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Hello, I'm Claudia. I was born and raised in Sardinia and I still live here. I'm the person behind both the Strictly Sardinia blog and this podcast where I share practical tips to help you plan your trip to my beloved island. In the last episode, I talked about the Emerald coast versus the rest of Sardinia. In this episode, I want to explain why Sardinia is not a theme park. Before we start, make sure to check the episode description. That's where you'll find the link to my blog. On the blog, I go into much more detail about Sardinia and everything it has to offer. You'll find hotel recommendations, tour tours, and all the practical information you need to plan your trip. You'll also find the link to Book a one hour consultation with me. Now let's get started. A few days ago, I shared a post in my Facebook group with a title that was intentionally very Sardinia is not a Theme park. I wasn't trying to be provocative. I wasn't trying to start an argument. I thought, in fact, it was such an obvious statement that most people would read it, nod, and move on. Instead, hundreds of people commented things, thousands reacted to it, and it sparked one of the most interesting discussions I've seen in a long time. What struck me wasn't just the number of people who agreed, it was the fact that many of them said exactly the same. This doesn't only happen in Sardinia. People mentioned their own countries, cities and regions. They'd seen visitors expecting villages to work like tourist attractions. They'd seen people become genuinely absurd, upset because reality didn't match what they'd seen on social media or on Google Maps. Some even shared the example that made me laugh out loud. One person mentioned Tris, who didn't visit an Italian town because Google said it was closed. Think about that for a second. A town closed? It sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud, but it actually happened. And the funny thing is, I wasn't even surprised. Because after years of writing about Sardinia, answering emails, running my Facebook group, recording this podcast, and speaking to travelers every single day, I started noticing a pattern. Most people who visit Sardinia are wonderful. They're curious, respectful, excited to be here, and genuinely interested in learning about the island. But there's also a growing tendency to approach travel almost as if a destination exists solely for visitors, as if everything should be perfectly organized, perfectly predictable, perfectly tailored to the tourist experience. And that's where I think we've started to lose something. Today's episode isn't about criticizing tourists. Not at all. It's about talking honestly about the way we travel today and why changing our mindset can actually make our holidays much better. Because if you come to Sardinia expecting a perfectly curated experience, you'll probably end up disappointed. If you come expecting to discover a real place where real people live, I think you live loving it even more now. I've been traveling for a long time, long before I became a travel blogger. And although technology has made traveling much easier, I sometimes wonder if we've lost a little bit of the adventure along the way. Think back 30 or just even 20 years ago. If you wanted information, you bought a guidebook. You asked someone who had already been there, you walked into the local tourist office, or simply figure things out along the way. As you went, you accepted that not everything could be planned. Maybe you'd arrive at a restaurant and discovered it was closed. Maybe you take a wrong turn and end up finding somewhere even nicer. And I know this happened to my sister and I when we traveled to Cuba, and most of the trip was completely different from what we had planned. Maybe someone sitting next to you at a cafe would recommend a beach that wasn't in any guidebook. Those moments went faders. They were part of traveling. And today we almost have unlimited information. Google Maps, Instagram, TikTok, travel blogs, AI, Facebook groups, online reviews, YouTube videos. In many ways, that is fantastic. I make my living providing information online, so I'm certainly not going to complain about that. In fact, one of the reasons I started Streetlist Sardina was because I wanted people to have accurate, practical Information written by someone who. Who actually lives here. But here's what concerns We've become so used to having instant answers that we sometimes expect the destination itself to behave like an app. We expect certainty. We expect everything to happen exactly as described online. We expect reality to match the algorithm. But reality doesn't work that way. A restaurant owner might decide to close for a family celebration or for a family accident. The weather forecast might be wrong, the sea might be rough, a road might be closed because repairs are needed. A local festival might mean the town centre is busier than usual. I only know too well. My cousin was here in Sardinia less than a month ago, and he said when he returned to his place in Orosei, it took him way longer than expected because the town centre was closed because of a festival. That's not poor organization, that's simply life. And honestly, I think accepting a little uncertainty is one of the things that makes traveling rewarding. If everything is completely predictable, are we really discovering somewhere new? Or are we just following a script? Now? Sardinia is where people live. This may sound obvious. In fact, it probably sounds so obvious that you're wondering why I'm even saying it. But sometimes I really think it needs repeating. Sardinia isn't a tourist attraction. It's an island where around one and a half million people live their everyday lives. People go to work, children go to school, doctors go to hospitals, teachers prepare lessons, builders renovate houses, farmers harvest crops, fishermen leave before sunrise, people get married, families celebrate birthdays, people attend funerals. And the list could go on. Life goes on in Sardinia, whether the tourists are here or not. And one thing I often notice is that visitors are. Visitors tend to see Sardinia only through the lens of their holiday. You're here for a week, maybe two. Everything you experience during that week feels incredibly important because you spent months planning it. That's perfectly understandable. But for us, it's just another Tuesday or Thursday. When you see construction work, it's because someone is building a house or paving a road. When traffic builds up, it's because people are driving home from work. When supermarkets are busy on Saturday morning, it's because local families doing their weekly shopping. And when a beach is crowded after 10 o', clock, it's because we finished work for the week. It's the weekend we decided to go for a swim. The island doesn't pause while tourists are here, nor should it. It sometimes see. I sometimes see comments online complaining about world works or saying that construction somehow ruins the experience. Just the other day, someone said that Cagliari is Full of construction works. Now, of course, everybody doesn't like any. Nobody likes roadworks. I don't enjoy them either. But roads need repairing and buildings need maintenance. Cities of all villages change. If nothing were ever repaired or improved, people would complain about that instead. In fact, the person that complained about construction works in Cagliari also complained that the town was old and not well maintained. That's what happens in every country in the world. It's not different here in Sardinia. Now you're seeing Sardinia in one week. We're living here the whole year. This is something I think visitors don't always realize. Most people come to Sardinia in July or August, maybe September. They see the island as its busiest. The beaches are full, the roads are busy. Restaurants need reservations. Both tourists are out. And naturally, many assume that's what Sardinia is always like. There's only a tiny snapshot. For us, the year looks completely different. Winter storms transform the coastline. Some beaches become almost impossible to recognize. Village festivals fill the square. In the spring, the countryside turns green. After the rain, wildflower cover the hills. In autumn, vineyards become busy with the harvest. The beach is empty. This still is still warm enough for swimming in October. In many years, then winter arrives. Small coastal towns become quiet again. People return to their routines and shop in coastal villages. And holiday destinations close for the season. But local life takes over again. That's the Sardinia I know. Tourism is certainly an important part of our economy. Nobody is denying that, but it isn't the whole story. And I think visitors who understand that often have a much richer experience because they stop seeing the island as something created for them. Instead, they become temporary guests in somebody else's home. I actually think that's a much nicer way to. To travel. Whenever I travel, for example, I remind myself one simple thing. I'm a guest. Whether I'm visiting Alaska, Malaysia, Peru, or anywhere else in the world. I don't expect local, local people to change the way they live. Because I'm on holiday, I don't expect restaurants to stay open because I arrived late. I don't expect everyone to speak English. I don't expect traditions to be explained. To me, if something surprises me, it's part of the experience. Sometimes I make mistakes. Sometimes I misunderstand something. Sometimes I get lost. And that's okay. That's traveling. I think somewhere along the way, especially with social media, we started believing that every destination should feel effortless and that every inconvenience, it's somehow a failure. But travel isn't supposed to be frictionless. It's supposed to expose you to different ways of living. And that's the whole point. It's if everything worked exactly the same as it does back home, what would be the point of traveling at all? One of the reasons I love traveling myself is precisely because things are different. You know, different opening hours, different customs, different food, different ways of life. That's not something to tolerate, it's something to appreciate. And I think Sardinia in this sense deserves respect, not because it's unique. Every destination is. Whether you visit in Sardinia, Scotland, Costa Rica, you're stepping into somebody else's daily life. You're not entering a careful, designed attraction, you're entering a community. And I think remembering that changes the way we travel for the better. Now let's talk about social media, because I think this has probably influenced travel way more than anything else over the last 10 years. And before anyone misunderstands me, let me be clear. I love photography. I have a travel blog. I share photos on social media. Without the Internet, strictly Sardina simply wouldn't exist. So this isn't an attack on Instagram or TikTok. The problem isn't the platform. The problem is forgetting that what you're seeing is only one carefully selected moment. When I photograph a beach for my blog, I'm trying to show it at its best. Of course I am. If I'm writing about Cala Goloriza, I'm not usually photographing it during the thunderstorm because, well, chances are I'm not even going to be there during the thunderstorm. But I also spend a huge amount of time telling people what the photograph doesn't show, how difficult the height to get there is, the fact that there is no shade, parking feels early, the sea can become rough. The beach works better with one wind or another, whether there are toilets, food options nearby, because that's actually what helps someone to plan a trip. A beautiful photograph inspires you to visit, but useful information helps you to enjoy the visit. And unfortunately, social media often stops at the photograph. And that's where Unrealistic Expectations One thing I often notice is that people don't compare their holiday to reality. They compare it to somebody else's highlight reel. Think about the average Instagram post. The light is perfect, the colors have been edited, the beach looks empty, the sea is flat, the sky is blue. You don't see hundreds of people standing just outside the frame. You don't see the photographer who got up at 6am in the morning to avoid the crowds. You don't see the fact that they waited 20 minutes for everyone to move out of their shop shot. You certainly don't see the drive to get there. The line at the parking machine, the wall carrying an umbrella and a cooler in 35 degree heat. No one. None of those things make it into the photograph. And that's perfectly fine. Photography has always been about capturing beautiful moments. The problem starts when we convince ourselves that those moments represent reality every minute of every day. And this is especially true in Sardinia, because our beaches photograph incredibly well. You know, they're genuinely beautiful. Sometimes when I'm out taking photos for the blog, I stop for a moment and think, I can't believe I still live here. So, yes, the beauty is real. But so is the wind. So are the August crowds. So are the mosquitoes in some places. The fact that some beaches require a long walk. The fact that the sea isn't always calm. And that's why I try to write honestly. And sometimes people ask me why I mention the negatives. Well, why not just tell everyone that the beach is incredible? Because that wouldn't help anyone. If a beach has difficult access, I'd rather you know before you arrive. If parking is limited, I think you should plan accordingly. If someone is likely. If somewhere is likely to be crowded in August, I'd rather set realistic expectations that pretend otherwise. Good travel advice isn't about convincing people that every place is perfect. It's about helping them to choose the places that suit them best. And that brings me to another point. Algorithms are powerful, but they don't actually understand places. They understand popularity. And that's a very important distinction. If you search for best beaches in Sardinia, you'll probably see the same names over and over again. Cala Goloriza, La Pelosa, Calamariolo, Cala Brandinki, Tuerreda. They're spectacular beaches. I've written about every single one of them. But here's the thing. An algorithm doesn't know whether you're traveling with two toddlers. It doesn't know whether you're afraid of heights. It doesn't know whether you're happy for hiking, for hiking for one hour or two. It doesn't know if you're visiting in October when services might be already closed in coastal places. It doesn't know whether you're staying in Cagliari or Santa Teresa. It doesn't know whether you get seasick. It doesn't know whether your idea of a perfect beach is somewhere with a beach bar, toilets and some bed rentals. Rentals. Or whether you prefer somewhere completely wild. It certainly doesn't know what the wind will be doing on the day you visit. And local knowledge fills those gaps. That's why I spend time updating my articles. Not because beaches change it dramatically every year, but because practical information changes all the time. And, you know, the reality of traveling is evolving. And that's why contexts matter much more than lists. I sometimes receive messages asking questions like, what's the best beach in Sardina? And I can never answer that, because there isn't a best beach in Sardina. The best beach for a family with young children is probably different from the best beach for somebody celebrating their honeymoon. And the best beach in May might not be the best beach in August. The best beach on a windy day is probably different from the best beach on a calm day. Travel isn't one size for fits all, and neither is Sardinia. Now, do we really need to reserve everything? Another thing I've noticed over the past few years is that people increasingly want certainty. They want every restaurant book, every beach planned, every day scheduled months in advance. Now, don't misunderstand me, some things must be booked. If you're visiting in July and August and you want a specific boat tour, book it. Or if you're staying in a popular hotel, book early. If you're traveling during Ferragoso, don't leave accommodation till the last minute, because planning is important, but planning every minute, I think that takes away one of the nicest parts of traveling. Some of my favorite meals where traveling have happened because I walked down the street, saw a restaurant that looked interesting and went in. No reviews, no influencer recommendations, no viral videos, just curiosity. And the same happens to me in Sardinia countless times, even though I live here. And sometimes I notice a small village festival as a drive by for an hour, and that completely changes my plans. And times those unexpected moments become the highlight of the day. If every minute of the trip has been planned, things like this would have never happened. And this brings me to an episode I had with a friend of mine from the United States at the beach. A couple of years ago. We went to a beach and, you know, we did the usual things we do here in Sardinia. We plant the umbrella, we lay in the shade or in the sun. We swim a little, we eat a little, we swim some more, we read a paper, we read a book, we kind of listen to music, we talk, we chat, and we go on repeat. And sometimes we nap. We nap at the beach. And I remember he was very anxious about what we'd be doing next. And, you know, what are we doing now? I'm bored and it got to the point where my sister simply looked at him and I said, take a nap. And that shut him. Because you don't have to feel every moment, you know, you don't have to spend every moment at the beach doing something and doing absolutely nothing is actually relaxing, you know. Keep this in mind. I receive a surprising number of questions that could easily be answered by simply speaking to another human being. People ask what happens if they leave their sunbeds to have lunch, or whether they lose a parking space if they go for a walk, or what happens if they're running a little late for something. And often my first thought ask. Talk to the person renting you the sunbeds. Speak to the parking attendant. Call the restaurant. People are generally much more flexible than apps make us think. We've also become so used to interacting with screens that we've almost forgotten that most travel is still still involves human beings. And honestly, that's one of the nicest things about it. Now, if there's one message I'd like people to take away from this episode is that respect makes every trip better.
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Better.
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It isn't complicated, it's just often common sense. Don't leave rubbish on the beach. Don't climb over fences protecting the dunes because you want a better photo. Don't take sand home as a souvenir. And don't block somebody's driving because you think you'll only be five minutes. People live in Sardinia. Someone might be trying to park outside their house. Someone might be carrying groceries. And this applies everywhere I travel when I'm visiting another country. I try to adapt to local customs rather than expecting local people to adapt to me. I don't always get it right, nobody does. But making the effort matters. And I think local people notice that effort. In Sardinia, you'll often hear that Sardinians can seem reserved. There's some truth to that. We're generally not as immediately outgoing as people from some other parts of the world. But once you start talking to people respectfully, ask genuine questions, and show an interest in the place rather than treating it like a checklist, you'll often discover just how generous and welcoming people can be. And that's the Sardinia I know. And I hope it's a Sardinia you get to experience too. Now, before we finish, don't forget to check this episodes description. That's where you find the link to my blog. On the blog you'll find more details about Sardinia, hotel options, tours, everything you need to plan your trip. You'll also find the link to book a one hour travel consultation with me now. Next week we'll be talking about the Baunet course and how it compares to La Maddalena Archipelago. If you found my podcast helpful, share with anyone planning a trip to Sardinia and feel free to leave a rating or a review. And until next week, goodbye.
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