Alicia de Borbón y Borbón-Parma

Getting around

Challenges of early travel

Before railways were built, travel was often restricted to mule tracks or rudimentary roads, such as a 6-mile trip to Osilo that could only be made on horseback and took 6 hours.

At the table

Frugal Breakfasts and Coffee Substitutes

Before true coffee became widespread, many families drank an infusion made from roasted chickpeas, wheat, barley, or even acorns. Breakfast was very frugal, consisting of little more than a piece of bread and occasionally a small amount of jam.

What people wore

Cagliari bread seller gala dress

The gala dress of Cagliari bread sellers, or panattara, featured a massive skirt of blue silk satin worn over one or two petticoats to create a bell-shaped volume. It was completed by a striking red cloth head cloak known as a mantilla, decorated with silver thread embroidery.

Music

Traditional Sardinian musical instruments

In southern Sardinia, musicians used the launeddas, an ancient triple clarinet, while northern and central regions favored the diatonic accordion known as sunettu.

Daily life

Seasonal hamlet schools for children

Children in mountain regions often attended hamlet schools during the winter season, which lasted only three to five months to accommodate the rural economy. These schools were frequently financed by private family donations and could even reduce lessons to two-and-a-half hours daily in areas with low financial capacity.