Traveling in Sardinia – Experiences

Photo collage of various locations in Sardinia.

Join me for an armchair adventure into Sardinia’s majesty and indescribable beauty! The photos, videos, stories I’ll share in this event also hint at places we’ll visit in 2026 tours.

Step away from your daily routine and ease into a short armchair adventure to give yourself a glimpse of Sardinia’s majesty and indescribable beauty! Experience the beauty of Sardinia’s nature, culture, heritage, and arts through photos, short video clips, and stories that carry your mind and heart past the boundaries of what you think life should be like.

Since 2013, I’ve been traveling throughout Sardinia, which I consider the home of my heart. Over the years, many dear friends and many wonderful adventures have come my way, many off the beaten track.

To give you a sense of Sardinia and its magic, I’ll be sharing some of my experiences of Sardinia in this presentation. Some of the places I mention will be included in the 2026 tours I’m leading in May and October.

This event is free. Register here to attend.

Textiles in photos © Isa Frongia, Gabriella Lutzu, Eugenia Pinna 

Stating the Obvious: Gen AI Creates Misinformation About Sardinia 

Intentionally upside down photo of sailboats in a harbor.

An important reminder for everyone, including those interested in Sardinia and Sardinian handwoven textiles: Don’t believe everything you see online. 

Today on social media I saw yet more AI-generated content with incorrect, misleading information about Sardinia and supposed (not actual) women handweaving artists. I’ll try to not rant too much, and just implore: Don’t believe everything you see online. 

Know and trust your online sources. Ensure they’re real. Ensure your sources have the knowledge and experience they say they do. Ensure their content is valid, truthful, and not scraped from others. If you’re interested in handwoven textiles, make certain you and the seller/maker share the same definition of “handwoven”.

I see an increasing number of sites and social profiles that use gen AI to fabricate content about Sardinia. Their text and photos are too often inaccurate and misleading. In addition, AI-generated content about Sardinian textiles often scrapes from carefully-curated sites built by artists and their supporters without concern for artists, their work, or their rights.* Online reviews and images of Sardinian places and properties can be falsified easily — and too often are. Sadly, I’ve had to console and gently re-educate a number of folks who have made reservations or purchases in Sardinia based on misinformation they found online and didn’t verify.

Brief examples:
•  You scroll online and see photo of women at a loom, supposedly in Samugheo, with a window opening to the sea and text describing the scent of the sea influencing the textiles? Fake
•   A real estate site shows you a supposed listing for a house in Samugheo (or elsewhere in the island’s center) with a sunset vista of the ocean. Fake.

Samugheo is not anywhere near the sea. You can’t see or smell the ocean from Samugheo or other places in the center of the island.

As always, the best sources of information are experienced, trustworthy humans you know. 

Sardinian Arts and all that I write, share, and post are human-created and human-focused, based upon my extensive in-person experience and travels in Sardinia, my good fortune in having met many friends on the island, and my continuing exploration of the many gifts Sardinia offers. 

Don’t believe everything you see social media. Check sources. Get to know the people you meet online. Work with human beings you know and trust. People with experience, heart, and soul. 

~ Kelly Manjula Koza

*I don’t scrape from other sites. Several sites posting all AI-generated content scrape from SardinianArts.com, however 🙁

You Said You Want to Tour Sardinia . . .

Photo collage of Sardinian locations with text stating 2026 Sardinia Tour Schedule Just Released

Life continues its fast pace, and I haven’t posted or written much in the past months because so much has been in motion – including me! 

May and June found me zig-zagging across Sardinia. I posted a few tidbits about my adventures while on the road, yet I prefer to stay present with the people, places, and experience in front of me, sharing photos and stories later. Over time, you’ll see these trickle out on social media, here on the blog, and in presentations.

July and the first part of August (the months tourists traditionally vacation in Sardinia!) found me heads-down at the computer planning new adventures — including the tours of Sardinia that so many of you have requested!

I just released details and registration for two 2026 tours. Both include visits to handweavers featured on this website, plus much more. Check them out: 

The two tours will be a bit different.

In May, we’ll spend more time with handweavers, in textile-related museums, and on textile-related adventures. We’ll also visit natural, historic, and sacred spaces of the island.

In October, we’ll visit the handweavers, yet spend less time on textile-related adventures and more time exploring other arts and cultural, historic, sacred, and natural areas. Weather permitting, the October tour may include a short boat excursion and a guided tour of breathtaking natural caverns.

If you’re a traveler — weaver or not — who wants to experience Sardinia and the island’s beauty, arts, culture, history, nature and textiles, come join me on a tour!  

~Kelly Manjula Koza

Appreciating the Art of Sardinian Handwoven Textiles

A variety of colorful Sardinian textiles of various patterns

February 27 at 18.00 San Francisco Time (6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern) Register here

Join me online to explore the indescribable beauty of Sardinian handwoven textiles, see the loving and painstaking artistry of their creation, meet the tessitrici artigianali — the unique women weavers who maintain the tradition of a nearly-lost art – and glimpse just a bit of Sardinia’s majesty. 

I’ll discuss the importance these women, their weavings, and their traditions have in our modern world, the value of the handmade, and what the anima (spirit) of Sardinian handwoven textiles bring us. I’ll share portions of my film as well as photos, stories of the weavers and my adventures on the island, and show some of my personal textile collection.

Before the event, you’re invited to watch I Want to Weave the Weft of Time (free, 29 minutes) as an introduction to what we’ll discuss.

Register here for the event, which will be held on Zoom. You’ll receive the event link and automated reminders after you register.

Special Notes:

  • While I don’t usually record events, this presentation will be an exception. I’ll record and post the video on Vimeo for one week after the event for those who registered.
  • This presentation is free to members of Il Museo Italo-Americano, Italian Cultural Institute – San Francisco, and AWS-TCX. Use the discount code I provided to register.

I look forward to seeing you!

Kelly Manjula Koza

A Glimpse of Sardinia – Presentation at Museo Italo-Americano, San Francisco on February 23, 2025

Text with dates and location of the event, A Glimpse of Sardinia

The Museo Italo-Americano, in conjunction with The Italian Cultural Institute-San Francisco, offers A Glimpse of Sardinia as part of the Museo’s Regional Sunday Series on February 23.

Kelly Manjula Koza, founder of Sardinian Arts, will share photos, film clips, and stories of the island with a focus on the tessitrici artigianali — the unique women weavers who maintain Sardinia’s ancient handweaving tradition, artfully expressing the Sardinian spirit through their work and textiles.

Discussion and tastes of traditional Sardinian food will follow the presentation.

Register in advance on the Museo site.

A Glimpse of Sardinia, Sunday, February 23, 2025, 4.30 to 6.30pm
Museo Italo Americano
Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Boulevard, Building C
San Francisco, CA 94123

Photos and Stories of Sardinia – A Zoom Experience 

A winding road leading to the Sardinian shore

October 19, 2024 from 10 to 11.30am San Francisco Time

Experience a fleeting bit of Sardinian anima (spirit) in this brief armchair adventure with Kelly Manjula Koza, founder of Sardinian Arts, as shares her love of Sardinia and some of her adventures off the beaten track on this beautiful island. Through photos, video shorts, and stories told in her unique  personal manner, Kelly brings alive sights, sounds, and nature of select locales, provides a taste of Sardinian heritage and culture, and warms hearts as she talks of her beloved Sardinian extended famiglia and friends. 

While not Sardinian by birth, Kelly’s spent a good bit of time in Sardina, has a deep respect for the island, her people, and her heritage, and considers Sardinia the home of her heart. She’ll of course answer questions – and especially during this time, she invites participants to activate their cameras so all can connect more personally.

Kelly will of course answer questions – and especially during this time, she invites participants to activate their cameras so all have the experience of community.  

The event is free, yet advance registration is required. You’ll receive the Zoom link after you register.

The event is October 19, 2024 from 10 to 11.30am San Francisco time on Zoom. To convert the time to your time zone, see this time zone converter: https://www.worldclock.com/time-zone-converter/

The event will not be recorded. 

Postponed – Live from Sardinia: Textile Designer Eugenia Pinna – Date TBD

Closeup of textile in complex pattern by Eugenia Pinna

September 25, 2024 – This event is postponed. Watch for updates here or in the newsletter. Apologies for the delay, yet we look forward to a wonderful presentation with Eugenia!

Eugenia’s designs incorporate Nule traditions with contemporary vision. Her work was recently featured in the one-woman exhibit, La Ricerca di una Textile Designer, at Spazio Ilisso in Nule, and can be seen on her own website, Sardinian Arts, and in select showrooms. 

Noted Sardinian Textile Designer Eugenia Pinna will present her work in a live online event NEW DATE TO BE DETERMINED. Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern. Eugenia will discuss her textiles and present a brief history of her work from her studio in Nule, Sardegna. The event is presented as a collaboration between Eugenia, Sardinian Arts, and the Italian Cultural Institute-San Francisco. The event is free.

Textile Designer Eugenia Pinna

Having absorbed the weaving tradition of Nule as a girl, Eugenia furthered her artistic ability at the European Institute of Design in Cagliari. Her works fuse the knowledge and skill of the traditional handweavers of Nule — expert in their knowledge of wool, natural colors, and the mechanics, techniques, and patterns suited to the vertical loom — with a modern design sensibility, complex and beautiful color combinations, and innovative shapes and designs that are uniquely hers. Simply stated, Eugenia has mastered what few can: She has blended the contemporary with the traditional to create warm and astoundingly beautiful works of art that have a presence and personality of their own.

The event will be held on Zoom; details will be provided upon registration. NEW DATE TBD.

Textiles © Eugenia Pinna. Contact for permission to reproduce. 

Closeup of rug designed by and copyright Eugenia Pinna.
Rug designed by and copyright Eugenia Pinna.

Sardinian Travel Special from RAI TV Available in USA

RAI, the Italian state radio and TV network, aired a two-hour special about Sardinia on April 16. The show is available online even within the USA.

As part of the Ulisse (Ulysses) series, the program features footage and a bit of history of select locations around Sardinia — primarily those visited by Ulysses during his epic voyage. Alberto Angelo, RAI’s gracious and beloved host of Italian travel and history shows, narrates Ulisse in Italian — yet if you don’t speak the language, you can watch the show and enjoy the magnificent scenery.

The episode includes a short segment about Sardinia’s protected sea silk (byssus) and weaver Chiara Vigo, the only person who retains the right to collect this rare treasure in Sardegna. 

In the United States, you can watch Ulisse for free on your computer or mobile device after you register for a free RAI account. On your computer, click this link. On your mobile device, download the RAIplay app for your smartphone or tablet. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your free account, then search for “Ulisse” to find the episode about Sardegna. 

Protecting the Handmade Safeguards the Economy — and More

Susanna Frongia, Master Weaver, Sardinia

In my presentations, I always talk about what the term handmade means, discuss the difference between handmade, hand-decorated, and mill-made textiles, and emphasize the importance of establishing and maintaining a classification system to protect the different types of Sardinian textiles.

Currently, there are no formal classifications or protections. This leads to confusion for buyers and encourages unscrupulous foreign businesses to appropriate and copy — steal — Sardinian textile designs and business. Even now, poorly-made textiles are being produced in China and brought into Sardinia, where the cheap imitations are labeled as “Authentic Sardinian” weavings and sold in tourist shops and roadside stands. I find this sad and infuriating.  

Handwoven textiles are a key element of Sardinia’s heritage, and valuing and protecting the handweavers and their art is critical to maintaining the integrity of Sardinian textiles, overall Sardinian heritage, and the island’s economy. The European Union has a classification system to protect traditional foods and wines considered important to Italy’s cultural heritage — green plastic jars of “parmesan cheese” are not the same as rounds of true Parmigiano Reggiano DOP cheese, and the green jar name and labels cannot suggest they are.

A similar textile classification system would help buyers understand what kind of weaving they are purchasing, ensure fair pricing for the different classifications of weavings, and protect Sardinian handweavers, textile producers, and mill owners from having their designs stolen and copied by offshore makers. 

While there’s much to discuss about protecting Sardinian textiles, cultural appropriation, and related issues, I’ll be brief here. In fact, what you’ll read below are excerpts addressing these themes from the Sardinian Arts Statement. You can read the full statement here (anche in Italiano).

In recent years, we have heard too many stories of traditional cultures and their arts that have been appropriated by vendors who are greedy and lack scruples. Stolen designs are used to generate profit for large international conglomerates instead of the communities from which the designs come and items are traditionally produced. 

For the purpose of elevating the esteem and value for their art, Sardinian weavers should be recognized as artists, and their traditional designs should be respected as art of Sardinian origin. Items which incorporate Sardinian designs should be made only by local producers. The protection of Sardinian artists and designs will be advantageous to all the weavers of the island.

In Sardinia, most sellers don’t currently make a distinction between textiles made by hand, powerloom, or mill. In the tourist shops, on the internet, and even in some textile studios, all of these textiles are sold as “traditional” and “traditional handmade”.

Just as the European Union recognizes different classifications of traditional food, it’s important that Sardinian textiles are classified accurately with reference to the method and place in which they are made, and that the public be educated to this regard. In fact, all the classifications have their place and their buyers.

Having discussed and exchanged ideas and opinions with experts over the past years, I think that this system of classification will help buyers understand the classifications of textiles bearing the label “Made in Sardinia”, increase the esteem of all weavers of all the classifications, and protect the weavers in the global economy.

Handmade textiles: Textiles made completely by hand, using looms where all the movements and beating are done only by hand/foot, and not by a hydraulic, electronic, or computerized loom.

Hand-decorated textiles: Textiles made by hydraulic, electronic, or computerized looms, where all the beating is not done by hand/foot. The weavers stops the mechanical beating of the loom to make pibiones and/or add other decoration by hand.

Mill-made textiles: Textiles made in mills, by hydraulic, electronic, and/or computerized looms with minimum human involvement, and often where many similar objects are produced at the same time.

All the levels permit:

  • The use of fibers prepared in mills.
  • The use of a sewing machine, if the use is to make seams/hems after the weaving is cut from the loom and the seams/hems are not decorative.
  • The use of fibers prepared by hand without hydraulic, electronic, or computerized tools can be indicated with the label “Hand-spun fibers”.

All three classifications have their buyers and their place in the market. There is no competition. The difference between the three classifications of textiles is the same as the difference between a painting by a master painter, a limited-edition print of the painting, and a poster.

Truly handwoven Sardinian textiles are a fit for collectors and others who value the highest quality textiles and the work of the women who weave them. Hand-decorated items suit designers who want rapidly-made customized production of their designs or unique items without the cost of a truly handmade item. Mill-made textiles from Sardinia are nicely made, inexpensive, and perfect for everyday use in homes, hotels, and restaurants. 

While what I have written here is specific to Sardinia, I believe that protecting the handmade items and traditional arts of all cultures is necessary to preserve and sustainably build economies, societies, and people across the globe. Yes, technology has its place, but technology and gizmos must be balanced with the handmade in order to preserve and advance our physical and mental health, the health of the nature and societies, and the health of our individual and collective spirits.

~ Kelly Manjula Koza

The photos the cheese and also that of the power loom are from unknown websites; my thanks to the photographers.

Sardinia’s Geology and the Lost Continent

Many consider Sardinia to be Atlantis, or a fragment of that lost land. In Sardinia, as over much of the world, there is ample evidence that an ancient civilization far more advanced than ours in terms of mathematics, the sciences, the arts, and humanity thrived for millennia. Huge stone buildings, rock walls, ancient writing, signs of advanced knowledge and application of mathematics, energy, magnetism, and wireless communications attest to such a civilization in Sardinia as well as other locations in Europe, South and North American, Asia, and Africa. Much of the evidence indicates that Sardinia was the center of influences that spread to other areas. Sadly, this proof is usually ignored and sometimes even destroyed by classical historians of Western European lineage.

Sardinian archeologist and historian Leonardo Melis has written much about Sardinia’s history and influence, and Giovanni Cannella and others have also contributed research and books in this area. (All, however, are written in Italian and difficult to find outside of Sardinia.)

The vast amount of archeological and anthropological research proving the connection between the ancient Sardinians and the populations of now-diverse areas of the world is supported by recent geologic research proving, in detail, that Mediterranean land masses now separated were once unified.

This article (with embedded video) discusses how geologists have recently confirmed the location and movement of an ancient continent called Greater Adria, and proven which current geologic areas and features are remnants of that lost continent. The research is based on plate tectonics (the science of shifting land masses, called plates). Recent technological advances have enabled geologists to detail specific plate movements and how the various land masses comprising what we now consider Europe, Africa, Eastern Asia, and the Mediterranean have shifted over time, coming together and then dispersing in a manner the geologists have long suspected.

Specifically, the article discusses how, over a history spanning more than 100 million years, the continent of Greater Adria broke from the African plate, moved, and variously had portions submerge under the European plate, rise over the European plate, break into smaller pieces, and/or float over or sink under other land masses. Continental European mountains including the Apennines, parts of the Alps, and ranges in Greece, Turkey, as well as other distinct areas of Europe and what is now Sardinia were once compressed and located next to one another in Greater Adria. 

The article and the video are not surprising, given the wealth of astounding geologic, archeologic, and anthropologic evidence in Sardinia supporting a history far greater than what classicists have maintained.

Even without the proof the geologic research offers, when you visit Sardinia, you realize that the rock formations across Sardina were born of tremendous time and change. The mix of rock types; the jutting angles of sedimentary rock layers; the location of limestone in the center of the island; the wear of the rock; the variety of geologic formations; and other features of the land are almost indescribable. The archeological and anthropological proof is also astounding — the nuraghe, domus de janas, sacred wells, and other stone buildings; the statues, textiles, and other artwork; the legends and oral history of the island; and much more speak of a culture and heritage beyond what is recorded or taught even in the most esteemed universities.

While you may not be able to read the books mentioned above because they’re written in Italian, you can certainly find information by searching online, and see posts about Sardinia’s hidden history, geology, and natural beauty on Sardinian Arts’ Facebook and Twitter pages, as I repost items from the authors mentioned above and others who provide insight to the ancient history of Sardina and beyond.

~ KMK

© Kelly Manjula Koza unless otherwise noted.