The island of Sardinia has a fascinating history. It's been invaded by the Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Pisans, Genoese and the Spanish. Even after all this, the inhabitants of Sardinia have managed to retain their own unique identity. Some say the people have become strangely insular as a result of all these invasions.


Sardinia's landscape is very rugged and distinctive. In the inner part mountains and massifs rise in the inner part, along with plateaux and tablelands, whereas the Campidano plain stretches in the south. It's home to a variety of endemic animal species and plants, such as the Monk seal, which is rarely sighted, and peregrine hawks, a dying species.

The capital of Sardinia (Cagliari) an attractive town with an amazing beach. Costa Smeralda is one of the best dive sites in the area. The conditions here are excellent for diving. The scenic underwater world has some spectacular drop-offs too. Also worth a visit is the relatively unspoiled Costa Verde coastline. There are some spectacular beaches and grottoes that are perfect for shore dives.