Are you thinking of a trip to Sardinia? If so, you likely know that it has great weather, beautiful sights and perfect beaches. You may not, however, know what you can bring back home with you from there. You may think it’s just more of the same as in the rest of Italy, but that’s completely not the case. Today, we’ll go over a couple of iconic things you can find and buy in Sardinia. Let’s take a look!
Cork from Sardinia
What can you easily bring back with you from Sardinia? Well, do you have a rather unusual décor in your flat? Want to soundproof your neighbour’s drum playing? Buy yourself some cork! Sardinia’s well known for its cork… everything. Frames, boxes, bags, clothes, footwear, kitchen accessories.
Where will you find it? Calangianius in Gallura, in the north of Sardinia. We recommend the gift shop at the Sughero Museum of Cork in Calagianus. Basic flip flops or coasters start at around €10.
Filigree jewellery
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Sardinia is known for its silver and gold mines, which means it has also long been known for producing filigree jewellery full of intricate detail. You’ll find loads of bracelets, necklaces and pendants to choose from. Where can you find jewellery in Sardinia? There are lots of jewellery shops around the island, with most of them being centred in Cagliari. A very cool boutique with a large selection is Filigrana Sardegna on: Corso Umberto I, 72, in Dorgali. Prices start at around €20.
Coral and coral jewellery
Sardinia is also famous for its precious corals – mostly red coral, which you can find in the Atlas of Marine Animals under the Latin name: Corallium rubrum. It is found in the Adriatic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The Japanese liked it so much that they grow it at home in artificial conditions. Many coral products can be bought in Torre del Greco but also in Sardinia, especially in Alghero. High-quality red coral jewellery is not the cheapest, but small souvenirs are something even an ordinary tourist can afford. If you do not want to buy anything made of coral, you can at least drop by the Museo del Corallo di Alghero museum in Alghero.
Knives from Sardinia
One of the more interesting souvenirs you can buy in Sardinia are the traditional Sardinian knives produced here known as resolza, resorza, resorja or arresoja. The folding knife from Sardinia has been known in its present form since around the 17th century. Initially, knives were used by Sardinian shepherds as an aid to their daily work – the name derives from razors. Over time, of course, the importance of the knife has declined and it is no longer used during daily tasks but instead has become a treasured heirloom. If you want to buy an original knife from Sardinia it is worth being wary of fakes made in mainland Italy. The originals are only found in Sardinia but are not among the cheapest.
Cannonau Di Sardegna
You may have heard that Sardinians live longer because of their wine. One of the main wines consumed on the island is Cannonau. It’s produced from the popular Grenache grape. It’s a DOP dry red wine, famous throughout Europe. It’s full of the aroma of violet and plum and it’s not all that expensive, as you can find bottles for about €6. A really decent price for longevity.
Ceramics from Sardinia
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If you’ve read our shopping lists before, you know we love dainty little ceramics. And you can find lots in Sardinia too, though they’re quite a bit different here than in the rest of Italy. While mainland Italy has its own style of ceramics, Sardinia uses much more African and Moroccan influence. We highly recommend you check out Ichnos in Alghero or Kernos Ceramiche in Cagliari.
Cestini baskets
Another thing you may consider is the handmade basket produced by local artisans. You can find plenty of baskets, made from a wide variety of materials in Sardinia. It’s suitable for both a decoration or an actual basket for food or bottles of wine.
Pecorino Sardo
What would a shopping list for Italy be without cheese? Sardinia has its own well-known cheese, Pecorino Sardo, also known as fiore sardo. It’s a cheese made exclusively of sheep’s milk, specifically of local sheep from Sardinia. It’s now very well known outside of Italy and quite hard to get anywhere else in the world. It’s, thankfully, very easy to bring back with you in your hand luggage. Remember to store it in the fridge for a long time before the flight.
Groceries
If you’ve come to Sardinia by car, you can do more major shopping. We recommend stocking up on various local specialities, whatever’s available in your city/town. Of course, if you’re flying to Sardinia, it’d be difficult to pack much but you can always just try them on the spot.
Home in Sardinia
You may have heard of the €1 house in Sardinia, with flashy clickbait proposing that you can just buy a regular house for €1. Of course, we don’t actually live in a fantasy realm, and these were usually buildings in ruin – ones you had to then renovate in order to receive the place. Still, due to an ageing Italian society and lack of people to live in certain rural areas, house prices can be quite low in Sardinia and there have been a few such attempts from the authorities to bring people over – in 2023, there was a €15,000 fund for people to move into rural areas in Sardinia and reside there full-time, as your new permanent residency.
If you’d be interested in looking for such a bargain, then be on the lookout, as there’s a good chance that Sardinian authorities will continue to try to get people to move there.
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