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Asinara

Asinara Map

Asinara is a small island located along the northwestern coast of Sardinia characterized by an irregular shape island with around 700 inhabitants living here. This island comprises of rocky and steep mountain terrain along the western side whereas the eastern side has more flat areas reaching up to a depth of around 50 meters. There are thick Mediterranean shrubs covering the mountain peaks with absence of trees due to lack of fresh water in these areas. In 1991, Asinara was converted into a National Park as a marine preserve and hence it can be visited on organized tours. There are many rare species of animals found on this island and white Albino donkeys are more specific to this island.

 

Getting to Asinara

If you are traveling by car, then after you arrive at Sassari towards the main road along the direction of Porto Torres, you need to take a ferry to get access to this island. There are also coach services operating from across Sassari and Stintito along with Porto Torres to reach the landing areas of the ferries.

 

Places of Interest on Asinara

Asinara National Park

Asinara Cala D’ oliva

You can find plenty of varieties of natural species of animals here including rich marine life with wild boars, horses, Sardinian donkeys along with the rare albino donkey. There are also some rare species of birds found in this natural reserve including Corsican gulls, Peregrine hawks along with patridges in this wonderful place.

 

The Village of Stintito

Porto Vecchio, Stintino , Sardinia

The Village of Stintito was founded during the year 1885 by the local farmers and fishermen in Sardinia from Genoa, soon after they were evicted from Asinara island. This village is centered around two main ports where the economy thrives on fishing activities along with tourism. Thousands of tourists come to visit this place every year, where they can hope to find good source of accommodation for living. There are plenty of entertainment activities for the visitors coming here, especially during the summer months. If you are coming here in August, you can catch some of the events including folklore shows and regatta of latin sail. You can also visit the museum of Tonnara as well on this island.

 

La Pelosa Beach

This beach is considered the most stunning ones in Sardinia known for its natural beauty and its fine white sand. The transparent waters in cyan color resembles a tropical beach rather than a Mediterranean beach and gives a splendid view. There are no tropical fishes and vegetation around this beach but there are Mediterranean shrubs visible across the beach and the surroundings areas. Le Pelosa is located across the Asinara Gulf, which lies along the North East coast of Capo Falcone.

Stintino, beach

Tower of Pelosa

Right across the La Pelosa beach, you can find a small isle where the Tower of Pelosa is located which was built during 1578 with the purpose of providing protection to the coastal areas. It is accessible by walking on foot by following a natural ford.

 

Piana island

Just a little ahead of this region, you can come across a mini island called as the Piana, which was used as pasture for the livestock where animals were carried across boats as it was nearer to the coast.

Asinara Cala Reale

 

Cape Falcone

Cape Falcone is a ridge found across the North West of Sardinia and it gets the name from the old tower called Falcone tower located on the hill. During the Spanish rule, this Falcone Tower was used as a defense. In the surrounding region, you can come across many cottages and hotels including residences. Besides, the presence of La Pelosa beach across the north coast attracts lot of tourists on this island and has given a tremendous boost to such tourism activities.

 

Diving and Snorkeling Activities

Donkey from Asinara

Asinara is the best place for those who enjoy diving and swimming activities and like to try out some adventure activities. Just across the east side of this island, one can come across a wonderful landscape comprising of ancient Roman shipwrecks along with beds of posidonia with creatures like giant octopus, morays including some groupers. Again on the western side, you can have a glimpse of the fantastic underwater world with steep slopes and see some sea creatures hiding among the fissures.

 

Hotels and Accommodation

You can come across some good hotel accommodation facilities across this island including cottages and self-catering units. However, it is better to book the hotels tickets in advance, as there may be rush during the tourist season and you may not be able to get the preferred rooms of your choice. There are many good luxury hotels located on this island offering all the possible amenities for a comfortable living here. If you are looking for economical options, then rented apartments can be a good choice as it can help in saving money, otherwise spent on living in hotels.

 

Local Cuisine

There are many good restaurants offering the best hospitality and warmth to their guests with tasty food served with the local delights of the region. Besides, there is a good range of seafood and Sardinian food available on the menu of most of the restaurants. Lot of tourists coming here enjoy the Sardinian food made using authentic recipes served along with the best wine. International cuisine is also served specially in some of the restaurants along with the Italian delights to meet the different tastes and preferences of the visitors.

 

Conclusion

Asinara, Sardinia Cala Sabina

If you are coming on Stintito island trips, then a visit to the Tonnare Maritime Museum along with guided tours to the Asinara National Park is definitely a must visit. Besides, there are plenty of interesting beaches such as the Pelosa beach that gives a picturesque view of the bay side and the coastal area of this region. Many people love coming to this place due to the peace and tranquility offered on this island, which helps them to beat the monotony of everyday life.

Enjoy the nature’s beauty and scenic splendor of the region to spend a nice vacation among pristine beaches and savor some of these great memories.

By Irene Tischenko

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