Ready for an adventure?  Have you ever dreamt of turning a breathtaking motif into your very own knitting design?  Let Sardinia, an island cradled in emerald blue waters, inspire you. This rugged, mountainous haven, located in the heart of the Blue Zone, offers endless creative possibilities. Your guide on this journey will be designer and Fiber Ambassador Hailey Hodge, who will share her expertise and passion with you.

Sardinia is home to its own unique breed of sheep and boasts an ancient carpet weaving tradition, rich in heraldic and spiritual symbolism. We'll explore the island's storied past, visiting historic sites from the Nuragic Civilization, dating back to the Bronze Age. Here, we'll uncover the meanings behind the vibrant colors and symbols woven into the island's beautiful carpets. You'll meet the sheep, taste their exquisite cheese, and even get hands-on with natural dyes, learning how to craft your own design chart from this wealth of inspiration.

Our accommodation, set in a breathtaking location, will serve as the perfect backdrop to nurture your developing design skills. Along the way, you'll indulge in Sardinia's famed cuisine and robust local wines, fueling your creative journey. To cap off the experience, a boat tour will weave the island's stunning blue waters into the fabric of this unforgettable tour.

To Register 

A Registration Form and a non-refundable $1000 deposit are required to join the trip. Once you submit your online registration and deposit payment is received, your spot on the tour is secure. 

See our Terms & Conditions HERE.

Have questions? Please contact us at info@rowantreetravel.com

This tour has been announced an official "GO!"

Unless otherwise stated, our regular Terms and Conditions apply to this trip and for any cancellations (click here to see our Terms and Conditions).

Tour Activity Level 

We would describe this trip as a Woolly Wander.

Mobility Comfort Level = Mobility Level 2+

Our hotel does have some stairs to some of the rooms and participants should be able to get on and off a day trip boat.

Review our Tour Activity and Mobility Comfort Levels here.

Travel Insurance 

Rowan Tree Travel highly recommends purchasing travel insurance. You may purchase through our preferred partner Arch RoamRight by clicking here or through your own provider.

Arranging Your Flights 

In order to gather easily for the tour, we provide an arrival and departure "window" at a major transportation hub - typically an international airport at your destination country. Flights scheduled outside the provided windows may result in additional transportation costs and missed tour activities. For this reason, we greatly appreciate your cooperation in booking travel that accommodates our specifications. Please do not purchase airfare until the tour is guaranteed by RTTF to go forward.

Please Note the Following 

Rowan Tree Travel reserves the right to alter any part of this itinerary in order to address weather conditions, unforeseen circumstances or to improve the participant experience.

OLBIA, SARDINIA
Welcome to La Sardegna! Your Fiber Ambassadors will greet you at Olbia Airport where we will board our trusty bus and head out for a scenic drive to La Fonte de Burgos. Here, we will be introduced to the Sarda sheep - the foundation for the tapestries and also the cheeses of this island. We will be treated to an introduction to the herd and a tasting of the artisanal cheeses crafted from their milk. We will enjoy a leisurely lunch in this pastoral setting before heading out to delve into Sardinia’s ancient past with visits to Romanzesu Historical Site and the Tomba di Giganti (Tomb of Giants), fascinating glimpses into the island’s prehistoric roots. We then head out to our lovely hotel to check in and relax before gathering for a festive welcome dinner where you’ll get to know your fellow fiber enthusiasts.

OLIENA & SAMUGHEO, SARDINIA

After breakfast, we will head out for a private, guided tour of the Murats Museum, a place dedicated to Sardinia’s extraordinary tapestry traditions of the island. Discover the techniques, symbols, and colors that have been passed down through generations, and begin to see how these elements can inspire your own work. We will then make our way into a local village for a wander and lunch before returning to our hotel in the evening, where you’re free to enjoy dinner on your own.

OLIENA & ATZARA, SARDINIA

Our adventure this morning will focus on the plants that provide the vibrant colors seen in yesterday’s tapestries. We head out for an interactive dying workshop at La Robbia, where you’ll explore Sardinia’s vibrant natural dyes and learn techniques that have colored local textiles for centuries. We will then head to the village of Mamoiada, the heart of Sardinia’s Blue Zone. We’ll dine among the vines with a lunch of abbamele, a traditional Sardinian treat, and take part in a wine tasting in a scenic vineyard. It’s then home to our hotel for a relaxing evening and dinner on your own.

OLIENA & CHEREMULE, SARDINIA

After breakfast this morning, we will proceed from inspiration to design-our first design workshop with Hailey Hodge. Drawing from the tapestries seen at Murats and the colors of La Robbia, you’ll learn how to translate these traditional patterns into your own unique knitting designs. This will certainly help us work up an appetite for lunch together at the hotel, after which we will venture to the Necropolis de Mosedu, an evocative archaeological site that invites contemplation of Sardinia’s spiritual heritage and of its pre-Nuragic ancestors. We will head into town where you will have time for dinner on your own  before heading home for some knitting time together and perhaps a nightcap. 

OLIENA & CAL GONONE, SARDINIA

Another design workshop with Hailey Hodge begins our day, allowing you to refine and expand your knitted creations inspired by Sardinia’s rich tapestry tradition. We then set off for a scenic boat tour of Sardinia’s coastline, where the azure waters, striking cliffs, and secluded coves reveal the island’s wild beauty. We’ll explore the various grottos carved into the coast for a glimpse into Sardinia’s famous sea caves and enjoy lunch on board. We head home to our hotel in the evening for our final dinner and a celebration of creativity, friendship, and the enchanting spirit of Sardinia.

OLBIA, SARDINIA

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before our journey back to Olbia Airport, departing at 9:00 am for a 10:30 am arrival, where we will wish each other a fond “Adiosu” and until we meet again on the yarn trail!

Sydney is a knitter, spinner, crocheter, dyer, and felter. She loves to explore how different local cultures work with fiber.  At one time Sydney managed Quail Hill Farm including sheep for fiber and meat as well as pigs, goats, horses, donkeys, too many cats and dogs, plus various types of poultry. She took her sheep wool from shearing to dying, using her own dye plants, to spinning to knitted garments.  Sydney grew up in NYC and Switzerland and is fluent in French, Italian, and German. She worked for many years as a French teacher and mentor in Waldorf Schools. Before that she worked as a financier on Wall Street and she now uses those skills for strategic planning at Rowan Tree.

Hailey, a professor of studio art, specializes in painting, printmaking, drawing, knitting, and crochet, and is currently based in Florence, Italy. From childhood, her artistic journey has been intertwined with the tactile allure of yarn crafts, working with yarn since she was 7 years old. Her true passion lies in transforming intricate designs into wearable pieces of art, crafted with simplicity and ease. She grew up in the United States, but has found her home in Tuscany. She is fluent in English and Italian, and she loves to share the rich and historic Italian culture around yarn and fabrics with others. When she’s not working or knitting/crocheting, she enjoys being in the outdoors, and exploring Italy in an attempt to try all of the different local cuisines.