The differences in the Italian landscape are huge, as everyone knows. The mountains are big and real and the Mediterranean is always present not only because of the blue sea that surround nearly all the borders of my country, but also because it is the cause of the good food and wines, and of the spirit of the people, even the people living in the Italian Alps.

The mountaineers will surely remember it, when they before down next day climb up to one of the many 4000 summits you could reach from this point: the nearest are Pollux and Castor, but there is a “houte route” (a high trek) passing here and connecting to the Monterosa Tour, a circular trail on different hights above the valleys of Zermatt, Cervinia, Ayas (Champoluc), Lys (Gressoney), Alagna, Macugnaga, and Saas Fee. You coud start everywhere you want and it will take you more or less a couple of weks to complete – go to www.thealps.com to know more about 20 different trekking crossing the borders of the Alpine countries and surrounding the most beautiful mountains of the Alps, Per Alpes

We have been in Sardinia before, renting houses through an agent we knew. This time I found a house on the internet on the east coast, a few miles south of the famous Costa Smeralda, and we decided to try it this way. It is probably because we know the surroundings and could make us a relatively thorough idea of where the house would be, but the reality was far better than our expectations.

The owner was waiting for us on the dirt road at our arrival, which showed to be good because the house is hidden by olive trees and bushes, so we had not been able to find it so easily. Signora Liliana (her last name is one of the most well known in Sardinia, as it is the same as one of the few female Nobel Price’s in literature ever) tells us that her family owns this house since 30 years and that they spend all their free time in this paradise. They live only few miles away.

Our feeling is of becoming invited to be her guests. There is a very cozy, personal laid back atmosphere all over the place, and everything we need can be found, not the least 2 beautiful hammocks in the garden: I love it! The beach is right below and is little and nearly private. A perfect place for us for resting and meeting each other in our big and loud family of 5. There is space for everyone!

For me it is very important to feel as if I was at home when I travel and when I am on vacation, which means I don’t like to feel as a “tourist”, but just as myself. I don’t want to become a number on a flight ticket (that’s why I prefer to travel by car or by train) or on the door of a (no matter how luxurious) hotel. I want to meet the people who live in the places I visit, and to do as they use to. This is a genuine kind of tourism that is for me the only possible tourism, respectful of the “spiritus loci” (the soul of the place) and enriching you with really new insights about the world.

Rifugio Guide d’Ayas and Liliana’s house in Sardinia showed that there are still genuine places left.

Some hundred meters from the house there is a “village” called Baja Aranzos, with Kareoke at night and all included if you prefer - but be sure you do not become short of plastic pearls if you want your espresso!