The Sardinia that conquers the heart, it must be said, has never been that of trendy clubs, that of luxury and pomp. Sardinia capable of bewitching anyone who sets foot is the intimate and truest one, the long and white beaches on which white lilies grow, the Mediterranean scrub and the scent of myrtle, cistus, helichrysum, cheeky sunny days that in the evening turn into cool and quiet nights. It is the solid one from the tradition, of the Sardinian people, of its uniqueness.
That feeling of being on an island, away from everything. It is Sardinia that is no longer where an unrestrained tourist development has been allowed, but which is found here, intact, rugged, and enchanting in the Costa delle Mine, southwest of the island.
A long stretch of virgin coast, an intact territory that still has the option of choosing what to become: whether to follow the road of overcrowded tourism or whether to allow an ecological development that offers high quality services to those in Italy who are still looking for an intact and intact nature. A tourism of culture and respect for the island, which is what it is promoting Andaras Film Festival, the short film festival of travel, which, now in its third edition, brings to these places, from the country of Fluminamaggiore, Bugerru, Portixeddu, voices from around the world.
In the last year we have forgotten how much world we lacked, and how much world cinema can bring into our lives. For this reason, the days of Andaras, from 20 to 27 July, were even more beautiful: stories of shepherds, stories of war, of elderly people who “raise” their voices in their own way, of migrants and walls, of agricultural resistance, of an Arab-Israeli conflict that is resolved by laughing in a butcher’s shop. And then the meetings with artists, actors, photographers, film-makers, reporters … In short, stories of the world, in which you enter on a warm summer evening, in a square in front of the sea, together with other people who, like us, wanted to come here to enjoy the still beautiful things. Those that have little to do with tourism, and that much more has to do with the journey and the persistence of the cultural presence in places.
We of Vanity too – Andaras judges for the Food section, curated by the festival in collaboration with Slow Food Italia – we discovered the area with the other guests. Starting in the country of Buggerru, where in 1904 the first organized strike in Italy broke out: 5000 miners rose up when, under already very hard working conditions, an hour’s break was removed in the hottest hours (and the heat here can be really hot). The revolt led to the recovery of that hour, but to the harsh clash between soldiers and miners, which counted 3 dead and 11 wounded. A massacre, in which the miners’ courage led, first and for all, to a conscience of labor law. It is the story we learn from Stefano, exceptional guide to Galleria Henry, a mining tunnel dug into the mountain and towards the sea just above the town of Buggerru. A suggestive walk of over a kilometer with glimpses of the sea that tells the story of these places well.
The vast percentage of zinc in the world was produced here and the revenues of the mining companies were huge. Right in Buggerru la Malfidano Mining Company of Paris, which had the concession on the mine, had its headquarters, a “little Paris” – only for executives – who here, far from the world, however, had the greatest modernities of the late nineteenth century: electricity and running water, a cinema inaugurated by none other than Monsieur Lumière, a theater, a tailor who sewed the most elegant clothes with the fabrics of Paris so that ladies and gentlemen could participate in sumptuous parties.
That era passed and finally went down after the mid-1900s. The last mine in Sardinia closed at the beginning of the nineties and today this heritage of industrial and social memory remains open to offer a different panorama. Here you can experience a tourism for the few, with immense and wild beaches, with restaurants, kiosks and bars ready to offer you the best of local cuisine (special mention for spaghetti areselle and bottarga all’Ancora di Portixeddu, and for the pizza with sea urchins of Fluminimaggiore from Su Delegau).
Right here – a Fluminimaggiore – theHappy Village, the project carried out by the mayor Marco Corrias to give new life to the country, in addition to the Andaras Festival, – of which he is the creator together with the artistic director at the soul of the festival Joe Juanna Piras – and al Breath Festival, dedicated to theater, performance and music. Happy Village is an intelligent response to the attempt of many small Italian countries to react to depopulation and maintain their own uniqueness: in this case, over 300 abandoned houses in the country are being renovated (ultra-modern and domotic) to become a residence for “luxury retirees” , who will find peace here, the sea just a step away, a cultural and social life, medical assistance. An enlightened project that has made a lot of talk about itself and that moves in the direction of giving these areas a new future, which is not just unlimited tourist expansion.
This coast is a paradise, you understand in a moment going down to Scivu beach, with the roaring sea and (only) crab footprints before you, or climbing up to the Punic-Roman temple of Antas dedicated to the worship of the god Sardinian father Hunuulf and from which to look away at the sea, and an intact coast. This time, will we be ready to protect her?
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
