Today we’re going to explore south and east of the city, our sights set on Villasimius. As we leave the city, we’re surprised how different the terrain is. When we went west two days earlier, it was farmland and pastures to the mountains in the background. Today it’s more Rockies than Great Plains. About an hour in, we leave the paved surface, the last mile on rutted dirt road. It’s worth the beating the rental car took (hey, isn’t that the whole point to a rental car?) and the subsequent 10 minute hike to emerge at Punta Molentis Beach, a secluded arc of a beach, the entire thing circled by granite rock face, regularly spilling boulders down to the blue blue sea. On the far end, there’s a beach shack of a café, with a checkerboard of thatched beach umbrellas between here and there. It’s mostly empty, just a few stragglers on this cool late morning. We’re happily surprised the café is open, and the man is willing to stop fishing long enough to make us some cappuccinos. We take our paper cups and find a nice perch on some rocks to take the place in. Time and tide have eroded the rocks so that each one has it’s own personality, together making a mosaic of brutal beauty.
The village of Villasimius itself is a Sardinian take on a
California beach town. A long main drag of
hip shops and cafes form an inviting place to stroll, which we do. We lunch at Sardus Focacceria Gourmet a tiny
sandwich shop with a few tables inside and few more in. We split their signature dish, the Sa
Mortazza, a sandwich of thin focaccia bread with mortadella, arugula, and entre
ball of buratta and pistachio pesto.
It’s ridiculous.
At the end of the main drag is Simius beach which we’re
going to check out for a few minutes. As
we walk on, the sun emerges in glorious splendor, just insisting we plunk down
on some loungers to soak it in. Whatever
else we had in mind can wait. Or be
blown off.
We’re in the Italian rhythm which means a quick afternoon
stop for a drink, cappuccino for me, Campari Soda for Mandy, at the beach side
café near the car park. By this point,
we can’t even remember if there was a plan for today. This is what we were meant to be doing.
Back in the room, we take turns trying to capture the view
from our window. Mandy got it best.
Dinner at Vivarelli La Trattoria, a butcher shop by day,
restaurant by night, immaculate and adorable.
The food, the wine, the atmosphere, the service, the kindness all outstrip
their excellent reviews.
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