"Mediteraneo" Tour Κάλιαρι (Σαρδινίας) LIEE - Μάλτα LMML

LEG 10

Càgliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, an autonomous region of Italy. It has about 170,000 inhabitants, or about 300,000 including the suburbs (metropolitan area) (Elmas, Pirri, Selargius, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu Sant'Elena).From the 1870s, with the unification of Italy, the city experienced a century of rapid growth. Many outstanding buildings were erected by the end of the 18th century during the office of Mayor Ottone Bacaredda. Many of these buildings combined influences from Art Nouveau together with the traditional Sardinian taste for flower decoration: an example is the white marble City Hall near the port. Ottone Bacaredda is also famous for the violent repression of one of the earlier worker strikes in the beginning of the 20th century.

During the Second World War, Cagliari was heavily bombed by the Allies in February 1943. In order to escape from the bombardments and the misery of the destroyed town, many people left Cagliari and moved to the country or rural villages, often living with friends and relatives in overcrowded houses. This flee from the town is knwon as "sfollamento" (deserting). After the Italian truce with the Allies in September 1943, the German Army took control of Cagliari and the island, but soon retreated peacefully in order to reinforce their positions in mainland Italy. The American Army then took control of Cagliari. Cagliari was strategically important during the war because of its location in the Mediterranean Sea. Many airports were near Cagliari (Elmas, Monserrato, Decimomannu, currently a NATO airbase) from which airplanes could fly to Northern Africa or mainland Italy and Sicily.

After the war, the population of Cagliari boosted and many apartment blocks were erected in new residential districts, often created with poor planning as for recreational areas.Cagliari is an ideal location for sailing,hiking and outdoor sports. It has a mild climate, often refreshed by northern-west winds. It is close to other beautiful sea-side locations, such as Chia or Villasimius, still relatively unspoilt by tourism and is also close to mountain parks, such as Monte Arcosu or Maidopis, with large forests and wildlife (Sardinian deers, wild boars, etc.).

Cagliari has some peculiar gastronomic traditions. Many dishes are based on the wide variety of fish and sea food available. Although it is possible to trace influences from Spanish gastronomy, Cagliaritanian food has a distintctive and unique character. Very good wines are also part of Cagliaritanians' dinners: excellent wines are in fact produced in the nearby vineyards of the Campidano plain.

Η Δημοκρατία της Μάλτας(συνήθως συντομα ως Μάλτα) είναι μία μικρή και πυκνοκατοικημένη νησιωτική χώρα αποτελούμενη απο ενα αρχιπέλαγος στην μέση της Μεσογείου. Παρόλο που γεωφυσικά αποτελεί μέρος της Βόρειας Αφρικής - βρίσκεται στιν Αφρικανικη ηπειρωτική πλάκα ακριβώς νοτια της Σικελίας, ανατολικά της Τυνησίας και βόρεια της Λιβυής - η χώρα γεωπολιτικά βρίσκεται στην Νότια Ευρώπης. Η Μαλτέζικη γλώσσα ειναι η μόνη Σημιτική γλώσσα της οικογένειας των Αφρικο-Ασιάτικων γλωσσών που ειναι ντόπια σε μια γεωπολιτικά ευρωπαική χώρα. Η θέση της χώρας είναι στρατηγική για την κυριαρχία στην Μεσόγειο και πολλές μεγάλες δυναμεις κάθε εποχής κατέκτησαν τα νησιά της Μάλτας.