Golfo di Orosei
The last beachette of the gulf, Cala Goloritzè rivals the best. At the southern end, bizarre limestone formations soar away from the cliffside. Among them…
Must-see attractions in Eastern Sardinia
Eastern Sardinia
Hidden in a mountaintop cave deep in the Valle di Lanaittu, the mysterious nuraghic village of Tiscali is one of Sardinia’s must-see archaeological…
Golfo di Orosei
Reachable only by boat or by a demanding three-hour trek from the Altopiano del Golgo, Cala Mariolu is arguably one of the most sublime spots on the coast…
Eastern Sardinia
Sardinia's most spectacular gorge is flanked by limestone walls towering up to 500m in height. The endemic (and endangered) Aquilegia nuragica plant grows…
Eastern Sardinia
Tucked beneath sheer limestone cliffs, this gorgeous mountain spring is the final outflow point for Italy's largest underground river system. Water…
Eastern Sardinia
Beautifully renovated in 2016, this museum zooms in on Sardinian folklore, harbouring a peerless collection of filigree jewellery, carpets, tapestries,…
Museo delle Maschere Mediterranee
Eastern Sardinia
Get a firsthand feel for Mamoiada's carnival at this small but engaging museum. The three-part exhibit starts with a film that allows you to vicariously…
Eastern Sardinia
High above Ulassai, the mammoth Grotta di Su Marmuri is a 35m-high cave complex. Visits are by guided tour only (minimum of four people), which take you…
Cala Gonone
It’s a scenic 40-minute hike from Cala Fuili, or a speedy boat ride from Cala Gonone, to this enchanting grotto. It was the last island refuge of the rare…
Parco Nazionale del Golfo di Orosei e del Gennargentu
Eastern Sardinia
The Parco Nazionale del Golfo di Orosei e del Gennargentu is Sardinia’s largest national park, taking in the rugged Supramonte plateau and the spectacular…
Golfo di Orosei
North of the Marina di Orosei, this beach forms part of a nature reserve and never gets too busy because visitor numbers are restricted. A 4km trail leads…
Golfo di Orosei
A favourite with rock climbers, this wildly beautiful crescent-shaped bay is backed by a lush ravine, framed by cave-pitted cliffs and pummelled by…
Cala Gonone
About 3.5km south of town (follow Viale del Bue Marino) is this captivating rocky inlet backed by a deep green valley. From here you can hike over the…
Golfo di Orosei
A stunning stretch of sand and pebbles backed by a deep, verdant valley, Cala Sisine is most easily reached by boat from Cala Gonone. Intrepid hikers can…
Golfo di Orosei
Only reachable by boat from Cala Gonone or Arbatax, this enchanting beach boasts crystal clear, celestial-blue waters backed by the Golfo di Orosei's…
Eastern Sardinia
WWII, the creation of the atomic bomb, the miners strikes of the Iglesiente, the evils of capitalism, women’s liberation – Orgosolo is a giant canvas for…
Eastern Sardinia
Set in dramatic hill country near the dusty town of Orune, this sophisticated and elegant nuraghic well temple dates from the 2nd millennium BC. Reached…
Golfo di Orosei
A short drive north of Dorgali, off the SS125, the fairy-tale-like Grotta di Ispinigoli is a veritable forest of glittering rock formations, including the…
Eastern Sardinia
Beyond the small village of Serri, the Santuario Santa Vittoria is one of Sardinia's most important nuraghic settlements. It was first studied in 1907 and…
Eastern Sardinia
About 7km east of Nuoro is the granite peak of Monte Ortobene (955m), covered in thick woods of ilex, pine, fir and poplar, and capped by a 7m-high bronze…
Eastern Sardinia
Occupying an elegant 19th-century palazzo, this delightful museum exhibits a collection of 40 menhirs (billed as the largest such collection in the…
Cala Gonone
To get an eagle-eye view over the coast, follow the signs off the Cala Gonone–Dorgali road to this nuraghe. After 3km the rocky track peters out at a wild…
Eastern Sardinia
This remarkable feat of nature – a 270m abyss just 40m wide at its base – is tucked high up on the Altopiano del Golgo. Its funnel-like opening is now…
Golfo di Orosei
Eleven kilometres northwest of Dorgali, at Km 25 on the SP38, is Serra Orrios, a ruined nuraghic village inhabited between 1500 BC and 250 BC. Nestled…
Eastern Sardinia
Near the village of Goni, Pranu Mutteddu is a unique funerary site dating to the neolithic Ozieri culture (between the 3rd and 4th millennia BC). The site…
Golfo di Orosei
Around 5km from Grotta di Ispinigoli, on the country road towards Cala Gonone, S’Abba Frisca is an ethnographic treasure trove. Centred on a lake and…
Eastern Sardinia
Spread over a 7-hectare site in a thick cork and oak wood, this 17th-century-BC nuraghic sanctuary comprises several religious buildings and circular…
Eastern Sardinia
Rising out of the Sarcidano plain, about 10km south of Orroli and off the SP10, is the Nuraghe Arrubiu, which takes its Sardinian name from the red colour…
Eastern Sardinia
Turn left off Via Sant’Ignazio to reach this smashing 22-hectare park, noted for sheltering Sardinia's widest variety of native orchid species. Among the…
Eastern Sardinia
Accessible from the village of Osini, the Scala di San Giorgio is a vertical gully that takes its name from the 12th-century saint who is said to have…
Eastern Sardinia
This museum houses the permanent collection of Nuoro's excellent art museum and has an entire wing devoted to the works of renowned Nuoro-born sculptor…
Eastern Sardinia
If you have a moment in Arbatax, head across the road from the port and behind the petrol station to the Rocce Rosse (red rocks). Like the ruins of some…
Eastern Sardinia
The 5-hectare site of Sa Sedda ‘e Sos Carros is sprinkled with the remains of some 150 nuraghe huts, but the standout attraction – unique among Sardinia's…
Golfo di Orosei
This strip of pale-golden sand fringed by topaz waters runs 5km south from Orosei, undergoing several name changes along the way (Spiaggia Su Barone,…
Eastern Sardinia
Housed in the old railway station, the outstanding Stazione dell’Arte Maria Lai showcases the emotive works of the late artist Maria Lai. Born in Ulassai…
Eastern Sardinia
To reach this glorious pine-backed beach – in Lotzorai, about 6km north of Tortolì – follow signs for the three camping grounds that are clustered just…
Golfo di Orosei
The most appealing of all Orosei’s churches, the humble yet highly atmospheric 8th-century Chiesa di San Sebastiano is on Piazza San Sebastiano, with a…
Cala Gonone
About 1km south of Cala Gonone, backed by a striking yellow-orange rock wall, Spiaggia Sos Dorroles is one of the prettiest spots near town for splashing…
Eastern Sardinia
Most spectacular after heavy rainfall, this arresting waterfall 7km southwest of Ulassai has wispy threads that plummet almost 100m over a vertical rock…
Cala Gonone
Secluded at the end of a remote back road, this lovely sweep of sand makes a pleasant day trip from Cala Gonone, 11km to the south.
