Sardinia, on a blue zone state of mind

Sardinia is an autonomous Italian island, the second largest in the Mediterranean Sea

A blue zone is a specific place in the world where people live healthy lives and, consequently, live much longer than the average individual in other parts of the world. Here is where you find a lot of centenarians and where chronic diseases are unheard of by residents who are basically vegetarians, have strong community ties, and live stress-free lives.

There are three places on Earth that are popularly known as blue zones: Okinawa in Japan; Nicoya in Costa Rica; and Sardinia, an autonomous island in Italy, the second-largest island in the Mediterranean.

Sardinia is widely known for its crystal-clear turquoise waters, amazing cuisine, and interesting, unique culture because the island dates back to the Stone Age. It used to be the home of the Roman Empire, which bannered its engineering marvels, organized laws, and military achievements. This later transitioned to the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire, which was a major cultural power that preserved classical knowledge, helping spark the Renaissance era.

One of the many vineyards of Sardinia, where it is customary for tourists to be treated to several wine-tasting formalities as they travel throughout the island 

This combination of deep history and the sand-sea-sky factor makes for an exciting visit to Sardinia. Here, one can enjoy kayaking over Caribbean-like waters, pry into tiny limestone islands, and visit 13th-century citadels during the day and explore mysterious crypts at night. Of course, there is also the hearty Sardinian cuisine to partake of or the pleasurable sunset boat cruises to avail oneself of.

Kayaking and snorkeling are the more popular activities in Sardinia’s coves, grottos, islands, and islets. The nice part about all these activities is the fact that one is never far from sampling some cheese, fruit, wine, and the famous Sardinian bread called “carasau,” which is a crispy flatbread made from an ancient and healthy recipe of wheat, water, salt, and yeast. No wonder residents of this island live to be a hundred, because all these stress-relieving activities end up with some healthy delicacies.

Tagged as ‘forbidden beauty’ is Sardinia’s Spiaggia Rosa, or Pink Beach, ‘forbidden’ because it has been protected and closed to the public since 1994 

One popular destination in Sardinia that visitors rave about is Alghero, a charming city that is also known as “Little Barcelona” because it is the only place in Italy where Catalan, the language of Barcelona, is still spoken. Here, there are beautiful cathedrals, some bearing the unique Gothic-Catalan architecture. Families will enjoy this culture-rich city as it has a lot of history and legendary stories to tell.

Wine connoisseurs will be happy to know that Sardinia is home to thousands of acres of vineyards producing 17 types of wine with different levels of certification, depending on the grape variety. Tourists usually have fun figuring out which vineyards to visit and which wine to taste, making the tour such an enjoyable experience. These wine tours usually start from Cagliari, the island’s capital, and allow tourists to sample not just the different varieties of wine but also “Mirto,” a popular bittersweet liqueur produced from myrtle berries. Tourists will also be introduced to “Grappa,” an after-dinner brandy produced by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems leftover from winemaking.

For those who marvel at the “wonders of nature,” Sardinia has Spiaggia Rosa, a pink-sand beach on the southern part of the island which, unfortunately, is available only for photos taken from boats that are moored at a distance. It is forbidden to step on the sand, and tourists are not allowed to swim near it, as the beach has been protected and closed to the public since 1994. Thus, tourists and residents alike refer to it as “forbidden beauty.”

This restored 719-year-old Torre dell’Elefante is a popular tourist attraction in the medieval section of Cagliari, Sardinia’s capital city 

The capital city of Cagliari is also definitely worth a visit because enchanting and awesome hallmarks of history are right there for everybody to marvel at. There is El Castello, a 13th-century fort that houses the magnificent Torre dell’Elefante and the Cattedrale di Santa Maria e Santa Cecilia, both of which are rich in myths and stories related to the city’s glorious past.

Tourists don’t have to go far, as the city also offers a very popular stretch of sand, Poetto Beach, lined with luxurious beach clubs. But there is a public section where anybody can lay down his or her own beach towel and enjoy the splendor of the sand-sea-sky ambience for free.

So, the next time you go on a vacation, consider the “fun-and-sun” of Sardinia with a “blue zone state of mind,” and make your holiday worth it…and healthy! — Bob Zozobrado

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com