Italy Guide
Sardinia
Sássari
Sardinia's second city, SÁSSARI, combines an insular, traditional feel, as embodied in its well-preserved tangle of lanes in the old quarter, with a forward-looking, confident air that is most evident in its modern centre. As a holiday destination, however, this inland town has limited appeal, lacking enough entertainment to fill more than a couple of afternoons or evenings. Historically, while Cágliari was Pisa's base of operations during the Middle Ages, Sássari was the Genoan capital, ruled by the Doria family, whose power reached throughout the Mediterranean. Under the Aragonese it became an important centre of Spanish hegemony, and the Spanish stamp is still strong, not least in its churches. In the sixteenth century the Jesuits founded Sardinia's first university here, which continues to excel in the spheres of law, medicine and politics.
If lively Sássari leaves you longing for some peace and quiet, the undeveloped coastline around Stintino, at Sardinia's northwestern tip, makes a worthwhile excursion.
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