by Giulia from Cagliari asks Santa about a phone call, learns about Sardinia’s Mediterranean island geography, and hears about the ancient Nuragic stone towers found there
Dear Santa, my name is Giulia and I am nine years old. I live in Cagliari, Sardinia, where my nonno says thousands of strange, ancient stone towers dot our whole island, built by people so long ago that much about them remains a mystery.
Dear Giulia, I have flown over those remarkable towers myself, and your nonno’s description is entirely accurate.
Santa, I have three questions.
My first question is, can I get a Santa phone call? My little cousin wants to hear your voice directly instead of just sending a letter.
Phone calls are trickier to manage than letters, Giulia, given how many millions of children I would need to speak with directly. A carefully written letter remains my most reliable way of truly listening to every single child.
My second question is about our island. My teacher says Sardinia is one of the largest islands in the entire Mediterranean. Is that true?
It is, Giulia. Sardinia is one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, with a rugged coastline and ancient history all its own. Flying over that beautiful island each Christmas Eve is a genuinely lovely part of my Italian route.
My third question is about the stone towers. My teacher says they were built thousands of years ago by an ancient civilization. Is that true?
It is true, Giulia. The Nuragic civilization built thousands of distinctive stone towers, called nuraghi, across Sardinia beginning around 1800 BC, structures whose exact purpose still fascinates historians today. I always feel genuine wonder flying over such ancient, mysterious architecture.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
Your friend,
Giulia Deidda
Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
P.S. Do you know what the towers were really for?
Even I do not know for certain, Giulia. Some mysteries are best left as they are.
