The region of Gallura situated in the northeast side of Sardinia

THE GALLURA

The province of Gallura is situated in the northeast side of Sardinia. It is part of the old large province of Sassari, now it constitutes the new little province of Olbia, and it is very well known for the beautiful scenery, the exceptional turquoise colors of the sea, the wind-sculpted granite rocks and the spectacular mountains of the Limbara Massif. With the passing of time, the wind and sea have smoothed and shaped these rocks into unusual animal forms, which are so striking they seem to have been modelled by artists.
The most enchanting of these rock formations is Capo D'Orso at Palau, which resembles a bear. Granite is, in fact, the most representative element of the Gallura region and constitutes its unmistakable bone structure. It lies below the surface of the mountain ranges, such as the Limbara, and is exposed in the extraordinary cascades of granite boulders which form the impressive cliffs and precipices. One day the Prince Karim the 4th, heir of Mohamed and Aga Khan of the Ishmaelites, during a cruise discovered the northeastern coast of Sardinia and observing it aboard the yacht, he saw a shore with gulfs, islands and creeks still deserted and wild. He was absolutely fascinated by the vibrant colours of the sea and the bizarre shape of the wind-sculpted granite rocks.
The headlands had emerald green slopes and scented "macchia" was in full bloom with rosemary, thyme and other fragrant Mediterranean vegetation. In the early sixties a Consortium headed by the Aga Khan was founded and it was named Costa Smeralda, The Emerald Coast, which soon became the site of an ambitious new holiday venue in the Mediterranean Sea. The project transformed a coastline that is forty-three kilometres long with a surface of about five thousand hectares, into a paradise haven for the jet society. The whole Costa Smeralda area is one of the best-loved places for international tourists during summertime vacations, but also in spring and autumn because of its exceptionally mild climate. Famous architect from France like Jacques Couelle contributed in the creation of a unique and new architectural style that recalls certain rustic old houses of Sardinia with faded colours or white washed walls reinterpreting the Moorish architecture.

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	Gallura is also remarkable from an archaeological point of view. It is, in fact, the heart of the culture of the Megalithic circles, known as "circoli megalitici" or "circoli di Arzachena". This prehistoric testimony, dating back to the III millennium B.C., presents characteristics which are unique in the various phases of Sardinian prehistory. The high land of Gallura stands apart from the rest of Sardinia thanks to its natural patrimony of woods, made up of oaks and cork trees, as well as a dense undergrowth of heather, strawberry and juniper bushes. The region is known for its fine handicraft, above all for the production of cork, weaving and the working of granite, but it also boasts a tradition of fishing, hunting and the production of Vermentino, a local white wine.
Visitors to the area will get the chance to sample the delicious types of pork meats (salami, sausages and ham), as well as various local specialities (ziminu, suppa cuata, mazzafrissa, pulilgioni), which have been prepared by the people from Gallura for generations

Beaches of Gallura

	Porto Rotondo - Olbia - Golfo Aranci - Porto S.Paolo Cala Sos Aranzos This is unquestionably the most beautiful beach on the south coast of Golfo Aranci. The enchanting, white, sandy shore lies before a sparkling sheet of crystalline, emerald-green sea. Marinella Beach This beach lies 4 km from Porto Rotondo and is immersed in dense, lush Mediterranean scrub.The fine, white sand stretches down to a transparent, blue sea. Pittulongu Beach This is traditionally the most popular beach among the residents of Olbia. It is a large expanse of fine, white sand with a beautiful blue sea. Porto Istana Beach This enchanting bay lies 8 km to the south of Olbia. It is immersed in Mediterranean scrub, which stretches down to the white, sandy beach with its emerald water. The bay also offers a wonderful view of the island of Tavolara. Spalmatore Beach This is a large shoreline of fine, white shingle, which lies before a limpid, emerald sea. The beach is situated on the promontory which lies on the west side of the island of Tavolara. Porto Taverna Beach This is a very popular tourist resort, famous for its beautiful fine, white, sandy beach, which lies before a transparent, emerald-green sea. The beach also offers a magnificent view of the island of Tavolara.
	Costa Paradiso - Isola Rossa Li Cossi Beach The beach of Li Cossi lies to the west of Costa Paradiso. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia, with its white sand and emerald sea, nestling between impressive pink granite rocks. Lu Littaroni Beach This splendid, solitary beach is characterised by its unique red rocks, which have been smoothed and shaped by the Mistral wind and the movement of the waves. This picturesque frame, the crystalline water and the fine, white sand make Lu Littaroni beach a rare jewel.
	Santa Teresa di Gallura Rena Maiori Beach Santa Teresa boasts one of the most beautiful beaches on the northern coast of the island, the splendid Rena Maiori beach. It is a vast expanse of fine, white sand, surrounded by limpid waters of indescribable colours. La Colba Beach The small beach of La Colba lies towards Capo Testa, immersed in a wild, unspoilt environment. Its fine, golden, sand stretches down to a transparent sea. La Marmorata Beach La Marmorata is the main beach in the area. It is a vast expanse of fine, white sand, which lies before an extraordinary emerald-green sea. It also boasts an exceptional panorama of the lager of the two islands of La Marmorata. Not to be missed.
	La Maddalena - Palau Cala Corsara This beach can be found on the island of Spargi (situated to the west of La Maddalena). It is surrounded by granite rocks, which have been sculptured by the wind and the movement of the sea, and by lush Mediterranean scrub. The beach boasts fine, white sand and a beautiful emerald sea. Spiaggia Rosa This beach lies on the island of Budelli. It is a unique picture postcard, with its pink shoreline and deep emerald-green sea, set against a frame of granite rocks, which surround the beach. Not to be missed Cala Coticcio This splendid and well-known inlet can be found on the east coast of the island of Caprera. It is a small beach of fine, white sand, which lies before a magnificent emerald green sea. The best way to visit this jewel is by boat. Rada di Mezzo Schifo Beach Rada di Mezzo Schifo lies to the right of Porto Raphael. The word "schifo" means "boat" in Sardinian dialect. It is a small beach of fine, white sand, which lies before an emerald-green sea. Besides its rare beauty, the beach is famous because in 1803 Admiral Nelson dropped anchor in this sheltered inlet as he waited to attack the French naval fleet.
	Costa Smeralda Pevero Beach A beach of fine, white sand, set against a frame of lush Mediterranean scrub, which is reflected in a splendid emerald sea. Poltu Li Cogghj Beach A vast expanse of white sand, surrounded by magnificent granite rocks and Mediterranean scrub. Without doubt one of the most beautiful on the whole island. The granite seabed gives the transparent water its exceptional emerald-green colour. Capriccioli Beach The area of Punta Capriccioli boasts numerous small beaches of exceptional beauty. The beaches are characterised by fine, white sand and transparent, emerald-green water, set against a frame of pink granite rocks, which have been sculptured by the wind, and lush Mediterranean scrub. Cala Razza di Giunco Cala Razza di Giunco is situated to the south of Costa Smeralda and embraces four beaches. This beautiful, unspoilt area is characterised by fine, golden sand and a limpid, emerald-green sea.


	San Teodoro La Cinta Beach This is a fairly large beach, which boasts about 3 km of white sand. It lies between the San Teodoro lagoon and an extraordinarily limpid, emerald-green sea. The beach is surrounded by marvellous sand dunes, covered in secular juniper bushes and the typical vegetation of this coastal area. Isuledda Beach This is the largest beach on the south coast of the San Teodoro district and it offers a splendid panorama of the island of Tavolara. The vast sandy shoreline is surrounded by rich Mediterranean scrub, which stretches down to a beautiful deep blue sea.

	Arzachena Things to see: - The Albucciu Nuraghe. This impressive Nuraghe dates back to the middle of the Bronze Age (1600 - 1300 B.C.). It is a typical 'corridor' Nuraghe, which develops along the north-south axis to a size of 25.50 m., while the traversal part measures 15m. - The Nuragic Temple of Malchittu. This is a rare example of a "megaron" Nuragic building, delimited by two ante-walls. It is certainly the only monument of this kind with an ellipsoidal plan 13 m long and 6 m wide.
	- The Giants' Tomb of Li Lolghi. This monument is one of the biggest in Sardinia. It is characterised by majestic stele, or standing stone, composed of two overlapping granite slabs. - The Necropolis of Li Muri. This is the only testimony in Sardinia of the culture of the 'Megalithic Circles of Arzachena'.

	- The Giants' Tomb of Coddu 'Echju. This archaeological site is particularly fascinating since it dates back to a number of different historical periods, staring from the middle of the II millennium B.C., up to the Nuragic period. It is characterised by an impressive stele, or standing stone, which, at a height of 4.40 m, is the tallest one discovered up to now.

To Santa Teresa Gallura, looking at the sea, walking through the countryside, you can feel the strong music of ancient time. The wide spaces, the uncontaminated landscapes, the primordial beatifulness of the places, the ancient scents, all your thought is driven to far off times when the Gallura was crowded by men, heroes and gods. Few but of great evocative power are the remains, witness to an ancient civilization. On the way to Capo Testa you can find a whole nuragic village whose circular foundation are still visible, together with animal pens and also the base of an ancient furnace. Protosardinian developed an autonomus and original social organization, whose most peculiar and spectacular feature is the Nuraghe. Experts do not agree on how to interpret their use: royal palaces, tombs, temples or defensive works ( the last one seems to be a most likely explanation). Unfortunatly, over the milleniums, the sedimentary or eruptive rocks the Nuraghe were built with ( truncated cone shaped), have been utilized to surround the estates or to construct new buildings. Yet the nuragic ruins overgrown with moss, communicate an extraordinary emotion in their mighty semplicity.

In nuragic times, the pastoral community who lived in Santa Teresa had cult places, gods or heroes to worship, as testify two important archeological finds: the giants' tomb at Lu Brandali and La Testa. It' s possible to visit the archeological places in the countryside, bathed in mediterrean scrub which has protected them from destruction. How magic it is to sit in silence, looking towards the sun, inside the exhedra , that is the area opposite the tomb, just as ancient people used to do like a sort of magnotherapy. Aristotele narrates the Sardinians used to sleep at their heroes's tombs, to preserve their uncorrupted bodies. Several witnesses show how relaxing it is to stop by these places which give you a sense of peace and of wellbeing as well.

Olbia Things to see:
- The Well-Temple of Sa Testa. This is one of the best preserved and most striking Nuragic monuments among those dedicated to the cult of water. The stone staircase is particularly fascinating with its 17 steps which lead to the tholos chamber, where water rises from the floor.
- The Riu Mulinu Nuraghe. This Nuraghe stands alone, in a panoramic position, on the summit of a hill. It is a single towered Nuraghe and visitors can still admire some of the external floor and part of the staircase which led to the upper levels.

Golfo Aranci Things to see:
- The Milis Well-Temple. This well preserved monument is characterised by a steep staircase of 40 steps which leads to the well chamber, over 9 m high and covered with a tholos dome.
S. Antonio di Gallura Things to see:
- The pre-Nuragic wall of Sara Aglientu. This wall is characterised by its extraordinary length. It is, in fact, about 200m long. The remains of the Sara Aglientu Nuraghe can be seen under the wall.
Calangianus Things to see:
- The Nuragic Complex of Monti di Deu. Besides a number of Nuraghi, the complex includes fortifications, a fountain and a Giants' Tomb. This particular combination of features bears witness to the civilian, military and funeral aspects of the Nuragic culture.

Museum list of Gallura

The National Museum of the 'Compendio Garibaldino' of Caprera
Island of Caprera - La Maddalena
Tel. + 39 0789/727162
This is a complex that includes buildings and antiquities which once belonged to Giuseppe Garibaldi. The famous Italian General settled on the island of Caprera in 1857 and died there in 1882. The whole area later became a protected property of the Italian Government and was restored in 1978.
"Nino Lamboglia" Naval Archaeological Museum - La Maddalena
loc. Mongiardino
Tel. + 39 0789/790633
One of the few museums of this kind, the museum is dedicated to the famous Roman ship which was shipwrecked in the waters of the archipelago of La Maddalena around 120 B.C..
Bernardo De Muro Museum - Tempio Pausania
Parco della Rimembranza (Memorial Park)
Tel. + 39 079/671580 - 079/672269
The small exhibition is dedicated to Bernardo De Muro (1881 - 1955), a tenor from the town of Tempio, who studied at the Accademia di S. Cecilia in Rome and was acclaimed both nationally and internationally.
"Galluras, frammenti della civiltà gallurese" Museum - Luras
via Nazionale n. 35
Tel. + 39 368/3376321
The museum is dedicated to the traditional culture of the Gallura region. It occupies a beautiful building, which is characteristic of Gallura, with a granite facade and wooden roof.
Wine Museum - Berchidda
via Giangiorgio Casu, 5
Tel. + 39 079/705268
The museum is on the higher place of the town in a modern building with a panoramic view on the area's vineyards and boasts a collection of products from the Sardinian vine growing industry. The museum offers visitors an insight into the traditional techniques used and the wine producing history of the area. The open-air vine laboratory is particularly interesting, where there are rows of young plants destined for vine growing.