It is not difficult to fall in love with the Sardinian countryside and now we have even more of a reason to. Not far from Luogosanto, in the heart of Gallura, the Gallicantu Stazzo Retreat will open its doors on May 14th. The project was brought to life by Marco Maria Berio, historical director of the Pevero Golf Club, and by his partner Raffaella Manca, PR manager of prestigious hotels.
In ancient Sardinian, Gallicantu literally means ‘the crowing of the rooster’ and metaphorically means ‘dawn’. The name was chosen to underline one of the core pillars of the resort: Nature. The other core pillars are authenticity, simplicity and slow pace. In other words; true luxury. The luxury of diving into history. This history is partly narrated by the two stazzi, the fulcrum of Gallura’s agro-pastoral life for hundreds of years. Gallicantu preserves two stazzi from the 1930s that have been restored with traditional materials under the direction of the architect Jean Claude Lesuisse.
One stazzo houses five rooms, each different and surrounded by three hectares of Mediterranean scrub and imposing granite boulders, a the view that sweeps over the high Gallura and Corsica, a living room with fireplace to warm you up during the colder season, a swimming pool set among the rocks in the shade of centuries-old trees , and a wellness area with sauna, turkish bath, emotional showers and a small relaxation area. A little further on, the second stazzo houses two suites, Igna and Mendula, which overlook an almond grove. The old barn houses the kitchen furnished with recycled furniture and custom-made furniture by local artisans and there is a cave, dating back to the pre-nuraghic times and today houses a cellar ideal for an aperitivo where you can taste cured meats and cheeses from small local producers nearby and the best wines of the island. Each space is designed in the style of organic architecture, where natural elements such as iron, stone, juniper and Orosei marble find the right harmony with contemporary handcrafted fabrics.
At Gallicantu, nature is fundamental in the kitchen, where the cuisine is based around all the wonderful things produced at the estate. From the vegetable garden to the hundreds of olive trees, almond trees, fruit trees, citrus groves and cherry trees. Over two hundred myrtle plants give life to a delicious, handcrafted liqueur, while ten families of bees produce honey that guests taste at breakfast or during an aperitif in the cave.
The estate is not short of experiences, where guests can part-take in : ceramic lessons, watercolor courses, cooking classes or golf lessons. Or set off to discover the area: you can visit farms, vineyards, stazzi, dairies, a herbalist’s shop and a pottery workshop as well as hiking, biking, horseback riding, bouldering, canoeing and yoga. Gallicantu is located near Luogosanto so you can be sure to have plenty of activities to keep you busy (if you wish).
