*The real name is La Sella del Diavolo, the Devil’s Saddle in english.

One warm February day, I woke up with an irresistible desire: to return to Calamosca. No matter how many times I had already climbed that hill, each time was a new experience, a renewed enchantment in the face of the natural beauty that surrounded it.

I decided to take a break from the daily hustle and bustle, leaving behind the crowded Poetto beach, which on days like this seemed overwhelming, and set off towards the Devil’s Saddle. The path was familiar, well-marked, and known, but every step was still a discovery, an immersion in the pristine nature that characterized that southern paradise of Cagliari.

As I climbed 140 meters in height, I could already smell the scents of mastic and thyme, an aroma that enveloped me like a caress, and I could hear only the silence interrupted by the rustle of the wind through the trees.

Arriving at the top, I found myself dominating the entire Gulf of the Angels, with a breathtaking view of the city of Cagliari and the sea stretching to the horizon. It was like being in a photographic dream, where reality mingled with the magic of the places.

There, on Mount S.Elia, I felt at peace with myself and with the whole world. Sitting near the observation tower dating back to the Second World War, I let the emotion of the climb turn into pure serenity.

The sea below me was a spectacle to contemplate, an immensity that made me feel small and large at the same time, part of something greater and immutable over time.

And so, as the sun set on the horizon, painting the sky with shades of orange and pink, I stopped, took out my camera, and stayed there, enjoying that moment of peace and beauty, aware that the feeling of wonder and gratitude would accompany me for a long time, even after I descended from the hill and returned to daily life.