 Italy
dangles like a Christmas stocking from the center of Western
Europe, stuffed with overflowing treasures for all your
senses. The topography of Italy varies from the heights
of the Alps, to the breadth of great plains, to wonderful
islands.
The topography of Italy varies from the
heights of the Alps, to the breadth of great plains, to
wonderful islands. Excluding the islands, Italy is approximately
260,000 square km, which is roughly the size of Britain.
But it is the islands that fascinate, and which we will
explore; starting with Elba in the Tuscan Archipelago, then
on to the French island of Corsica, and finally Sardinia,
situated directly below Corsica.
Located to the west of Italy, but close
enough to have been inhabited since ancient times, Elba
is the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, which consists
of several islands scattered like jewels across the sea.
Heavily forested, but sprinkled with granite outcroppings,
Elba is a study of deep green and pink. Dominated by a chain
of mountains, the tallest ones are to the West, with the
highest peak being Monte Capanne.
Colonized since around 3000 BC, people
were originally drawn to Elba for its wealth of metals.
Started by the discovery of copper during the Copper Age,
and continuing on through the Bronze Age, as the residents
alloyed it into bronze. The copper was depleted just as
the world entered the Iron Age. Good luck for Elba, the
island also contained vast deposits of iron ore. When the
steel mills on Elba were closed after World War II, tourism
was developed as the new source of wealth. The picture of
success, the 30,000 residents of Elba host upwards of 2,000,000
visitors on a yearly basis.
Portoferrio is the capital of Elba. Reigning
Duke Cosimo I built the massive walls surrounding the city
in the 16th Century. The other prominent structure in Portoferrio
is the Grattacielo (“skyscraper”) which is one
of the truly ugliest buildings, complete with peeling paint,
that was built in the 1950’s. However, since it contains
the tourist office and most modes of island transportation
revolve around it, many people can not ignore it, even though
they might like to!
No discussion of Elba would be complete
without mentioning the fact that on May 4, 1814, Napoleon
arrived at Portoferrio with 500 of his most loyal officers
and soldiers, plus a British Commissioner to keep an eye
on him. He proved to be a very adept governor, reorganizing
the iron mines and starting the network of roads found on
Elba today. Things seemed to be going along pretty well,
that is, right up until he disappeared on February 20, 1815,
much to the horror of his British watchdog. The “Hundred
Days” had begun. Captured again after Waterloo, Napoleon
would be banished to a much smaller, much gloomier, more
distant island to keep him out of trouble. Most people visit
his thoroughly depressing palace, the villa dei Mulini in
Portoferrio, where he lived a rather Spartan life, as though
he fully expected to be there only a short period of time!
 There
is plenty to see and do on Elba, including a thermal spa
at San Gowannii and the ruins of a Roman villa at Le Grotte.
In western Elba lies Marciana, the oldest continually inhabited
town on Elba. The Marciana Marina lies below the town, which
is situated high on the slopes of Monte Capanne. Marciana
is quite beautiful with its narrow streets, stone stairways
and many archways. In the summer, a cable lift goes to the
very summit of Monte Capanne.
This vantage point offers stunning views
of the Tuscan Archipelago, the mountains of Tuscany and
south to Corsica. Corsica, best known to most people as
the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, has been conquered,
fought over, revolted and re-taken so often that it is amazing
that the national mental state is nothing less than schizophrenic.
While it is likely that the island was inhabited as early
as Paleolithic times, the skeletal remains of the Bonifacio
Woman, dating from 6570 BC, is positive proof that it was
inhabited by the Neolithic era.
By the 6th Century BC, the Phocaean Greeks
founded Alalia, at what is now called Aleria, on Corsica’s
flat eastern plain. Two thousand years later, around 4000
BC, it would appear that the inhabitants succumbed to the
romance of big stones. Various sites around the southwestern
corner of the island still bear evidence of this period,
with large upright slabs standing in the earth, and structures
consisting of two large slabs supporting a large stone “roof”.
Torri, or towers, constructed by the Torreens in approximately
1100 BC are also standing, seemingly indestructible, especially
taking into account the later history of the island.
A seemingly endless parade of invaders
ruled the island throughout the years. Napoleon, Corsican
by birth, took over the jurisdiction of Corsica on behalf
of the French government in 1796, after the English departed.
His lone ambition was one of making Corsica truly French
once and for all. To this end, he prohibited Corsicans from
island administrative posts, on the grounds that they were
untrustworthy. While it is French, it is Corsica first,
and steps are being undertaken to grant it legislative authority
unto itself. No need to worry though, the Euro now rules
and credit cards are accepted, no matter who happens to
be in power!
Extremely mountainous, Corsica seems
to rise from the sea straight up into the clouds. For visitors,
its main attraction is the environment, which is vigorously
protected. In fact, over one third of the island is designated
as national parkland. The Parc Naturel Regional de Corse
(PNRC) has created, among other things, over 2000km of sign
posted footpaths. It has encouraged the preservation of
Hermann’s tortoise, the mouflon (a type of short fleeced
sheep whose males are characterized by large horns), and
is also responsible for the reintroduction of the Corsican
red deer. Perhaps the best part of all of this is that while
walking on Corsica, you can leave your snakebite kit at
home, as there are no snakes here. That fact alone makes
a trip to Corsica extremely inviting!
 Cap
Corse peninsula sticks out of the north end of Corsica like
a sore thumb, and is a mere 12km south of Elba. Apart from
Bonifacio, located on the extreme southern tip of the island,
it is the only area within Corsica where the inhabitants
have made a living by fishing. The most prominent feature
on Cap Corse is the numerous watchtowers that the Banco
di San Giorgio built in the 16th Century. Originally numbering
85, there are approximately 60 left, and the majority are
on Cap Corse. Originally intended to protect the island
from Saracen raiders, they also helped protect the island’s
strategic and commercial interests from other European challengers.
Ringing the island, with each one visible to the next, a
system of signals enabled messages to circle the island
within an hour.
Further south, following the western
coastline, is the Reserve Naturelle de Scandola, accessible
only by water, best known for its large number of osprey
pairs, which account for about 1/3 of the entire osprey
population in the entire Mediterranean, and the many volcanic
caves and faults. Another of its curiosities is a type of
calcareous seaweed that is so hard that it forms pavements
on the water’s surface.
Continuing your journey along the coastline,
you will reach Ajaccio, which is the largest town on Corsica
and also the capital. Famous as the birthplace of Napoleon,
it was Napoleon who decided in 1811 that Ajaccio would become
the capital of Corsica, rather than Bastia, which had been
the island’s capital and principal town up until that
point. There is plenty to see and do in Ajaccio, with enough
museums to keep the history buffs occupied for several hours.
Bonifacio is on the extreme southern
tip of Corsica, resembling a cliff-top fairy tale city straight
out of the pages of a child’s picture book. Bonifacio
is built on two levels, with the citadel, filled with ancient
buildings and twisting streets, up at cloud level. Appearing
to spring from the sheer, chalky cliffs behind them, the
walls barely seem to be able to hold the city in, away from
the edge of the precipice on which they are perched.
Below, the inlet retreats through the
cliffs to form a large natural harbor, home to a bustling
port. Protected from the wind and pounding sea by the cliffs
that ring it, and protected from invaders due to the narrow
opening into it, Bonifacio has one of the most beautiful
harbors in the Western Med.
Leaving the Corsica and Napoleon behind,
it is time to head south across the narrow Straits of Bonifacio
to Sardinia, the final island which we shall explore. While
unmistakably and unabashedly Italian, Sardinia is a universe
unto itself. Lying about 120 miles to the west of Italy,
it is almost that same distance from Tunisia. D.H. Lawrence
described it as “lost between Europe and Africa and
belonging to nowhere.” Possessing its own language
and diverse customs, the Sardinians have remained fiercely
independent throughout its turbulent history.
Sardinia’s early history is closely
linked with the history of nearby Corsica and Elba. It appears
that there were communities in the Paleolithic era, as the
first traces of human settlement go back to before 6000
BC. Replaced around 4000 BC by an agricultural culture called
the Bonu Ighinu, this society was named after the grotto
near Mara where their most significant remains have been
found. Around 1500 BC, a new group of settlers, the Nuragic
people, arrived on the scene. They were obsessed with protecting
themselves from invasion, and proceeded to build roughly
30,000 circular fortified dwellings, strategically located
so each could see its neighbor. It would appear that this
may be where the Banco di San Giorgo got the idea to build
the watchtowers that ring Corsica!
Today, about 7000 of these megalithic
structures survive. The most important complex is Nuraghe
Su Nuraxi, in Barumini, centered around a three-story tower.
Among the best preserved are S. Antine, which also has a
central three-story tower connecting to three, two-story
watchtowers via walkways, and Nora, which is an extensive
village complete with an amphitheater, forum, baths, temple
and kasbah.
Almost continuously occupied and ruled
by outsiders, there was once-upon-a-time, a Kingdom of Sardinia!
This was a result of the War of Spanish Succession, when
Cagliari was bombarded by an English fleet and briefly occupied.
In the ensuing negotiations, the island was ceded first
to Austria, then according to the Treaty of London of 1718,
the Kingdom of Sardinia was established. Of course, that
was just too good to last, and the Kingdom came to an end
with the unification of Italy in 1861.
 Treated
for years like the proverbial red-headed stepchild of Italy,
an attempt to offset this attitude was made in 1948, when
Sardinia was granted autonomy, allowing the regional government
direct control over many aspects of daily life. The Maddalena
archipelago is a cluster of seven larger islands and a sprinkling
of smaller ones. Crystal clear waters and steady breezes
are the signature highlights of the area, making it popular
to the yachting crowd. Home to numerous regattas every year,
there are many secluded bays and coves to explore for those
who prefer to be far from the crowd.
The water is always relatively calm,
even with the breezes, thanks to the many islands, making
it a favorite place for personal water sports. Porto Cervo
is certainly on the “must do” list for any charter
visiting Sardinia. It is the yachting hub of the Costa Smeralda,
popularly known as the “millionaires playground”.
Located on a narrow strip of land separating
the gulfs of Cugnana and Arzachena, it is said to have been
the brainchild of the Aga Khan Prince Karim IV. It is built
to resemble a fishing village, only on a massive scale.
Some call it sterile, others call it clean and discreet,
but the one thing is that probably no one has ever said,
“I wish I had not taken the time to visit Costa Smeralda!”
Filled with the jet set types in the summer, it is an excellent
place to people watch.
On down the eastern coast lie two small
islands, Tavolara and Molara. Upon approach, they seem nothing
less than forbidding, as they appear to be simply tall eruptions
of rock, thrust up from the sea, which is, indeed what they
are. But, close in, the crystal-clear water and tiny sand
beaches welcome you to visit.
Cagliari is at the southern end of Sardinia,
situated in the broad curve of the Gulf of Cagliari, and
is backed by lagoon and surrounded by an imposing ring of
medieval walls. The island’s capital since Roman times,
littered with 2000 years of history, is also Sardinia’s
busiest port. Wandering around Cagliari is best done on
foot, and the four quarters that you will want to visit
are all close by. The areas of Stampace and Villanova are
known for their important religious monuments and old churches.
The old citadel, Castello, is famous
for its flamboyant cathedral and the best museums. The Marina
quarter is home to most of the shops and restaurants. The
arcades of Via Roma are often regarded as the best to sit
with an ice cream and a cup of coffee; viewing the port
and watching the people go by. This would seem to be the
perfect way to end your charter before catching your flight
home. Or maybe you should just skip the flight and continue
on up the west coast of Sardinia, or head southeast to Sicily
or anyplace else… but maybe that will all have to
wait until next time!
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