Orosei and Olbia

Very clear water.  The waterfall has worn itself into a crevice in the cliff face.

Smaller boats tied up to a wharf.  The larger yachts are on floating docks or moored out. Porto Rotondo, a very wealthy area, part of Costa Smeralda.  High end fashions and nice restaurants.

Cala di Volpe coast, an extension of the Costa Smeralda.

 In southern Sardinia, we had an area not overrun with tourists. Oh, there are tourists, but they are overwhelmingly Europeans, for whom this is a regular visitation. Yesterday, we drove north along the east coast; very rugged and dramatic. We came across one village built at altitude on a mountainside where we would have liked to stop, but the ancient dwellings were so precariously close set that we could not find a parking space.

Why build a village in such a place?  In other locations near to the coast, it was for defensive purposes to protect against Moorish slavers seeking women and children as household slaves for North Africa and men who could be chained to the oars in their galleys. But those villages had defensive walls and watchtowers. Here, it may be only to seek a slightly cooler climate at altitude.

Looking back on the narrow road we just drove, constant curves and frequent transmission shifts.

The road here from the south twisted through steep rocky inclines where the guard rail was re-assuring. Three hours to go a hundred miles. We are now at Orosei, where the coast starts to smooth out and there are many beaches to visit.  The Gulf of Orosei, surrounded by mountains, is directly south of us.  Because of the mountains, it’s beaches, cliffs, and caves are mainly accessible only by sea, from Orosei or further north.  A boat tour of the area takes 8+ hours, unless you launch from Cala Gonone. The land route to Cala Gonone is a narrow road carved into the granite slope with 180-degree hairpin curves. Once to the town, we discovered that no parking was available; cars were parked along the road for at least a half mile leading into the town. It was Sunday, and these were locals who had come to enjoy the beach town.

Cala Gonone. A beautiful seaside village with excellent access to the Gulf of Orosei.  Very popular, but to get to it you had to drive on narrow switchback roads down a mountain slope or come in by boat.  The entire Gulf of Orosei is surrounded by mountains.

Looking south from Cala Osala.

This is a typical Sardinian Mountain:  naked steep granite outcroppings.  The highest are up to 6000' high.

We experienced haze the entire time at Sardinia.  Locals said it was unusual but didn't know the source.  It started to clear up on our last day there.  

Courtyard of a very nice mountain hotel where we had lunch. Pool and art gallery were also part of it.  Nearby was a unique waterfall.  Below the waterfall was a clear pool and a small stream that led to a lake where kayaks could be rented.

On another day, we headed inland to visit the village of Orgosolo.  We found the village at altitude on a steep slope.  Again, no parking was available. Instead, it was a maze of narrow streets clogged by parked vehicles, one-way signs and blind alleys where parking spaces are likely inherited.  We elected to keep driving.  For lunch, we stopped at a lovely hotel complex in a park-like atmosphere, with a swimming pool, an art & crafts center, and an excellent restaurant. The food here is delicious; my favorite being the seafood pasta.

Nearby was a waterfall which had worn its way into the granite face of a cliff.  A pool at its foot was perfectly clear.  A small lake downstream offered kayaking.  We are still in the dry summer season, so the waterfall and lake were not at their best.  The mountaintops here are almost naked granite due to their impervious steep surfaces and dry climate.  Beautiful to look at, but offering little hiking, or trekking as it is referred to here.  During our visit, a haze filtered distant views, spoiling what otherwise would be dramatic photos.  The haze dissipated on our last day in Sardinia.

One day we went to a recommended nature park on the coast featuring forest walks and five small beaches.  It was too warm for trekking, and we have had enough lifetime sun on our bodies that we try to limit time on an open beach anymore. (I have an appointment with my dermatologist soon.)

Another day (we spent a week at this hotel), we drove north to Porto Rotondo as recommended by our hotel personnel.  This area, NE coast, is known as the Costa Smeralda, or Emerald Coast.  It was developed into a retreat for the very wealthy starting 60 years ago by a mega-wealthy group of investors headed by the Aga Khan.  It is a yachting center with many attractive features: beautiful beaches nearby, offshore islands, calm seas, Corsica and the Tuscan coast.  Million-dollar yachts crowd the harbors.  Expensive homes and condos fill the hillsides.  High-end shopping and restaurants are close at hand.  This was far different than most Sardinian locations.  We just gawked, snapped photos, and had a nice meal.

Entrance to our hotel at Orosei.  Obviously, a very old building which has been repurposed.  The main building served as reception, rooms, and breakfast location.  Dawn and I stayed in an annex two blocks away which had a restaurant on the top floor.  Our SUV was parked in a public lot about four blocks away.  The hotel did have a golf cart to shuttle us and our baggage to our vehicle.