Discovering a corner of the Sahara on the Green Coast of Sardinia ...
The real Sardinia is not the Costa Smeralda.
How many times have you heard that? It's true! Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo, Romazzino, Cala di Volpe - the list goes on and on - are certainly wonderful and exclusive locations, but if you want to experience the true essence of the island, you have to move further south. Today we recommend the Costa Verde, the coastline that stretches for 50 km from the Gulf of Oristano on the Sardinian Sea, between the municipalities of Arbus, Fluminimaggiore, and Buggerru.
A unique place.
Those who visit it feel a sense of alienation, unable to understand where they are... Sardinia or Africa? That's right, what makes this area unique is the presence of a unique ecosystem that preserves a sea with crystal-clear waters, with sandy dunes as in a desert and, to crown it all, vegetation consisting of fragrant Mediterranean shrubs: lentisk, broom, strawberry tree, and juniper, whose presence has given its name to the whole area. The presence of this desert area has led to Sardinia being defined as a microcontinent, precisely because of the presence of such different environments: sea, mountains, and desert, a unicum in Europe.
But what not to miss in Costa Verde?
The Piscinas Dunes are certainly a must-see. They consist of fine golden sand and are up to 60 meters high. It is like being in a 'Sahara in miniature', resulting in a magnificent place where you can feel at one with Mother Nature. To end on a high note, all you have to do is head for Pistis beach, which impresses with two kilometers of crystal-clear sand, high dunes surrounded by junipers, and numerous examples of Mediterranean scrub. The beaches of Marina di Arbus, Funtanazza, Scivu, and Cala Domestica offer the same wild charm. The last wonder is the Pan di Zucchero beach with the Faraglioni of the Masua inlet. Climbing enthusiasts can climb the 133-meter-high stacks - the highest in the Mediterranean - which stand out in the evocative setting of the coastline caressed by the wind and the turquoise waters. The four stacks of Masua are composed of Cambrian limestone. In front of the islet, magically suspended in the middle of the sheer rock face, is the outlet of the Porto Flavia mining tunnel. The most visible end of a futuristic complex of underground tunnels that end in a building carved into the cliff at the beginning of the 20th century. The Costa Verde and, more generally, the life of the Iglesiente area are well known for mining activity. At the end of the 19th century, the Masua mine was "the most important" mining operation. Today, the complex, which includes dwellings situated on various slopes, a school, hospital, church, and workshops, is a ghost village, a stop along the Santa Barbara mining route, and part of Sardinia's geo-mineral park recognized as a UNESCO heritage site.
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