!)

and here are your directions!

Turistic Harbour in Cagliari, Marina Piccola is the ideal place to arrive in the city if you are sailing in Sardinia or the Mediterranean Sea.

The harbour has always being used as a glamorous place where to have a coffee or a drink after dinner, you can find people from Cagliari just having a walk waiting to head to clubs or discos at the week end or just there for some fresh air after the hot day.

During the summer an outdoor cinema shows the latest movies and you can find many ice cream or drinks kiosks. Bars and restaurants are nearby.

If you are driving there, remember that despite a large car park it can get very busy at night in July and August.

To see how to get there and harbour info click on the title of this post.

Directions:

From Piazza Matteotti (main train station) take via Roma (south east), straight to Viale Armando Diaz and keep going. You will see on your right the Fiera Campionaria Exibition center, is a large road with trees on both sides and middle.
When at a traffic lite with a stadium in front of you (slightly left) keep following the road, will bring you at two traffic lights, soon after the second there’s a roundabout stay on the right lane and go straight. You will enter a smaller road, take first right and you are in the car park.

Here’s a Map

From the official local government website:

Address: viale Marina Piccola – 09100 Cagliari
tel.: +39 070 605 1940
fax: +39 070 371485
Radio frequency: VHF Channel 74
Management: Motomar Sarda

- N. moorings available: 280
- Min/max mooring length: 04.00 mt to 3 mt
- Maximum draught: 2,40 mt
- Power supply: 16 Ah; 32 Ah; 220 V; 380 V
- Water
- Weather forecast
- Ordinary waste; Special waste (oil, filters, batteries)
- Minimum booking period: 20 days
- Latest booking accepted: 20 days
- Summer transit availability (Information available from): Port Authorities Office
- Fixed crane: 20+04 T
- Watchman
- Assistance:: Summer-Winter: from 00 to 24.00
- Showers
- Toilets and washrooms
- Assistance: mechanical, electrical, electronic, ship builders
- Fuel: summer: from 8.00 to 19.00; winter: from 9.00 to 18.00
- Tel.: (0039) 070 373 802
- Airport: Cagliari (15 km)