Sardinia
Closer to the North African coast at Tunisia than the Italian mainland and with a fierce sense of independence, Sardinia (Sardegna) can feel distinctly un-Italian. D.H. Lawrence found it exotically different when he passed through here in 1921 – “lost”, as he put it, “between Europe and Africa and belonging to nowhere”. The island may seem less remote nowadays – and it’s certainly more accessible, with frequent flights serving Cágliari, Olbia and Alghero – but large tracts remain remarkably untouched by tourism, particularly the interior. The island’s main draw, however, is its dazzling coastline, with some of the cleanest beaches in Italy, which can be packed in peak season (particularly August), when ferries bring in a steady stream of sun-worshippers from what the islanders call il continente, or mainland Italy. The weather is generally warm enough for a swim as early as May, however, and October is bright and sunny – reason enough to avoid the summer crowds.
Although not famed for its cultural riches, the island does hold some surprises, not least the remains of the various civilizations that passed through here. Its central Mediterranean position ensured that it was never left alone for long, and from the Carthaginians onwards the island was ravaged by a succession of invaders, each of them leaving some imprint behind: Roman and Carthaginian ruins, Genoan fortresses and a string of elegant Pisan churches, not to mention some impressive Gothic and Spanish Baroque architecture. Perhaps most striking of all, however, are the remnants of Sardinia’s only significant native culture, known as the nuraghic civilization after the 7000-odd nuraghi (ancient stone dwelling) that litter the landscape.
On the whole, Sardinia’s smaller centres are the most attractive, but the lively capital, Cágliari – for many the arrival point – shouldn’t be written off. With good accommodation and restaurants, it makes a useful base for exploring the southern third of the island. The other main ferry port is Olbia in the north, little more than a transit town but conveniently close to the pristine beaches of the jagged northern coast. The Costa Smeralda, a few kilometres distant, is Sardinia’s best-known resort area and lives up to its reputation for glitzy opulence.
Both Olbia and Cágliari have airports, as does the vibrant resort of Alghero – a fishing port with a distinctive Catalan flavour in the northwest of the island that retains a friendly, unspoiled air despite its healthy tourist industry. Sardinia’s biggest interior town, Nuoro, makes a useful stopover for visiting some of the remoter mountain areas. Of these, the Gennargentu range, covering the heart of the island, holds the highest peaks and provides rich evidence of the island’s traditional culture, in particular the numerous village festivals.
Highlights >
Some history >
Getting to Sardinia >
Getting around the island >
Cágliari and around >
Oristano and around >
Bosa >
Nuoro and around >
The interior and the east coast >
Olbia >
The Costa Smeralda and around >
The Maddalena Islands >
Santa Teresa di Gallura and around >
Sássari and around >
Alghero >
Travel details >
Regional food and wine
Sardinian cooking revolves around the freshest of ingredients simply prepared: seafood – especially lobster – is grilled over open fires scented with myrtle and juniper, as is meltingly tender suckling pig. A few wild boar escape the fire long enough to be made into prosciutto di cinghiale, a ham with a strong flavour of game. Being surrounded by sparkling seas, Sardinians also make rich, Spanish-inspired fish stews and produce bottarga, a version of caviar made with mullet eggs. Pasta is substantial here, taking the form of culurgiones (massive ravioli filled with cheese and egg) or malloreddus (saffron-flavoured, gnocchi-like shapes), while cheeses tend to be made from ewe’s milk and are either fresh and herby or pungent and salty – like the famous pecorino sardo. The island is also famous for the quality and variety of its bread, ranging from parchment-thin pane carasau to chunky rustic loaves intended to sustain shepherds on the hills. As in Sicily, there is an abundance of light and airy pastries, frequently flavoured with lemon, almonds or orange-flower water.
Vernaccia is the most famous Sardinian wine: a hefty drink reminiscent of sherry and treated in a similar way – the bone-dry version as an aperitif and the sweet variant as a dessert wine. The stand-out red is the Cannonau di Sardegna, a heady number much favoured by locals. Among the whites, look out for dry Torbato or the full-flavoured Trebbiano Sardo, both perfect accompaniments to local fish and seafood.
Highlights
Cágliari’s old town Cágliari’s Castello quarter is the most atmospheric part of town, a dense warren of alleys girded by thick walls.
Nora Although much of this Carthaginian and Roman archeological site is submerged under the sea, what remains – including mosaics, a theatre and baths – gives a good indication of the town’s former importance.
Beaches Sardinia has secluded beaches along every coast; among the finest are those at Chia and La Pelosa. See also Stintino and around.
Su Nuraxi Sardinia’s mysterious prehistoric nuraghi are strewn throughout the island, and this is one of the most impressive.
Sa Sartiglia, Oristano One of the island’s most spectacular festivals, involving brilliant feats of equestrian prowess, fabulous costumes and lashings of medieval pageantry.
Tíscali A vast mountain cave housing the remains of a prehistoric village.
Some history
Of all the phases in Sardinia’s chequered history, the prehistoric Nuraghic era is perhaps the most intriguing. Although little is known about the society, plenty of traces survive, most conspicuous of which are the mysterious, stone-built constructions known as nuraghi, mainly built between 1500 and 500 BC both for defensive purposes and as dwellings, and unique to Sardinia. The Nuraghic culture peaked between the tenth and eighth centuries BC, trading with the Phoenicians, among others, from the eastern Mediterranean. But from the sixth century BC, the more warlike Carthaginians settled on the island, with their capital less than 200km away near present-day Tunis and their occupation continued gradually until it was challenged by the emergence of Rome. Caught in the middle, the Sards fought on both sides until their decisive defeat by the Romans in 177–6 BC, during which some 27,000 islanders were slaughtered. A core of survivors fled into the impenetrable central and eastern mountains, where they retained their independence in an area called Barbaria by the Romans, known today as the Barbágia.
The most impressive remains left by the Romans can be seen in Cágliari, on the coast south of the capital at Nora, and at Tharros, west of Oristano – all Carthaginian sites later enlarged by Roman settlers – and strong Latin traces still survive in the Sard dialect today. After the Roman withdrawal around the fifth century, the destructive effects of malaria and corsair raids from North Africa prompted the abandonment of the island’s coasts in favour of more secure inland settlements. The numerous coastal watchtowers which can still be seen today testify to the constant threat of piracy and invasion.
In the eleventh century ecclesiastical rights over Sardinia were granted to the rising city-state of Pisa, with its influence mainly concentrated in the south, based in Cágliari, and Pisan churches can be found throughout Sardinia. By the end of the thirteenth century, however, Pisa’s rival Genoa had established itself in the north of the island, with power-bases in Sássari and on the coast, while the situation was further complicated in 1297, when Pope Boniface VIII gave James II of Aragon exclusive rights over both Sardinia and Corsica in exchange for surrendering his claims to Sicily. Local resistance to the Aragonese was led by Arborea, the area around present-day Oristano, and championed in particular by Eleanor of Arborea, a warrior whose forces succeeded in stemming the Spanish advance. Following her death in 1404, however, Sardinian opposition crumbled, beginning three centuries of Spanish occupation of the island. Traces of Spain’s long dominion survive in Sardinia’s dialects and in the sprinkling of Gothic and Baroque churches and palaces, with Alghero, in particular, still boasting a strong Catalan dialect and the air of a Spanish enclave.
In the wake of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–20), Victor Amadeus, Duke of Savoy, took possession of the island, which became the new Kingdom of Sardinia. The years that followed saw a new emphasis on reconstruction, with the opening of schools, investment in industry and agriculture, and the building of roads. But Savoy’s quarrels became Sardinia’s, and the island found itself threatened by Napoleon, who led an unsuccessful attempt at invasion in 1793.
Garibaldi embarked on both his major expeditions from his farm on one of Sardinia’s outlying islands, Caprera, and the Kingdom of Sardinia ended with the Unification of Italy in 1861. Since then, Sardinia’s integration into the modern nation-state has not always been easy. Outbreaks of banditry, for example, associated with the hinterland and the Gennargentu mountains in particular, were ruthlessly suppressed, but there was little money available to address the root causes of the problem, nor much interest in doing so. The island benefited from the land reforms of Mussolini, however, which included the harnessing and damming of rivers, the draining of land, and the introduction of agricultural colonies from the mainland.
After World War II, Sardinia was granted semi-autonomous status, and the island was saturated with enough DDT to rid it of malaria forever. Such improvements, together with the increasing revenues from tourism, have helped marginalize local opposition towards the central government, at the same time creating a bolthole for wealthy mainlanders and holidaymakers, including at least two prime ministers – Blair and Berlusconi.
Getting to Sardinia
If you’re coming direct from the UK, you’ll find the regular flights operated by Ryanair and easyJet to Alghero, Olbia and Cágliari hard to beat for price. From the Italian mainland there are frequent daily flights to all three of the island’s airports from Rome, Milan and Bologna, with less frequent connections from smaller centres. Most routes are served by Alitalia, Air One and Meridiana; prices start at around €90 for a one-way Rome–Olbia ticket, and there are plenty of deals and weekend discounts available.
A cheaper option is to take a ferry from mainland Italy, as well as from Sicily, Corsica and France. You should make bookings several months in advance for summer crossings, especially if you have a car or bike; August sailings can be fully booked by May. Basic prices range from about €30 to €90 per person, depending on the season and the route taken; pricier tickets include use of a reclining armchair, while the cheapest tickets (“Ponte”) involve sleeping on deck. A berth provides a better night’s sleep, but adds another €20 or so. The charge for a vehicle starts at around €70 for a small car in low season. Fares on the high-speed ferries (unità veloci) are €40–50 travelling second-class, plus €90–120 for a small car. Look out for discounts applying to return tickets bought in advance within certain periods, and for special deals for a car plus two or three passengers.
Getting around the island
Much the most convenient way of getting around the island is by car; there are rental offices in all the major towns for those in Cágliari), though a decent network of public transport covers most localities. There is an island-wide bus service run by ARST, while FdS operates in specific areas as well as the longer hauls between towns. Trains connect the major towns of Cágliari, Oristano, Sássari and Olbia, while smaller narrow-gauge FdS lines link Nuoro and Alghero with the main network. From mid-June to mid-September, the FdS-run Trenino Verde steam and diesel trains (www.treninoverde.com) take scenic routes to various destinations around the island, including Bosa, Palau and Arbatax.
Ferries to Sardinia
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Cágliari and around
Viewing CÁGLIARI, Sardinia’s capital, from the sea at the start of his Sardinian sojourn in 1921, D.H. Lawrence compared it to Jerusalem: “strange and rather wonderful, not a bit like Italy”, and the city still makes a striking impression today. Crowned by its historic nucleus squeezed within a protective ring of Pisan fortifications, its setting is enhanced by the calm lagoons (stagni) west of the city and along the airport road, a habitat for cranes, cormorants and flamingos. In the centre, the evening promenades along Via Manno are the smartest you’ll see in Sardinia, dropping down to the noisier Piazza Yenne and Largo Carlo Felice, around which most of the shops, restaurants, banks and hotels are located. At the bottom of the town, the porticos of portside Via Roma shelter more shops and bars.
Cágliari’s main attractions are the archeological museum with its captivating collection of nuraghic statuettes, the city walls with their two Pisan towers looking down over the port, and the cathedral – all within easy distance of each other. There is also a sprinkling of Roman remains, including an impressive amphitheatre, while nearby excursions include Nora, the most complete ancient site on Sardinia, and the islands of Sant’Antíoco and San Pietro.
Arrival, information and transport
Cágliari’s airport (www.sogaer.it), where facilities include an ATM and an information desk (daily 8am–10pm in summer, 9am–9pm in winter), is linked to town at least every thirty minutes from 8.45am until the last flight arrival – about 12.30pm – and takes ten minutes (tickets €2 from the airport shop); otherwise a taxi ride costs around €15, more after 10pm.
Cágliari’s port is a short walk from Piazza Matteotti, which holds the tourist office (daily 8.30am–1.30pm & 2–8pm; 070.669.255, http://visit-cagliari.it), as well as the train and bus stations. The square is also the terminus for most local buses, tickets for which are sold at a booth in the piazza (€1 for 1hr 30min, €1.50 for 2hr or €2.30 for a day’s travel); useful routes include #7 running up to the museums and cathedral, and #8 for the Roman amphitheatre. The FdS station, for slow trains to Arbatax, is in Monserrato, north of the centre; you can get there by tram from Piazza Repubblica (bus #30 or #31 from Piazza Matteotti).
Accommodation
Cágliari has a good selection of hotels and B&Bs, though availability may be restricted in high season, and single rooms are at a premium at all times. The biggest concentration of places is on or around the narrow Via Sardegna, running parallel to Via Roma. The nearest campsite is beyond Quartu Sant’Elena, a 45-minute bus ride east along the coast, where Pini e Mare (070.803.103, www.piniemare.com; Easter to mid-Oct) has bungalows (€91–120) as well as tent pitches in woods close to the sea.
AeR Bundes Jack Via Roma 75 070.657.970, www.hotelbjvittoria.it. Right across from the port, on the third floor (there’s a lift), this hotel’s spotless, a/c rooms, mostly en suite, have solid wood furnishings and antique tiled floors. The friendly host family also runs an adjacent B&B (€61–90) and offers a ten-percent discount on presentation of this book. €61–90
Arcobaleno Via Sardegna 38 070.684.8325, www.soggiornoarcobaleno.it. Clean and modern en-suite rooms with a/c, and some with exposed brickwork and wi-fi. €61–90
Aurora Salita Santa Chiara 19 070.658.625, www.hotelcagliariaurora.it. This attractive pensione in a dilapidated palazzo behind Piazza Yenne has sunny, tastefully restored rooms, mostly en suite, with exposed brickwork. €61–90
Hostel Marina Piazza San Sepolcro 070.450.9709 or 070.670.818, www.aighostels.com. Modern hostel in the heart of the Marina quarter, with dorms sleeping 4–6 (€22 per person), family rooms (€25 per person) and doubles (€30 per person). Non-members must pay for temporary membership (€3), but all prices include breakfast.
La Terrazza sul Porto Largo Carlo Felice 36 070.658.997 or 339.876.0155, www.laterrazzasulporto.com. Funky, brightly coloured rooms with TVs and CD players are available in this easy-going B&B, with shared or private bathrooms. Bike rental and a laundry service are available. €61–90
Palmas Via Sardegna 14 070.651.679, albergopalmas@libero.it. Very basic but centrally located on the main tourist strip, with showers in some rooms but no private WCs and no breakfast. €61–90
The City
Almost all the sightseeing you will want to do in Cágliari is encompassed within the old Castello quarter, on the hill overlooking the port. The most evocative entry to this is from the monumental Bastione San Remy on Piazza Costituzione, whose nineteenth-century imperialist tone is tempered by the graffiti and weeds sprouting out of its walls. It’s worth the haul up the grandiose flight of steps inside for Cágliari’s best views over the port and the lagoons beyond. Sunset is a good time to be here, or whenever you feel like a rest, its shady benches conducive to a snatched siesta.
The Cattedrale and around
From the Bastione, you can wander off in any direction to explore the intricate maze of Cágliari’s citadel, traditionally the seat of the administration, aristocracy and highest ecclesiastical offices. It has been little altered since the Middle Ages, though the tidy Romanesque facade of the Cattedrale (Mon–Sat 6.30am–noon & 4–8pm, Sun 8am–1pm & 4.30–8.30pm) in Piazza Palazzo is in fact a fake, added in the twentieth century in the old Pisan style.
Inside, a pair of massive stone pulpits flank the main doors: they were crafted as a single piece in around 1160 to grace Pisa’s cathedral, but were later presented to Cágliari along with the same sculptor’s set of lions, which now adorn the outside of the building. Other features of the cathedral include the ornate seventeenth-century tomb of Martin II of Aragon (in the left transept), the aula capitolare (off the right transept), containing some good religious art, and, under the altar, a densely adorned crypt with carvings by Sicilian artists of the Sardinian saints.
The cathedral stands in one corner of the square, to the left of which are the archbishop’s palace and – also eighteenth-century – the Palazzo Regio or Governor’s Palace (Mon–Sat 8.30am–2pm & 3–8pm, Sun 9am–1pm & 3–7pm; free). Used by the Piedmontese kings of Sardinia (though rarely inhabited by them), its stately rooms today hold meetings of the provincial assembly and occasional exhibitions. Behind the cathedral on Via Fossario, the Museo del Duomo (Sat & Sun 10am–1pm & 4.30–7.30pm; €4) is primarily worth seeing for two items: the fifteenth-century Tríttico di Clemente VII, a painting of unknown authorship, but possibly a copy of a lost painting by Rogier van der Weyden, and the powerful Retablo della Crocefissione, a six-panelled polyptych attributed to Michele Cavaro (1517–84).
At the far end of Piazza Palazzo a road leads into the smaller Piazza Indipendenza, location of the Torre di San Pancrazio, one of the main bulwarks of the city’s defences erected by Pisa after it had wrested the city from the Genoans in 1305 (though these did not prevent the Aragonese from walking in just fifteen years later). It’s worth ascending the tower (Tues–Sun: May–Oct 9am–1pm & 3.30–7.30pm; Nov–April 9am–4.30pm; €4) for the magnificent views seawards over the old town and port. From here it’s a short walk southwest to the city’s second watchtower, the Torre dell’Elefante (same hours and price), named after a small carving of an elephant on one side. Like the other tower, it has a half-finished look, with the side facing the old town completely open.
Poetto
Cágliari is not a beach-lover’s paradise by any means, but if you need a break and a swim, head to Poetto, a fifteen-minute bus ride (#PF and #PQ) from Piazza Matteotti past Cágliari’s Sant’Elia football stadium. From the marina at its western end, the fine sandy beach extends for some 6km, dotted with bars and public showers; some sections are lidos charging a standard daily rate for entry (about €3), with deckchairs and parasols available for rent, along with pedalos and windsurfing equipment.
The Cittadella dei Musei
Through the arch at the top of Piazza Indipendenza, Piazza dell’Arsenale holds a plaque recording the visit made by Cervantes to Cágliari in 1573, shortly before his capture and imprisonment by Moorish pirates. Across the square, the Cittadella dei Musei stands on the site of the former royal arsenal, housing the city’s principal museums. The main attraction is the Museo Archeologico (Tues–Sun 9am–8pm; €4, or €5 with Pinacoteca), a must for anyone interested in Sardinia’s past. The island’s most important Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman finds are gathered here, including busts and statues of muses and gods, jewellery and coins, and funerary items from the sites of Nora and Tharros. But the museum’s greatest pieces are from Sardinia’s nuraghic culture, including a series of bronze statuettes, ranging from about thirty to ninety centimetres in height, spindly and highly stylized but packed with invention and quirky humour.
The Cittadella’s other museums are also worth exploring. The smallest and most surprising is the Mostra di Cere Anatomiche (Tues–Sun 9am–1pm & 4–7pm; €1.50), which displays 23 gruesome wax models of anatomical sections crafted by the Florentine Clemente Susini in the nineteenth century. Further up, the Museo d’Arte Siamese (Tues–Sun: June–Sept 9am–1pm & 4–8pm; Oct–May 9am–1pm & 3.30–7.30pm; €4) holds a fascinating array of items from Southeast Asia – the collection of a local engineer who spent twenty years in the region – including Siamese paintings of Hindu and Buddhist legends, Chinese bowls and boxes, Japanese statuettes and a fearsome array of weaponry. Lastly, the excellent Pinacoteca (Tues–Sun 9am–8pm; €2, or €5 with Museo Archeologico) contains mostly Catalan and Italian religious art from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Look out in particular for the trio of panel paintings next to each other on the top level: the Retablo di San Bernardino by Joan Figuera and Rafael Thomas, Annunciation by Joan Mates, and Visitation by Joan Barcelo.
The Roman amphitheatre and botanic gardens
From Piazza dell’Arsenale, Viale Buoncammino leads to Viale Fra Ignazio and the entrance to the Anfiteatro Romano (Tues–Sat 9.30am–1.30pm, Sun April–Oct 9.30am–1.30pm & 3.30–5.30pm, Nov–March 10am–1pm; €4.30). Cut out of solid rock in the second century AD, the amphitheatre could hold the entire city’s population of about twenty thousand. Despite the decay, with much of the site cannibalized to build churches in the Middle Ages, you can still see the trenches for the animals, the underground passages and several rows of seats. Music, dance and theatre performances take place here in the summer months (tickets from the booth at the entrance).
Turn left out of the amphitheatre and walk a few minutes down Viale Fra Ignazio da Laconi to the Orto Botanico (daily 8am–1.30pm, April–Oct Mon–Sat open till 7.30pm; €3), one of Italy’s most famous botanical gardens, with over five hundred species of Mediterranean and tropical plants – a shady spot on a sizzling afternoon.
East of the centre, there’s little to see in Cágliari’s traffic-thronged new town beyond the banks and businesses, the one exception being the fifth-century church of San Saturno (Tues & Fri 9am–1pm), Sardinia’s oldest and one of the most important surviving examples of early Christian architecture in the Mediterranean. Set in its own piazza off busy Via Dante, looking Middle Eastern with its palm trees and cupola, the basilica was erected on the spot where the Christian martyr Saturninus met his fate during the reign of Diocletian. Around the sturdy walls, which withstood severe bombardment during World War II, lie various pieces of flotsam from the past: four cannonballs, fragments of Roman sarcophagi and slabs of stone carved with Latin inscriptions. The interior is bare of decoration, though it does hold an excavated necropolis.
Eating, drinking and nightlife
Cágliari has a great range of restaurants, often with competitively priced tourist menus. For a morning coffee, afternoon tea or evening drink, Piazza Yenne makes a pleasant, relatively traffic-free alternative to the bustling cafés along Via Roma. In the summer months, the city’s nightlife shifts outside the centre to Poetto (; last bus back around midnight), with its blitz of bars, fairgrounds and ice-cream kiosks.
Caffè degli Spiritu Bastione San Remy. This chic, loungey bar, with great views over the city, is a popular hangout on summer evenings, and there are DJs and live music until late at weekends.
Caffè Libarium Nostrum Via Santa Croce 33. With tables outside right on the old city walls, affording marvellous views, this is a great place for a snack and a drink from early morning to late at night. Closed Mon in winter.
Da Lillicu Via Sardegna 78 070.652.970. This Cágliari institution serves sensational antipasti, spaghetti (€6–10) and mainly fishy Sard specialities (€12–25) on plain marble tables. It’s popular with locals, so you’ll need to book. Closed Sun lunch.
Da Serafino Via Sardegna 109 and Via Lépanto 6 070.651.795. Honest, local dishes, informally served, are extremely good value, with most dishes costing €5–10. Closed Thurs.
L’Isola del Gelato Piazza Yenne 35. Cágliari’s top gelateria offers a staggering variety of ice-cream flavours, as well as yoghurt with fresh fruit, making this a great breakfast stop too. Closed Oct–April.
Quattro Mori Via Angioy 93 070.650.269. One of Cágliari’s best restaurants, with a solid reputation for its endless courses of delectable Sard dishes, especially seafood. Despite relatively high prices (€10–15 for most dishes), there’s usually a full house and the atmosphere gets quite merry. Booking essential. Closed Sun dinner & Mon.
Su Cumbidu Via Napoli 11 070.660.017. This casual wood-beamed restaurant serves heaving plates of antipasti and mainly meaty Sardinian specialities. Set-price menus range €15–25.
Listings
Bus operators ARST, for places throughout the island (070.409.8324, www.arst.sardegna.it); FdS, for Oristano, Sássari and Nuoro (800.460.220, www.ferroviesardegna.it); Turmo for Olbia and Santa Teresa di Gallura (0789.21.487, www.turmotravel.it).
Car rental Hertz, Piazza Matteotti 8 070.651.078 and airport 070.240.037, www.hertz.it; Ruvioli, Via La Playa 6 070.658.955 and airport 070.240.323, www.ruvioli.it; Sixt, airport 070.212.045, www.sixt.it.
Consulates UK, Viale Colombo 160, Quartu Sant’Elena 070.828.628; Denmark, Via Roma 121 070.668.208; Germany, Via R. Garzia 9 070.307.229; Netherlands, Via Roma 101 070.670.830.
Ferries DiMaio, Via Riva di Ponente 848.151.818; Tirrenia, Via Riva di Ponente 892.123 or 02.2630.2803 from a mobile, www.tirrenia.it.
Festivals Sant’Efísio: May 1–4, including a procession to the saint’s church at Nora.
Hospital Via Ospedale 54 070.609.2589.
Internet access Bips, Via Sicilia 23 (daily 8am–10.30pm) has internet access and phones with reasonable long-distance rates, while Lamarì, Via Napoli 43 (Mon–Sat 8.30am–9pm), is a more relaxed internet café.
Laundry Coin-operated lavanderia at Via Sicilia 20/A (daily 8am–10pm, last wash at 9pm; €4 for 6kg).
Left luggage Tabacchi inside the bus station (Mon–Sat 7am–8pm, also Sun June–Sept; €0.50–1.50 per bag per hr).
Pharmacy Farmacia Popolare, Largo Carlo Felice 39 (Mon–Fri 9am–1pm & 4.30–7.50pm, or 4.50–8.10pm in summer, Sat 9am–1pm). Night-opening pharmacies are listed on the door.
Post office Piazza del Cármine (Mon–Fri 8am–6.50pm, Sat 8am–1.15pm).
Taxis Rank at Piazza Matteotti; Radiotaxi 4 Mori (070.400.101) operates 24hr.
Train information FS 892.021, www.ferroviedellostato.it; FdS 800.460.220, www.ferroviesardegna.it.
Travel agents CTS, Via Balbo 12 070.488.260; Viaggi Orrù, Via Baylle 111 070.659.858.
Nora and the southwest coast
The easiest excursion you can make from Cágliari is to the waterside archeological site at NORA, 40km south of the city. In summer there’s a bus service direct to the site; the rest of the year the nearest stop is the village of PULA, 3km away and served by ARST buses running roughly hourly. It’s worth going to Pula anyway, as the village museum (daily 9am–8pm; €5.50 including site at Nora) gives a good explanation of the Nora finds.
Founded by the Phoenicians and settled later by Carthaginians and Romans, Nora (daily 9am–dusk; €5.50 including museum) was abandoned around the third century AD, possibly as a result of a natural disaster. Now partly submerged under the sea, the remains on land include houses, Carthaginian warehouses, a temple, baths with some well-preserved mosaics, and a theatre which hosts summer performances. The rest is rubble, though its position on the tip of a peninsula gives it plenty of atmosphere.
Outside the site stands the rather ordinary-looking eleventh-century church of Sant’Efísio, site of the saint’s martyrdom and the ultimate destination of Cágliari’s four-day May Day procession. Behind the church is a lovely sandy bay, lapped by crystal-clear water, but packed with day-trippers in season. There’s a fine hotel 1km away on the road back to Pula, Su Gunventeddu (070.920.9092, www.sugunventeddu.com; €151–200), just 100m from a good beach, with spacious, quiet rooms and a good restaurant (closed all Tues & Wed lunch). In Pula itself there’s the good-value, flower-bedecked Quattro Mori at Via Cágliari 10 (070.920.9124; no credit cards; €60 and under), and the chic Villa Madau at Via Nora 84 (070.924.9033, www.villamadau.it; €121–150), with modern decor and a relaxing café-restaurant. There’s a choice of bars and restaurants with outdoor tables in and around Pula’s central Piazza del Popolo, including Eleonora at Via Nora 35 (070.920.9691; closed Wed in winter), a smartish restaurant-pizzeria with a narrow courtyard.
The coast south holds two campsites, sheltered by pine woods right by the sea: Flumendosa (070.920.8364, www.campingflumendosa.it) and Cala d’Ostia (070.921.470, www.campingcaladostia.com; April–Oct). There are spectacular beaches all down this coast, especially around Chia, while the coastal road west of Capo Spartivento offers terrific views over a deserted cliff-hung coastline, sheltering a few small sand beaches which are accessible on an infrequent bus service in summer.
Sant’Antíoco
Measuring about 15km in length by 10km at its widest, the wedge-shaped SANT’ANTÍOCO is the larger of Sardinia’s southwest islands. The port area of the island’s main town (also called Sant’Antíoco) is just the other side of the causeway. The sheltered harbour made this an important base for the Carthaginians and the Romans, allowing them to command the whole of Sardinia’s southwest coast.
Arrival, information and accommodation
Sant’Antíoco is served by one to two daily FMS buses from Cágliari, about a two-hour ride. The tourist office is in the lower part of town, on Piazza Repubblica (March–Oct Mon–Fri 10am–1pm & 5.30–9pm; Nov–Feb Mon–Fri 10am–1pm & 4–6.30pm; 0781.82.031). Bikes and scooters can be rented nearby at Euromoto, Via Nazionale 57 (0781.840.907 or 347.880.3875), and there’s internet access at the Porticciolo, Lungomare Caduti di Nassiriya (Mon–Sat 10am–1pm & 5–9pm). Accommodation is on the scarce side, so if you’re thinking of staying, be sure to book ahead. The best hotels are on the main road through town.
Hotels and campsite
Cala di Seta Via Regina Margherita 61 0781.88.304, www.hotelcaladiseta.it. Situated in the small port and resort of Calasetta, 10km north of town and the terminus for the bus from Cágliari, with cosy, wood-beamed rooms. €121–150
Corso Corso Vittorio Emanuele 32 0781.800.265, www.hoteldelcorso.it. The best hotels are on the main road through Sant’Antíoco; the Hotel del Corso is sited above a pleasant bar and has a panoramic roof terrace. €91–120
Moderno Via Nazionale 82 0781.83.105, www.hotel-moderno-sant-antioco.it. Plain, modern rooms, wi-fi access and a good restaurant. €91–120
Tonnara 0781.809.058, www.campingtonnara.it. Sant’Antíoco’s sole campsite, open April–Sept, is on the western side of the island at the sheltered inlet of Cala Sapone, with caravans and chalets. €91–120
The island
In the upper part of the town, on Piazza Parrochia, the twelfth-century Basilica of Sant’Antíoco was built over Christian catacombs, which were in turn enlarged from an existing Carthaginian burial place; you can visit these dingy corridors, with authentic skeletons and reproductions of ceramic objects unearthed during excavation, on a guided tour (Mon–Sat 9am–noon & 3–6pm, Sun 10.30–11.15am & 3–6pm; €2.50).
Sant’Antíoco’s archeological zone is signposted up a side road outside the church, less than a kilometre’s walk towards the sea. The most impressive site is that of an extensive Punic tophet, or burial site (daily April–Sept 9am–8pm; early Oct 9am–1pm & 3.30–8pm; late Oct to March 9am–1pm & 3–6pm; €4), dedicated to the Carthaginian goddess Tanit and once covering the entire hill where the old city now stands. The numerous urns scattered about here (mostly modern reproductions) were long believed to contain the ashes of sacrificed first-born children, but this is now thought to have been Roman propaganda. Finds from here and from the Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman cities are collected in the Museo Archeologico (same times as tophet; €6), at the bottom of the hill.
Returning into the town on Via Necrópoli, you can use your ticket for the museum and archeological zone for the small but engrossing Museo Etnografico (same times as tophet; €3): one capacious room crammed to the rafters with examples of rural culture – tools, agricultural implements, crafts, bread- and pasta-making equipment – all enthusiastically explained (in Italian) by a guide. A little further down the same road, the villaggio ipogeo or Punic necropolis (same times as tophet; €2.50) is also worth a glance, consisting of restored hypogea, or underground chambers that once held Carthaginian tombs and were later converted into plain dwellings by the local people. Nearby, the Forte Su Pisu (same times as tophet; €2.50), dating from 1812, was stormed by corsairs three years later, resulting in the massacre of the entire garrison. There’s not much to see here, but it’s been tidily restored and is a panoramic spot. Various combinations of ticket are available; one that includes all the sites above costs €13, available from any of the sites.
Eating and drinking
Sant’Antíoco’s lower town has a good range of bars and reasonably priced restaurants. For good seafood, try Il Passeggero on the seafront at Lungomare Vespucci 52 (0781.83.794), while you can get decent pizzas at Su Giuali, Via Nazionale 56, a popular birreria and pizzeria (0781.800.001; dinner only). For a snack or late-night drink, head for La Compagnia del Moro, Lungomare Colombo 83.
San Pietro
Ferries from Calasetta make the five-kilometre crossing to the ten-by-seven-kilometre island of SAN PIETRO roughly every 90 minutes (30min; around €21 for two people in an average-sized car). In summer, drivers should join the queue in good time – and be sure to get a return ticket. You can also reach the island from the small industrial port of Portoscuso, on the mainland (similar frequency and prices).
San Pietro’s dialect is pure Piedmontese, two and a half centuries after the Savoyan king Carlo Emanuele III invited a colony of Genoans to settle here after their eviction from the island of Tabarca, near Tunisia. The settlers were later abducted and taken back to Tunisia in one of the last great pirate raids, but were returned once the ransom demands had been met. The island’s only town, elegant CARLOFORTE (named after the king), is prettier than Sant’Antíoco, with pastel seafront houses overlooking a palm-fringed port, and narrow balconied alleys beyond. It’s lively in summer, particularly during May and June’s La Mattanza tuna festival, and the island’s panoramic beauty spots and secluded coves are within easy reach.
Visiting Su Nuraxi
If you only have time to see one of Sardinia’s nuraghi (ancient stone dwellings) you should make it the biggest and most famous of them: Su Nuraxi, between Cágliari and Oristano. The majestic UNESCO-protected complex (daily 9am–dusk; €8) is a compelling sight, surrounded by the brown hills of the interior, and a good taste of the primitive grandeur of the island’s only indigenous civilization. The snag is access: the site lies fifteen minutes’ walk west of the village of Barúmini, 50km north of Cágliari, to which there are only one to three daily ARST buses.
Su Nuraxi’s dialect name means simply “the nuragh”, and not only is it the largest nuraghic complex on the island, but it’s also thought to be the oldest, dating probably from around 1500 BC. Comprising a bulky fortress surrounded by the remains of a village, Su Nuraxi was a palace complex at the very least – possibly even a capital city. The central tower once reached 21m (now shrunk to less than 15m), and its outer defences and inner chambers are connected by passageways and stairs. The whole complex is thought to have been covered with earth by Sards and Carthaginians at the time of the Roman conquest, which may account for its excellent state of preservation: if it weren’t for a torrential rainstorm that washed away the slopes in 1949, the site may never have been revealed at all.
There are several accommodation possibilities in the village, the most appealing of which is Sa Lolla (070.936.8419, www.wels.it/salolla; €61–90), a rustic-style hotel on Via Cavour with a fantastic restaurant attached – worth the journey in itself. Barúmini also offers a choice of B&Bs, with a cluster near the post office on Viale Umberto, all of a similar standard and similarly priced (€60 and under): try Casa del Rio at Via IV Novembre 24 (070.936.8141 or 340.686.2858), or Casa Piras, Traversa Principessa Maria 15 (070.936.8372 or 349.883.7015, web.tiscali.it/casapiras; closed Nov, Jan & Feb).
Practicalities
The tourist office is opposite the port on Piazza Carlo Alberto III (Easter–Aug Mon 5–8pm, Tues–Sat 10am–1pm & 5–8pm; Sept–Easter Mon–Sat 10am–noon; 0781.854.009, www.prolococarloforte.it). The few places to stay are concentrated in Carloforte. Family-run B&B Il Ghiro (338.205.0553, www.carlofortebedandbreakfast.it; no credit cards; €61–90) at Piazza Repubblica 7, the town’s liveliest square, has wood-beamed rooms, arty decor and organic breakfasts; alternatively, the Hieracon at Corso Cavour 62 (0781.854.028, hotelhieracon.com; €91–120) – right from the port as you leave the ferry – has a stylish, old-world ambience. Availability is extremely limited in the holiday season, and it’s worth asking about rooms for rent at the tourist office.
The island is renowned for its seafood, with tuna a speciality, and there are many good restaurants, particularly around the port: chichi Da Nicolo (0781.854.048; closed Mon except mid-July to mid-Sept, closed Oct–March), on the seafront at Corso Cavour 32, is good for a splurge, while Al Tonno di Corsa, at Via Marconi 47 (0781.855.106; closed Mon Sept–June), is a friendly trattoria with sea views and outstanding fish dishes made to local recipes.
Oristano and around
The province of Oristano roughly corresponds to the much older entity of Arborea, the medieval giudicato which championed the Sardinian cause in the struggle against the Spaniards. Then as now, ORISTANO was the region’s main town, and today it retains more than a hint of medieval atmosphere. The historic centre has a relaxed and elegant feel, and although it is 4km from the sea, the town is attractively surrounded by water, its lagoons and irrigation canals helping to make this a richly productive agricultural zone (the southern lagoon, the Stagno di Santa Giusta, is home to a local colony of Sardinia’s flamingo population). Many people, however, come to Oristano simply to visit the nearby Sinis peninsula, home to the impressive Punic and Roman ruins of Tharros and a string of wild beaches.
Arrival and information
Oristano’s train station is at the eastern end of town, a twenty-minute walk from the centre, also linked by local buses running every 20 to 35 minutes – buy tickets from the bar outside the station. The ARST bus station is on Via Cágliari, near the Duomo.
The city’s tourist office is between Piazza Eleonora and the Duomo at Via Ciutadella de Menorca 14 (Mon–Fri 9am–1pm & 4–8pm or 3.30–7.30pm in winter, Sat 9am–noon; 0783.70.621, www.comune.oristano.it), while information for the whole province is available from the office at Piazza Eleonora 19 (June & Sept daily 8.30am–1pm & 3–6.30pm; July & Aug daily 8.30am–8.30pm; Oct–May Mon–Thurs 9am–1pm & 3–6.30pm, Fri 9am–1pm; 0783.368.3210, www.oristanowestsardinia.it).
Accommodation
You’ll need to book way ahead if you want to stay in Oristano during the Sa Sartiglia festivities. Most of the hotels are geared towards business travellers, but there’s a clutch of excellent B&Bs (none of which accepts credit cards) and a good-value hostel. The nearest campsites lie 6km away at Marina di Torre Grande, Oristano’s lido, accessible on frequent buses from Oristano’s bus and train stations. The best equipped is Spinnaker (0783.22.074, www.campingspinnaker.com; April–Oct), which has a private beach, a pool and bungalows (€91–120).
Duomo Via Vittorio Emanuele 34 0783.778.061, www.hotelduomo.net. Just across from the Duomo, this hotel is a modern refurbishment of a seventeenth-century building, with comfortable rooms set around a central courtyard. €121–150
Eleonora Piazza Eleonora d’Arborea 12 0783.70.435 or 347.481.7976, www.eleonora-bed-and-breakfast.com. A cosy home-from-home in an atmospheric palazzo, parts of which date from medieval times. Rooms have en-suite bathrooms, and there’s wi-fi access. €61–90
Hostel Rodia Via Sardegna 140 0783.251.881, www.hostelrodia.it. Not exactly central, around 15 minutes’ walk from Piazza Roma, this modern complex houses both a hostel and a hotel, though as hostel accommodation is in doubles and family suites, there’s little to distinguish between these (costing €25–35 per person) from the hotel rooms (€61–90), except the latter have minibars and TVs. All rooms are clean, with en-suite bathrooms. Breakfast costs €2–5, meals are €15, and there’s internet access and bikes available to rent.
L’Arco Vico Ammirato 12, off Piazza Martiri 0783.72.849 or 335.690.4240, www.arcobedandbreakfast.it. This spotless B&B has wood-beamed rooms with terracotta floors, and a warm welcome. There’s a small terrace, too. €61–90
The Town
In the heart of the town is Oristano’s central symbol, the marble statue of Eleonora d’Arborea, presiding over the piazza named after her. Eleonora was the giudice of the Arborea region from 1384 to 1404 and is the best loved of Sardinia’s medieval rulers, having been the only one who enjoyed any success against the Aragonese invaders. She died from plague in 1404, though her most enduring legacy survived her by several centuries: the formulation of a Code of Laws, which was eventually extended throughout the island. Eleonora’s statue, carved in 1881, shows her bearing the scroll on which the laws were written, while inset panels depict her various victories.
The narrow, pedestrianized Corso Umberto leads off Piazza Eleonora, from which an arched lane leads to Piazzetta Corrias, location of Oristano’s Antiquarium Arborense (daily 9am–2pm & 3–8pm; €3), one of Sardinia’s most absorbing museums, housed in a sixteenth-century merchant’s house. As well as rotating exhibitions of its extensive collection of nuraghic, Phoenician, Roman and Greek artefacts, there’s a collection of medieval and Renaissance art and scaled-down reconstructions of Oristano in 1290 and Roman Tharros.
At one end of Corso Umberto, on Piazza Roma, pavement bars are clustered around the base of the San Cristóforo bastion, erected by the giudice Mariano II in 1291, once the fulcrum of Oristano’s fortifications. The only other survivor of the city’s ancient defences is the smaller Portixedda (“little gate”) tower, at the bottom of Via Mazzini, off Via Roma (Mon 4–6pm, Tues–Sun 10am–noon & 4–6pm; free), once the entrance to the city.
Oristano’s Duomo stands in a spacious square up Via Duomo, which is behind Piazza Eleonora. Though started in the thirteenth century, most of the present building is a Baroque reworking, retaining only parts of the apses from its original construction. With the fourteenth-century bell tower topped by a multicoloured tiled cupola and a seminary next door, it forms an atmospheric ensemble.
Sa Sartiglia
The rituals of Oristano’s flamboyant Sa Sartiglia festival perhaps originated with knights on the Second Crusade, who in the eleventh century may well have imported the trappings of Saracen tournaments to Sardinia. In the period of the Spanish domination, similarly lavish feasts were held for the ruling knights. In time, these celebrations took on a more theatrical aspect and merged with the annual Carnival – the Sa Sartiglia is now a three-day festival that closes the Carnival period, ending on Shrove Tuesday. With all the participants masked and costumed, the whole affair exudes a drama unrivalled by Sardinia’s other festivals. The climax of proceedings, in Piazza Eleonora, is the joust after which the festival is named, when the mounted contestants attempt to lance a ring, or sartiglia, suspended in the air, charging towards it at full gallop.
Eating and drinking
Most of Oristano’s restaurants are scattered on or around Piazza Roma. You might like to finish your meal with a glass of Oristano’s celebrated Vernaccia dessert wine.
Cocco & Dessi Via Tirso 31 0783.252.648. This stylish restaurant has quality meat and seafood dishes, with mains at €11–15 and pizzas.
La Torre Piazza Roma 0783.301.494. For down-to-earth pizza and pasta at low prices head for La Torre; their speciality is pizza ai funghi porcini. Closed Mon.
Lolamundo Café Piazzetta Corrias. For daytime snacks or an evening drink, this cool, contemporary café has tables in this quiet little piazza. Closed Sun.
Trattoria Gino Via Tirso 13 0783.71.428. This reliable restaurant features traditional Sardinian dishes such as ravioli sardi (made with butter and sage) and sebadas (warm, cheese-filled pastries topped with honey). Closed Sun.
Tharros
About 20km west of Oristano, the Punic and Roman ruins at Tharros are served by five ARST buses daily (July & Aug only; 25min). Like Nora, Tharros is pitched on a limb of land surrounded by water, though in this case it’s a clenched fist, dominated by a sturdy Spanish watchtower. The peninsula, which forms the northern tip of the mouth of the Golfo di Oristano, was settled by Phoenicians as early as 800 BC. The site (daily 9am to 1hr before sunset; €5, including museum at Cabras) consists mostly of Punic and Roman houses arranged on a grid of streets, of which the broad-slabbed Decumanus Maximus is the most impressive. But the things you’ll notice immediately on entering the site are the solitary remnants of a first-century-BC Roman temple, with only two of its four Corinthian columns still upright. Like Nora, there is much more submerged underwater, as a result of subsidence.
Near the site stands the fifth-century church of San Giovanni di Sinis, which vies with Cágliari’s San Saturno for the title of oldest Christian church in Sardinia. Further back up the road towards Oristano (signposted off the Tharros road) is the sanctuary of San Salvatore, whose main interest is in a subterranean fourth-century chamber dedicated to Mars and Venus, complete with faded frescoes of Venus, Cupid and Hercules – ask the custodian to let you see it. The sanctuary forms the focus of a wild festival on the first weekend of September, the main feature of which is a race run at dawn to the village of Cabras, 8km away, by the town’s boys. Barefoot and clad in white shirts and shorts, they bear aloft the statue of San Salvatore in a re-enactment of a frantic rescue mission undertaken four centuries ago to save the saint from Moorish attackers. There are regular ARST buses (1–2 hourly, 5–10 on Sun) from Oristano to Cabras, where the Museo Civico at Via Tharros 121 (daily 9am–1pm & 4–8pm, 3–7pm in winter; €3, or €5 including Tharros), on the banks of the lagoon near the southwest entrance to town, has shelves full of finds from Tharros.
Bosa
BOSA is a picture-perfect town of pastel houses huddled around a hilltop castle on the banks of the Temo river, 62km north of Oristano (2 hours by bus). Its attractions are low-key – wandering the mazy cobbled lanes of the medieval Sa Costa district up to the castle is probably the best way to spend your time – but it makes a pleasant, if sleepy place to hole up for a few days. Most of the tourist activity is concentrated in the less attractive but livelier Bosa Marina a few kilometres west, where a crescent of sandy beach is backed by hotels, restaurants and bars.
Arrival, information and accommodation
Buses stop at Piazza Zanetti, a short walk from Bosa’s centre. Bosa Marina holds the terminal for the Trenino Verde, a narrow-track tourist train to Macomer, 30km inland, which leaves from here in the summer months (www.treninoverde.com). There’s currently no tourist office, though one may open in Bosa Marina – ask at the ticket office for the Trenino Verde, on the main Via C. Colombo. In Bosa, bikes and kayaks are available for rent from Pischedda Noleggio, in a hut at the northern end of the old bridge (May–Oct; 339.489.0105), and there’s internet access at Via Gioberti 12 (Mon–Sat 9am–1pm & 4.30–8pm).
Most of Bosa’s hotels require full or half-board in season. There’s more choice – though far less character – in Bosa Marina.
Hotels and hostels
Bainas On the road to San Pietro 339.209.0967 or 338.306.0004, www.agriturismobainasbosa.com. A 10-minute walk from Bosa, this attractive agriturismo is a peaceful spot surrounded by fields and orchards, with rooms giving onto a veranda, and an excellent restaurant (see Nuoro and around). No credit cards. €61–90
Corte Fiorita Via Lungo Temo de Gasperi 45 0785.377.058, www.albergo-diffuso.it. Divided between three buildings, the main part of this hotel overlooks the river. It has plenty of atmosphere, with opulent trimmings and bedrooms with balconies, internet connection and riverside views (for a supplement). €91–120
Ostello Malaspina Via Sardegna 1, Bosa Marina 346.236.3844, www.valevacanze.com. One of Sardinia’s rare youth hostels, this is a quiet, modern place which also serves cheap meals. Dorms €16, rooms €60 and under
S’Ammentu Via del Cármine 55 0785.376.180 or 348.721.8492, www.sammentu.com. Old-town lodging on four floors (there’s a lift), with small but comfortable en-suite rooms, full of character, with a/c and TVs. €61–90
Sa Pischedda Via Roma 8 0785.373.065, www.hotelsapischedda.it. At the southern end of the old bridge, this fine old palazzo has a grand staircase leading up to attractive, a/c rooms, some with balcony. There’s an excellent restaurant, too. €91–120
Stella Maris Via C. Colombo 11, Bosa Marina 0785.375.162, nuke.stellamarisbosa.it. The best of Bosa Marina’s fairly uninspiring hotels is a friendly place near the beach. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms. €91–120
The Town
Bosa’s low-key attractions can easily be explored on foot, and it’s a pleasant place for a wander. At the northern end of the old bridge, the cathedral lies at the bottom of the cobbled Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Bosa’s main drag running parallel to the river, and cutting through Sa Piana, the lower town.
To the north, the medieval lanes of Sa Costa, or upper town, struggle up the hill towards the castle, erected by the Malaspina family in 1122. Take any alley leading up from the Corso, and keep climbing for about twenty minutes to reach the Castello Malaspina (April–June daily 10am–1pm & 3.30–6.30pm; July daily 10am–1pm & 4–7.30pm; Aug daily 10am–8pm; Sept to mid-Oct daily 10am–1pm & 3.30–6pm; mid- to late Oct 10am–1pm & 3–5pm; Nov–March Sat & Sun 10am–1pm; check hours at 333.544.5675; €3) – there’s also a road skirting the back of town that leads to the castle gate. Within the walls, the only building standing is the church of Nostra Signora di Regnos Altos, containing some rare Catalan frescoes dating from around 1300.
The view from the ramparts takes in town, river and sea, and you can pick out Bosa’s former cathedral of San Pietro, Sardinia’s oldest Romanesque church, built in the eleventh century, with a Gothic facade added by Cistercian monks a couple of hundred years later. For a closer look, follow the country road running parallel to the south bank of the river from the old bridge eastwards for about 2km (April–Oct Tues & Thurs 9.30am–1pm, Wed 3.30–6pm, Fri–Sun 9.30am–1pm & 3.30–6pm; call to check as times may vary, and call about winter opening; 333.544.5675; €2).
Bosa Marina
In the opposite direction, BOSA MARINA lies 5km downstream of the old bridge, on what was the town’s original site before its inhabitants shifted to a more defensible position. Today it is a conventional minor resort with a small choice of hotels and bars and a broad swathe of sandy beach. Across the river, you can also swim from the rocks at the mouth of the Temo, or further north off the beautiful rocky coast accessible from the Alghero road. This undeveloped, highly panoramic stretch of coast makes a wonderfully scenic setting for a drive and is one of the last habitats in Sardinia of the griffon vulture.
Eating and drinking
In Bosa, the Sa Pischedda hotel has a renowned but reasonably priced restaurant with outdoor seating in summer. The Bainas agriturismo serves delicious and wholesome organic and vegetarian dishes using its own home-grown produce, but you’ll need to call ahead. Alternatively, the rustic but elegant Borgo Sant’Ignazio, in an alley above the Corso, Via Sant’Ignazio 33 (0785.374.129), offers local specialities of a meatier nature, with main courses at €12–16. For snacks and refreshments, avoid the pricey bars on the main Corso in favour of Bar Mouse on Piazza Zanetti (closed Sun), a wine bar and café with terrace seating.
Nuoro and around
“There is nothing to see in Nuoro: which to tell the truth, is always a relief. Sights are an irritating bore,” wrote D.H. Lawrence of the town he visited in 1921, though he was impressed by its appearance to him “as if at the end of the world, mountains rising sombre behind”. NUORO’s superb backdrop – beneath the soaring peak of Monte Ortobene and opposite the sheer and stark heights of Monte Corrasi – is still its main draw, and it makes a useful transport junction and base for excursions. The last century has witnessed few changes, bar an unsightly accretion of apartment blocks and administrative buildings. Nuoro can lay claim to a distinguished literary heritage, however: Sardinia’s best-known poet, Sebastiano Satta (1867–1914), was Nuorese, as was the author Grazia Deledda (1871–1936), who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926 in recognition of a writing career devoted to recounting the day-to-day trials and passions of local villagers.
Nuoro’s biggest annual festival, the Festa del Redentore, is one of the most vibrant events on the island’s calendar, taking place over the last ten days of August, when enthusiastic dancing and singing in dialect culminate with a costumed procession to Monte Ortobene.
Arrival, information and accommodation
You can reach Nuoro in an hour and a quarter on the narrow-gauge FdS line from Macomer, a stop on the main train line from Cágliari, or on an FdS bus from Cágliari or Sássari. Nuoro’s train station is a twenty-minute walk from the centre of town along Via La Mármora, where frequent city buses stop (buy tickets from the shop inside the station). ARST and FdS buses stop at Via Sardegna, ten minutes’ walk south of the station. The main tourist office is at Piazza Italia 19, on the edge of the old quarter (June–Sept daily 9am–7pm; Oct–May Mon–Fri 8.30am–1.30pm & 3–5.30pm; 0784.238.878).
Nuoro has few accommodation options; consider staying outside town on Monte Ortobene or even further afield in Oliena ( for both). In town, the Grillo, near the ethnographic museum at Via Monsignor Melas 14 (0784.38.678, www.grillohotel.it; €61–90), is one of the cheaper hotels – a rather charmless business-class place. You may prefer one of the town’s B&Bs (no credit cards): Silvia e Paolo, right in the centre of town at Corso Garibaldi 58 (0784.31.280 or 328.921.2199, www.silviaepaolo.it; €60 and under), has spotless, modern rooms with wi-fi and a terrace, while no-frills Giada, near the tourist office at Via Ballero 32 (338.853.5759, www.giadabb.it; €61–90), has plain rooms with or without private facilities.
The Town
Nuoro’s old quarter is the most appealing part of town, spread around pedestrianized Corso Garibaldi, along which a buzzing passeggiata injects a bit of life into the place. Just off here, on Via Satta, is MAN (Museo d’Arte Nuoro; Tues–Sun 10am–1pm & 4.30–8.30pm; €3), a superb collection of twentieth-century and contemporary art from the whole island, with a preponderance of local artists. Displayed on four floors, the works are refreshingly diverse, and there are also temporary exhibitions of modern Italian art. At the top of the Corso, turn right past the Duomo and along Via Mereu to reach the impressive Museo della Vita e delle Tradizioni Popolari Sarde (daily: mid-June to Sept 9am–8pm; Oct to mid-June 9am–1pm & 3–7pm; €3), which holds Sardinia’s most comprehensive range of local costumes, jewellery, masks, carpets and other handicrafts, as well as traditional musical instruments from around the island. Turn left at the eastern end of the Corso and up Via Deledda for the Casa di Grazia Deledda (same hours as ethnographic museum; free), the restored home of Nuoro’s literary star, displaying various photos and mementoes. Turn south down Via Deledda to find the Museo Archeologico (Tues & Thurs 9am–1pm & 3–5pm, Wed, Fri & Sat 9am–1pm; free), accessed from Via Manno or Via Asproni, which takes in everything from rocks and skulls to carved vases, neolithic jewellery and nuraghic art.
Eating and drinking
Many of the town’s restaurants feature regional specialities.
Bar Nuovo Piazza Mazzini 1. At the top of Corso Garibaldi, this is a good place for breakfast or a lunchtime snack, with outdoor tables.
Café San Juan Piazza San Giovanni. The place to head for evening drinks, with cosy nooks in various rooms.
Il Rifugio Via Mereu 28 0784.232.355. The best choice for regional specialities, Il Rifugio has main courses at €8–16 and delicious pizzas. Closed Wed.
Su Nugoresu Piazza San Giovanni 9 0784.258.017. A pleasant trattoria in a pretty piazza with tables outside in summer. Closed Mon in winter.
Tascusi Via Aspromonte 13 0784.37.287. This arty option off the top end of the Corso has good fixed-priced deals. Closed Sun.
Monte Ortobene
Between mid-June and mid-September bus #8 runs every twenty minutes or so (with a much reduced service in winter) from Nuoro’s Piazza Vittorio Emanuele up to the summit of Monte Ortobene, 8km away, from where there are striking views over the gorge separating Nuoro from the Supramonte massif. This is the venue for Nuoro’s Festa del Redentore at the end of August, when a procession from town weaves up the mountain to the bronze statue of the Redeemer at the top (955m). The statue makes an excellent vantage point, with dizzying views down to the valley floor. The woods are perfect for walks and picnics, and there are possibilities for horseriding at Farcana, signposted left near the top, where there’s also a grand open-air public swimming pool open in summer. There’s an excellent B&B on the mountain, the friendly Casa Solotti (0784.33.954 or 328.602.8975, www.casasolotti.it; no credit cards; €60 and under), just after the Farcana turn-off, offering wonderful mountain views and great breakfasts; ring ahead for directions or a pick-up from Nuoro.
The interior and the east coast
Though little travelled by tourists, Sardinia’s interior is in many ways the most interesting part of the island, dominated by thick forests and rugged peaks. The local inhabitants have retained a fierce sense of independence and loyalty to their traditions, and this is especially true in the ring of the once almost impenetrable Monti del Gennargentu, centred on the island’s highest peak, La Mármora (1834m). The range forms the core of the Barbágia region, called Barbaria by the Romans who, like their successors, were never able to subdue it, foiled by the guerrilla warfare for which its hidden recesses proved ideal. More recently, the isolation and economic difficulties of the Barbágia’s villages led to widescale emigration and, among those who stayed behind, a wave of sheep-rustling, internecine feuding and the kidnapping of wealthy industrialists or their families that continued until the last decades of the twentieth century. Nowadays the Barbágia has huge appeal to outdoors enthusiasts, particularly mountain hikers – if you’re interested, ask at Oliena’s tourist office for routes and lists of guides (see Oliena and Tíscali).
Sardinia’s long eastern seaboard is highly developed around the resorts of Siniscola and Posada, but further south it preserves its desolate beauty, virtually untouched apart from a couple of isolated spots around Cala Gonone, and, further down, around the small town of Tortolì, in the province of Ogliastra.
Oliena and Tíscali
The multicoloured rooftops of OLIENA, 12km southeast of Nuoro (buses roughly every two hours), are visible across the valley. Though famed as the haunt of bandits until relatively recent times, the village prefers its reputation as the producer of one of the island’s best wines, Nepente – a variety of the prized Cannonau – a dry, almost black concoction that turns lighter and stronger over time. The best place to sample it is the Cantina Oliena winery, at Via Nuoro 112 (Mon–Fri 8.30am–12.30pm & 3–7.30pm, Sat 8.30am–noon).
Oliena lies on the slopes of Monte Corrasi, a dramatically rugged limestone elevation which forms part of the Supramonte massif and rises to 1363m. There are numerous organized excursions you can make around its various caves and crags, the most famous of which is to the remote Valle Lanaittu and the nuraghic village of Tíscali (daily: May–Sept 9am–7pm; Oct–April 9am–5pm; €5), spectacularly sited within a vast mountain-top cavern, a half-day trip from Oliena. All hikes should be accompanied by a guide, which can be arranged through Oliena’s helpful tourist office on the main drag at Corso Deledda 32 (Mon–Sat 9am–1pm & 4–7pm; 0784.286.078). There’s internet access here too, and bilingual staff can also book accommodation in the area: the best options are B&B Santa Maria at Corso Deledda 76 (0784.287.278 or 328.117.8551, www.bbsantamaria.it; €60 and under), with a terrace, comfortable rooms and private bathrooms; CiKappa, Via M. Luther King (0784.288.721, www.cikappa.it; €61–90), a functional hotel further up the hill, with a lively pizzeria below; and Cooperativa Turistica Enis, up a steep hill 3km south in Località Maccione (0784.288.363, www.coopenis.it; €61–90), where there are also pitches for camping and a superb restaurant with lofty views over the valley.
Orgósolo
Some 18km south of Oliena, connected by frequent buses from Nuoro, ORGÓSOLO is stuck with its label of erstwhile bandit capital of the island. The village’s most infamous son, Graziano Mesina – the so-called “Scarlet Rose” – won local hearts in the 1960s by robbing from the rich to give to the poor and only killing for revenge against those who had betrayed him. Roaming at will through the mountains, even granting interviews to reporters and television journalists, he was eventually captured; after forty years behind bars, he was freed in 2004 and returned to live in Orgósolo.
Today, the only traces of the area’s violent past are in its vivid, graffiti-style murals, with a concentration in Orgósolo, some covering whole buildings. Portraying village culture and history, many of the paintings are peopled with gun-toting locals and illustrate the oppression of the landless by the landowners.
Dorgali
Renowned for its Cannonau wines, DORGALI is also known for its craftwork and as a starting point for excursions into the mountains, to places such as Tíscali. The tourist office is at Via Lamarmora 108 (Mon–Fri 9am–1pm & 4–8pm, July & Aug also Sat & Sun same hours; 0784.96.243, www.dorgali.it), and there’s a good hotel signposted off the SS125 a couple of kilometres south of town, the Sant’Elene (0784.94.572, www.hotelsantelene.it; €91–120), which also has a great restaurant.
Hikes from Cala Gonone and Dorgali
South of Cala Gonone lies one of Sardinia’s last truly untouched tracts, a majestic mountain landscape, largely devoid of human life, cut through by the Flumineddu valley and, high above it, the highly panoramic SS125. There are several half- or full-day hikes which can be made here, for example following the coast south from Cala Gonone to the beaches at Cala Luna and Cala Sisine. From Cala Sisine, the route wanders inland up the Sisine canyon, as far as the solitary church of San Pietro, from where a track leads down to Baunei. Dorgali’s tourist office can supply a list of guides for the Sisine canyon, for Tíscali, and for the Gorroppu gorge, one of southern Europe’s deepest canyons. Even for shorter hikes, you’ll need hardy footwear with a secure grip and ankle support, and preferably some protection for your head against bumps and falls: the boulders can be extremely slippery, especially when wet.
Cala Gonone
Some 10km east of Dorgali, the small port of CALA GONONE is reached by heading south on the SS125 and turning left into the long tunnel through the rock wall, from which the road plunges down to the bay. ARST buses come this way from Nuoro (3–8 daily; 1hr 10min) and Dorgali (4–10 daily; 25min). Beautifully sited at the base of the 900-metre-high mountains, this once tiny settlement was until recently accessible only by boat. Now hotels and villas dominate the scene, though these have not spoilt the sense of isolation, and it is worth a visit if only to take advantage of the numerous boat tours to the secluded beaches up and down the coast. Among the best are Cala Luna and Cala Sisine, though if you are here for a short time you would do well to choose a tour that combines pauses at these swimming stops with exploration of the deep grottoes that pit the shore.
Most famous of these is the Grotta del Bue Marino, formerly home to a colony of Mediterranean monk seals, or “sea ox”. It’s among Sardinia’s most spectacular caves, a luminescent gallery filled with remarkable natural sculptures, resembling organ pipes, wedding cakes and even human heads – one of them is known as Dante, after a fondly imagined resemblance to the poet. Boat trips from Cala Gonone cost around €17 including entry to the grotto.
Tickets for the various excursions are sold at the port, and there’s a tourist office on Viale Bue Marino (daily: Easter–June & mid-Sept to Oct 9am–1pm & 3–7pm; July to mid-Sept 9am–9pm; Nov–Easter 9am–noon; 0784.93.696, www.dorgali.it). Best of the hotels here are the bougainvillea-covered Cala Luna, on Lungomare Palmasera (0784.93.133, www.hotelcalaluna.com; Easter–Nov; €121–150), with direct access to the beach, and lively Pop (0784.93.185, www.hotelpop.it; €121–150), by the harbour, also with sea views. There’s also a well-equipped but crowded campsite a brief walk up from the port and near the tourist office (0784.93.165, www.campingcalagonone.it; April–Oct).
There’s a good range of places to eat in town, including a few pricey gourmet seafood parlours along the waterfront. Less expensive options include the excellent restaurant at the Pop hotel and the trattoria attached to the San Francisco hotel on Via Magellano (0784.920.030), serving wonderful ravioli, gnocchi, seafood and pizzas (closed Tues daytime in winter), while Roadhouse Blues (0784.93.187), overlooking the sea on Lungomare Palmasera, has tasty pizzas, fish dishes, cocktails and beers. Up from the port at Piazza Andrea Doria, Su Recreu serves the town’s best ice cream as well as sandwiches and snacks till late. The last two places close in winter.
The Gennargentu massif
The central region of the Barbágia holds the Gennargentu chain of mountains – the name means “silver gate”, referring to the snow that covers them every winter. Here, you’ll find the island’s only skiing facilities on Monte Bruncu Spina, Sardinia’s second-highest peak (1829m). In spring and summer, you can explore this and other areas on mountain treks, best undertaken in the company of guides for which the tourist office at Nuoro can supply a list.
The nearby settlements make useful bases for both skiers and trekkers, for example FONNI, 13km due south of Mamoiada and at 1000m the island’s highest village. Try to coincide your visit with one of Fonni’s costumed festivals, principally the Madonna dei Mártiri, on the Monday following the first Sunday in June, and on San Giovanni’s day on June 24. Of the hotels here, try Sa Orte, Via Roma 14 (0784.58.020, www.hotelsaorte.it; €61–90), an elegantly restored granite building with period trappings and its own restaurant.
Other feasible bases for the area include TONARA, about 30km southwest of Fonni, where Il Castagneto is an independent hostel (0784.610.005; Easter–Oct; €15), signposted on the northern edge of the village, with ample dormitory space as well as en-suite doubles (€60 and under). Hostellers and others can enjoy wonderful views over wooded slopes from the outdoor tables at the pizzeria here (closed Tues except Aug). Finally, ARITZO, 15km south, has several hotels: try the old-fashioned but comfortable Moderno, at the top of the village on Viale Kennedy (0784.629.229, www.hotelmodernoaritzo.it; €60 and under), with a small garden and restaurant.
Tortolì and Arbatax
South of Cala Gonone and the majestic Gorroppu gorge the SS125 descends steeply to TORTOLÌ, provincial capital of Ogliastra. Some 5km inland, ferries ply from the fairly nondescript port of ARBATAX to Genoa and Civitavécchia. The small beach here is famous for its red rocks, but there are better beaches outside town – north around Santa Maria Navarrese and south at Lido Orrì. There’s a seasonal tourist office at Arbatax station, by the port (mid-June to mid-Sept Wed–Fri 10am–noon & 4.30–7.30pm; 366.300.7301) that has information on sea excursions, including to the Grotta del Bue Marino for €30–50, while Tortolì’s Pro Loco is at Via Mazzini 7 (June to mid-Sept Mon–Sat 9am–12.30pm & 5.30–8pm; 366.300.7423, www.turismo.ogliastra.it). Ferry tickets are available from the Tirrenia office near the port, on your right as you head towards the station (Mon–Fri 9am–1pm & 4–7pm, Sat 9am–1pm; 0782.667.067).
Frequent daily buses connect Cágliari and Nuoro with Tortolì, which, along with Arbatax, is also on the FdS narrow-gauge Trenino Verde railway (www.treninoverde.com). The train follows an inland route to Cágliari, with a change at Mandas; the full journey from the coast to Cágliari takes six to seven dawdling hours (Wed–Mon mid-June to mid-Sept only). A frequent summer shuttle bus connects Tortolì, Arbatax, Lido Orrì and Porto Frailis.
There’s little to detain you here, but if you need to stay in Arbatax, book in at the Splendor on Viale Arbatax (0782.623.037, www.hotelsplendor.com; €61–90), opposite the Esso station on the other side of the rail tracks. Among the local campsites, try Telis at Porto Frailis (0782.667.140, www.campingtelis.com), which has bungalows and caravans to rent by the week (€91–120). In Santa Maria Navarrese, there’s a great unofficial hostel on Via Pedra Longa, Ostello Bellavista (0782.614.039, www.ostelloinogliastra.com; €91–120), though it’s actually more like an informal lodge, where each of the plain white doubles has private bathroom and a view over the sea. As for restaurants, there are a few places in Arbatax itself, but the Porto Frailis district is a better choice, where Il Faro, overlooking the beach, has a good choice of fish (0782.667.499; closed dinner Oct–March).
Olbia
The largest town in Sardinia’s northeastern wedge, OLBIA owes its recent phenomenal growth to the huge influx of tourists bound for one of the Mediterranean’s loveliest stretches of coast, the Costa Smeralda. Awash with traffic and ugly apartment blocks, Olbia is the least Sardinian of all the island’s towns. Its port and airport, however, make it an inevitable stop for some, and there’s a first-class museum, plus numerous bars and restaurants, usually abuzz with tourists and sailors.
Arrival and information
Olbia’s airport (www.olbiairport.it) is connected by buses #2 and #10 every 20 to 30 minutes until 8pm, which take just ten minutes to reach the central Piazza Regina Margherita (tickets €0.80 from the ticket machine in the terminal, €1.30 on board). Taxis cost about €20. There is a summer-only bus service (5–12 daily) from the airport to the resorts of Arzachena, Palau and Santa Teresa di Gallura, so you can avoid Olbia completely if you’re bound for the beach-chequered coast or for Corsica.
Ferries dock at the island of Isola Bianca, connected to the mainland by a two-kilometre causeway; twice-hourly buses (#9) run into town (€0.80 from the information office, or €1.30 on board), or you can take one of the infrequent trains to Olbia’s main station. The port holds all the main ferry agents, selling tickets for Tirrenia, Moby Lines and Sardinia Ferries services. Sardinia and some Tirrenia services leave from Golfo Aranci, 15km up the coast (6 buses daily summer only, or regular trains). Book early for all departures.
Trains for Sássari and Cágliari run several times daily from the station just off Corso Umberto, while the stop for ARST buses is on Corso Vittorio Veneto, just past the level crossing at the bottom of Corso Umberto. Summer-only Sun Lines buses for Porto Cervo leave from Piazza Crispi, on the seafront.
The tourist office, at Via Nanni 39 (Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat 8am–2pm, Tues & Thurs 8am–2pm & 3–6pm; 0789.557.732, www.olbiaturismo.it), is supplemented in summer by one or more kiosks situated in the centre (locations vary), open daily until late. There are additional information desks at the airport (daily 8/8.30am–11/11.30pm; 0789.563.444) and the port (daily 6am–12.40pm & 2.30–8pm; reduced hours in winter; 0789.24.696), where there is also a left-luggage office. There’s internet access at InterSmeraldo, Via Porto Romano 6/B, off the Corso.
Accommodation
Olbia has several good, central, though fairly pricey, hotels. One of the nearest campsites is at Località Cugnana (0789.33.184, www.campingcugnana.it; mid-March to mid-Oct), 12km north of town, with a pool and bungalows for weekly rental (€61–90); it’s also the closest campsite to the Costa Smeralda, and consequently can get crowded. In summer, Sun Lines buses for Porto Cervo stop right outside.
Cavour Via Cavour 22 0789.204.033, www.cavourhotel.it. One of Olbia’s cheaper hotels, this tasteful renovation of a traditional building on a central alley has smart, simply furnished rooms. €61–90
Gallura Corso Umberto 145 0789.24.648. This old-fashioned hotel has plain, en-suite rooms and rustic trimmings. Breakfasts are superb, and there’s a first-class restaurant. €61–90
Pisolo Via Fiume d’Italia 6 0789.209.115 or 340.243.0845, pisolo32@aliceposta.it. This friendly B&B, just off Olbia’s main street, has two brightly coloured rooms with private bathrooms. No credit cards. €61–90
Porto Romano Via Nanni 2 349.192.7996, www.bedandbreakfastportoromano.it. Central but quiet B&B, offering doubles with private or en-suite bathrooms, a “bedsitter” including cooking facilities, and a patio. No credit cards. €61–90
The Town
Olbia’s chief attraction is the Museo Archeologico (Thurs–Tues 9.30am–1pm & 5.30–8.30pm; free), a fortress-like construction on a miniature island by the port. Displays range from Proto-Sard prehistory through to the Carthaginian, Greek and Roman eras, and include a magnificent terracotta head of Hercules wearing a lion’s mane – a Roman copy of a Greek original. Check with the tourist office for current opening hours and price, which are likely to change.
Otherwise, the town’s only other item of historical interest is the little basilica of San Símplicio (daily 6.30am–1pm & 3.30–8pm), on the street of the same name. Part of the great Pisan reconstruction programme of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the simple granite structure has three aisles separated by pillars and columns recycled from Roman constructions – even the stoup for the holy water was formerly an urn that held cremated ashes. The church is the venue for Olbia’s biggest festa, six days of processions, costumed dancing and fireworks around May 15, commemorating San Símplicio’s martyrdom in the fourth century.
Eating and drinking
Olbia has plenty of restaurants, catering to the huge numbers of tourists that pass through here. The cafés and bars on Piazza Margherita are good for coffees, fresh cornetti and drinks, with seating both inside and out.
Antica Trattoria Via delle Terme 1 0789.24.053. Popular place with a buzzing atmosphere, a tasty array of antipasti, and pizzas. There are good-value tourist menus (€15–25), and a small garden for eating alfresco. Closed all Mon, and Sun lunch in summer.
Gallura See Accommodation. One of the top spots in the whole region to sample delicious, authentic gallurese dishes, with a huge menu and fairly high prices (most meat dishes around €18). The soups and antipasti are a joy, and there’s an excellent wine list too. Closed Mon.
Il Gámbero Via Lamármora 6 0789.23.874. Locals and tourists alike appreciate the rustic trimmings and hangings at this centrally located restaurant. The fare is mainly seafood, with good antipasti including pesce spada affumicata (smoked swordfish). Mains are €10–15, and there’s a fixed-price menu (€23). Closed Mon in winter.
La Tasca Via Cavour 3 0789.22.654. Handy spot for a daytime sit-down and snack, or to while away the evening, when it offers pastas and tapas as well as cocktails. There are occasional DJs and live music, and it stays open late. Closed Sun daytime.
The Costa Smeralda and around
Long a magnet for Italy’s glitziest celebrities, the five-star development of the Costa Smeralda, built in the 1960s, helped to transform the economy of the entire island. A coastline this beautiful inevitably comes at a price, however: budget accommodation is virtually nonexistent, while the high-end hotels that cram this corner of the island are mostly soulless. Arzachena or Cannigione are both cheaper bases from which to explore the area.
The Costa Smeralda begins about 12km north of Olbia and is defined as the ten-kilometre strip between the gulfs of Cugnana and Arzachena. Although strict rules were imposed to prevent overzealous development – you won’t see any multistorey hotels, advertising hoardings or fast-food restaurants – the Costa lacks any genuine fishing villages and the luxurious holiday villages have a bland, almost suburban feel. This hasn’t stopped the mega-rich from coming in droves – Silvio Berlusconi owns six properties here.
Porto Cervo
The “capital” of the Costa Smeralda, PORTO CERVO, is connected to Olbia and Arzachena by ARST and (in summer) Sun Lines buses. The “local”-style rustic-red architecture here embodies the dream of an idyllic Mediterranean village without any of the irritations of real life. Graffiti- and litter-free, Porto Cervo exults in its exclusivity, with a glittering yachting marina as its centrepiece.
You’ll need your own transport to reach the sandy beaches dotted down the coast south of Porto Cervo. None is clearly marked; just follow any dirt track down to the sea – the rougher it is, the more promising. Try Cappriccioli and Liscia Ruia, 6km south of Porto Cervo and near the Costa Smeralda’s most exclusive hotel, the Cala di Volpe (0789.976.111, www.caladivolpe.com; €401 and over) – but free to all.
Arzachena
ARZACHENA is a not particularly inspiring inland town, though it has banks, stores, restaurants and a handful of pricey but characterless hotels. Most affordable of these, the Citti, lies on the edge of town on the main road to Palau at Viale Costa Smeralda 197 (0789.82.662, www.hotelcitti.com; €91–120), with a small pool, while Casa Mia, on the other side of town on the Olbia–Palau road, Viale Costa Smeralda (0789.82.790, www.hotelcasamia.it; €121–150), has a garden and restaurant; both have significantly lower rates outside peak season. At least five buses daily leave Olbia on the northward-bound SS125 that takes in Arzachena, Palau and Santa Teresa di Gallura.
Sharing many of the Costa Smeralda’s natural features, the Golfo di Arzachena is a deep narrow bay with facilities concentrated in and around CANNIGIONE, a small fishing port and yachting resort linked to Arzachena by bus (Mon–Sat 2–4 daily), where there’s a tourist office on Via Orecchioni (June–Sept daily 9am–1pm & 4.30–7.30pm; Oct–May Mon–Fri 9am–1pm; 0789.88.229). The cheapest of Cannigione’s hotels is the Hotel del Porto, opposite the marina at Via Nazionale 94 (0789.88.011, www.hoteldelporto.com; €151–250), which has rooms with balconies and a good seafood restaurant. The Villaggio Isuleddacampsite (0789.86.003, www.isuledda.it; late April to late Sept), a couple of kilometres north of Cannigione in LA CONIA, is right on the shore and has a range of mobile homes and bungalows to rent (€91–120).
The Maddalena Islands
The profusion of minor islands off this stretch of coast, over sixty in all, form part of La Maddalena national park, which can be explored on various boat tours. From Palau, 10km up the coast from Cannigione, ferries leave every fifteen minutes in peak season (around €11 return per person, €44 return for two people in a medium-sized car; book early in high season) for the archipelago’s only port, La Maddalena. An upbeat, attractive town, it has few sights as such, but is full of life in the summer months. From here, you can drive, bike or hike across to neighbouring Caprera, the island on which Garibaldi spent his last years.
La Maddalena
It takes twenty minutes to cross what Nelson called “Agincourt Sound” from Palau to the port and sole town on LA MADDALENA. The town, bearing the same name as the island, is a cheerful place, its population of about 11,000 swollen by a large number of Italian sailors whose headquarters are on the eastern side of town, a drab area of barracks. There’s also a military installation on the neighbouring island of Santo Stéfano, briefly captured by Napoleon in 1793 in an abortive attempt to take Sardinia.
Most of the town’s action takes place in the narrow lanes between Piazza Umberto I and Cala Gavetta (the marina for small boats), a five-minute walk from the ferry port (heading left) and site of the tourist office (Mon & Wed 8am–2pm & 3–6pm, Tues, Thurs & Fri 8am–2pm, also Sat 9am–1pm mid-June to mid-Sept; 0789.736.321, www.comune.lamaddalena.ot.it). The town is not particularly well off for hotels. Cheapest are the Arcipelago at Via Indipendenza Traversa 2 (0789.727.328; €91–120), a signposted fifteen-minute walk east from the ferry port, offering modern, quiet rooms, and, in the opposite direction, the Gabbiano at Via Giulio Césare 20 (0789.722.507, www.hotel-ilgabbiano.it; €121–150), panoramically sited on the shore beyond Cala Gavetta. There are also three campsites, all outside town and all closed outside the summer months: Il Sole, on Via Indipendenza (0789.727.727), Maddalena, in the Moneta district (0789.728.051, www.campingmaddalena.it), and Abbatoggia (0789.739.173, info@campingabbatoggia.it), close to some good beaches in the north of the island. The last two sites also have caravans and bungalows to rent (€61–90).
The island invites aimless wandering and offers a variety of sandy and rocky beaches in mostly undeveloped coves. Buses run to various parts of the island (and to Caprera) from Piazza Umberto I near the port (roughly every hour in summer, less frequent in winter). Bikes and mopeds can be rented from any of the outlets on the seafront towards Cala Gavetta for about €15 a day for a bike, or €60 for a scooter (prices drop outside peak season). The beaches on the northern and western coasts are most attractive, particularly those around the tiny port of Madonetta, 5km west of La Maddalena, and at Cala Lunga, 5km north of town.
Caprera
Though partly used for military purposes, CAPRERA’s protected wooded parkland is open to all, and is undeveloped apart from Garibaldi’s house in the centre and a couple of secluded, self-contained tourist complexes.
Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807–82) came to live in Caprera in 1855, after a twenty-year exile from Italy. It was from here that he embarked on his spectacular conquest of Sicily and Naples in 1861, accompanied by his thousand Red Shirts, and it was here that he returned after his campaigns to resume a simple farming life. Having bought the northern part of the island for £360, he spent much of his time writing his memoirs and some bad novels. In 1864 a group of English admirers provided the money for Garibaldi to buy the rest of Caprera from local landowners.
The museum (Tues–Sun 9am–1.30pm & 2–7.15pm; €5) is in Garibaldi’s old house, the elegant South American-style Casa Bianca, which has been preserved pretty much as he left it. Visitors are escorted past the bed where he slept, a smaller one where he died, various scrolls, manifestoes and pronouncements, as well as an array of personal memorabilia. A stopped clock and a wall calendar indicate the precise time and date of his death. The tour ends with Garibaldi’s tomb in the garden, its rough granite contrasting with the more pompous tombs of his last wife and five of his children. Garibaldi had requested to be cremated, but following the wishes of his son Menotti his corpse was embalmed. In 1932, fifty years after his death, his tomb was opened to reveal the body perfectly intact.
Santa Teresa di Gallura and around
The road from Olbia and Palau passes a succession of lovely bays, some dramatic rocky coastline, and a handful of campsites. Six kilometres west of Palau, the slender isthmus of Porto Pollo is Sardinia’s busiest watersports centre, with ideal conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing. There are numerous surf schools and rental outfits, while the sheltered, dune-backed beaches will equally appeal to non-surfers. Some 15km further west, SANTA TERESA DI GALLURA is Sardinia’s northernmost port, served by buses from Arzachena and Palau (5–12 daily). The town gets extremely lively in summer, with a buzzing nightlife, but the main draw is the beaches, many enjoying superb views over to Corsica, just 11km away. There’s one stretch of sand right at the edge of town, but some of the finest beaches on the whole island are a short bus-ride away (up to 5 daily mid-June to mid-Sept), with Punta Falcone and La Marmorata to the east, and Capo Testa, with its wind-sculpted granite rock formations, 3km west of Santa Teresa.
Practicalities
Santa Teresa’s tourist office is on the main Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (mid-June to mid-Sept Mon–Fri 9am–11pm, Sat & Sun 9am–3pm & 5–11pm; mid-Sept to mid-June Mon, Thurs & Fri 9am–2pm, Tues & Wed 9am–2pm & 4–6pm; 0789.754.127, www.comunestg.it). You can rent bikes (€10–15 a day) and scooters (from €40 a day) nearby at Piazza San Vittorio 7. From the port on the eastern side of town, Moby Lines and Saremar operate sailings to Bonifacio in Corsica (2–7 daily; 1hr; €16–18 one way, plus €35–50 per car). The town’s plentiful hotels – most of which demand at least half-board in July and August – include the comfortable, family-run Scano at Via Lazio 4 (0789.754.447, www.albergoscano.it; €91–120), but the town’s B&Bs offer better value (no credit cards accepted). La Chicca di Francesca at Via Basilicata 4 (0789.754.691 or 347.335.0779, www.lachiccadifrancesca.com; €91–120), is set in lush gardens and has three rooms with wood furnishings and air conditioning, while nearby Le Ortensie at Via Campania 15 (0789.755.469 or 328.255.6559, www.bbleortensie.com; closed Dec–Feb; €61–90) is spotless and welcoming, with delicious breakfasts. The nearest campsite is La Liccia (0789.755.190, www.campinglaliccia.com; mid-May to Sept), 6km west, signposted off the Castelsardo road, near a beach and with bungalows (€61–90).
Santa Teresa has no shortage of bars and restaurants: for a good meal try Papè Satan, at Via Lamármora 20 (0789.755.048; closed mid-Oct to mid-April), a backstreet pizzeria with courtyard, or Marlin, Via Garibaldi 4 (0789.754.697), which serves fresh pastas and fish and meat dishes, as well as pizzas.
Sássari and around
Sardinia’s second city, SÁSSARI, combines an insular, traditional feel, as embodied in its well-preserved tangle of lanes in the old quarter, with a forward-looking, confident air that is most evident in its modern centre. As a holiday destination, however, this inland town has limited appeal, lacking enough entertainment to fill more than a couple of afternoons or evenings.
Historically, while Cágliari was Pisa’s base of operations during the Middle Ages, Sássari was the Genoan capital, ruled by the Doria family, whose power reached throughout the Mediterranean. Under the Aragonese it became an important centre of Spanish hegemony, and the Spanish stamp is still strong, not least in its churches. In the sixteenth century the Jesuits founded Sardinia’s first university here, which continues to excel in the spheres of law, medicine and politics.
If lively Sássari leaves you longing for some peace and quiet, the undeveloped coastline around Stintino, at Sardinia’s northwestern tip, makes a worthwhile excursion.
Arrival, information and accommodation
If you’re coming to Sássari by train, you’ll probably have to change at Ozieri-Chilivani station to arrive at Sássari station, at the bottom of the old town’s Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The bus station is on Via XXV Aprile, a right turn out of the train station, for all long-distance buses as well as the regular service linking the city with Alghero airport (www.aeroportodialghero.it). In Sássari’s old quarter, the tourist office is on Via Sebastiano Satta (Mon–Sat 9am–1.30pm & 3–6pm; 079.200.8072, www.comune.sassari.it) and there’s internet access at Net Gate, Piazza Università 15.
Sássari’s best accommodation choices are in or around the old quarter.
Hotels & B&Bs
Capo di Sopra Corso Vittorio Emanuele 24 079.202.8095 or 393.929.1004, www.capodisopra.com. Central B&B with three spacious rooms and private or en-suite bathrooms. No credit cards. €61–90
Casachiara Vicolo Bertolinis 7 079.200.5052 or 333.695.7118, www.casachiara.net. This relaxed B&B on the second floor of an eighteenth-century palazzo in the old quarter has colourful rooms and bathrooms. No credit cards. €60 and under
Quattrogatti Via Sant’Eligio 5 079.237.819 or 349.406.0481, www.quattrogattibnb.it. A modern B&B with three spacious, individually decorated rooms, which come with DVD players and private bathrooms. No credit cards. €61–90
Vittorio Emanuele Corso Vittorio Emanuele 100 079.235.538, www.hotelvittorioemanuele.ss.it. An old-town palazzo flashily renovated to appeal to business folk. Comfortable and good value, if a little bland. €61–90
The City
Sássari’s old quarter, a network of alleys and piazzas bisected by the main Corso Vittorio Emanuele, is a good area for strolling around. At the heart of it is the Duomo (daily 8.30am–noon & 4–7.30pm), whose florid facade is Sardinia’s most imposing example of Baroque architecture, added to a simpler Aragonese-Gothic base from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Behind it, the eighteenth-century Palazzo Ducale now houses the town hall. On the other side of the Corso, Piazza Tola retains its medieval feel and is the venue of a daily market.
The only other sight worth seeking out in the old quarter is the Fontana di Rosello (Mon–Sat 9am–1.30pm & 4–7pm; reduced hours in winter; free), symbol of the city, at the bottom of a flight of grassy steps accessible from Corso Trinità, at the northern end of the old town. Built in 1606 in late Renaissance style by Genoese stonemasons, the fountain is elaborately carved with dolphins and four statues representing the seasons.
Connected by a series of squares to the old quarter, the newer town is centred on the grandiose Piazza Italia. Leading off the piazza is Via Roma, a wide, café-lined boulevard, at the top of which is the impressive Museo Sanna (Tues–Sun 10am–8pm; €5), Sardinia’s second archeological museum, whose most interesting exhibits are nuraghic sculptures.
The Cavalcata
One of Sardinia’s showiest festivals – the Cavalcata– takes place in Sássari on the penultimate Sunday of May, the highlight of a month of cultural activities. Northern Sardinia’s equivalent to Cágliari’s Sant’Efísio festival and originally staged for the benefit of visiting Spanish kings or other dignitaries, it attracts hundreds of richly costumed participants from villages throughout the province and beyond. The festival is divided into three stages: the morning features a horseback parade and a display of the embroidered and decorated costumes unique to each village, after which there is a show of stirring feats of horsemanship at the local race-course. The day ends with traditional songs and dances back in Piazza Italia.
Eating and drinking
Sássari has some great restaurants: the quality is generally superb and prices are among the lowest in Sardinia. The town also has a lively bar scene, with those along Via Roma and on Piazza Castello packed out and open late in summer.
Coffee Break Piazza Azuni 19. For breakfast, a refreshing frappé or an aperitif, this intimate bar with outside tables also serves panini, pizzette and pastas. Closed Sun.
Didò Via Largo Pazzola 8 079.200.6089. A range of pastas and good-value set menus at weekday lunchtimes (€8–12). Try the house special, spaghetti Didò, with sausage, olives and parsley. Closed Sun.
Fainè Sassu Via Usai 17, off Piazza Castello. The menu here is confined to a sassarese speciality, fainè, a sort of pancake made of chickpea flour, either plain or cooked with onions, sausage or anchovies – great for a snack. Closed Wed & June–Sept.
L’Assassino Vicolo Ospizio Cappuccini 1, off Via Rosello 079.235.041. Among the old town’s cheaper choices, this is a casual trattoria with good fixed-price deals. Photos and paintings of Sássari line the walls. Closed Sun.
La Vela Latina Largo Sisini 3 079.233.737. A smart, modern trattoria hidden away in the old town, specializing in traditional dishes (€7–15) and wines from Sardinia. Tables outside in summer. Closed Sun.
Pizzalmetro Via Usai 10. Delicious pizzas are served by the metre to eat in or take away – just point out how much you want. Eves only; closed Mon.
Stintino and around
The port and resort of STINTINO, on Sardinia’s northwestern tip, was until recently nothing more than a remote jumble of fishermen’s cottages jammed between two narrow harbours. Fortunately its discovery by the tourist industry has not resulted in any drastic alterations, and Stintino remains a small, laidback village, the only one in the tongue of land forming the western arm of the Golfo di Asinara.
Most of the peninsula’s sunning and swimming takes place further up the coast at La Pelosa, but the only reasonably priced accommodation in the area is in Stintino itself. The cheapest choice is the B&B Porto Vecchio, Via Tonnara 69 (079.523.212 or 339.435.3582, www.bbstintino.com; no credit cards; €61–90). If you want a touch more luxury, consider Silvestrino at Via Sássari 14 (079.523.007, www.silvestrino.it; obligatory full or half-board in peak season; late March to Nov; €121–150), whose excellent restaurant specializes in lobster soup, or Geranio Rosso, Via XXI Aprile 4 (079.523.292, www.hotelgeraniorosso.it; €91–120), which has a pizzeria on site. For local agencies dealing with apartments to rent in the area (up to €1000 per week for two), contact the tourist office at Via Sássari 123 (June to mid-Sept 9.30am–8.30pm; mid-Sept to May Mon, Wed & Fri 9.30am–12.30pm, Tues, Thurs & Sat 9.30am–12.30pm & 3.30–5.30pm; 079.520.081, www.infostintino.it). La Nassa, at Via Tonnara 35, has internet access.
Some 4km up the road from Stintino a collection of tourist villages clutters up the otherwise idyllic promontory of La Pelosa, served by hourly bus from Stintino (June–Sept only). Hotels and self-catering apartments back some of Sardinia’s most deluxe beaches, with views out to the isles of Piana and the larger, elongated Asinara. You can explore Asinara – previously a prison island, now a national park and nature reserve – between Easter and October on daily boat excursions from Stintino, leaving at 9.30/10am, returning at 5.30/6.30pm; the full visit including transport on the island costs from around €36, rising to €65 for a sea trip with swimming stops, lunch and guide; book tickets at least one day before from any of the agencies in town, such as La Nassa (; 0789.520.060).
Alghero
ALGHERO, 40km southwest of Sássari, is one of Sardinia’s most charming towns, and one of its busiest resorts. The predominant flavour here is Catalan, owing to a wholesale Hispanicization that followed the overthrow of the Doria family by Pedro IV of Aragon in 1354, a process so thorough that it became known as “Barcelonetta”. The traces are still strong in the old town today, with its flamboyant churches and narrow cobbled lanes named in both Italian and Catalan, all sheltered within a stout girdle of walls.
Arrival and information
Visitors arriving at Alghero airport (www.aeroportodialghero.it) can catch hourly local buses into the centre of town (tickets €0.70 from machines in the terminal), or direct services to Cágliari and Sássari, and, in summer, Stintino and Santa Teresa di Gallura. Taxis into Alghero cost around €25. Bus timetables and other information can be obtained from the airport’s tourist office (daily 8.30am–1pm & 3.30–10pm; 079.935.150), or Alghero’s main tourist office (Mon–Sat 8am–8pm; also Sun 10am–1pm April–Oct; 079.979.054, www.comune.alghero.ss.it), at the top end of the Giardini Pubblici. Trains arrive some way out of the centre, but regular city buses (#AP and Alfa) connect the station to the port. Buses from the airport and from out of town arrive at the Giardini Pubblici. A good way to get around the town and its environs is by bike: Cicloexpress, off Via Garibaldi at the northern end of the port, charges €35–50 per day for a scooter, €10–15 for a bicycle. There’s internet access at Fotoclub on Piazza Civica (daily: summer 9.30am–9pm; winter 9.30am–1.30pm & 4.30–8.30pm).
Accommodation
The choice of accommodation in Alghero is extensive, though much of it closes down in winter; in July and August, booking ahead is essential. There’s a useful hostel 6km along the coast at Fertilia, reachable by local bus on Via Parenzo, off Via Zara (079.930.478, www.algherohostel.com; dorm beds €18). It’s modern and clean with some private rooms (€60 and under); call first to check availability. Just 2km north of Alghero, there’s a busy campsite, La Mariposa (079.950.480, www.lamariposa.it; April–Oct), with private rooms and bungalows (€60–90), and a shop, bar-restaurant and private beach.
Aigua Via Machin 22 340.077.7688, www.aigua.it. Five mini-apartments in the same building, with vaulted wood ceilings, exposed brickwork and tiled floors; some are equipped with kitchen facilities. €61–90
Al Duomo Via Sant’Erasmo 12 320.944.8743, www.bbalduomo.it. Conveniently located close to the cathedral and port, this B&B has three spacious rooms (one en suite). The friendly owner puts on a good, cake-laden breakfast and is happy to advise on sightseeing, though she speaks little English. No credit cards. €91–120
La Rocca Via Roma 75 328.481.5988, www.bblarocca.com. In a restored sixteenth-century palazzo in the heart of the old town, this B&B has just one room, but it’s spacious and charmingly old-fashioned. An apartment is also available. No credit cards. €61–90
Mamajuana Vicolo Adami 12 339.136.9791, www.mamajuana.it. Very central B&B in a tastefully renovated building in the heart of the old town, with wood-beamed rooms and tiny en-suite bathrooms. Guests are given their own keys to come and go as they please. No credit cards. €61–90
San Francesco Via Machin 2 079.980.330, www.sanfrancescohotel.com. The only hotel in the old town is just behind the San Francesco church, with clean and quiet en-suite rooms, simply furnished and grouped round a cloister. Closed late Nov to late Dec. €91–120
Villa Las Tronas Lungomare Valencia 1 079.981.818, www.hotelvillalastronas.com. Spectacularly sited on a promontory a 10min walk south of the centre, this castellated former residence from 1884 is full of character, still retaining a baronial air with its old-fashioned furnishings. There’s also an excellent restaurant, a spa, and a saltwater pool carved out of the rock. €401 and over
The Town
A walk around the old town should take in the circuit of seven defensive towers which dominate Alghero’s centre and its surrounding walls. From the Giardini Pubblici the Porta Terra is the first of these massive bulwarks – known as the Jewish Tower, it was erected at the expense of the prosperous Jewish community before their expulsion in 1492. Beyond is a puzzle of lanes, at the heart of which the pedestrianized Via Carlo Alberto, Via Principe Umberto and Via Roma have most of the town’s bars and shops. At the bottom of Via Umberto stands Alghero’s sixteenth-century Cattedrale, whose incongruously Neoclassical entrance is round the other side on Via Manno; inside, the lofty nave’s alternating pillars and columns rise to an impressive octagonal dome.
Most of Alghero’s finest architecture dates from the same period and is built in a similar Catalan-Gothic style. Two of the best examples are a short walk away: the Palazzo d’Albis on Piazza Civica and the elegantly austere Jewish palace Palazzo Carcassona in Via Sant’Erasmo (now a restaurant).
Outside the old quarter, most of the tourist activity revolves around the port, its wide quay nudged by rows of colourful fishing boats and bordered by bars. The town’s beaches begin further north, backed by hotels, sweeping round the coast virtually uninterrupted until Fertilia, near the airport.
Neptune’s Grotto and ancient sites
The best of the excursions you can take from the port is to Neptune’s Grotto (April–Sept daily 9am–8pm; Oct daily 9am–7pm; Nov–March Mon–Thurs 9am–2pm; €12), a marine cave with dramatically lit stalagmites and stalactites. Boats depart several times daily between March and October: tickets cost €14, not including the entry charge to the grotto. Before buying tickets, it’s worth double-checking with the operator that you’ll be able to visit the grotto on that day, as you can’t enter if the sea is too rough – and if the winds are up, be prepared for a choppy ride (40min). Alternatively there are one to three local buses daily from Alghero departing from the Giardini Pubblici (€2), leaving you at the top of a steep flight of steps that corkscrews down to the cave mouth.
Two ancient sites 10km outside Alghero are also worth visiting. The necropolis of Anghelu Ruju, a pre-nuraghic cave complex of 38 hypogea (daily: April & Oct 9am–6pm; May–Sept 9am–7pm; Nov–March 10am–2pm; €3, or €5 with tour; including Nuraghe Palmavera €5, or €9 with tour), is on the road to Porto Torres, near the airport, and reached by several daily buses from Alghero. On the road to Porto Conte are the nuraghe di Palmavera (same hours and prices as Anghelu Ruju), comprising a ruined palace dating from around 1100 BC and surrounded by fifty or so circular huts. One bus daily goes there, leaving from the Giardini Pubblici at 9.15am and returning at noon (Mon–Sat only in winter).
Eating and drinking
Alghero’s restaurants are renowned for their seafood, always fresh, inventively prepared and tastefully presented. Remember when ordering that most places price fish by weight: two or three etti (an etto is 100g) usually gets you a healthy portion.
Al Vecchio Mulino Via Don Deroma 3 079.977.254. In the heart of the old town, this serves up tasty, well-priced sea- and land-based dishes (around €15) and pizzas in low-vaulted cellars and has a good selection of white wines. Closed lunchtimes except July & Aug, also Tues dinner in winter, all Nov & 2 weeks in Jan.
Andreini Via Ardoino 45 079.982.098. The place to come for a first-rate – if pricey – fishy feast (though they also offer creative meat dishes), in an atmospheric, grotto-like dining room, or outside in summer. Mains are €22–32. Closed Mon Oct–April.
Café Latino Piazza Duomo 6. A great place for an evening aperitif, with parasols on the walls overlooking the port. Snacks and ice creams are also served. Closed Tues Oct–May.
Casablanca Via Principe Umberto 72 079.983.353. The best place in town for a straightforward pizza or pasta dish in a convivial atmosphere; mains are around €12. Closed Wed Oct–May.
Il Ghiotto Piazza Civica 23. A great range of takeaway snacks, as well as hot meals – pastas, seafood and meat – and fine Sardinian wines. Closed Nov.
Jamaica Inn Via Principe Umberto 57. This pub – right in the thick of things – is a lively spot for cocktails, and it serves meals too, with main courses around €13. Open late. Closed Mon Oct–May.
Travel details
Trains
Alghero to: Sássari (7–11 daily; 35min).
Arbatax to: Cágliari (mid-June to mid-Sept Wed–Mon 2 daily via Mandas; 6hr 25min–7hr 10min).
Cágliari to: Arbatax (mid-June to mid-Sept Wed–Mon 2 daily via Mandas; 6hr 20min–7hr); Macomer* (8 daily; 1hr 40min–2hr 50min); Olbia* (5 daily; 3hr 30min–4hr 20min); Oristano (12–17 daily; 1hr–1hr 45 min); Sássari* (5 daily; 3hr 30min–4hr 25min).
Macomer to: Cágliari* (7–8 daily; 1hr 40min–2hr 40min); Nuoro (Mon–Sat 6 daily; 1hr 15min).
Nuoro to: Macomer (Mon–Sat 7 daily; 1hr 15min).
Olbia to: Cágliari* (5 daily; 3hr 30min–4hr 10min); Golfo Aranci (5–7 daily; 25min); Oristano* (5 daily; 2hr 35min–3hr); Sássari* (5 daily; 2hr).
Oristano to: Cágliari (11–15 daily; 1hr–1hr 30min); Macomer (7–9 daily; 45min–1hr); Olbia* (5 daily; 2hr 30min–3hr); Sássari* (5 daily; 2hr–2hr 45min).
Sássari to: Alghero (8–11 daily; 35min); Cágliari* (5 daily; 3hr–3hr 45min); Macomer (5 daily; 1hr 35min); Olbia* (6 daily; 1hr 50min–2hr 10min); Oristano* (5 daily; 2hr–2hr 30min).
* May involve changing trains at Oristano, Macomer or Ozieri-Chilivani
Buses
Alghero to: Bosa (5–7 daily; 55min); Sássari (9–15 daily; 45min–1hr).
Cágliari to: Barúmini (1–3 daily; 1hr 30min); Nuoro (3 daily; 2hr 30min–3hr); Olbia (1–2 daily; 4hr 15min–5hr); Oristano (Mon–Sat 2 daily; 2hr); Sant’Antíoco (1–2 daily; 1hr 50min); Sássari (2–3 daily; 3hr 15min).
Nuoro to: Aritzo (1 daily; 2hr); Cágliari (3 daily; 2hr 30min–3hr); Fonni (4–8 daily; 40min–1hr 30min); Olbia (9–10 daily; 2hr–2hr 30min); Orgósolo (3–9 daily; 35min); Oristano (1 daily; 1hr 45min); Santa Teresa di Gallura (1 daily; 3hr 15min); Sássari (3 daily; 1hr 50min); Tonara (1 daily; 1hr 30min).
Olbia to: Arzachena (8–15 daily; 35–50min); Cágliari (1–2 daily; 4hr 15min–5hr); Nuoro (5–8 daily; 2hr 30min); Palau (6–9 daily; 1hr 10min); Porto Cervo (June–Sept daily 4–5 daily; Oct–May Mon–Sat 1 daily; 1hr 35min); Santa Teresa di Gallura (5–7 daily; 1hr 35min–2hr); Sássari (2–3 daily; 1hr 20min–2hr).
Oristano to: Bosa (Mon–Sat 4 daily; 2hr); Cágliari (Mon–Sat 2 daily; 2hr); Nuoro (1 daily; 1hr 45min); Sássari (2–3 daily; 1hr 45min–2hr).
Sássari to: Alghero (9–15 daily; 45min–1hr); Bosa (1–4 daily; 2hr–2hr 20min); Cágliari (2–3 daily; 3hr 15min); Nuoro (3 daily; 1hr 50min); Olbia (1–2 daily; 1hr 20min–1hr 45min); Oristano (2–3 daily; 1hr 45min–2hr); Santa Teresa di Gallura (2–5 daily; 2hr 35min); Stintino (2–5 daily; 1hr 15min).
Ferries
Arbatax to: Civitavécchia (2 weekly; 10hr 30min); Genoa (2 weekly; 20hr).
Cágliari to: Civitavécchia (1 daily; 15–17hr); Naples (1–3 weekly; 16–17hr); Palermo (1 weekly; 14hr 30min); Trápani (1 weekly; 10hr).
Golfo Aranci to: Civitavécchia (early April to late Sept 3–7 weekly; 5hr 15min); Livorno (1–2 daily; 6hr 15min–10hr 30min); Naples (mid-June to early Sept 1–2 weekly; 13hr 30min).
Olbia to: Civitavécchia (1–8 daily; 5–10hr); Genoa (3–18 weekly; 9hr 30min–12hr 30min); Livorno (1–3 daily; 6hr–8hr 30min); Piombino (late May to mid-Sept 2–7 weekly; 4hr 30min).
Palau to: La Maddalena (1–4 hourly; 20min).
Porto Torres to: Genoa (7–16 weekly; 9–11hr).
International ferries
Porto Torres to: Ajaccio, Corsica (up to 2 weekly; 4hr); Marseille, France (2–4 weekly; 11hr–17hr 30min); Propriano, Corsica (2–4 weekly; 3hr 30min).
Santa Teresa di Gallura to: Bonifacio, Corsica (2–7 daily; 1hr).