General

In an environment like that of Sardinia it is difficult to separate the enjoyment of nature from the practice of sport. And, in fact, many of the places of greatest naturalistic interest combine the landscape, the rare and wonderful animal or vegetable species, the opportunity to play sports while remaining immersed in nature.

In Cagliari, the most emblematic case is that of the Molentargius pond, which has recently become the Molentargius Saline Regional Natural Park. Its history is linked to that of the city’s salt pans, so much so that the site owes its name to the molenti (donkeys in Sardinian), the “means of transport” used in the past to bring the salt collected from the salt pans to the port.

The exceptional nature of this site is given by the presence of both fresh and saltwater basins and the consequent biodiversity that inhabits it. This is the place chosen by thousands of pink flamingos to lay their eggs: a show not to be missed (and especially not to be missed by children). Place yourself on the Monte Urpinu hill, or directly in the Park huts; from there you can see the pink “islands” that flamingos form, experiencing an extraordinary naturalistic phenomenon and taking photographs worthy of National Geographic.

The park is a wetland of about 1600 hectares: inside you can walk, read a book and above all let the children play, for which special spaces have been set up. But you can also ride a bicycle or horse while any motor vehicle is totally banned. The park is open to the public, from sunrise to sunset, for free.

Another place of charm that pushes you to observe nature and play sports with new eyes is the Lagoon of Nora. You can dive into the sea and observe the shallows of the bay colored with fish and starfish. Or, if you prefer to slide with the canoe on the calm waters of the lagoon, between the inlets, the islets and the mouth of the river to admire the romantic flight of the herons.

For the little ones, the visitor center offers educational activities related to the knowledge of the animals present in the lagoon, respect for nature but also snorkelling excursions suitable for them (you too will find them thrilled). The Lagoon is in Pula in the Nora area, very close to the Barumini settlement where the ruins of ancient Nora can be visited.