Su Gologone, Sardinia 2024
Nestled
in the verdant mountainside of Barbagia in Sardinia is the unique hotel Su Gologone. This
white-washed stone building with its terracotta roof is camouflaged within creatively
landscaped gardens abundant with fragrant junipers, aloe veras, prickly pears and
tropical palms.
It was
the month of August and we were to spend three nights in this wonderful
location, honouring my husband Philip’s special birthday.
Named
after a natural spring, Su Gologone was initially established as a restaurant
in 1967 by Giuseppe ‘Peppeddu’ Palimodde. With the help of his wife, Pasqua
Salis Palimodde, they offered traditional Sardinian cuisine. This sumptuous
fare gained popularity attracting people from different parts of the island and even
further afield. This
success led Peppeddu and Pasqua to provide accommodation for
their clientele, initially eight rooms which have since increased to seventy-one. This
artistically furnished accommodation has been so cleverly designed that the
rooms are almost hidden within the mountainside, leaving guests to feel like
they are staying in a rustic farmhouse. Su Gologone is now managed by three
generations of the Palimodde family, Pasquia, her daughter Giovanna and her
granddaughter Camilla. Together they share their love of the island and its artistic
and culinary culture with their guests. This hospitality is equally shown by their staff,
which adds to the warm ambiance of Su Gologone.
The
beautiful arts and crafts that furnish Su Gologone can be found in the Botteghe
d’Arte. Colourful embroidery and textiles sit alongside ceramics and glassware,
as well as woodwork and wrought iron creations. In addition you can find beauty
and household products made with essential oils from locally grown aromatic
herbs. All of these have been created by skilled artisans who offer guests the
opportunity to learn their trade.
Each
evening we enjoyed sipping apéritifs in the Bar Magico Tablao, watching the sun
go down whilst lounging under canvas awnings on the tapestry cushion-strewn white
wooden benches. Open to the public as well as guests, this select venue attracts
sophisticated clientele parading the latest fashion trends.
From here we would
wander to one of the themed restaurants, starting with l’Orto (vegetable garden)
on our first night. We dined under the stars overlooking neatly planted rows of
herbs and vegetables safeguarded by a colourful scarecrow. The creative garden-to-table
tasting menu consisted of carefully combined ingredients exuding exquisite flavours.
We particularly enjoyed the Sardinian pasta, fregola, served with a mélange of
roasted vegetables. We sat on multi-coloured wooden chairs surrounding a
juniper table over which vine tomatoes, chilli peppers and aromatic herbs were decoratively
suspended. It was certainly a memorable moment to be savoured.
The
next night we enjoyed Il Nido del Pane (Nest of Bread) where we witnessed the
ancient art of breadmaking in the old wood-fired oven. We were greeted by the
chefs dressed in traditional Sardinian costumes busy at work creating dishes whose
aromas whetted our appetites. We dined on the open-air roof terrace where we were
presented with creative culinary concoctions such as cocconeddas (a type of
gourd) filled with potatoes and wild herbs, flat bread topped with roasted cherry
tomatoes and fresh basil leaves … concluded with a meringue nest filled with
ricotta and blueberry compote.
After
this splendid meal we wandered down to the Terrace of Dreams and Desires where a
group of local tenors performed traditional accapella folk songs. Dressed in
black these five gentlemen stood in a circle
facing one another as they sang. It was fascinating to hear a part of the
island’s musical heritage.
Our
final night’s meal was in the formal dining room, otherwise known as The
Traditional Restaurant, which overlooked the gardens and mountainside beyond. Its
colourful wooden furniture was bedecked with place settings for its honoured guests,
while senses were aroused by the aromas coming from the rustic fireplace where whole
pigs were being slowly roasted on spits. We perused the menu that began with al
dente petit pois, asparagus and porcini mushrooms from the kitchen garden. This
was followed by a variety of homemade pasta dishes from which I selected a delicious
wild fennel ravioli. Philip chose the roasted pork accompanied by crunchy potatoes.
The chefs at the hotel are skilled in preparing fine Sardinian cuisine following
recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, offering
guests an authentic culinary experience.
This
extends to the opulent breakfast that we savoured every day, from freshly
pressed fruit juices to different types of yoghurt, including local goat. There
was a choice of toasted granola and muesli, along with homemade bread fresh
from the oven. Ten different types of baked cakes were made with healthy ingredients such as berries, stone
or citrus fruit and sprinkled with roasted almonds. The colourful fruit platter
included peaches, apricots and honeydew melon. Whilst there was a variety of
cheeses and charcuterie or eggs of your choice.
Breakfast
was followed by time relaxing by the extensive pool, where we swam in the refreshing
water and read books lounging on sunbeds under the shade of a parasol. There
were very few people frequenting the pool area, creating a peaceful ambiance and allowing me to swim laps practically undisturbed. I had the pleasure of a
therapeutic massage in the spa, where a skilled masseuse used firm manoeuvres
to ‘relax muscles and improve circulation’, while applying a fragrant essential
oil. I certainly felt its calming benefits afterwards.
One
afternoon we explored the environs, walking the 10 minutes down to Su Gologone natural spring
where water cascaded over boulders. I found a prickly pear whose sweet syrupy fruit
I foolishly tasted thinking that I could avoid the fine prickles. Instead a couple
of invisible thorns embedded themselves in my bottom lip and left me feeling
like a bee had stung my lip – I certainly learned my lesson. Another afternoon
we walked in the mountains and saw a shepherd’s hut made out of a circular stone
base on top of which sat a wigwam of sticks. The stone base could be confused
with a nuraghe, an ancient megalithic edifice found in Sardinia and built during
the Nuragic Age between 1900 and 730 BC. The use of these nuraghes is disputed,
some say they were sovereigns’ residences, military strongholds, meeting places
or religious temples; while others claim they were ordinary dwellings or used
for a combination of these purposes.
Our
elegantly decorated room was a comfortable place to spend time with its traditional
furnishings combined with designer pieces as well as locally embroidered
bedlinen and cushions. We could equally stretch out on the daybed under an awning
on the terrace whilst perusing one of the beautifully illustrated art books.
This was
our first visit to Sardinia and our magical experience at Su Gologone certainly
enhanced our impression of the country and its culture. It was the perfect way
to celebrate a significant birthday and we would love to return there one day
in the foreseeable future.
