To another quartz beach…and an unplanned journey to the east coast! (18th June)

As we planned our next move along the south coast heading east, we needed to take a view on what ‘not’ to do, as it was clear we hadn’t got time to fit in everything that was there to see! So, saving the Golfo di Teulada, the ruins at Nora, the island’s capital Cágliari and its Golfo for another visit, we headed off to the south eastern tip of the island near Villasimius for another quartz beach, or as it was called this time, ‘rice beach’, la Spiaggia del Riso!

Encouraged by our stay at Is Aruttas (and hoping for fewer insects!), we were tempted by the chance of yet another long, pristine beach to while away some time on. Our guide had mentioned the increased development in the area, but, having found a non ACSI site right on the coast, we were up for a visit to what was described as a ‘prize beach’!

The drive from Sant’Antioco took us inland across a road definitely less well travelled, where we passed ancient hill-top castles in the style of those we had seen in the Cathar country in France…

and our first evidence of the Sardinian independence movement that we had read much about, but to date seen no obvious signs of…

As we sped past Cágliari and its suburbs, the scenery took a change in direction and we were treated to some beautiful views, as well as some delicious fresh figs from a roadside vendor who, of all places, used to live in Bournemouth!

Encouraged by the views we were glimpsing as the road wound its way around every headland and cove, when we arrived at the campsite (also cunningly called Spiaggia del Riso) we found it just closed for lunch, for two hours, as well as very, very busy.

Not to be deterred though, we parked up and decided to have a quick look at the prize beach we had driven across the south of Sardinia to see. Unfortunately, our familiar friend Snr Posidonia had beaten us to it and was just waiting to come ashore, so the combination of a closed campsite for two hours, very heavy density occupation levels, and seaweed aplenty, very quickly led us to decide that we might just as well head off to the next part of our tour, the Costa Rei on the east coast.

So we ended up swapping this…

For this…

as we checked out where we thought we’d be in a couple of days ahead, Torre Salinas and its adjacent campsite. Unsurprisingly, this suited us just fine!

S&J