Molentargius
on Tina's Journal (China), 08/Apr/2013 12:06, 34 days ago
Lying to the south of Cagliari and facing the city's famous Poetto beach is a beautiful natural Park called Molentargius. It is home to a variety of wildlife including many aquatic birds with an abundance of flamingos which harmoniously inhabit the lagoons. Facing Poetto in the distanceThere is a mixture of vegetation including many pine trees which in the summer would offer shelter for a picnic from the intense heat especially in July and August. You can explore the area either walking or cycling along the paths which encircle the various pools. I cycled with some friends from their house in Quartu and is the quicker option to see most of the park. Cycling through the busy city though is not very relaxing as you need to be careful of the traffic. The driving in Cagliari is not the safest or politest. Me exploring by bike From the park you can also get clear views of the surrounding area and the centre of Cagliari in the distance. There is a bird watch tower which offers not only the possibility to spy on the wildlife but also some breathtaking scenery.Looking east from the watchtowerThe park was established in 1999 and previously it was an area of economic interest. The whole area was used for saltworks and I recall as a child on my visits from the UK to Cagliari seeing the mounds of salt piled high. One of the special characteristics of this area is the fact that some lagoons here are soft water as well as the many salt water pools. I think it's wonderful that after the closure of the saltworks it has become an area of special international interest for nature and is one of the most important in Europe.Facing the Devil's saddle, Poetto