Our story
A dream rooted in my heritage.
I traveled the world to discover new places, but it was the world that taught me just how extraordinary my homeland truly is.
Our story
I traveled the world to discover new places, but it was the world that taught me just how extraordinary my homeland truly is.
Born and raised in Sardinia
My name is Simonetta Bazzu. I was born and raised in Sardinia, an island to which I feel deeply connected and which has always been an essential part of my identity.
I studied and lived in Milan for eight years, an important experience in my personal and professional development that, paradoxically, brought me even closer to my roots. It was precisely by living away from Sardinia that I learned to see it through different eyes, appreciating its true value, uniqueness, and extraordinary cultural heritage.
Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to travel to different parts of the world, discovering new cultures, meeting people, and experiencing different traditions. Every journey has been an opportunity for discovery, personal growth, and inspiration.
And yet, wherever I went, my thoughts always returned to Sardinia.
I would instinctively compare every destination with my island, observing what other places did better, what made them special in the eyes of visitors, and, above all, what Sardinia possessed that was truly unique but often not fully appreciated or celebrated. Traveling taught me to recognize not only the extraordinary qualities of my homeland but also the untapped opportunities of a tourist destination known around the world primarily for the beauty of its coastline. I realized that Sardinia had so much more to tell.
Battista, in the heart of Gallura
In the heart of Gallura, just a few kilometers from Olbia, lies Battista, a small rural village where my family's roots run deep and where some of my most beautiful childhood memories were made.
Here stand the ancestral homes of my family: the house of my great-great-grandparents, and the homes where my father, my uncles, and my grandfather were born. Traditional stone houses, some dating back more than two centuries, which had gradually fallen into disrepair and abandonment over time.
My first dream was not to create a business. It was simply to bring back to life the places I had loved so deeply as a child. I wanted to restore those houses, preserve their identity, and prevent such an important part of my family's history from being lost.
It was in 2013, when I was still very young, that I first began to imagine this project. At the beginning, I received very little support. Restoring ancient rural houses seemed like a difficult undertaking, perhaps too ambitious for someone my age.
But I am a Sardinian woman: stubborn, passionate, and determined. And when I truly believe in something, I rarely give up.
So, despite the challenges and uncertainties, I decided to follow my dream.
Two extraordinary people
Throughout this journey, I had two extraordinary people by my side: my grandparents. Both lived to be over a hundred years old, supporting and accompanying me as I brought this project to life. Until their passing in 2022, they were able to witness my dream gradually becoming a reality.
Their presence represented a precious connection between the past and the future. Through their stories, memories, and way of life, I came to understand even more deeply the value of everything I wanted to preserve.
Their remarkable longevity also inspired me to reflect on one of the most fascinating aspects of Sardinian culture: the traditional lifestyle that has made Sardinia one of the world's five original Blue Zones.
The secret of longevity lies not only in what we eat, but also in how we live.
In the importance of family, the value of human connections, working with our hands, respecting nature, and finding joy in sharing simple moments around a table.
A heritage to share
Over time, my original desire to restore my family's homes evolved into something much greater. I realized that these places held more than just my personal memories. They represented a cultural heritage that deserved to be discovered, preserved, and shared.
ARIMANI is a project dedicated to preserving and celebrating Sardinia's ancestral traditions through authentic cultural and culinary experiences. At its heart lies the art of handmade pasta, an extraordinary heritage of knowledge and craftsmanship passed down through generations, often from mother to daughter.
Through our experiences, I wish to introduce guests to a different side of Sardinia, far beyond the conventional tourist routes. A Sardinia of stories, traditions, ancient knowledge, and genuine human connections.
My wish is not simply to teach guests how to make pasta, but to offer them the opportunity to connect with our culture, understand its value, and feel part of it, even if only for a few hours.
Because some traditions do not belong only to the past. They deserve a future.
Come to Battista
Discover the Longevity Tour – Pasta Class, or the meaning behind our name.