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It rings out from the mountains of Barbagia to the Buttes of Ogliastra, from the plateau of Marghine and of Planargia to the valleys of Montiferru, from the granite landscapes of Gallura to the hills of Logudoro. The canto a tenore is the transposition of the agro-pastoral world into sound, in symbiosis with nature and its many voices imitated by su tenore. Its origins are mysterious, poorly documented and certainly very ancient. The subjects range from bucolic and amorous poetry to social and topical issues, always maintaining unchanging characteristics: four voices, standing in a circle, united by the desire to share the passion for the deepest traditions.

The snorting of steeds and stomping of hooves, the clanging of harnesses and roll of drums, the excited chatter of the audience: it’s a show rife with unforgettable emotions. Sa Sartiglia is an equestrian joust whose roots are set deep in ancient pagan rites of fertility and prosperity, it is the most anticipated yearly event in Oristano, a city that has made its mark on Sardinian history since the times of the Giudicato. More than a hundred masked horsemen elegantly clad in period Sardinian-Spanish dress gallop at full speed on horses fitted with decorative harnesses to the dramatic and insistent beating of drums. The aim of the “race for the stars” is to hook the hanging stars onto one’s sword and it takes place twice: once on Carnival Sunday when the horsemen compete during the gremio dei Contadini, and then again on Mardi Gras, for the gremio dei Falegnami, while Monday’s Sartigliedda is for young people. After the races teams of horses engage in daring exhibitions, and then the Carnival partying continues on the town squares into the wee hours. Almond sweets and delicious local vernaccia wine are enjoyed by all.

A land of natural monuments and dreamy seas, with one-of-a-kind excursions, like the Selvaggio Blu (Wild Blue) trekking route that touches the marvellous Goloritzè and Mariolu, or those that offer the spectacular canyon of Gorropu, the deepest in Europe, the entire route of which is accessible internally, from the Supramonte of Urzulei to that of Orgosolo. Then there are the trails for bikers and hikers, along the ridges of the jurassic Buttes and the valleys with ghost villages. Places out of the ordinary and inhabited by people known for their longevity, including centenarians, who are more numerous and in good health here than elsewhere.

Each has its own preparation ritual, with meticulous and codified gestures, always the same, handed down from mother to daughter. The traditional pastas, both dry and fresh, are a bond between everyday life and celebrations. They are ever-present in moments to be remembered and are daily protagonists at the table, at home, in restaurants and in holiday farms. Their origin has been lost over time: wheat seeds have even been found even in the nuraghi, so it is no coincidence that Sardinia became the ‘granary of Rome’. The tradition has been cultivated (literally) up until the present day, generating a unique and solemn mixture of art, conviviality and taste.

The silent poetry of Sardinian stones speaks in their works, from the prehistoric stones the nuraghi, the domus de Janas, the Tombs of Giants and the holy springs to those of the ancient rocks, witnesses of timeless geological eras and powerful cataclysms. It didn’t take much for Costantino Nivola and Pinuccio Sciola to capture the soul of their Land and the cosmic and material energy imprisoned within it. They have revealed all this in their sculptural works, with extraordinary sensitivity and an ability to summarise cubist, surrealist and primitive artistic tendencies.

You can reach the most secret and isolated stretches of coast on a sailing boat, as well as hidden coves to be discovered amid the fjords, enchanting reefs and cliffs, to admire while zigzagging coast to coast, not to mention little archipelago groups surrounded by underwater life to explore by snorkelling, sand dunes and Caribbean beaches that can be reached by swimming or by canoe. Days on a sailing boat are spent between strips of Eden, memorable settings for unforgettable sunsets. It is a green, sensory, exciting and fantastic way to experience the Sardinian sea, chosen by boaters as a paradise of beauty, where boredom is banned.

Once upon a time, there was no important moment in life or in the changing cycle of the seasons that was not accompanied by and celebrated with music. A profound bond, one with the sacred and profane aspects of everyday life that has changed but still continues today, on special occasions, when the sound of musical instruments, symbols of each community’s traditions, can be heard. The occasions are patron saint celebrations, events linked to local identity and big festivals, from the celebration of Sant’Efisio in Cagliari to the Cavalcata Sarda (Sardinian Cavalcade) in Sassari, as well as the festival of the Redeemer in Nuoro and during the rituals of Holy Week in numerous Sardinian towns.

Wearing hiking shoes or riding a bike, with binoculars and smartphone always at hand. ...and, of course, a lot of curiosity for exploring nature. This is what you need if you want to dive into an ‘aquatic’ world very close to the sea, yet distant in terms of characteristics and ways of experiencing it: these are the wetland, marshy areas of Sardinia, ecosystems populated by often rare examples of plant and animal life, where a delicate balance reigns between man and the environment. Ideal destinations for relaxing walks, especially with the warm colours of sunrise or sunset. The sea is sometimes only separated from a pond by a strip of sand, like at Villasimius, in the protected marine area of Capo Carbonara: behind the pure white beach of Porto Giunco you will find the Pond of Notteri, with its blue waters coloured by the pink of its famous inhabitants, the flamingos.

With its cliffs overlooking the sea, this is the ideal itinerary for morocyclists: a journey through the wonders of nature with nuraghi (ancient Sardinian buildings) and secret coves. Loved above all by solitary travellers, Sardinia is the most popular destination among bikers, because of the emotion that many of the spectacular, winding coastal and hillside roads arouse, making them suited to even the boldest of motorcyclists. The coastal stretch that leads from Bosa to Alghero is a perfect example of this.

They never fail to turn up and arrive on the shore, regularly and well inflated. In Sardinia, good ‘surfing’ waves appear almost everywhere. The stars of surfing have discovered this too, in their search for nearby places for training when preparing for various international challenges. However, the ‘rumours’ spread above all among the army of non-competitive enthusiasts looking purely for fun. Most of them know the beaches reached by the best waves and they move from one side of the island to the other to await them and ride them, almost as if they were in exotic places, classic surfing havens. What’s more... you can surf without a wetsuit in Sardinia until late autumn!