Different sea | Same ritual. Postcard from Sylt.

I had never been to Sylt before.

When people think of Germany, they rarely picture endless dunes, dramatic skies and a sea that never seems to stand still. Yet this small island in the North Sea has a character all its own—shaped by wind, salt and light.

Coming from Sardinia, I couldn’t help looking for similarities.

Not because the landscapes are alike. They aren’t.

Sardinia is Mediterranean. Sylt belongs to the North Sea.

The colours change. The light is cooler. The wind of the North Sea feels different from the Mediterranean mistral. The sea feels more restless.

And yet, both islands teach you to respect nature.

It reminded me of home.

Growing up in Sardinia, I learned that the sea gives generously, but it also asks for respect. The summer sun, the mistral wind, the salt carried inland—our skin becomes part of that landscape.

Perhaps that is why I instinctively reached for the same ritual I always carry with me.

Helichrysum has been part of Sardinian traditions for generations. On an island where the sun, the wind and the sea define everyday life, this resilient Mediterranean plant has long been appreciated for caring for skin exposed to the elements.

Different sea.
Same ritual.

One of the moments that surprised me most wasn’t by the coastline, but inland.

Scattered across Sylt are prehistoric megalithic tombs, built more than 5,000 years ago by some of Northern Europe’s earliest farming communities. Standing before those enormous stones, I couldn’t help thinking of the ancient monuments of Sardinia.

The Nuragic civilisation would flourish thousands of years later, leaving behind the island’s iconic nuraghi, Giants’ Tombs and sacred wells. They are different cultures, separated by geography and time, yet both islands still preserve a dialogue with stone that has survived millennia.

Perhaps islands remember differently.

Perhaps isolation encourages continuity.

Perhaps that is why traditions remain visible here—in the landscape, in architecture and in everyday rituals.

Travelling constantly reminds me that inspiration doesn’t always come from places that resemble home.

Sometimes it comes from places that are completely different, yet quietly familiar.

Sylt became one of those places for me.

Not because it reminded me of Sardinia.

But because it reminded me why I created Sarda Zone in the first place: to carry a small part of an island with me, wherever I go.