One long beach, four points – one place of fun – all year around
‘Sardinia’ to most people means white, sandy beaches, warm sun and clear, pleasant shallow water. The kind you see on holiday posters and in travel agent brochures.
The beach of Fontanamare (made up of these points starting from the North: Fontanamare – Plag’e mesu – Punta S’Arena – Porto Paglia) is exactly such a place in the summer months. But its charm does not end there, it is also a cool place in the winter.
If we start by the road from Iglesias to Buggerru (the Strada Provinciale, SP83 ) we pass by the North end of the beach; Fontanamare. Here you have a large carpark within easy reach as it is literally next to the SP83.
On windy days in the spring, autumn and winter the locals drive here and sit in their cars to look at the sea.
For a Norwegian this is a curious thing, to go to the beach and then stay in the car. Nevertheless, on days out of season with less than desirable weather the Sardinians take in the beauty of the sea from behind the shelter of their windscreens and the comfort of their cars. While the ‘weird’ foreigner takes a rather blustery stroll along the beach, fighting to keep her hat on.
On days out of season when the weather is not to the locals’ liking, you can absolutely have 3km of beach all to yourself. You can talk to yourself, run, jump, dig and sing in totally freedom without risking people walking around you in a big circle with something looking like fear and astonishment on their faces.
Fontanamare – close to the safety of your car
Anyway, back to the Fontanamare end. In the summer, there is (usually) a beach bar here, with everything you need for a fun day at the beach. You can rent beach beds with parasols and literally lounge for a whole day 50m from your car if you like.
This is also a good place to launch a kayak. You don’t have to carry it far from the car park and you are smack, bang on the interesting Iglesiente coast line. Within easy reach of the Laveria Lamarmora and the seastacks (link to Velasquez Logbooks kayaking this stretch)
The Middle beach – Spiaggia di mezzo
Walking on along the beach from here (walking South) you come to the next point on the beach, Plag’e mesu (Spiaggia di mezzo), literally meaning ‘the middle beach’. Here there are two beach bars and a car park as this part of the beach can as well be reached by a road. And again, here you can rent a beach bed for the day.
Between Fontanamare and Plag’e mesu, behind the sand dunes, there is a small pine wood forest (Pineta). Here there are many paths criss-crossing the area, perfect for a stroll (or for a run on a soft surface) under the big trees. There’s also a playground and a picnic area. If you don’t want to walk along the beach you can walk between Fontanamare and Plag’e mesu through the woods (recommended on very windy days).
Punta S’Arena
The next point walking along is Punta S’Arena (meaning something like ‘sandy point’). Here there’s also a small carpark and a beach bar (one close to the car park and a mobile one on the beach) and yet again, a place for renting a beach bed under a parasol.
Porto Paglia and peculiar buildings
Continuing South you reach the end of this 3km long beach at Porto Paglia. Porto Paglia has a history, this is the ‘practical’ part of the beach. Here there was a tuna fishery, with houses for the fishermen on top of a small hill overlooking the beach and a bigger house for the fishing nets, tools and boats on the beach (see facts)
At this end of the beach the landscape changes. There are cliffs continuing South and only a rocky, narrow beach to walk along. And here, on the small strip between the cliffs and the sea, sit two curious buildings. One is a boat house that looks like something out of a fantasy story. The other is an old, crumbled guard tower. These towers were built to guard the coastline against pirates and intruders (see facts below). Both of these buildings are probably among the most photographed along this stretch. Both are uniquely special in their own way.
Apart from some rocky parts around Plag’e mesu to Punta S’Arena this beach is just white sand all the way.
“In the summer time when the weather is hot”…
In the summer it is, well; a beach for what you do at the beach in the summer. Its shallow, crystalline waters are truly inviting for a dip and a swim. You have plenty of bars for coffee, drinks, music and summer vibes. People tend to group around the areas where there’s parking, but if you walk to the mid-points there’s plenty of space.
Out of season, optimistic fishermen and blue sailors
However, the ‘off-season’ is just as facinating. On windy days when the waves are in a frenzy the colours of the sand and sea can be just as amazing as in the summer. And there are no crowds fighting for the space, only the odd kite surfer out on the waves or a lone, optimistic fisherman. The beach bars and beach beds are gone, only the lone tower at Plag’e mesu is left. Every time I came during the autumn, winter and spring, the tower was leaning more and more until it finally toppled over, waiting for a new busy summer and a re-erection.
Sometimes in the spring the little velelle, the blue sailors, are washed ashore. They resemble little jellyfish – see previous post. These little sailors colours the beach with ribbons of the most vivid blue colour. Just don’t step in them, the smell stays on your shoes forever.
When the wind is just too strong and sand is flying everywhere, a stroll in the Pineta is maybe best. You can hear the waves crashing really well here too. You can even smell the sea, but your eyes are sheltered from flying sand and salt. And if you want to see the sea you can do what the locals do. Sit in your car and let the windscreen take all the sand and salt – it is still a magnificent sight.
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Lots of love,
Bee
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Some facts:
The coastal towers on Sardinia were built to cope with pirate raids that began in the eighth century. One of the first documented attacks dates back to 705, during the Byzantine area. When Arab ships raided the coast for both humans and goods.
An action was taken to defend the coast when these raids intensified. During the Spanish domain on Sardinia (roughly 1300-1700) there were around sixty of these towers. It was the danger of losing control of Sardinia that led Philip II of Spain to implement a project to defend the island. He established the Royal Tower Administration in 1583, which had the task of managing the functioning of this defensive system. New towers were built and existing ones restored.
The tower of Porto Paglia is one of these towers. Together with the towers nearby (Cala Domestica, Portoscuso and Carloforte) they could identify danger that came from the sea and send a signal between each other using fires and smoke.
The location of the tower in Porto Paglia is very strategic as it defends the important village of Tonnara. A tuna fishery and a little village on the hill.
At the end of the 16th century, tuna fishing had been revolutionised and brought to industrial levels after the season and routes of the tuna had been discovered. It was therefore necessary to provide security to an economy that produced wealth from fishing. This was a Mediterranean Sea that was much richer in fish than it is today.
The fishemen used the village to live in during the season. On beach level is the warehouse for the nets, the vessels and all the fishing tools.
Today the village of Porto Paglia has been rebuilt and converted to holiday rentals. From here you can enjoy a gorgeous view of Fontanamare and the Sardinian sea.
Today the tower is in a state of ruin. The storms, the eager wind coming from the north-west, are slowly reclaiming the tower.
Not far from Fontanamare beach is the fascinating building of Pozzo Sella
(Thank you to Velasquez Logbooks for writing the facts)