Sardinia around the corner: 3 itineraries starting from Birkin Hotels

Cagliari, in addition to its historical, scenic and cultural charm, has a special feature for those who choose to stay there: its strategic location!

Located in the southern part of the island, it is the best solution for those who choose to visit Sardinia but have little time available. As the regional capital, there are numerous sea, land and sky connections, allowing tourists to arrive in any way and in any season of the year. FromCagliari-Elmas airport, which connects the city to the rest of Europe, to ferries to and from Italy, to road connections from north to south, Cagliari becomes the ideal crossroads for those who choose to discover the island on the move.

From here, we like to think that our City always has Sardinia around the corner, with its thousand facets: the more romantic and traditional, the adventurous and dynamic, to the more glamorous and refined. A meeting point and arrival point to discover, at every turn, the true essence of this island. 

It is for this reason, then, that we feel fortunate to have our Birkin Collection located in some of the most exclusive locations in the City: from them it is in fact possible to reach many other places on the Island in a short time, taking advantage of their strategic position and internal connections.

So we thought:

Why not propose to our readers 3 itineraries inspired by our Birkin structures? Places easily accessible from Cagliari, with short or medium distance travel, that in some way recall the style, soul and nature of each structure. Let's get started!

1. Birkin Marina: a sea-view excursion in Sinis

Just as our Birkin Marina overlooks the sea at Cagliari, its itinerary also had to be 'sea view'. That's why we chose the Oristanese as our route, with Cabras, San Giovanni di Sinis and the Is Arutas beach, which is beautiful even out of season.

From Birkin Marina it is 107 km to the first stage: Cabras. An hour and a bit more by car, along the SS 131, will allow you to reach one of the most evocative places in Sardinia, where important fragments of the history of the Sardinian people are preserved. In fact, among many other things, it is the place where the complex of the Giants of Mont'e Prama emerged, the sandstone giants now exhibited partly at the Civic archaeological museum and partly in Cagliari.

Continuing along the SP6 road, it takes about 15 minutes to reach San Giovanni di Sinis and the town.Archaeological Area of Tharrosfounded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century B.C. as a flourishing commercial centre, then a Roman and Byzantine town, the first capital of the Judicial period, frequented until the Middle Ages, today well preserved and open to visits all year round.

Turning back onto the SP6, until you reach the characteristic western village of San Salvatore, you continue on to the unique beach of Is Arutas: the beach of rice grains. This is the jewel of the Cabras area and the Sinis Peninsula, often at the top of international rankings and considered among the most beautiful beaches in the world. Here, before taking the car back to Cagliari, a good dish of spaghetti with clams and local bottarga ( fish eggs) is a must.

2. Birkin Castello: as romantic and traditional as Barbagia

How far is our Birkin Castle from the heart of Sardinia? 2 hours by car and about 170 km. A fairly quick journey to the area at the foot of the Gennargentu, rich in villages and age-old traditions, rediscovered in recent years thanks to the events of Autumn in Barbagia.

Autumn is the best season to discover this area, but as it is too wide, we recommend the following itinerary: Gavoi, Fonni, Desulo and Artizo.

Arriving from the SS131, after taking the Ottana junction, the first stop is Gavoiat the foot of the Gennargentu, is the "jewel" village built entirely of granite and overlooking Lake Gusana. As well as being beautiful, the food in Gavoi is excellent: it is the home of the Fiore Sardo (Sardinian flower) and you can also visit the museum dedicated to it.

Continuing on the SS128, in about 15 minutes, you reach Fonni, the mountain village par excellence in Sardinia. Surrounded by the Gennargentu woods, the fresh autumn air welcomes you to the main square, full of murals, where you can enjoy an aperitif and buy the famous Fonni biscuits. Of course, Fonni is famous for its colder season of snow and ski slopes, but in autumn you will discover unique colours and scents.

Not to be missed, continuing along the SP7 in the direction of Desulo, is a visit to the Donnortei Park where a beautiful nature trail is organised to discover the local wildlife, with lunch at the Agriturismo.

The third stop is Desulo, which can be reached from Fonni after a few kilometres of bends, immersed in an evocative, almost Nordic landscape, among holm oaks, chestnut groves and wild animals, where you can stop to pick some chestnuts. Once in the village, you can wander through the lanes of the historic quarters, among the shale houses and murals, perhaps savouring the traditional local cold cuts.

The last stop before returning to Cagliari, passing through the small village of Belvì, is Aritzo, the village of chestnuts, perfect to visit in this season. Not to be missed is the ethnographic museum of the Sardinian mountains, which reconstructs the agro-pastoral culture of the Barbagia region through a wealth of traditional clothing, masks, craft and cooking tools.

3. Birkin Porto: as authentic and sophisticated as Alghero

From Birkin Porto 1870 there are 249 km to cover to get to the city of Alghero. A 2 hour 45 minute journey, which is well worth the effort.

Like our Birkin Porto, overlooking the Gulf of Cagliari, Alghero opens out onto the sea, with its ramparts, red roofs and splendid natural inlets. An island within an island, it differs from the other Sardinian towns because of its strong link with Catalonia, recognisable almost everywhere: from the architectural and town-planning details, to the language of its inhabitants, to the signs of its churches and its oldest buildings.

Once in town, don't miss a visit to the historic centre and a walk along the ramparts overlooking the sea, theCapo Caccia - Isola Piana marine area, where hundreds of treasures are kept, including Neptune's cave, the Porto Conte Park and the many beaches, which are beautiful even out of season.

We hope you have enjoyed our combinations, transformed into itineraries, and that they will allow you to get to know the island from a new angle, starting from our Birkin Hotels. Keep reading and following us to discover new ones, for all tastes and all seasons, on the blog and on our social networks.