There’s never a bad time to visit Sardinia, but in this travel info post Italian blogger Italo Rizzo makes a case for calling by during Easter, when the weather is also perfect for outdoor activities….

Sardinia is an island of charming contrasts: centuries-old traditions, a unique natural heritage (clean beaches, rocky mountains, deep bays, stunning valleys and big parks), many luxury accommodations and a lot of tourist-related activities.

The best way to visit this region is to combine culture, sport and gastronomy in a customized travel itinerary: the following is a route suitable for people who have never visited Sardinia before.

Active holidays in Sardinia: let’s go rock climbing

In recent years the number of people who like to stay active on holiday has increased, an interesting trend to note.

Sardinia is ideal for many sporting activities, due to its geological structure: free climbing is one of the most exciting activities to do on holiday, of course with the help of skilled instructors.

The first strong point of this destination is its mild climate, so you can enjoy climbing all the year round.

The second strong point is the abundance of cliffs and irregular limestone walls, a great benefit if you want to discover different climbing routes.

Cala Gonone is one of my favourite places where to go climbing, because here there are a lot of easy and well-equipped cliffs, a good choice if you are a beginner like me. Furthermore, Cala Gonone is popular for the cleanliness of its waters, its ancient origins (the area was inhabited in the Nuragic Era, the distinctive culture of the island) and its incomparable landscape (the area is included in Gennargentu National Park).

Scuba Diving to discover underwater wonders

Spending a holiday in Sardinia is a recommended experience, especially if you are a scuba diver.

The underwater scenes make for an amazing show: you’ll see ancient wrecks and archaeological finds enclosed by the natural environment, home of many kinds of fish. If you are a first time diver you will find scuba diving centres that offer lessons for beginners. If however the thought of going underwater is somewhat intimidating you could rent snorkelling equipment instead – you will still see plenty of marine life!

Don’t wait until summer; springtime could be a nice period to start an sea journey!

Holy Week rituals in Sardinia

In Sardinia the Easter period is an occasion to celebrate ancient rituals with religious ceremonies which are very different from the rest of Italy.

Here the ancient symbolism is an essential ingredient of the celebrations and each town has its own Easter parade. One of the most original and captivating rituals is in Castelsardo, a village in the northwest of the island, where the most important celebration takes place on Easter Monday (called Lunissanti).

The members of Santa Croce Confraternity meet at Santa Maria Church at 7:00 am, before dawn, and then begin a long procession which lasts the whole day. I was amazed by the religious chant performed by the members of the Confraternity, who carry a human skull on a tray in the procession!

At night Castelsardo is illuminated only by torch-light, an experience that merits a visit during Easter.

Typical Sardinian sweets in Easter

Besides the tantalizing local dishes and wines, I suggest eating the typical Easter sweet, s’angulia, decorated bread made with eggs.

Bread is the most important food in Sardinia and the egg is a symbol for rebirth; the others typical pastries are ardule, pabassine, mustazzoli, amaretti, torrone and casadine. The decorations, added on bread using two special small tools, allow for creating unique works of art, just as the craftsmen working wood or leather.

Tasting the local specialities is an inseparable part of your travels in Sardinia.

This guide was written with the collaboration of Resort Le Dune staff: this hotel with Spa is located in Northern Sardinia at Marina di Badesi, between the centuries-old juniper trees and sand dunes, overlooking the Sardinian Sea.

Take advantage of Easter vacations to explore the natural beauties of this island!