We would like to suggest what we consider to be the most beautiful beaches in Olbia and Gallura, which are world-famous for their fine sand and the characteristic turquoise and emerald sea.
Everywhere there are bathing facilities in a number commensurate with the size of the beach, so there really are opportunities for everyone, both for those who want to pay to snooze on a deckchair under a beach umbrella in the front row, and for those who want to get a tan by leaving their towel on the sand but without paying anything.
Olbia
Pittulongu
This beach, also once known as La Playa, is a beautiful crescent of no less than 900 metres of fine, light-coloured sand. The seabed is shallow and gently sloping, perfect for families with children.
It is the first beach we find as we leave the town in the direction of Golfo Aranci and is particularly popular for its wide range of facilities: accessible facilities for the disabled, pedalo, jet ski and SUP hire. Here you will find at least three bathing establishments organised with deckchairs and umbrellas and a few bars and restaurants serving breakfast until late in the evening. Don’t pass up an aperitif overlooking the sea at Mamabeach or a fresh fish dinner at Trattoria Rossi.
The beach is served by two large dirt car parks, completely free of charge, but can also be reached by public bus line 04. Follow the directions to get there. Just beyond Pittulongu are the beaches of Lo Squalo, Il Pellicano, Mare e Rocce and Bados, all of which can be reached on foot via paths that run alongside the sea, but also by public transport and by car.
Porto Istana
It is one of the most beautiful beaches near Olbia. Or, to be more precise, it is a bay with four small beaches of fine sand naturally divided by pink granite rocks that emerge from the water. The sea is a clear emerald colour thanks to the shallow water that stretches for tens of metres. In addition, the island of Tavolara right in front makes the panorama even more suggestive and ‘Instagrammable’. You can easily get there in 20 minutes by car or in 30 minutes by bus line 05. Follow the directions to get there.
Spiaggia Ira
It owes its name and fame to Ira Fürstenberg, the actress and princess of the 1960s. It is a wide expanse of fine, pale sand with a crystal-clear sea in shades ranging from blue to emerald green and a shallow, sandy seabed that makes it suitable for everyone, especially children. Not to be overlooked is the fact that this is one of the few beaches partially reserved for our four-legged friends.
This beach is located in Porto Rotondo, only 25 minutes by car from Altré and about 50 minutes by bus line 05. Follow the directions to get there.
Spiaggia del Dottore
It is one of the most picturesque bays in this area, but we recommend visiting it only to those who are well trained and not afraid of too much heat, as it is necessary to walk along an impassable path to reach it. The particular name given to the beach originates from the fact that right on the shore there is still a small stone house that once belonged to a doctor who used to stay there alone. There are no services of any kind; here you can enjoy a one hundred per cent wild landscape. That is why we recommend that you bring your own umbrella and plenty of food and drink. To reach it, you have to drive your car to the tiny car park and then continue on foot.
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Golfo Aranci
The village is a 15-minute drive from Altrè. Originally a fishermen’s village – now populated by 2500 inhabitants – it has had great tourist development due to its strategic location, its port and its beautiful sea. Within the village there are five beaches, all with fine sand and transparent water, named with numbers (first, second, third beach and so on). Particularly striking, and in our opinion worth a visit, is the third beach.
Cala Sabina
The peculiarity that makes this beach rare, if not unique, is a small train station built specifically to take bathers from Olbia in 20 minutes with a €1.90 ticket (www.trenitalia.com) and from Golfo Aranci in just 4 minutes. If, on the other hand, you decide to arrive by car, leave it in the pay car park (limited spaces), go through the small tunnel under the railway tracks and enter the magical dimension of Cala Sabina: a corner of paradise hidden by the rich vegetation that embraces the crystal-clear sea overlooking the Costa Smeralda. The seabed is clear and shallow, ideal for children who can swim sheltered from the currents of the open sea.
Facing north-west, it is one of the few beaches from which to admire an evocative sunset (almost) over the sea. There is ample space for your towel but there is also the possibility of renting sunbeds and umbrellas. A refreshing stop at the Covo del Mar bar and restaurant is recommended. Follow the directions to get there.
Cala Moresca
This beach, located at the base of the Capo Figari promontory, is made of fine, golden sand and is surrounded by a large pine forest and Mediterranean bush. The scenery is really evocative and wild and sometimes, especially at the beginning and end of the summer season, it is possible to meet some families of wild boars – leave them alone and do not feed them – refreshing themselves in the water.
Taking the path that starts from the beach, it is possible to reach, after a walk of about two hours, the summit of Capo Figari on which stands the traffic light (unfortunately abandoned) from which in 1932 Guglielmo Marconi made the first experiments in transmitting radio waves across the Tyrrhenian Sea. The view from up there is incredible, but it is better not to walk during the hottest hours.
Reaching Cala Moresca by train is easy: after the Golfo Aranci railway station, follow the road along the tracks until you reach the beach in a walk of about 30 minutes. As Google Maps directions can be misleading, we suggest you ask for directions on arrival. If you decide to go by car, you can park in the pay area with limited parking spaces (directions here) and walk about 15 minutes. There are no services of any kind at this beach.
Loiri Porto San Paolo
Porto Taverna
About 1 km long with fine, white sand, the Porto Taverna beach has a shallow, sandy seabed and crystal-clear waters with a colour between emerald green and blue. Right in front we can enjoy the view of the Tavolara Island, which makes the landscape unique. Behind the beach is a pond that at certain times of the year is home to the beautiful pink flamingos that often pass through here. Equipped with all services including bars, restaurants, ample parking and facilities for the disabled, it is also possible to rent umbrellas, sunbeds, pedal boats and rubber dinghies at this beach. You can get there by car in 30 minutes or with the ARST regional line number 514.
Cala Girgolu
It is a beautiful complex of coves and rocks, just opposite the majestic island of Tavolara. One of its peculiarities is precisely that it is made up of several coves – all marvellous and special – where the colours of the sea, rocks, sand and Mediterranean bush blend perfectly, creating a splendid mosaic. A unique scenario that boasts few equals in the area. Getting to the main beach is easy, leaving your car in the pay car park. Arriving at the various coves, however, is not so easy: some of them can only be reached by foot or by sea, such as the ‘Sassi piatti’ and the ‘Spiaggia delle vacche‘. On the main beach, it is possible to rent sunbeds and umbrellas to enjoy a relaxing day.
San Teodoro
Cala Brandinchi e Lu impostu
Located just a few minutes from San Teodoro, they are among the most famous and popular beaches for visitors from all over the world. Both with fine, white sand and shallow waters, they are reminiscent of Caribbean colours and have breathtaking views thanks to the presence of the striking island of Tavolara in the background. Both beaches are surrounded by a landscape of small sand dunes and ponds that, from certain angles, give the feeling of being on an atoll in the middle of the sea.
The large car park (between € 1.50 and € 2.50 per hour) is shared by both beaches and at peak times you may have to queue a little to get in. During the summer, both Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu have a limited number of spaces, so reservations are necessary via the santeodorospiagge.it website.
Lovers of relax can book a gazebo with sunbeds at Giardini di Brandinchi, a wonderful green oasis with a bar, shower and toilet facilities with direct access to the beach of the same name. Here too, reservations are necessary.
La Cinta
It is one of the most beautiful but also one of the most popular and frequented beaches in Sardinia. Precisely for this reason, if you are on holiday during the high season, we advise you to avoid it.
The beach consists of a strip of fine white sand over 3 kilometres long that separates the sea from a large lagoon: a corner of biodiversity that is particularly appreciated by birdwatchers. Here it is possible to see pink flamingos and other species of birds that regularly frequent the area. Don’t miss a long walk at dawn when the beach is deserted and the sun rises from the sea alongside the island of Tavolara.
Reaching La Cinta from Olbia is very easy, just follow the signs to San Teodoro and then leave your car in the large pay car park next door. All kinds of bathing and restaurant services are available. Starting from La Cinta, it is possible to take a 4-6 hour boat trip to the protected marine area of Tavolara with Mediomare.
Costa Smeralda
La spiaggia del Principe
The Spiaggia del Principe is a wide arch of fine white sand, separated in two sections by a promontory of rocks and surrounded by lush Mediterranean bush. It lies, well hidden from view, at the bottom of a deep inlet protected by a promontory of pink granite. The colour and clarity of the sea are due to the unique sand and granite seabed.
To reach it, you have to walk along a path of about 300 metres that is not very easy but which, on arrival, will pay back the effort made. The beach is totally free, with no bathing facilities but only a small café. In July and August it is always very crowded, which is why we suggest going very early in the morning. Parking costs € 2.50 per hour in the summer season.
Capriccioli
A set of 4 coves, all characterised by the presence of rounded granite rocks polished by the sea, coloured yellow, pink and reddish, surrounded by thick Mediterranean bush: wild olive trees, maritime pines, mastic trees and junipers clinging to the rocks in the most unlikely places. There are all kinds of bathing and refreshment facilities. Parking close to the beaches, for a fee.
For us, these are the most beautiful beaches in Olbia and Gallura. And what are yours? Let us know!