february-2011

Sienna. But a party isn’t a party
in Tuscany unless it comes with
platefuls of the local traditional
cuisine. The region’s culinary
highlight is the bistecca alla
fi orentina, a 5cmthick
T-bone steak.
Tuscans also eat a lot
of beans – they’re
aff ectionately
referred to as the
Mangiafagiolo, the
bean-eaters.
Pisa city tour
Pisa’s Galileo Galilei airport is
the gateway to Tuscany.
Visitors arriving here normally
head for the Campo dei
Miracoli, the cathedral square
with its famous leaning tower.
The site is under UNESCO
World Heritage protection, and
only one person per minute is
allowed in, so be prepared for a
long queue. Or explore the
picturesque university city
instead. First up on the list, the
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
and the Orto Botanico. Then
it’s time for a coff ee on the
Piazza Dante, which is located
in the university quarter once
frequented by Galileo Galilei.
This takes you to the banks of
the Arno River, where it’s
defi nitely worth stopping for
delicious ice cream at the La
Bottega del Gelato (Piazza
Giuseppe Garibaldi 11). After a
shopping tour of the Borgo
Stretto, fi nish the day with
supper at the rustic Osteria
la Grotta (www.
osterialagrotta.com).
Welcoming Sardinia
The island is a small continent
in itself, a mass of steep slopes,
sandy beaches, rocky coves,
huge dunes and lagoons,
craggy mountains, hilly
landscapes and rolling hills.
Myrtle, thyme, juniper,
78—GW
D E S T I N A T I O N
lavender and rosemary plants
dominate the landscape in the
lowlands, perfuming the island
and create a riot of colours in
spring. The cucina sarda is
The Sardinians have their
own dialect. They’re unfazed
by tourism and are stoically
open and friendly
shepherd’s fare, and the locals
eat a lot of lamb, feta cheese
and pita bread. They have their
own dialect too, Sardinian.
They’re unfazed by tourism,
and are stoically open and
friendly. In mid-summer,
Italians swarm to the beaches
Die Kirchtürme von Sant’Anna in
Cagliaris Stampace Bezirk
The towers of Sant’ Anna’s
Church rise from Cagliari’s Stampace
neighbourhood
in the north and the Austrians,
Swiss and Germans head
inland for cycling, hiking,
riding and climbing.
Cagliari
city tour
Our tour begins at
the expansive Via
Roma, by the
harbour, where we
head past the
sparkling white facades of the
Palazzo del Municipio, to the
boulevard Largo Carlo Felice,
east of the town hall. At
midday, it’s time for a siesta,
and a break in the city’s most
elegant café, the Svizzero
(Largo Carlo Felice 6). Then it’s
on to the Marina, the Old
Town, with its enchanted
little alleyways, and up to the
Castello and the Terazza
Umberto, a huge viewing
platform. There’s still a lot to
see, including the cathedral
and the amphitheatre, but
we’re heading for the Poetto,
Cagliari’s main beach. At the
weekend, you can lounge by
one of its many beach bars,
watching the surfers and
yachties. At the southern
end of the Poetto lies the
Sella del Diavolo mountain
– the Devil’s Saddle. The
small harbour nestled next to
it is an ideal spot for an
evening stroll.
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