From Oristano to Piscinas to Carloforte: Sardinia by bike (out of season)

Cyclists who choose Sardinia as their destination must know, however, that in terms of dedicated infrastructure they will find little or nothing for them. Cycle paths are a rare commodity. In a large part of the island they are almost absent, a characteristic that Sardinia shares with almost the rest of the Belpaese.

For those who, however, do not want to give up and do not resign themselves to cycling only on the well-maintained and well-marked cycle paths north of the Alps, there is only 'do-it-yourself': a good hiking app, which draws the track of a tailor-made cycling route according to one's needs, level of training, technical riding skills and available time.

Our cycle tour on the west coast, from Oristano to Carloforte, on the island of San Pietro, came about in this way, by hacking into Komoot, one of the most advanced cycle tourism apps available today. No need to be an expert. Komoot does (almost) everything on its own based on the settings it receives. And it does it well, in seconds, from a smartphone or PC. It is a very reliable, though not infallible, navigator and travel companion.

Now and then, rarely, even Komoot misfires. But there it is. In an Italy that still struggles - except for a few more enlightened local administrations - to recognise the value of cycle tourism as a factor in economic growth, the tipping point, like it or not, is the cycle touring apps that partially make up for the lack of infrastructure dedicated to bike travel.

From Oristano to Carloforte between Costa Verde and abandoned mines

The starting point for this four-day cycle tour is Oristano. For those coming from the Continent, disembarking at Olbia is about two hours by train without changes. Point of arrival: Carloforte on the island of San Pietro. In all, about 250 kilometres, partly on asphalt and partly on dirt roads, cycling along the Costa Verde in south-western Sardinia. Total height difference in ascent: 2,800 metres.

It is therefore not a tour for everyone. In addition to mastery of hiking apps and the ability to follow a GPS track, a fair amount of training and suitable cycling equipment are required. Recommended bike: mountain or gravel bike; racing bikes should be avoided on this route.

The first day's itinerary is a loop, starting and ending in Oristano. Rather than heading south immediately, we head west to visit the Sinis peninsula, a strip of land that juts into the sea, an ideal place for the settlements of navigators of the ancient world. Not for nothing did the Phoenicians found the commercial emporium of Tharros, later a Roman city, here in the 7th century BC. Not a bad first impact. What remains of Tharros today is a beautiful archaeological site right by the sea. Well worth a visit.

Just as worthwhile is the tour around the peninsula, by bike or even on foot, along the paths through the bush. A must-see is the early Christian church of San Giovanni in Sinis, a small jewel from the 5th century AD. The small beaches on both sides of the isthmus invite you to take a dip in the sea. Then the desire to explore takes us northwards to the magnificent beaches of Maimoni and Is Arutas. Not to be missed!

The following day, we climb back into the saddle from Oristano to Piscinas, one of the most iconic spots on the Costa Verde. The ride runs along the large ponds between Oristano and Cabras, valuable wetlands where fishing, fish farms, birdlife and archaeology coexist.

Cabras is worth a visit to the Museo Civico, which houses some of the so-called Giants of Mont'e Prama, huge statues dating back to the 10th - 8th century B.C., masterpieces from the Nuragic period that represent young men at the height of their powers, presumably warriors, archers, boxers. Another group of giants is on display at the Archaeological Museum of Cagliari. Then, past the cultivated plain of Arborea, a stop at the beach of Torre dei Corsari and finally Piscinas.

Until the 1960s, it was one of the sites of the Sulcis-Iglesiente mining basin, now a Unesco site. Then came the abandonment of the mines, the post-industrial decline and the attempt to reconvert the area to the new vocation of tourism. The offices of the old mine house a small charming hotel right on the beach.

All around, in a landscape that evokes the desert, the highest sand dunes in Italy and among the highest in Europe. A little further inland, a comfortable campsite offers hospitality. A swim in the sea is a must, paying attention to the undertow, which can be very strong.

The next stage, Piscinas-Buggerru, crosses the former mining basin, touching on breathtaking beaches such as Scivu, Cala Domestica and Portixeddu. The ride alternates between asphalt and scrubland, crossing at several points the Sentiero di Santa Barbara, patron saint of miners, a 500-kilometre-long trekking route (with a dedicated app) that on dirt tracks and mule tracks joins the area's now disused mines.

The highlight of the fourth day is a stop at Porto Flavia, a truly unique site in the mining basin. It is named after Flavia Vecelli, the eldest daughter of engineer Cesare Vecelli, who in the early 1920s designed and built for the Belgian mining company, Vieille Montaigne, a highly original system for transporting lead and silver extracted from the nearby Masua mine.

Two tunnels, one on top of the other, jutting out sheer into the sea in a stretch of coastline protected by the Sugarloaf Island: in the upper tunnel, railway wagons loaded with material arrived, which through silos was unloaded onto a conveyor belt in the tunnel below. The belt then deposited the cargo on ships moored under the tunnels sheltered by the islet. The traffic was mainly handled by sailors from Carloforte, who transported the goods to the island of San Pietro. For the time, the system was futuristic because it cut the time and cost of loading operations.

From Porto Flavia, a quick ride on asphalt leads to the industrial site of Portovesme, where we embark for Carloforte, the final leg of the cycle journey. With our feet on the ground, we begin to hear the sounds of the Tabarchini's Ligurian dialect.

Yes, because today's Carlofortini are the descendants of coral fishermen from Pegli, a seaside village just a stone's throw from Genoa (today a district of the city), who settled on the island of Tabarca (Tunisia) in the 16th century, where they remained for a couple of centuries. Then, in the first half of the 18th century, the entire community moved to the island of San Pietro, maintaining their traditions and dialect to this day.

In this strange historical and cultural mix, tuna fishing developed. Even today, Carloforte is still home to one of the few remaining active tuna fisheries in the Mediterranean. Don't miss in the restaurants of Carloforte the tastes of the many products of tuna processing, of which, like pork, nothing is thrown away. Go around the island by bike or boat. It is well worth it.

Then, on the way back, a short ride to Carbonia and from there by train to Cagliari. Finally, if you are coming from the Continent, the ferry will take you home. Happy pedalling!