If you wander off the beaten path, Sardinia is not all beautiful rocky coves and turquoise water. It also has a history that would make Game of Thrones fans shudder. We were intrigued, after reading about the tumultuous history of the island, that the one-time naval power Pisa (yes, of Leaning Tower fame) ruled the north of the island for hundreds of years. And during that time way back - in fact in the 1100s - they built a series of seven quaint Romanesque churches - the lar

Beautiful blue-green water can be found all around the island of Sardinia. In the 1960s, the Aga Khan made the Costa Smeralda (emerald coast) the playground of the rich and famous by developing land around his favorite beach (Spiaggia del Principe). We came to the city of Palau on the northern coast to see for ourselves what the fuss was about, and we weren’t disappointed. Although the Aga Khan developed his yacht club at Porto Cervo (one of the wealthiest towns in the world)

The Hotel Costa Paradiso features colors reminiscent of the American Southwest. The 10-minute walk to the local beach was spectacular. The hotel has a large saltwater pool. The terrain reminded us of Thunder Mountain Railroad at Disney World. An extensive selection of delicious breakfast foods is included in the price. The view from our terrace Pizza was a popular lunch or dinner choice at only 7 euros. Li Cossi was our local beach and there was no charge. We found that the p

You can cross the strait from Sardinia to Corsica at Santa Teresa Gallura. The city is more a resort town than you would imagine a port city could ever be. The town beach, Rena Bianca, is beautiful. With sparkling clear water and soft sand, it far exceeded our expectations. We stayed at the Grand Hotel Corallaro for one night and found that its beachside location and excellent service were perfect. We arrived at 10 a.m. expecting to leave our suitcases until 3 p.m. check in,

We had heard that Alghero on Sardinia's northwest coast was unusual because many people still speak Catalan, the language of Barcelona and the surrounding region of Spain. The Catalans had been a major seafaring power and had an outpost in this part of Italy in the Middle Ages. Even though they departed hundreds of years ago, they have left their language in Alghero as well as architectural influences and cuisine. It was easy to forget while strolling the off the beaten path

The ramparts of the Malaspina Castle can be seen from any spot in Bosa. Most Americans haven't heard of Bosa in Sardinia yet. If you've been wanting to go to Positano but have been scared off by the prices, you can still find your dream beach vacation in Italy. We stayed in the Palazzo Sa Pischeda, the highest-priced hotel we could find in town and were amazed by how inexpensive it was. This is the view from our private terrace. The large terrace was an unexpected bonus. The

We weren't thinking of great archaeological sites when we started this trip, but we've already been surprised by massive Nuraghe ruins in Barumini and learned from our fellow travelers at the Testone Agriturismo about an intriguing temple in a nearby valley. Although somewhat off the beaten path, the "Su Tempiesu" site was highly recommended so we decided to give it a try. The unpaved road enroute to the water temple, Su Tempiesu, is a bit of a challenge. The water temple we

We decided to stop at another agriturismo on our way from the east to west coast of Sardinia. A two-night stay at Testone  Agriturismo certainly took us off the beaten path and we had the good fortune of sampling what is said to be Italy's rarest and most endangered pasta, the filindeu or threads of God. It was traditionally made for pilgrims traveling the 33 kilometers from nearby Nuoro to the village of Lula for the Feast of San Francesco every October. The tradition goes b

Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are in Sardinia and are far enough off the beaten path that lucky travelers will find them still pristine and not crowded. The marina in Santa Maria Navarrese is the starting point for all day excursions along the coast of Baunei  through the Gulf of Orosei. Several different companies offer trips. This time we chose the aptly named Fuori Rotta (off the route or off the beaten path). The company operates two small motor yachts t

We have arrived at one of our favorite Sardinian beach towns, Santa Maria Navarrese. The laid back village has a state-of-the-art yacht harbor and an endless town beach dotted with restaurants built into the pines. The combination of forest scents with the cooling sea breeze is perfect for relaxing at the end of one of Sardinia's hottest summers ever. We are staying at the Nascar Hotel which has nothing to do with American NASCAR. The hotel owner explained that nascar is an o

We are in Sardinia where we've spent the day exploring the largest stone ruins we've seen outside of Peru. Su Nuraxi di Barumini is one of the largest of Sardinia's archeological digs dating back to the 14th century BC. The intricate stone work and narrow passageways are very reminiscent of the much later Incan remains at Machu Picchu in Peru. The Sardinian site can be visited only with a tour guide and we had the good fortune of  having only two other people in the English