 We, Deina and Aletta from Icoholics, are embarking on another journey. This time we are in Italy, on the beautiful island of Sardinia. We are hiking the Camino Minerario di Santa Barbara, in the southwest of Sardinia. The CMSB is a 500 kilometer long Camino, which is divided into 30 stages. We are hiking stage 11 till 18, from Montimanu to Nougi, 100 kilometers along this beautiful trail. We are walking on the most ancient land in Italy, along mountains, mines characterized by the millennial mining epic of Sardinia. Welcome to the CMSB. Good morning from beautiful Italy, right now we are on the island of Sardinia and we are hiking the Camino, the Minerario di Santa Barbara, or in English, the mining trail St. Barbara. Yesterday we arrived at this beautiful, beautiful passado. We arrived here by car, we were welcomed really, really warmly by the great organizations. So thanks to Margarita and Nikolai for bringing us here. The drive over here was pretty spectacular actually. It was like on a dirt road and very steep and in the middle of the forest. And we slept like babies here because, listen, we didn't expect that from Sardinia to be honest. We're spending six days on this beautiful trail. Today is the first day from Montimanu and it's 20 kilometers to Pobucimo. Pobucino? Yeah, it's 20 kilometers to Pobucimo. It should take about eight hours with 900 meters of climbing, 650 meters of descent. So it's a pretty challenging first day, but we're really excited. The weather forecast for this week only sunny, sunny, sunny, so that's why we brought our sun hoodies. Yeah, like we said, can't wait. We're really excited, right? Yeah, really excited. How's the trail been so far? Really beautiful. It's like wet sand with like Mediterranean landscapes, you know? Like olive trees and everything is really dry, but really green. And there are geckos sprinting in front of us all the time. It's really cool. I'm really looking forward to it. It's more mountainy than I thought Sardinia would be. And now we are eating a small snack because we are starting the climb in like, I think, a few meters. It's a 600 meter climb? 900. 900 meter climb, okay. Maybe I need an extra snack for that. So normally there's water running here and you have to do a river crossing. But it's late summer. It's early September and it's bone dry here. So there's no water at all. There was supposed to be a waterfall, but of course without water there will be no waterfall. Just a fall. Just a fall. But it's easier to get over the water now, like do-do-do river crossing. We just had a lovely break where we had some lunch and now it's only 200 meters climbing towards the highest point of the trail. So we're now at a little town called Arenas and we're supposed to get a stamp here for the booklet. But all the gates are closed. So I'm not sure, but I think we just have to continue. From here it's five kilometers to the place where we're going to sleep. I don't know the name, but I will write it here. So five more kilometers and from here it's only downhill, so not very long. It should take about an hour, two hours maybe. And there, from what we heard, is a very good chef who makes dinner for us. And his name is Alessandro. Alessandro, the chef. So, can't wait. We made it to Pouboussino. Pouboussimo. And we are really warmly welcome by Alessandro. You can see it was a really hot day, so my face is a bit, well not so much just warm. It was really hot today. It was like 35 degrees Celsius and we were walking from shade to shade and there were no water sources along the way. Like everything was bone dry, but luckily we just took enough water. But now we're waiting for the famous food of Alessandro. Yeah, we can't wait. He's super, super friendly to us and we will show you the amazing food he will prepare. How's it taste? It's incredible. Alessandro doesn't speak one word of English. So he's translating in his phone. So all the local dishes that we don't even know, he has to translate it in his phone and trying to explain it to us, but so far it's incredible. The smell. And today's hike was really beautiful. Something to be honest, we didn't expect of Sardinia. Those mountains here, there are really beautiful mountains and beginning of the day there was a very steep climb and afterwards it was a little bit less steep and then... We only had downhills. But like the technical part today was really a lot of fun and the views were just amazing. I didn't know what I expected from Sardinia but it was more than I expected to be honest. Yeah, and like a little bit different environment than we're used to because this region has a lot of abandoned mines. So there were a lot of abandoned buildings and old roads. Really strange, but really cool. Yeah, it was really like you stepped into history and it felt like the mine workers could just walk in that instant moment but it was so different than we're used to it. That's the right word and I absolutely love it. Good morning. It's the second day on the Camino and this morning we woke up at Pubushinu. Pubushinu, yeah. And the host there, his dinner was incredible. We ate so much. Really, really, really recommend this place. Yeah, he had lots of starters and we thought that was like the whole dish but they were only the starters and then we had like a first course and a second course to give us fruits and dessert and coffee and it was a lot. Yeah, but we felt very, very welcome and that way we are very energized for today because it's quite a big stage today. It's 21 kilometers to the end place San Benedito. San Benedito. There are actually two stages combined. Stage 12 and stage 13. And today we're also going to visit one of the caves here. There are lots of caves in Sardinia and the one we are going to visit is called Sumanao and we're also going to a temple and that's the temple, the Amtas. And yeah, I'm pretty curious how everything looks. Really curious, yeah. And it's 700 meters of elevation gain today and 600 meters of descent but the beginning is quite flat. Enjoying the ice cream? It's really hot outside. Like I'm sweating like crazy. So I'm looking forward to eating this ice cream and then going into a really cool cave. We're at the entrance of the Sumanao cave and they will provide us with an English audio tour. Yeah, and I'm really looking forward to the cave. I don't know what to expect to be honest but let's see. It was a pretty long day to be honest but the views were incredible and now we're in the Posada of San Benedicto. If I pronounce it correctly. San Benedicto, I'm not sure. When we arrived here we couldn't find the Posada to be honest but the people from this town were very friendly and very helpful. We went to a little market where we bought some fresh fruits which we are craving. Yeah, and in every Posada, by the way, a Posada is a house that's organized by the... Yeah, by the organization of the Camino and Posada means place of rest. So this is a place of rest. And it's specially made for the pilgrims who hike the Camino and in every Posada you can give like a gift for the use of their food because in every Posada there's like rice and pasta and sauces and stuff like that that pilgrims can use to cook for themselves and then have a nice evening here. Yeah, so I'll let it set it, have a nice evening. That's what we're going to do now. We're going to cook some dinner. I think some famous Aletes Pasta which I'm really looking forward to it and we'll see you. It's day three. Yeah, it's day three. It's day three of the CMSB, that's what I wanted to say but that was like a little tongue twister. Tongue twister. It's day three on the CMSB. This morning we woke up in Posada of some Benedetto and some Benedetto is a really cute old town with a lovely church with little umbrellas hanging over it and it's like really a cozy old city, right? Yeah, we really enjoyed it and after a long day yesterday with quite a lot of hiking and enjoying the caves we arrived there pretty late. Today is a similar day lengthwise but a bit easier. There's a 600 meter climb and after that that's 1100 meters descent towards Domas Novus where we will be staying tonight and in about one or two kilometers there's a very old railway track. The railway track is not there anymore but it's built in the 19th century which is pretty cool. How did we know we were walking the wrong way? Well, we saw a sign and then we looked left and we saw a beautiful old structure and we thought what? The railway track is supposed to be on the right and it's on the left. So that's how we found out that we took the wrong turn accidentally. So if we have to go back now we have to return five kilometers and walk it again. So I'm gonna take the drone and show you what we missed. And along the whole trail it smells absolutely amazing. Like as you can see there are rosemary bushes here and there are olive trees and other kind of herb plants and the smells are absolutely incredible. And from here it's only a little uphill the last uphill from today and from there on it's a big descent from like 1200 meters descending, right? Watch the sky fade into the night If you fall asleep on a starlit page just us two So this morning we missed the old railway track but guess what? There is another one. It's the Skavi Miniera Su Coravau if my Italian is correct for now but the next two kilometers we're walking on an old railway track which is pretty cool and afterwards we have one more surprise for you. What are you doing Aleth? I'm cooling down like there are caves and I think like old mine tunnels all along the trail and from like the inside of the cave or the tunnel there's like really cool air coming out so during the hot days it's a refreshing moment to stand in front of a tunnel That's crazy What is it? It's like a never-ending tunnel Enjoying the Italian salami? Very good Italians people know how to make like good food, you know enjoying the food every single day You have an incredible view behind you, what's that? I don't know, can you see it? Sorry That's the San Giovanni Cave and that's a 800 meter long cave and we are walking straight Yeah and how's the lighting inside? From what we heard? From what we heard there should be pedestrian lights but we saw a review on Google that only one in ten lights are working so it's probably a bit dark but I hear some comforting music as well so I'm really curious how the experience will be And we have our headlamps of course Yeah of course In case you don't want to hike through the tunnel there's also a variant so a different route that goes probably over the tunnel so you won't have to go through the tunnel So we have to get a hair net and a helmet to pass it You look awesome I know, it's the latest fashion So the lady said just 5 euros 5 euros per person and there's a QR code and then you can pass through the cave The San Giovanni Cave with it's 860 meters of internal road is classified as the longest scarier cave in the world The cave was created by a river In the 19th century a road was built through the cave to allow transport of timber first and lead and zinc ores later Transport first carried out by cart pulled by animals but soon became motorized This road was asphalted in the 70s and electric lights were installed along the road The access to the San Giovanni cave was close to cars only 10 years after the cave was declared a natural monument in 1989 This cave was really beautiful right? Yeah it was super beautiful it was a bit dreamy, magical and like there were fleer mice or bats? Fleer mice in Dutch there were bats flying around and dogs and it was really like it was really dreamy right? Yeah dreamy and very calming actually and like Aletta said there were some reviews on Google that it was very bad lit but there were lights everywhere and it was just incredible so we can really recommend doing this hike instead of the variant we didn't hike the variant of course so maybe we have to check that out one day but this is something you really cannot miss in our opinion From here it's only 3 more kilometers to Domus Nova where we will be staying tonight Good morning Today is day 4 of the Mining Trail St Barbara we started this morning in Domus Nova Yesterday we arrived at a beautiful B&B of Carlo who warmly welcomed us with like drinks and it was a really nice place and the village of Domus Nova is like a typical old Italian village if you ask me like all the colored houses the people sitting on the benches and talking and pointing with their hands it's really fun to see and we had an amazing dinner last night as well at temptation restaurants really can recommend it so this morning we left Domus Nova and now we are on our way to Ortumano if I am correct if I am pronouncing it correctly it's 15 kilometers from here and it's a pretty flat hike and we are passing a couple of old villages so really excited for today and it is beautiful again so there was like this man running behind us pointing to our camera and saying youtube youtube and we were like yeah we are making videos for youtube and we didn't know what was going on but this man is also a youtube creator and he infired us into his home giving us water and his wife even helped me with my mosquito bites on my legs hahaha they were so friendly it felt like I was invited in their family it's so so super friendly so we are almost at the place where we will be staying tonight for more kilometers and it should take about one to one and a half hours but it is really really really hot today and we think it is even the hottest day on the trail so far and today is quite a lot of rope walking so that made it extra challenging but we met some amazing people along the way like Paolo supposed to be a famous guy here he gave us cola and a coffee and in all the little villages there were like Italian people inviting us over and giving us water and we just met a couple of people while we were having a cola and we gave them beer very friendly people over here that really makes this day really special so, supposedly we can get some fresh water here it's 5 cent per liter that's really really cheap sparkling, natural very cool and normal very cool yeah, Freda good Freda what's called in Italian Freda Freda we just arrived at our B&B Orangeville and the people here are super super friendly and like the interior of this home that's actually my dream home there are like three dogs and six cats, all kittens by the way and it's all super colorful and they built this house like by their own and it's super super super pretty and the hosts are incredible as well first thing they did was introduce their dogs and then their cats and then themselves we already knew that those were the kinds of people who we could really connect with I absolutely love it this is my dream place good morning this morning we woke up in a beautiful B&B named Orangeville and I absolutely love the place there were so many cats and dogs and the owners were super super friendly and they gave us really nice breakfast and lunch and currently we're standing in front of or behind? in front of in front of the olive tree that's a really famous olive tree in Sardinia because it's already more than a thousand years old and like the trunk the diameter is 8 meters so it's a really big one and well it's pretty pretty impressive yeah it's really impressive here and today yesterday we had a flat walk and today is more climbing it's 15 kilometers to Rosas which is an old mining village and it's around 600 meters climbing and 700 descent and at the end of the day we're gonna sleep in the mining villages as well and when they were our age we're going to sleep there tonight as well so we're very curious about that so we just finished lunch and just before that we visited the mining town of Orbi so after that short visit we're now on our way to Rosas which is an old mining town as well we will be staying there tonight and today we're actually hiking a variant so not the original trek the original trek goes the other way around Santa Mariaida Nature Park if I pronounce it correctly and we're going past the other way but it's supposed to be a very beautiful spot as well from here it's about 5 kilometers to Rosas so not very far so we're taking it very slow while enjoying the beautiful but hot weather okay along the whole trail you can see these strange looking trees where the bottom part is really dark and then like dark and then it starts to develop like a normal tree and I thought that were like special trees but I read in the travel guide that it are some sort of cork trees which they use to trunk they use as like the cork on top of the wine bottles and right now we're back on the original trail so off the variant and back on the original trail and as you can probably see on my face it's really really hot but we're almost at Rosas so we just finished day 5 today was not that difficult so we arrived at our beautiful old miners house pretty early and we took some time to rest and tomorrow it's already the last day on the CMSB tomorrow we will hike from Rosas where we are right now to Nuzi Nuzi if we pronounce it correctly it will be a pretty easy day so we're gonna get some pizza now good morning day 6 on the Kamino which also means it's the last day on the Kamino and to be honest we're a bit sad to leave the Kamino right so far it was really enjoyable and way better than expected to be honest we're not sure what we would expect but the mountains, the people it was an incredible experience and this morning we woke up in Rosas that's the mining village and we woke up in a mining house and it was really really special like it felt really special to be honest and yesterday we had a really nice pizza over at the same place and yeah the people there are also really friendly so we absolutely love the experience to wake up in a mining village and it's not finished today we have a short hike towards our finishing point in Nuzi Nuxis, I'm not sure how you pronounce it actually but it's a 12 kilometer hike with a little bit of elevation gain of 300 meters and almost the same of descending so it's not that long day and there we're gonna have an incredible lunch let's lay under the falling moon tell me something about yourself and if I talk to no one else yes 100 kilometers on this beautiful Camino Sardinia took our heart so everyone we would really recommend this drill if you want something else, something different for a change right? Being a historical mountainy there's a sea side so Camino de Mineraro de Santa Barbara is really a recommendation we know that for the grins they make the way giving them their own sense I give you the text of the text it's written that it reads under the protection of the Virgin Virgin of the Good Way which indicates and opens the way and of Santa Barbara Virgin and martyr who intercede strength in adversity they go on foot on the path of Santa Barbara through the incontaminated beauty of creation in the ancient land of Italy giving it to the creator of his works and contemplating the work of man in the tracks of 8000 years of history with his glory and his efforts visiting the places of worship and segregation and making memories of the religious and civil tradition I will translate later I will translate later Okay I'll let Okay Very good Bravo