My morning started at the excellent Modigliani Art Caffè on Piazza Municipio. Breakfast was provided here every day I was staying at the accommodation and consisted of a black coffee (or whatever form your preferred shot of caffeine takes), accompanied by a delicious, sweet pastry. The cafe looks across the square to the Cattedrale di Santa Chiara d’Assisi (Cathedral of Saint Claire of Assisi), and I admired and observed this beautiful and historic place of worship, looking resplendent in red and creamy coloured stone. There was something very enjoyable about sitting outside in the Sardinian sun, and sipping a gently steaming, aromatic coffee as the temperature started climbing towards the expected mid 30’s that were forecast for that day.

Luciano, my accommodation host, owns a number of properties in the town, including a clothing store on the Piazza Lamarmora, which his wife Becky manages. Meeting me for coffee outside the Cathedral, he showed me around Iglesias including a much-needed stop at the local tourist office. I was extremely glad to report that, both the lady behind the counter and a helpful chap called Marco both spoke English very well. Before you lambast me for not making more effort to learn the beautiful Italian language, or for that matter, Sardinian (also known as Sardo) I did make a feeble attempt using a very well-known language app on my phone, but it was clearly too little, too late. Sigh, story of my life. I continue to be grateful for technology and well-educated Europeans.

However, in no time at all, my travel plans and aspirations were starting to take shape as I joined a walking tour later that week, with Marco and a guy called Samuele who was from the Italian mainland. We strolled around Iglesias in a very relaxed fashion. This charming town is a very pleasant collection of pretty piazzas, narrow streets and lanes, a number of churches (Iglesias actually means ‘Churches’) and plenty of places to eat and drink. The most notable feature are the multi coloured umbrellas, hung over every main street around the centre of Iglesias, with assorted colours representing different districts of the town. It really is quite an enchanting sight.

The tour culminated with a brief ascent of the Torre Guelfa di Iglesias (Guelfa Tower), which commands impressive views over the town. A panorama of red roofed dwellings stretched out before us, including some social housing as well, and the now disused mining complex on the hills was clearly visible in the distance. Interestingly, Marco explained that the foundry was actually inside the hills, and they would vent the mine with various shafts and silos to allow the steam and the smoke to escape. However, there is no mining industry associated with Iglesias any longer.

Samuele and Marco would intermittently converse in English to include me, before lapsing back into the sweet chatter of Italian. Samuele was from Riva del Garda, in the Northern Alps but was now living and working in Turin in Piemonte. He told me that he had met an amazing girl in Turin who was from Iglesias, and he wanted to see what the town was like for himself. Well, I wasn’t surprised as Iglesias appeared to be replete with raven-haired, olive-skinned beauties. I considered the things we do for love, but Samuele’s story of his own Sardinian odyssey sounded like as good a reason as any to embark upon such a journey, and as a solo traveller, I was glad to make new friend.

As the blistering sun rose high in the sky, lunchtime inevitably beckoned, and we soon met with Luciano for yet more coffee, comparing notes and engaging in friendly chatter. After we had swapped WhatsApp numbers, Samuele later gave me a lift to Fontanamare Beach in a car he had borrowed from his brother or his friend, I can’t remember which. I was certainly glad to have gotten to know these three wise men though, all of whom had been so friendly and helpful and had much enhanced my trip  to this fascinating island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. But, I have much more to write about, so until then… ciao.