Sardinian Paradise An Island of Unique Beauty

Cagliari • Tharros • Oristano • Bosa • Alghero • Castelsardo • Baia Sardinia • La Maddalena • Caprera • Oliena • Ispinigoli • Orgosolo • Barumini • Villasimius

This holiday includes 10 breakfasts 5 evening meals and 2 lunches

We are delighted to offer the chance to explore this treasure of the Mediterranean, with its wonderful sights and traditions making it still one of the rare paradise spots of the world. As we traverse along some of the most striking and rugged shorelines and penetrate the island’s hinterland with its treasure trove of sights, we uncover the very essence of Sardinia. An island of unparalleled coastal beauty, dazzling mountain ranges and vast, unspoilt tracts of undulating countryside dotted with small towns and village communities, Sardinia has enjoyed an enviable exclusivity as a holiday destination. Writers and artists have eulogised about it, and D.H. Lawrence devoted a whole book, one of his finest and most poetic works, to its seductive charms.DAY 1 LONDON • CAGLIARI
We begin with Titan HiTours VIP Home Departure Service™™ to London Gatwick Airport and your direct British Airways flight to Cagliari. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel, the Regina Margherita in Cagliari.

DAY 2 CAGLIARI
Today, as an introduction to this stunning island, we have included a tour of its capital. Like many of Italy’s great cities, Cagliari has an extensive history, which first dates back to the Phoenicians, and that has been influenced by the Romans, the French and also suffered much damage during the Second World War. Today it is a thriving and attractive Mediterranean town with arcaded streets overlooked by the old city ramparts. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure and you may wish to visit the National Archaeological Museum, which began as King Carlo Felice’s private collection and now houses a fantastic collection of Nuragic artefacts found in settlements across the island, in addition to many other Roman and Christian exhibits.

DAY 3 CAGLIARI • BARUMINI • THARROS • ORISTANO
We begin our journey north early this morning and reach Barumini where a local guide will escort you on a tour of the Su Nuraxi complex of Nuraghi, stone structures unique to Sardinia that were created by an ancient Megalithic civilisation. This particular formation was discovered in 1950 and it represents a fine example of these distinctive constructions. We then drive to the northern promontory of the Gulf of Oristano, where we find the ruins of Tharros, a Carthaginian and Roman port originally built by the Phoenicians in the Middle Ages. We continue by the shores and salt-water lagoons to the ‘Stagno di Cabras’, where fishermen still catch eels, a local speciality. Later, we arrive at the ancient Carthaginian stronghold of Oristano, built on reclaimed marshland and capital of the newest province and centre of Castelsardo Sardinian rice cultivation. Our hotel is the Mistral 2 in Oristano.

DAY 4 ORISTANO • BOSA • ALGHERO
After breakfast, we travel to the Carthaginian town of Bosa, situated on the River Temo and dominated by the ruins of the Castle Serravalle. Bosa is home to the original shawl makers who work at home on their dexterous embroidery. We then continue north and discover the different aspects of this ancient and varied region, travelling by the panoramic coastal road to Alghero and our hotel, the centrally located Catalunya. The remainder of the day is at leisure to enjoy this fascinating historical city with its Gothic Catalan-style cathedral, ancient towers and picturesque lanes. This evening, you are free for dinner, after which, why not do what the Algheresse do – take a stroll and perhaps enjoy the sunset from the Bastion Walls?

DAY 5 ALGHERO • CASTELSARDO • BAIA SARDINIA
Today, we visit the 13th century Aragonese stronghold of Castelsardo, from which an exceptional seascape can be admired. Here, steep, winding streets lead to the defensive towers, before we continue on one of the most scenically contrasted routes from eerily eroded red rocky terrain, forests of cork and oak and gently undulating hills to the coastal plains and the unusual coastline with its rocky inlets and turquoise seas. We arrive, late afternoon, at the famous Costa Smeralda, or Emerald Coast, in the Baia Sardinia area and our hotel for the next two nights, the Grand Hotel Smeraldo Beach or Colonna Hotel, with dinner included this evening.

DAY 6 BAIA SARDINIA • LA MADDALENA • CAPRERA
After a leisurely start, we drive to Palau, from where we take a short ferry ride to La Maddalena, a small island which lies between Sardinia and Corsica, the only one of the seven islands in this archipelago that is inhabited, and which has been an Italian naval base since the late 19th century. On arrival, our coach takes us along the causeway to the neighbouring Isola Caprera, where Guiseppe Garibaldi retired after his successful campaign for the reunification of Italy, and where he died. Travelling along a hilly road and running through pinewood and rocks, we visit the home of Garibaldi in its solitary location. We have time to explore the delightful town of La Maddalena, with its picturesque fishing harbour, before returning to our hotel. This evening, you are free to enjoy the facilities at your hotel or take a stroll through the winding streets of this charming area.

DAY 7 BAIA SARDINIA • OLIENA/OROSEI
This morning there will be time to explore Porto Cervo, yachting mecca of the internationally famous, created in the early 1960s by the Aga Khan. Here the sea shimmers in a variety of shades of aquamarine and the aromatic atmosphere of rosemary, lavender and myrtle fill the air. We continue along the eastern coastal road before arriving at the Su Gologone Hotel, nestling at the foot of the Gennargentu massif or to the Cala Ginepro Hotel in Orosei. Evening dinner is included.

DAY 8 OLIENA/OROSEI • ISPINIGOLI • ORGOSOLO
Today, we enter the dramatic Cave of Ispinigoli, where, after descending down a series of steps, passing many beautiful limestone formations, we reach one of the tallest stalagmites in the world (38m high). Later, we visit the traditional village of Orgosolo in central Sardinia, famous for its nationalistic murals, which decorate the façades of many of the buildings that line the attractive winding cobbled lanes. You will be able to sample the shepherds’ food at an ‘al fresco’ barbeque lunch on the mountain. In Oliena, the women in the family still embroider their own wedding outfits in the customary style, the shepherds’ wives still make fresh cheese and the ‘pane carassau’, a parchment-like bread, which the shepherds take on their long absences in the hills with their flocks. Dinner is included at our hotel this evening.

DAY 9 OLIENA/OROSEI • VILLASIMIUS
After breakfast we journey south through the centre of Sardinia, greeted by rugged landscapes along the way. We stop for lunch at a local restaurant near Barumini and later arrive at our hotel, the Pullman Timi Ama in Villasimius, where dinner is included tonight.

DAY 10 VILLASIMIUS
You are at leisure today to enjoy the fine facilities of your hotel, set in an idyllic location with a backdrop of pine forests and stretches of beautiful white sandy beaches nearby. Alternatively, you may wish to explore Villasimius, traditionally a fishing village, or perhaps take a relaxing boat ride on the clear crystal waters. Tonight, evening dinner is at our hotel. OR EXTEND YOUR STAY - CALL FOR DETAILS

DAY 11 VILLASIMIUS • CAGLIARI • LONDON
After a leisurely breakfast we are transferred to Cagliari airport for your scheduled British Airways direct flight to London Gatwick Airport where our staff will greet you and transfer you to Titan HiTours transport for your journey home to your own front door.Duration 11 days, 10 nights in hotels: 2 Cagliari. 1 Oristano, 1 Alghero, 2 Baia Sardinia area, 2 Oliena or Orosei & 2 Villasimius.

Titan HiTours VIP Home Departure Service™

Check-in service by Titan staff.

Scheduled British Airways direct flights

Services of an experienced Titan HiTours tour manager

First class air-conditioned coaching with experienced drivers

Accommodation as specified in brochure or of a similar standard.

Meals: Breakfast on days 2-11, Lunch on days 3,8, Dinner on days 5, 7-10.

Excursions, tours and entrances as detailed in the itinerary

Hotel porterage (1 bag per person).

All airport taxes, security charges and UK Air Passenger Duty and applicable fuel surcharges.

Celebration offer - Free cake (Valid for 2010 departures only)