Sette Fratelli, Sella del diavolo & Gola di Gorropu

Hi, I'm Daniel Lee, a third year Modern Language Student from Bangor University, North Wales. The title of my degree means that I have to spend a compulsory year abroad, spending a semester in Spain and another one in Italy. Before studying in Bangor I had lived in London and Benfleet, Essex. For my placements I chose A Coruña, Spain and Cagliari, Sardinia. Both of which are classed as cities, however, neither of which are as large as the UK capital.

I have been living in Cagliari, Sardinia since February and I have fallen in love with the island. There are so many points of interest that you can’t find on any tourist information maps. As the semester progresses, I seek to provide you with my favourite places and share some memories during my time here as well as giving them a rating out of 10.

(A photo of my friends and I)

Sette Fratelli

Kicking of this list is the Sette Fratelli, a collection of peaks in the mountains situated east of the city. Here, there are many trails that lead to different views. However, for me, there is only one to take and that is the summit path. This path is approximately five kilometres long and will cover flat roads, river crossings, forests and even some light free climbing at the end. Once have reached the peaks, the views are breathtaking. On a clear day you can see the east coast, Poetto Beach and even other towns and villages. However, it’s not the breathtaking views, the varied walk or even the likelihood of choosing a good day to hike that surprises me. The thing that surprises me the most about the Sette Fratelli is the fact that it's not very common amongst locals or tourists. A few weeks ago when I hiked the Sette Fratelli with my friends (pictured) we saw four other people. They were either on their way back from the peak or taking a different route. The peace and tranquillity of the trail makes this hike all the more enchanting. Overall, I would rate this a solid 7. 5/10

(In the Sette Fratelli)

Sella del Diavolo

Following on from the Sette Fratelli is the beautiful Sella del Diavolo, a small mountain overlooking Poetto Beach and surrounding towns. I was first introduced to this during my first weekend here, there was an ESN (Erasmus Student Network) trip there. Unfortunately, the walk is all uphill with very little shade, although I can assure you that the views from the top make up for it. The walk up isn’t too strenuous making it a very popular attraction, from large groups of tourists to small groups of friends. Upon our descent we took the coastal path instead of the direct path. This led us around some very dangerous paths, only a few feet wide. The most adventurous and experienced individuals would love this! The name derives from a local legend that states, demons, headed by Lucifer himself were overwhelmed by the beauty of the Gulf of Cagliari, also known as the Gulf of Angels, and tried to seize it. After a battle, Lucifer was thrown from his horse and landed on the place now known as Sella del diavolo, Devil’s Saddle. The mountain is south of the city and is reachable by 5-11 bus, which stops Calamosca, a quite yet stunning beach. A landmark that deserves a 8/10

(Sella del diavolo from Poetto Beach)

Gola di Gorropu

Next on the list is one of my favourite places I have visited during my year abroad is the Gola di Gorropu, one of Europe’s deepest canyons. The canyon is situated in the heart of the Sardinian countryside, three hours north of Cagliari. I discovered this with two friends of mine Phil and Scott, after looking for different places to visit. We hired a car from the airport and early on Saturday morning and headed for the canyon. We reached the car park at about midday and after paying for the parking and changing into suitable clothing, we set off. The walk was pretty straight forward, it was a pre determined path all the way, and took us just over an hour and a half. When we reached the canyon, the enormity was just overwhelming, the walls were over 500m high! We sat by the river and had a spot of lunch to refuel ourselves before we went into the canyon. It was a €5 charge to get in which went to the protection of the canyon. Inside we saw rock climbers scaling the walls and other tourists on their way back. After climbing up rocks and exploring the small caves, it was time to exit the canyon, but the only way to do so was to slide down the rocks we had climbed up. Heading back to the car we decided to walk along the river, although it took us longer, we got some amazing views and ones that will last a lifetime. Undoubtedly worth top marks, 10/10!

(Walking back from the Canyon)

Cala Sinzias

Last week, my family came to visit me given that they haven’t seen me since February. During this week I took my family to all of the above places. However, my family and I wanted to discover something new. So we hired some cars and went for a drive over to the east coast of the island. After some amazing coastal roads, we stumbled along this beautiful beach. It was in the quiet area of Cala Sinzias, which is south of the most popular resort of Costa Rei. With white sandy beaches, crystal blue water and surrounded by mountains, it is by far one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited. Also on the beach there were sun beds in the shade, a beach volleyball court and a beach bar. If it is a relaxing holiday you are after, then this beach is well worth a visit! I would give it 9. 5/10

(Cala Sinzias beach)

Napoli and Campania

On the 25thMay, it was my 21stbirthday. My parents wanted me to have a present that I’d never forget. So they paid for me to go to Naples for a weekend with some friends I have met here. We rented a 7 person apartment in the heart of the city. In the apartment was 3 bed rooms, one with 3 single beds (for the boys) and the other two with a double bed in each (for the girls). During the stay we covered as much as possible. We saw the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli and the Catacombe di Napoli. Both of which are amazing places to visit and they do discounted entry fees for those living in the EU between18-25, and a student discount! However, the real motive behind the trip to Naples was so that my friends and I could visit the world’s most famous or infamous volcano, Vesuvius. Along with the town it destroyed and killed over 2, 000 people, Pompeii. These attractions show us why Naples is one of Italy’s most visited cities. In contrast to the brilliantly preserved attractions the city hosts, there is a copious amount of graffiti and trash that detracts from the true nature of Naples. If I were to return to see the above mentioned places and the surrounding area, I wouldn’t be staying in the city centre. Taking everything into account, I would rate this trip 9. 9/10! The company, food and amazing attractions gave this trip a perfect score. But given the rubbish and graffiti, I had to knock 0. 1 off!

(At the crater of Mt Vesuvius)

My Erasmus experience has been one of the best experiences of my life and I am and will be so grateful that I had the chance to take part. Although the pictures look great, they still can't do the palces enough justice. To anyone reading this, if you have the opportunity to take part in an Erasmus exchange programme, please grab it with two hands. I promise you won’t regret it.