Over 55,000 people went to take photos in the 10 hectares fields with half a million yellow flowers
For over 20 years sunflowers had not been cultivated in the great Italian island. This year, two young entrepreneurs reintroduced this cultivation on 10 hectares between Sardara and Mogoro, about sixty kilometers from Cagliari. Unwillingly they also created a new attraction in the area. Since the yellow flowers, which can reach the 2 meters of height, started to bloom, they caught the eye of passers-by. And in a short while, thanks to social media word of mouth, visitors began to reach the fields to shoot photos and selfies. So far, about 55,000 people went to witness with their eyes the spectacular yellow sea of flowers.
Filippo Di Maio and Gigi Piano reintroduced this cultivation between Sardara and Mogoro, about sixty kilometers from Cagliari
Filippo Di Maio and Gigi Piano certainly didn’t expect that their immense expanse of sunflowers could become a destination for tourists eager for a selfie nor a set for professional photo shoots with models. They just replaced their cultivation of legumens with 500,000 sunflowers because of a business deal. Di Maio said: “We were undecided whether to sow chickpeas or lentils. Then, in the absence of potential buyers**, we opted for the sunflower solution, which had not been cultivated in Sardinia for 20 years**.” They signed a contract for the supply of seeds to an American company that produces oil. After the seeding arrived the blooming. “We started posting the photos on social networks, without indicating the place. That photo was shared by a friend in Denmark, another one in the Arab Emirates and then the rest arrived by chance.” Once they indicated the locations, Santa Maria Acquas and Mogoro, visitors and tourists started to flood in.