A PRETTY Italian island renowned for its beautiful beaches and turquoise sea is giving tourists free three-night stays – as long as you like walking.
The “Leg’s go in Cammino” initiative is offering anyone who is aged 35 and under with the chance of an incredible trip to Sardinia if they embark on the historic Santa Barbara mining trail.
Broken down into 16 stages and taking about a month to complete, participants can expect to traverse cliffs, caves, forests, beaches, waterfalls, ancient sites and more.
Stretching 311-miles, it’s certainly not for the faint-hearted.
But if you feel up to the mammoth task and want to experience Sardinia in full, then you’ll at least be rewarded with three free nights of accommodation in the Italian holiday hotspot.
Organised by Cammino Minerario di Santa Barbara, a foundation based on the island, the accommodation vouchers go live from September 15.
They last right through until the end of the year, providing you with plenty of opportunity to get your hiking boots on an book a flight to the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Hikers have three route options to choose from, too.
The “301” route takes you from Portoscuso, the town most famous for tuna fishing, through to Masua, the “coast of the mines”, with stops at Bacu Abis, Iglesias and Nebida.
Route “302” begins at Masua, before hikers are taken through Buggeru, Portixeddu and Pitzinurri ahead of finishing in Montevecchio.
The final option, route “303”, begins in the ancient, abandoned medieval village of Tratalias and ends in Portoscuso near the sea, with stops at Sant’antioco, Carbonia and Nuraxi Figus.
Described as an “unforgettable trip to the south”, it’s certainly not one to be missed.
If you’re interested in making the trip then all you have to do is choose one of the three itinerary’s on the company website.
From there, you can pick one of the listed accommodations for your free, three night stay.
A small donation is required, and then you’ll be all set to embark on the once in a lifetime trek.
If you find yourself short of time, however, then you can embark on the new seven-day walking trail around Italy’s spectacular Dolomites mountain range instead.
The Cammino Retico is a 170-kilometer circular route that connects ten villages and allows visitors to enjoy the country’s unspoiled “bucolic delights”.