The second biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea after Sicily, Sardinia is a tourist destination during the summer months for its breath-taking beaches, however, the winter months shouldn’t be overlooked: warm weather thanks to the Mediterranean climate, the tourists are gone, and delicious season cuisine you can only taste during winter.

A Coral Christmas Tree. The Sardinian city of Alghero is known for its ruby red coral, locally called “red gold,” due to the wealth it produces for the local economy. The coral belonging to the Corallium Rubrum species has been known since ancient times as one of the “finest in the whole Mediterranean.” So naturally, the city puts their spin on the traditional Christmas tree with their materials composing of red coral and lights in the historic center.