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Holidays to Sardinia – Discovering the World of DH Lawrence

Author: Lisa Jeeves
by Lisa Jeeves
Posted: Feb 23, 2015

There are many ways to enjoy holidays to Sardinia, by enjoying the beautiful beaches, wonderful food, scenery, and the many interesting historical sites to visit. But if you are a fan of famous writer D.H Lawrence, you could plan a more unusual holiday by following in his footsteps for a unique and interesting experience.

Sea and Sardinia

In 1923, D.H Lawrence and his wife Frieda travelled by boat to Cagliari from Sicily, where they had been staying in exile from England. This particular journey was the beginnings of what was to become one of his most loved travel books, Sea and Sardinia. D.H Lawrence is best known for his controversial novels and the anti-war sentiments that underpin much of the immortal work, Women in Love. He was, however, a talented travel writer and he captures much of the essence, at the time, of this captivating island.

Cagliari

Literary themed holidays to Sardinia (and other places) can give a real structure and purpose to your stay, when you can see the author’s inspiration first hand. Lawrence and his wife spent some days in Cagliari, before travelling to Nuoro by train and bus, stopping off along the way. You can visit the place he stayed in Cagliari and the café the pair frequented on Via Roma, where they drank coffee and watched the sea through the trees that line the promenade. There is still a Café Roma today where you can sit with a coffee, ice-cream or pastry and watch the world go by – with glimpses of the Marina in the background.

Mandas

Many visitors who come on holidays to Sardinia opt to rent a villa as a base. With that kind of freedom, there is scope to take a rail journey or hire a car to explore at your leisure. D.H Lawrence and Frieda began began their travels after visiting the markets in Cagliari, then catching the train to Mandas - sharing a carriage with the returning peasants who had been selling their produce. For the short time of the journey, sharing carriage space, Frieda and Lawrence entered the world of these local people and, in Lawrence's work, left a small snapshot to share with the world. His writing describes the rugged splendours of steep valleys, chestnut trees and wonderful flowers, and today, on that same rail journey, you'll discover nothing of the island's great beauty has been lost.

Sorgono

After Lawrence and Frieda left Mandas they carried on to Sorgono. Today, you can also complete this part of the journey by hire car if you wish, and you'll have the opportunity to visit one of the largest Bronze Age sites on the island, Su Nuraxi. The remains of the distinctive houses, known as Nuragi, are well worth a visit, before you ascend through the majestic Gennargentu Mountains to Sorgono.

If you choose to continue by train, however, the rail journey is spectacular. You have to take the public train to Isili (two stops up from Mandas) then catch the Little Green Train (il Trenino Verde) to Sorgono.

This island is a place to dream and become inspired, and to see the landscape through the eyes of such a talented writer is a wonderful experience. Holidays to Sardinia travelling in the footsteps of Lawrence can take you to some truly delightful places, many of which have not changed in the years since he was here.

From the mainland Italy you can catch a ferry to the island, or you can fly direct to Cagliari from some airports in the UK.

Carolyn Spinks is COO of ABTOI - The Association of British Travel Organisers to Italy. Looking for the perfect holidays to Sardinia ? The LoveItaly website provides destination information, contact details of tour operator members to help you plan the best Italian holiday, ‘insider’ tips, year round offers and information on everything from beach holidays in Sardinia, cycling in Sicily, to a wedding or honeymoon in Tuscany.

About the Author

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.

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Author: Lisa Jeeves

Lisa Jeeves

Member since: Oct 18, 2013
Published articles: 4550

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