We are in Sardinia so don’t be surprised to find a beautiful white sandy beach and crystalline sea just 1km from the centre of Porto Torres. To the west, in a rocky cove on the shore, the Church of St Gavinus on the Sea (or Balai Vicino) keeps watch from a small promontory. In Roman times it was used as a burial ground and tradition has it that the bodies of the martyrs Gavinus, Protus and Janarius were buried here. Every year on 3 May the church welcomes the wooden statues of the saints which are usually housed in the Basilica of St Gavinus and where they return the day of Pentecost. At the place of the martyrdom, 2km east of the beach, is the Church of Santu Bainzu Ischabizzaddu (or Balai Lontano), open for worship on 25 October, day of the martyrdom of Saint Gavinus (Protus and Jananrius were put to death two days later, on 27 October 303), and 25 April, the day in which the saint is honoured as patron of farmers. You can get there by car or by bike, following the route which runs parallel to the sea road, and allowing you to enjoy the splendid views of the Asinara Island and, when the weather’s good, even as far as Corsica.