Located off mainland Italy's western coast, Sardinia is one of the world's oldest inhabited lands. In 1979, human remains uncovered on the island were found to be 150,000 years old. Later descendants, known as the Nuralgic peoples, scattered around nearly 9,000 curious towers and temples of unknown use. Near Oristano lies the nearly complete skeleton of Tharros, a Phoenician city already 2,000 years old when abandoned in 1000 AD. It was then slowly entombed by blowing sand, encased securely for another 1,000 years.

Cosmopolitan and cultured, Sardinia's capital of Cagliari's several museums house the island's most precious artifacts. Inland, Iglesias was the centre of Sardinia's rich mining industry, which began in prehistory with the discovery of obsidian. Spanish influence is audible in northern Alghero, where Catalan is still spoken. Sassari is home to Sardinia's first university, and acts as the island's main librarian and bookkeeper, preserving many rare manuscripts. In 1961, the Aga Khan purchased a strip of Sardinia's pristine, unlimited beaches at Porto Cervo and created the Costa Smeralda, one of the world's toniest resorts.