Historic Gardens, Ancient Sites and Wonderful Wines

This is a trip around special places; stone age ‘fairy houses’ and standing stones, magical caves, and beautiful historic gardens and palaces. And interwoven into this itinerary are visits to some of the nicest wineries on the island.
Going back several thousand years, this trip will take you to see some ancient megaliths and burial tombs (known locally as ‘fairy houses’). Dating to the Neolithic Period, these structures were built by the Ozieri culture (3200-2700 BC), named after a cave where finely crafted pottery was found. The sophistication of these artifacts, including the manufacturing techniques, points to trade links to Crete and the Cyclades Islands, making the Ozieri, the first great culture in Sardinia – to be followed by the later Bronze (or Nuragic) Age, when Sardinia’s famous Nuraghe (fortresses) were constructed.
There are also some wonderful gardens to be explored including the 19th Century Aymerich park and palace, (now home to the Menhirs Museum), the traditional English gardens at Piercy, and the gorgeous Monserrato Park with its Roman-style temple and tower.
In addition to this, you’ll spend some time in North Sardinia’s most beautiful town – Alghero – where you can explore the historic centre and learn why this region is called the Coral Coast. The town has a distinctly Spanish feel to it; this is a reflection of its Catalan past. Founded by the Genoese Doria family in the 11th Century, it was conquered by the Catalans in 1353 who ruled the region until 1720. This influence can be seen in the architecture of the town (the Catalans built the ‘bastioni’) which is nicknamed ‘Barceloneta’, and in the dialect which resembles Catalan.
From here, you’ll take a boat trip along the stunning coastline to see the magical Neptune’s Grotto.
And, finally, there’s vineyards to be explored, and wine to be drunk! This trip includes visits to 3 wineries where you will taste the difference between the North and Central wine regions. In the cooler areas of the north around Sassari and Alghero, production is focused on fresh, fruit-driven white wines with elegant aromas and good structure and acidity whereas, the hot, dry summers in Central Sardinia produce intense, tannic wines with spicy, dark fruit notes.
Note that many of the Points of Interest on this trip need to be booked in advance. Details on how to book are outlined in the itinerary.