The gallura of the sea

The gallura of the sea

An itinerary set in marvellous landscapes carved by the wind

suspended in air between granite and the sky

From Olbia to Maddalena via the Emerald Coast, from Palau to Santa Teresa, graced with north-eastern Sardinia’s most beautiful shorelines and towns.

Journey length: 99 km

Road travel time: 2 h 13 min

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Olbia

A city with a long and fascinating history that looks out over a gorgeous gulf that opens up into the protected marine reserve of Tavolara - Capo Coda Cavallo, welcomes visitors to Sardinia with a modern harbour and airport.

Olbia

The north-eastern gateway to Sardinia, an ancient and flourishing city that is the preferred holiday destination of many, set on a gulf with an...

Porto Cervo

World famous seaside resort, the symbol of the Emerald Coast. Its name comes from the natural deer (cervo) headed shape of the harbour around which the town was constructed. In summer the lovely harbour bustles with luxury yachts and sail boats. The centre sports a very special architectural style and is a maze of alleys, porticos and stairs that converge on the main piazza, which is connected to the old port via a little wooden bridge and famous for its high end fashion boutiques.

Porto Cervo

In Gallura, the strip of land in the northeast of Sardinia lies the undisputed kingdom of luxury holidays: its symbol is a small and charming...

La Maddalena

To the south of the island of Maddalena, the largest of the archipelago’s national park, is the eponymous town. Its historical palazzos and a variety of small harbours, including Cala Gavetta at the far western edge of town, all face the mainland. Here is where you’ll find the Nino Lamboglia underwater archaeology museum, while along the coastal perimeter of the island you’ll relax on beaches of uncommon beauty.

La Maddalena

The archipelago and park are named for the only inhabited town on the largest island, a paradise with endless natural and historical-cultural...

Palau

Coastal town and point of departure towards the Maddalena archipelago, it is famous for its sequence of beautiful beaches and granite cliffs. Just outside of town is the famous Capo d’Orso rock, a granite hill over 120 metres high that wind and water have sculpted to resemble a bear. Thousands flock there every year. Archaeological sites dot the area, in particular nuraghes and giant tombs, graves with an unusual construction whose layout is reminiscent of a taurine protome.

Palau

A famous tourist resort in Gallura on the northern coast of Sardinia, near the Emerald Coast, it is the marine gateway for the Maddalena archipelago

Santa Teresa

The layout of the foundation of the coastal town was designed by in 1808 by King Vittorio Emanuele I. It is now a famed seaside resort on a rocky table over a stretch of jagged shoreline, a shoreline dotted with coves blessed with soft white beaches and inlets of wind-shaped granite that are the inimitable gems of northern Sardinia.