Description

Introduction

Mountains of oaks, holm oak woods, perched villages and narrow streets dotted with Mediterranean vegetation run in front of the window. You can enjoy them comfortably seated in an old-fashioned wagon, some carriages still have the original wooden seats. You just have to get on one of these historic trains to discover Sardinia slowly, along some of these breathtaking itineraries by train.
To complete the trip there will certainly be parts related to the history of Sardinia. We will see nuraghi, villages, Roman baths, breathtaking landscapes with the beautiful sea of Sardinia and savor the local products cooked wisely under a forest of oaks by Sardinian shepherds.

Day 1 – Meals D
Overnight: Olbia / Costa Smeralda

Once landed in Olbia Airport, meeting with the guide and transfer to the Hotel in Olbia region.
Dinner and overnight.

Day 2 – Meals B, D
Highlights: Maddalena & Caprera Island, Garibaldi Museum, Porto Cervo
Overnight: Olbia / Costa Smeralda

Morning: After breakfast, we reach Palau and board on the ferry boat to La Maddalena, the island heart of the National Park. We enjoy a tour of the island with its wonderful and unspoilt beaches and the panoramas on the sea facing French Corsica. US Navy had an important base in La Maddalena for 50 years! Later on, visit of the island of Caprera, the last retreat of Giuseppe Garibaldi, father of the Italian independence. Lunch free in the narrow street of the town.
Afternoon: is time for us to return to Sardinia mainland. We discover the Emerald Coast with Porto Cervo, summer capital of luxury and International Jet Set! There will be time for us to walk in the Porto Cervo Marina, with its villas and hotels, beautiful masterpieces of modern Architecture. Even James Bond participated to his actions in this corner of Luxurious paradise!
Back to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Day 3 – Meals B, L, D
Highlights: Green Train from Arzachena, Tempio, Museum of bandits, Castelsardo.
Overnight: Sassari

Morning: After Breakfast, move to the station of Arzachena Starting to start the journey with the famous green train.
The train will start get a large curve going into the interior of Gallura Region. The landscape changes and It becomes more green for the presence of cork. Reach the Lake Liscia where we will have a stop that allows us to break the journey and appreciate the scenery and the Mediterranean scents. Travel It continues climbing in the mountains of Gallura until we reach the beautiful Station of Tempio Pausania where we will have another stop. Move to Aggius and visit the museum of Bandits. Lunch in restaurant
Afternoon: Departure to Castelsardo for the walking tour of the fortified village; free time for shopping. Back to the bus and transfer to Sassari; check in, dinner and overnight.

Aggius:
Aggius is dominated by an incredibly fascinating landscape of cork-oaks, granite rocks and thick Mediterranean greenery.
Aggius, located in Gallura’s heartland, is a quaint village with fine old houses built of granite stone, among the most outstanding examples of local folk architecture. As one might expect, the village economy is based on granite quarrying and processing; but Aggius also has a thriving tradition of hand-loom carpet making and weaving. Aggius’ choir, which the Italian writer D’Annunzio dubbed Gallura’s cockerel, stands out for its striking sounds on an island of impressive choir singing traditions. In 2005 the village was awarded the Orange Flag by the Italian Touring Club for its old town, environmental attractions and smoothly-run tourist services.

Day 4 – Meals B, D
Highlights: Free time, Alghero
Overnight: Sassari

Morning: Time for a nice walk in the historical city centre of Sassari for shopping or relax in a cafè . Lunch free.
Afternoon: In the early afternoon visit of Alghero town.
Once finish the tour of Alghero, back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Alghero:
Alghero is a beautiful city on the North-West coast of Sardinia, one of its most attractive holiday resorts. Renown as the little Barcelona, it’s a top touristic destination, calling in visitors from all over the world.Alghero is situated in the Coral Riviera, so called for the abundance in its water of red coral, one of the most refined quality of the whole Mediterranean. The coral industry is indeed a major business for the entire Island, an important source of culture and money.
Alghero’s old town is a real gem. To discover it, wander around the ancient palaces from the Aragonese era, the fortified walls and towers. There are plenty of local restaurants lost around these tiny little streets liven up by the many clubs and pubs that juice up the movida of the tourists. Alghero is worth a visit even just for some shopping. The centre is populated by many boutiques and one among all is the shop of Antonio Marras. The first to colonize the city were the Genoese that built the fortified port. Then, from the beginning of the XIV century for about 400 years the Catalans ruled the city. Afterwards, Alghero and Sardinia had been handed over to the Kingdom of Sardinia. But even after the Aragone era, Alghero kept using the Catalan language and for this reason is also renown as Barceloneta. As a matter of fact, the Alghero dialect is a declination of the Catalan (Algherese Catalan), revisited and adapted due to the influences of the Sardinian language first and the Italian then. The defensive Towers that surround the old town: (Torre di Porta Terra, Torre di San Giovanni, Torre di Sulis, Torre di San Giacomo, Torre della Polveriera, Torre di Sant’Elmo, Torre di Garibaldi). The Ramparts (bastioni): fortified walls that used to protect the city from attacks via water, built under the Catalan-Aragonese domination. In honour to great explorers and navigators
Sulis square: a very busy square that, due to the many clubs, it’s the meeting point for locals and tourists. At the heart of the square there is a very old watching tower. Plàia Civica: A medieval square where to admire the famous Duke of Abis palace.
S.Maria Cathedral: the Cathedral dates back to the XVI century. Built in Catalan-Gothic style, with subsequent additions during the Renaissance, it encloses a sepulchral monument to Maurizio Savoia and a late Baroque altar from the Sabaudo age.

Day 5 Meals B, L, D
Highlights: Bosa, Green Train from Bosa
Overnight: Oristano

Morning: After breakfast, transfer to Bosa, known for its castle of the Malaspina family and for the colorful facades too. Walking tour of this fascinating town of Bosa and lunch in town.
Afternoon: Starting from Bosa Marina the train will get a large curve where we can admire the panorama of the coast. Slowly the landscape will change and you will start to see the hills of the winery of Malvasia and grazy land. (Optional: Stop in Tresnuraghes village for a tasting of Malvasia)
Move to Oristano, dinner and overnight in hotel.

Bosa:
The city tour lets you explore the historic center with the possibility of access to the monuments. Our guide will accompany you to discover the ancient treasures of the city, immersed in a rich history that has its origins from the Phoenicians until the Middle Ages with the mighty structure of the Malaspina Castle. Meeting at Piazzale Nasiriyah and start the tour of the town. Visit to the Cathedral dedicated to Mary Immaculate, where you can admire the paintings by Emilio Scherer and other important works of art; Walk along the Corso Vittorio Emanuele ( “Sa Piatta”), between the beautiful palaces of the nineteenth century; Medieval route in the picturesque area of ​​Sa Costa, characterized by typical houses perched along the hill of Serravalle.
Optional excursions in Bosa:
-The ancient castle of the Malaspina and the palace chapel, where are kept the most important medieval frescoes of the island;
-Entrance and guided tour in the ancient Cathedral of St. Peter extramuros, in one of the oldest Romanesque churches in Sardinia.
-Visit the ancient tanneries (only external) important example of industrial archeology.
-The Museum of Conce, The Museo Casa Deriu and the Municipal Art Gallery.
-The Ethnographic Museum Stara.
-Craftsmanship of the filigree of Bosa.

Day 6 – Meals B, L, D
Highlights: Tharros, Oristano
Overnight: Oristano

Morning: After breakfast we head to Tharros: a phoenician port of VIII century B.C. Situated in a strategic position repaired from all kinds of wind because of being a peninsula. Tharros was very important for the traffic between East and West Mediterranean areas. Many Egyptian scarabs were found in Tharros and that mistery is more interesting knowing that it could be the Tartessos mentioned in the Bible that is currently sought in Spain without results. Lunch in local restaurant
Afternoon: back to Oristano and visit of the town: situated on the west coast perfectly balanced in the centre of Sardinia. It has been the capital of the Giudicato di Arborea, a sort of independent kingdom, unique case in many centuries of Sardinia’s colonisation. The historic centre is little and very well mainteined since medieval epoque. Marshes and ponds full of fish, like Cabras and Santa Giusta (the ancient Othoca) caracterize its environment and food.
Back to the hotel, dinner and overnight.

Day 7 – Meals B, D
Highlights: Fordongianus Thermae, Laconi, Green Train from Laconi.
Overnight: Cagliari

Morning: Breakfast in hotel and departure to Thermae Fordongianus. Then we move to Laconi; once here, we will start our visit with the natural botanic park of Marquis Ignazio Aymerich, a nobleman of 1830 AC. All around the neoclassical palazzo, which once belonged to the Aymerich family, there is a splendid 22 hectare park created in 1830 by the marquis Ignazio Aymerich. The nobleman was a passionate collector of rare botanic species, which he was able to grow here thanks to the abundance of water in the garden. The ruins of the ancient Aymerich Castle and the 500 year Cedar of Lebanon tree are just some of the highlights of a garden filled with springs and waterfalls. Free Lunch in Laconi
Afternoon: be ready to start a new journey with the green train; we board from the station of Laconi and we move toward to Isili passing through a fascinating landscape and the lake of Barrocus. Stop in Isili and visit of the Nuraghe is Paras, a beautiful mono tower Nuraghe with white stones. The Nuraghe is just walking distance from the stop of the train. After the visit, we take the bus and head to Cagliari, the capital of the island. Dinner and overnight in hotel in Cagliari.

Fordongianus:
Almost unknown to the rest of the world, Fordongianus’ claim to fame is its thermal baths, built on the left bank of the River Tirso, an adored destination for in-the-know Italians. From its first inhabitants to the Roman patricians, to the Aragonese conquerors, all occupants have been attracted by the curative properties of its sulfurous waters of 54°C . The thermal baths changed name to Forum Traiani in the first century AD, when Roman Emperor Marco Ulpio Traiano raised the village’s juridical status to Forum (center of commerce) because of its economic and military importance. Both under the Phoenicians and the Romans, the area where thermal waters spring didn’t only serve for curative purposes but was also the meeting point for worship rituals, as shown by the several prayers carved in stones in honour of the Nymphs, Greek water divinities protecting Aquae Ypsitanae, and of Aesculapius, Greek god of the medicine. The baths were connected through archways with gardens where guests indulged in sports and other hobbies just outside the complex, in the wide areas known as hospitium, macellum and tabernae. Romans used to spend a big part of the day swanning around, and looking after themselves was the patricians’ favorite leisure activity. Townspeople could enjoy a range of different therapies and temperatures by choosing between cold and hot baths, to be taken respectively in the frigidarium and in the calidarium. In Fordongianus the baths still play a major role: the ancient ones are the main touristic attraction and the adjacent state-of-the-art establishment is a busy spa centre that provides treatments and restorative therapies all year long.

Day 8 – Meals B
Highlights: Cagliari

Morning: After breakfast walking tour of Cagliari. In the heart of the city, the main monuments include the ancient Cathedral of Santa Maria and the Basilica of Bonaria.
Transfer to Cagliari Airport., end of our services.

Cagliari:
The town, overlooking the Golfo degli Angeli, is an ancient city founded by Phoenician traders. Long the heart of Sardinia’s political, economic, tourist and cultural life, it spreads across seven hills: Castello, Colle San Michele, Colle di Bonaria, Monte Urpinu, Monte Claro, Tuvu Mannu and Tuvixeddu. The city, which has preserved soaring towers and sections of the massive curtain walls which once encircled its medieval Castello district, has the largest and most important Phoenician necropolis in the Mediterranean, whose finds are on show both at the city’s Archaeological Museum and at the British Museum in London. The Botanical Garden, a green oasis in the heart of the old city, has a wide variety of tropical and Mediterranean plants. Cagliari is also a birdwatcher’s dreamland, thanks to its huge wetland areas of Santa Gilla and Molentargius, protected by the EU and the Ramsar Convention, with a rich and diverse wildlife, dominated by large colonies of pink flamingos.
The city’s – and the whole island’s – main festival and historical pageant is the Festival of Sant’Efisio, Cagliari’s patron saint, held on 1 May. The long colourful procession, with groups in precious traditional costumes from all over Sardinia, on foot, decked carts and horseback, slowly winds through the city centre, accompanying the horse-drawn coach bearing the Saint’s statue. The Saint then proceeds out of town to the small church of Nora, where he was martyred, thus honouring every year a vow made by the Cagliaritani during the plague that struck the city in the 17th century. The festival ends on 4 May, when the Saint returns to Cagliari.

What is included ?
– Accomodation In Hotel 3/4 Stars With Dinner Included (beverage Excluded)
– Lunch On Day 3, 5 And 6 (beverage Excluded)
– Bus And Driver At Disposal As Per Itinerary
– Accomodation And Meals For Driver And Guide
– Guide available in several languages
– 1 Free TL In Double Room With Minimum 25 Paying Pax
– Little Green Train In Exclusive Use, As Specify In The Program On Day 3, 5 And 7
– Ticket To/From La Maddalena Island For each Pax
– Ticket To/From La Maddalena Island For The Bus

What Is Not Included?
– Entrance Fee, Tips, Local Taxes, Porterage, Beverage, Insurance, Flights, All The Things Not Mentioned In “What Is Included”