How to plan a weekend in Gallura, Sardinia

Yahoo

14-04-2025

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
'Sardinia is out of time and history', D H Lawrence wrote in his 1921 travel book Sea and Sardinia. 'This land resembles no other place.' More than a century later, his words still ring true in Gallura, which spreads north of the city of Olbia in the Italian island's mountainous north east. Although the region is best known for the blue water and white sands of its high-end Costa Smeralda or 'Emerald Coast', elsewhere it has a raw beauty. Wild boars roam its forested interior, where vine-clad hills produce zesty Vermentino wines that taste of sunshine and the sea.
Gallura's name is derived from the word 'gaddùra', meaning 'stony area' in the local dialect, and its landscapes are defined by granite — from giant boulders dotting wave-lashed headlands to otherworldly valleys hiding nuraghi (towering, cone-shaped Bronze Age structures). Scattered in between are rock-hugging villages, where artisans make and-knotted carpets, pottery and food the old-fashioned way — inspired by nature and deeply rooted in island traditions.
MorningRise early for a short hike to Roccia dell'Orso, set high on a promontory at Sardinia's northeastern tip. Whittled by the elements over 300 million years, 'Bear Rock' was used by ancient mariners as a navigation aid. Pick your way through fragrant myrtle, broom and mastic, eyes wide for wheeling buzzards and kestrels overhead. At the top, the rock opens into a cave with killer views over the Strait of Bonifacio to the pink-granite Maddalena Islands. Afterwards, cool off swimming in the waters at nearby Cala Capra, a blonde bay fringed by evergreen scrub. For a seafood lunch, score a terrace table at Il Paguro, where specialities include lobster, and fregola pasta with saffron and king scampi.
AfternoonHead north west to the 19th-century military fort Fortezza di Monte Altura, glimpsing Corsica from its battlements. Palau, its seaside-town setting, also offers myriad action-packed ways to get wet — surfing, SUP and windsurfing — plus boat trips to explore the Maddalena Islands. The archipelago's caverns, shipwrecks and fish-filled reefs are surrounded by some of the Mediterranean's clearest waters; divers often spot dolphins, barracudas, lobsters, octopuses and moray eels. For a more mellow afternoon, head to one of the knockout beaches such as La Licciola, with its powdery white sands, or coves like secluded Spiaggia di Talmone.
EveningAs sunset paints the sky pastel, swing north west to the lighthouse at Capo Testa, an otherworldly headland where trails thread among weird, weather-beaten granite rock formations. The site's powerful atmosphere attracts everyone from meditating Tibetan monks to summer festival-goers.
Stop at nearby bar-restaurant Martini Beach for a sea-facing aperitivo before heading to the nearby coastal town of Santa Teresa di Gallura, where brightly painted houses line roller coaster streets and cafes surround a piazza. Book dinner at Pema for pretty Sardinian dishes that sing of the sea, such as octopus with 'nduja, seasonal veg and helichrysum-flower butter.
MorningDetour into Gallura's silent, cork oak-cloaked interior to see the region at its most traditional. Aggius, a village at the foot of ragged granite peaks, is famous for choral music, hand-woven rugs and — until the 1990s — banditry, all of which is explored at its two museums. The Wild West theme continues in nearby Moon Valley, where the winds of time have licked huge boulders into bizarre shapes. Drive or bike along the SP47, stopping at the lookout for stirring views. This is also the trailhead for a scenic, hour-long walk to Nuraghe Izzana, one of Gallura's most evocative Bronze Age ruins. On the road south, keep an eye out for Il Frate Incappucciato, a rock shaped like a hooded friar.
AfternoonBy now you'll have worked up an appetite for a feast at family-run Agriturismo Santu Petru, perched amid olive trees high above the sea and with arresting views out across to Isola Rossa. Book lunch ahead to enjoy farm-fresh produce in dishes like slow-roasted suckling pig, infused with myrtle, and seadas (deep-fried dumplings filled with sweet ricotta and drizzled with honey). If you can still move afterwards, head north to the Costa Rossa, named for its rosy hue at sunset. Skirted by scrub and dunes, La Marinedda beach is a scoop of fine white sand shelving into a turquoise sea. Flop onto a lounger, climb over rocks to nearby coves or rent a surfboard, paddleboard or canoe from the little shack on the beach.
EveningWelcoming, family-run winery Cantina Li Duni is located so close to the sea that you taste it in its grapes. These produce elegant, minerally Vermentino whites, fresh Cannonau reds, rosés and crisp, dry sparkling wines. Cellar tours end in tastings paired with a platter of local breads, cheeses, olives and salumi, while the terrace views are of vine-ribbed countryside. Head to nearby Calypso Beach Club for a DJ-soundtracked sunset, then spend the evening wandering the historic alleys of Castelsardo. For dinner with a view of the medieval castle, book a table at L'Incantu. Its seasonal menu dives deep into Gallurese flavours via dishes like stuffed pasta with tomato and basil.
Nuraghe MaioriThe hill town of Tempio Pausania sits in the shadow of 4,469ft Monte Limbara, Gallura's highest peak. Head north along the SS133 for 1.5 miles, then along an unpaved track, to find one of Sardinia's best-preserved Neolithic settlements: Nuraghe Maiori. Perched atop a granite dome, with a central tower and concentric walls, the structure is one of around 7,000 rough-stone nuraghi (conical stone towers) that dot the island. While their exact purpose is unknown, it's believed they were used for communal gatherings, burial rites and religious ceremonies. Arrive at 10am, when it opens to visitors, for a quieter, cooler visit, borrowing a torch from the ticket office to spot the rare lesser horseshoe bats living in its chambers.
ArzachenaThis charming town was once at the heart of Gallura's Nuragic culture, and the pastures, vineyards and olive groves that surround it are still littered with ruins, tombs and megaliths. Showstoppers include the Nuraghe di Albucciu, whose granite roof is flat instead of having the usual conical shape; the Giants' Tomb of Coddu Vecchiu, a megalithic grave with an oval central standing stone; and the fortified village of Nuraghe La Prisgiona, with views over vine-ribboned hills. While you're in the area, stop by the striking Monti Incappiddatu, an enormous, mushroom-shaped rock beaten into form by the elements over 300 million years. Most sites are open Easter to October, plus in winter on request, and offer English-speaking tours.
Roccia dell'ElefanteJust a seven-minute drive inland from the hilltop town of Castelsardo, the famous Elephant Rock is an instant attention-grabber. Sculpted by wind and water over millennia, the 13ft-high trachyte boulder hangs its shapely trunk over the SS134 road. But the monolith's real wonders lie within — cut deep into the volcanic rock, with square-shaped entrances, are two pre-Nuragic chamber tombs dating to around 3200–2800 BCE. Their name, Domus de Janas, translates as 'the houses of the fairies' and, according to Sardinian legend, they're inhabited by mischievous sprite-like creatures who weave golden threads by the moonlight and keep watch over sleeping children.
1. Cala Serena, Isola di CapreraThis Maddalena archipelago island was the last refuge of Italian revolutionary Garibaldi and its pink-granite cove ticks all the castaway boxes, with a smile of sand sliding into turquoise water. It's reached by a short walk from Cala Garibaldi.
2. Rena MajoreScenes in Disney's 2023 film The Little Mermaid were shot on this idyllic half-moon of flour-white sand and gemstone-blue water, accessed by a pine-forested trail. Arrive early for maximum beach space.
3. Li FeruliA boardwalk rambles over the dunes to this long arc of pale sand, rarely busy outside peak season. Come for the pounding surf and quietly dreamy views across the Gulf of Asinara.
4. Cala SpinosaAt the foot of the wild rocks of Capo Testa, this ruggedly beautiful cove has tempting waters for swimming and snorkelling. Protective cliffs lessen the wind's impact and there are sublime views over the Strait of Bonifacio.
5. Cavaliere, Budelli islandThe Maddalena Islands' 'pink beach' is off limits, so admire its protected shores from the floury sands of this equally lovely granite-wrapped cove. Arrive by boat and leap straight in.
Published in the April 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).