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Santa Teresa di Gallura–Sardinia

IT WAS QUEEN MARIA THERESA’S IDEA to name this town on the north coast of Sardinia Santa Teresa, to honor the Spanish mystic. Plus, it happened to be her middle name. In 1808, her husband, King Vittorio Emanuele I, obliged. He happened to be ruling the island. This spot had been prime territory for smugglers, as its curved harbor made it naturally perfect for doing sneaky things. King Vittorio wanted to clean things up, so he had the town rebuilt in a neat grid plan and even offered free plots of land to respectable folks who wanted to move in.

These days Santa Teresa di Gallura is a pretty resort spot, more relaxed and less expensive than Costa Smeralda that lies to its east. The former famous-for-smuggling harbor is filled with ferryboats that go to the Maddalena Islands and Corsica.

And, on this island that has the best beaches in Italy, the Rena Bianca, that’s steps down from Santa Teresa di Gallura, is prime. My friend Elizabeth spent two weeks here with her family, and loved Rena Bianca. During the long stay, she scoped out surrounding spots, and though it was fun to watch windsurfers or go snorkeling on other beaches nearby, as far as classic beachfront, Rena Bianca was certainly the best.

It’s sheltered from the winds by the harbor and has fine white sand, opening to clear waters that change in color from pale blue to turquoise to deep cobalt at the horizon. If you get there when the tide is right, the shoreline is tinged with pink from coral fragments that wash up. There’s a restaurant, bar, and umbrella and chair rentals.

This is a beloved spot for Italian vacationers, which Elizabeth found out when she arrived there in August. “I never felt so white,” she told me, as she and her blonde family placed their towels amidst the alligator-tanned Italians. August may not be the best time to go, as Elizabeth told me it was towel-to-towel packed—so much so that in order to get a good space, her husband would get up early and take the steps down to the beach to claim the family turf. But still, she found it divine, with her two boys, aged eight and ten, staying in the water for the entire day while she and her husband read and drank prosecco. It’s a great place for kids—with shallow water, opportunities for snorkeling, and canoe rentals.

If you’re not up for the August crowds, come here another time during the May to September resort season. But August can be fun, as that’s when there are celebrations honoring the town’s founding, with musicians in the piazza and evening classical concerts in churches.

Tourist Info: www.santateresagalluraturismo.com

Golden Day: Relax at Rena Bianca and eat at Pape Satàn (Via La Marmora 20, 078 9755048), where the pizza is out of this world and they also serve up fantastic seafood pastas.