Earlier this year, I visited the Italian island of Sardinia (Sardegna), which is located approximately 220 miles southwest of Rome.  My interest in visiting Sardinia was sparked when I learned of its summer popularity among mainland Italians, particularly for its beaches, which are noted as some of the most beautiful in the world. 

However, upon visiting and speaking with my local friend and tour guide, Alessandro Picciau, Sardinia is a lot more than an island with breathtaking beaches.  Aside from Sardinia’s ancient genealogical sites, many of which date back to the bronze age, Sardinia’s population seems no less ancient.