As the oldest landmass in Europe, Sardinia is home to archaeological sites that date from be-tween 1900 and 730 BC. There are more than 7,000 stone fortresses peppered throughout the land, the oldest architecture in all of Europe. The island is located about 200 miles west of Italy and 8 miles south of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. Southern terrains are composed of val-leys and flatlands, while vast mountains stretch from north to south along the middle section of the region. The highest point of the province, Punta la Marmora reaches a height of 6,000 feet. The untouched nature of rural expanses lends itself to a wide array of distinctive farming. For example, Sardinia is home to ancient oak groves, the only region in Italy that produces cork. Cork farming is a patient task, as oaks must be at least three decades old before their first har-vest. The area is also home to nearly 4 million sheep, one of the highest densities in the world. A popular biking destination, cycling trips around the island offer visitors a diverse array of challenging routes. From the rugged coast to the glamorous resorts and yacht-studded marinas, Sardinia’s unwavering beauty can be appreciated over and over again. It is no wonder Italian poet and musician Fabrizio De André describes, “Life in Sardinia is maybe the best a man can hope for: twenty-four thousand miles of forests, of countryside, of coasts surrounded by a mi-raculous sea should coincide with what I would recommend the good God to give us as para-dise.”