Villasimius is one of the most famous tourist resorts in Southern Sardinia. Dozens of beaches and coves with fine white sand and turquoise sea, a village that in the evening comes alive with tourists and visitors struggling with long walks and carefree holiday evenings. Near the famous marina stands one of the most beautiful beaches in the area, Porto Giunco, a long strip of sand enclosed between the Aragonese Tower and the pond of Notteri.

Between a swim in the sea, a sunbathing session and a nap under the umbrella, just before lunchtime, we get the desire for a fresh fruit drink. Behind the beach, we notice large wooden gazebos with sofas and armchairs made from industrial pallets. We get closer and find out what it is. It is the Chiringuito Beach House, a novelty of the 5-star Pullman Timi Ama Sardegna hotel.

We approach the counter. “How are you today?” The bartender asks us with a relaxed smile. Another couple of questions and chatter and the drink takes shape on its own. A “tailored drink” that is born as a tailor-made suit, sewn on the person. It’s called “Kiss in Mexico”, a margarita with the addition of maracuja. We sip it and get lost in the signs that mark the distance in kilometers from the most famous seaside resorts in the world. Ibiza is 1722 km away, but it seems to be there right now.

Teased by the Food Truck we order skewers of cuttlefish and shrimp breaded with ponzu mayonnaise, which we enjoy with a glass of frozen vermentino.

Before going back to the beach we prepare another drink, a “wrong piña colada” recommended by the barman, who has now become our friend. Pineapple gives way to blueberry. “It is antioxidant” he says, it has beneficial effects on the skin “consumed” by the warm sun of Villasimius.

This Latin atmosphere, in a journey that goes from Mexico to Japan, passing through Brazil and the Mediterranean, conquers us. We book an “isla” (as the gazebos are called here) for sunset time. We already anticipate to end our bathing day with aperitif, music, and street food.

And then, when the sun begins to light the bay of Notteri with orange, there is no need to put on shoes to continue our day of vacation. We wash away the salt in the showers of the Chiringuito, we wear linen shirts and dresses and with our friends we sit in the “Isla Mykonos”.

The sunset is gently consumed, the colors of the sea warm up, and a golden patina rests on the sand. On our table come salmon tacos with guacamole and cheese and gourmet sandwiches prepared in the Food Truck: a baguette with pulled pork barbecue, peppers, and roasted onion and a Fassona burger with Parmesan cream, tomato, salad, roasted peppers, roasted onion, and bacon.

The drinks are always different, now the friend behind the counter has understood our tastes and indulges with fantasy. The music accompanies us: the chill-out rhythms of the beginning of the evening gradually give way to more lively music. The division between the tables has now disappeared, you dance with your feet on the sand, and it is natural to exchange smiles with other people.

We greet Porto Giunco with a beautiful moon that is reflected in the sea and the feeling of having lived a day of vacation that we will remember for a long time to come.

Che i nomi di tante strade del centro raccontino aspetti affascinanti della storia di Cagliari è di certo cosa nota. Spesso, passeggiando qua e là, ci si sofferma davanti alle vecchie targhe delle vie, riportanti spesso le antiche denominazioni.

Così, nel quartiere Marina, esisteva la “via degli Invalidi”, ovvero una parte dell’attuale centralissima via Sardegna. Quest’ultima infatti era costituita da dall’unione di vie diverse, e sembra che iniziasse dalla porta di Sant’Agostino, in quello che oggi è il centralissimo Largo Carlo Felice.

Il tratto iniziale era dunque la via degli Invalidi. Sino al XVIII secolo infatti era in questa parte della città che gli invalidi militari trovavano ospitalità.