In Atlantis, in a Giants' Tomb

Sardinia is land of ageless beauty, to the extent that researchers are all busy to prove the island is the lost civilisation of Atlantis. Among these, the most devoted to the cause is journalist Sergio Frau.

Frau, analysing ancient texts and comparing them with the present geography, places the Pillars of Hercules in Sicily so, according to Plato's directions, Atlantis is to be found in Sardinia.

The Greek philosopher, in fact, placed the legendary island, "insula Atlantis," in front of the Pillars of Hercules (Sicily) and on the west of the Strait of Gibraltar. Following all these references, Atlantis can only be Sardinia.

The island fits this explanation also thanks to the presence in its history of a lost civilisation, called nuragica. The whole territory is dotted with Bronze-Age stone towers, called nuraghi, that were used both as stronghold against foreign invasions and as habitation.

Frau, and many geologists, argue that four centuries before Christ a tsunami hit the island, destroying the nuragic civilisation, and maybe the civilisation of Atlantis. Geologists support this argument with the fact that one of the biggest and best kept nuraghi has been found under a thick layer of mud.

Apart from thousands of nuraghi, in the island can be found many other buildings even prior to the nuragic civilisation, such as Fairies' Houses, Dolmen, Menir, sacred wells and Giants' Tombs. Almost all of them are connected to pagan rituals, as they were tombs or worship areas. Among these, the Giants' Tombs have always inspired a great deal of interest, not only among scientists and researchers, but also among the population. Why?

It's widely believed that around a Giants' Tomb there is a magnetic field able to release positive energy. Historical research says they had funerary purposes, however they happen to be a little too big to be a single grave. Maybe more than one corpse were laid there after the burial ceremony? Or maybe they kept some more space on purpose to put other objects to help the dead cross over or to bring with wherever they were going, "Egypt-style"?

Where historical research stops, popular belief comes along. Many people take the Giants' Tomb as a place to restore from daily stress and go there to absorb some of the energies that our ancestors managed to identify in those strategic spots.

A friend of mine told me that when she goes to any of the Giants' Tombs she feels strengthened, so I had to try.

I went to the Giants' Tomb of Dorgali and followed "the expert's instructions". I sat beside the tomb, lied underneath, stepped on top of it (not sure if this was allowed or might have been considered profane some 5,000 years ago) and walked all around.

I can't really say what effect it had on me, maybe because it was also my first approach to such "natural remedies" to modern hustle and bustle.

Truth be said, Sardinia si a place where popular beliefs are as alive as they were thousands of years ago, and the pagan element never disappeared, despite the efforts of the Catholic Church to erase any previous ritual.

Land of mystery and unspoken traditions, Sardinia never fails to charm tourists and locals alike, as behind every single corner there is a secret to be discovered.

In Sardinia, walking down Europe's deepest canyon

Su Gorroppu, Dorgali

I had been warned it was tough, but in line with Sardinian stubbornness, I challenged my out-of-shapeness and made my way to Europe's deepest canyon, Su Gorroppu, near Dorgali, Sardinia's eastern coast.

The deal involved parking our car (after a drive along the very edge of a steep cliff) 200 mt above the gorge of the canyon and walking down towards the valley. "It cannot be that difficult," I thought. It didn't take me long to change my mind.

From second one, I had to mind every single step in order to avoid slipping down the cliff. The path bristled with small rolling stones that made it slippery, and bigger boulders that only apparently were stuck in the ground but that actually rolled too. And even the ones that were stuck were slippery because too worn out, for that matter.

The walk started quietly, the members of my group very interested in our guides' explanations, but after a while, all our geologic interest was inevitably fading away. We were too concentrated on placing our feet on the right stones.

The view was overwhelming, every time I looked in front of me I couldn't help but thinking how small man-made wonders are compared to what nature has done.

Being naturally rich in wood, also valuable species such as juniper, the mountains have been the target of former Italian royal family, the Savoia, who, when they colonised the island creating the Sardo-Piedmont kingdom, started a real sack, exploiting the natives and destroying the forests to obtain wood, coal and scented ashes for the houses. Thousands of trees have been cut down, burnt and loaded to the ships on the way to Piedmont. The result has been a huge damage for the environment (and for the local population), and only now little by little the forest is beginning to come back to normal.

In particularly difficult spots, I started cursing myself for having chosen this excursion instead of some other great places Sardinia is full of, and certainly less dangerous. No matter what, I kept shooting, in the hope to come out at least with some good pictures. I saw the woman behind me looking puzzled: "I admire your willingness on photographing!" She told me, sweating.

The route was actually hard, full of trees (the only handhold I could rely on), and very narrow, so we asked our guides: "What if someone gets his ankle sprained?" "No helicopter nor ambulance can manage to get here," was the guides pithy answer. "We leave the weak here, wildlife have the right to eat too!" Drowsy laugh from the rest of the group.

The moments I was getting despondent, I threatened: "That's it, I'm not moving anymore!" Bad choice, really not the case to get lost in the middle of nowhere, I wouldn't have been able to find my way back to the car, I had to keep going, no way out.

Once reached the destination, my fury calmed down, being on the bottom of the canyon was worth our fatigue, and our courage was restored. Good for us, because we were about to do uphill the same route we had just descended from.

I kept shaking all evening, my mood having ranged from panic to discouragement all day. I swore I would never go back again: the day after I had already changed my mind and started planning the next excursion.