Italy, Sardenia— Navigating Heaven's Roads, Authenticity, and Longevity Secrets in Sardinia's Gennargentu

Sometimes, the roads we fear most take us exactly where we need to be. 

In early March 2024, I set off on a solo journey, Sardenia, with a quiet but persistent mission: to explore! 

Rumours reach me about Sardinia’s so-called Blue Zone — a region famed for its unusually high number of centenarians. I wanted to experience for myself what lies behind their longevity: Was it their food? Their faith? Their community? Or something less obvious — a rhythm of life we have forgotten how to keep?

So I eagerly bid farewell to Castello Malicas Antico in Galtellì (terrible place) and left the small coastal town at first light. My destination: Seulo, a remote village nestled deep in the Gennargentu mountain range. What followed was far more than a drive — it became a personal milestone. Google Maps plotted a route that felt implausible: 110 km via the SP8, with a travel time estimate of over a day. Ridiculous, surely? But with the steady voice of my son Thomas echoing in my head — “You’ve got this. Stay focused.” — I followed the blue line on my maps-screen into Sardinia’s wild, beating heart.

In the small village of Fonni, I found what was quite possibly the best cup of coffee I’d had since leaving home. Maybe it was the desperate need for caffeine, or maybe the thrill of ordering it in careful Italian. I jotted the phrase down proudly: “Un doppio caffè americano con acqua calda a parte e anche una caraffa di latte.” Bravo, “pretty” girl.

The drive to Seulo was something between a meditation and a test of nerves. 

The roads were not in a terrible shape —Unexpected snow and a few potholes here and there would not rattle a South African girl — but the real challenge was the width. Many stretches had no shoulders and were flanked by metal fences to keep you from tumbling off the cliffs. I crept along at 30–40 km/h, if I was lucky.

I reached Seulo just as darkness fell. 

The village was quiet, rain-soaked, and a little desolate. Still, negotiating the cobbled lanes and finding a parking spot felt like small victories. My Airbnb apartment was authentically aged, and my host Paolo welcomed me with warm, sincere hospitality. That night, I had my best sleep since arriving in Sardinia.

Due to no cellphone reception or Wi-Fi I decided to leave the sleepy Seulo behind,  I drove deeper into the Gennargentu mountain range, and the landscape began to transform — dry trees gave way to snowscapes, luminous skies turned silvery, and my fear faded in the face of awe. I was alone (quite scared) on those winding roads, but something about the silence felt comforting.

The Gennargentu range is a wild and sacred place — a land of peaks, plateaus, gorges including Gorropu (one of Europe’s deepest), alpine meadows, and forests brimming with life. At its crown stands Punta La Marmora, Sardinia’s highest point at 6,017 feet. The range spans 1,200 square miles, and its National Park, established in 1998, plays a vital role in protecting the region’s biodiversity and cultural fabric.

Seulo isn’t just another mountain village. It has gained global attention for its astonishing number of centenarians. The reasons, researchers suggest, are simple but profound: a clean diet, active lifestyle, supportive community, and a slow, stress-light rhythm of life. Nearby Villagrande Strisaili shares the same phenomena and has been studied extensively. But for me, there was a more emotional explanation. 

The geographical isolation of these villages felt like a natural filter — only those who really wanted to be here made the effort. And perhaps that determination, that choice to stay grounded in quiet strength, is what preserves their spirit — and their years.There was a stillness here I have rarely felt before. Was it the crisp air? The quiet roads? The people who still smile with their eyes? The softness of their Italian dialect, or the fact that they were not trying to be anyone but themselves? Whatever it was, Selo and the Gennargentu left a mark. 

And the drive ? As narrow and intimidating as it had been — became a gift I had not expected. My curiosity about Sardinia’s centenarian villages took me on the most beautiful and challenging drive of my life. 

Sometimes, embracing the impromptu and navigating the unknown brings unexpected treasures.

 Seulo, with its authenticity and long-living people, and the Gennargentu mountains, with their serene wildness, left more than just memories — they shifted something inside me.