For people like me with an interest in cultural traditions, the island of Sardinia is one of Italy’s most fascinating spots.  In many ways, landing on Sardinia feels like stepping into an idyllic Arcadia that—as if by magic—has passed unnoticed by modern civilization. Left alone by invaders, untouched even by the Renaissance, Sardinia’s traditional crafts and ways of life seem to transcend time. From sheep grazing in the scrub brush along rocky hills, to a sea so transparent it doesn’t seem real, to women crafting lace in the shadows of stucco homes, Sardinia feels like another world. 

Since Paleolithic times, people have worked the land, fished its emerald seas, and made music and crafts on this island of stunning beauty. As an insular society, its people developed their own language and culture. Traditional crafts, including embroidery, metalwork, ceramics, wrought iron, and woodworking, follow practices used since antiquity.