Sardinia

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and is part of Italy. It is known for its stunning turquoise water, white sand beaches, and rugged mountains. Sardinia has thousands of mysterious ancient stone towers called nuraghi. The island is also famous because many of its people live to be over 100 years old.

Land and People

About 1.6 million people live in Sardinia. The capital is Cagliari. The island has a rugged interior with mountains and forests. The coastline has some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, especially along the Costa Smeralda.

Culture and Fun Facts

Sardinia has about 7,000 nuraghi, stone towers built between 1900 and 730 BC. Nobody knows exactly what they were used for. The island is a Blue Zone, one of the places on Earth where people live the longest. Traditional Sardinian food includes pane carasau, a crispy flatbread, and pecorino cheese made from sheep's milk.

Fun Facts

• Sardinia is one of the world's Blue Zones, where an unusually high number of people live past 100.
• The island has about 7,000 ancient stone towers called nuraghi, found nowhere else on Earth.
• The Costa Smeralda in Sardinia is one of the most expensive vacation spots in the world.

Did You Know?

Sardinia is one of the few places on Earth called a Blue Zone, where many people live past 100 years old. Scientists think their long lives come from a healthy diet, strong family bonds, and an active lifestyle.