A long weekend in... Sardinia - GQ.com
The first thing you notice about Sardinia is the cars . Unlike neighbouring Italy, the locals do not drive like they've just spilled a pint of sulphuric acid on their lap. Which is a lot like Sardinia itself. Even the Romans eventually gave up after 15 attempts at raiding the island, nicknaming it "Barbarie" after the locals' "barbaric" ferocity. Luckily, the ferocity's gone the way of the Coliseum, but the name "Barbagia" endures. 1,000 meters above sea level, it's the island's sparsely populated eastern region, folding in the "White Mountains", more scrubby ruins than you can shake a gladiu at, some of the med's very best beaches, and none of the ferociously overpriced... It's where Italians go on holiday (and, of course, where Bond emerged from the sea in his Lotus Esprit ). Time for a long weekend. As with the mainland, negotiating the cat's cradle of its town's streets involves edging your way through tight city streets. Just like Italy, fitting in is as important as standing out in terms of your transport, so leave the convertible, V12 Tara Palmer NASCARs to the men in Maranello. OK, so every engine - from the 0. 9-litre TwinAir to 1. 3-litre MultiJet - bumbles around like a forgetful uncle, but there are hundreds available for hire and you can get a convertible to enjoy the late-summer sun. Source: www.gq-magazine.co.uk
