Grand Tour Olbia III

The day will begin with the first stretch of the Strada Statale 125 Orientale Sarda, crossing some of the most beautiful and famous tourist spots on the East Coast: from Porto San Paolo to San Teodoro, up to Orosei, where you will leave the coast and head towards central Sardinia. You will visit Mamoiada, Orgosolo with its famous Murals, and Oliena, until you reach the restaurant “Su Gologone,” just a stone’s throw from the homonymous spring, which we recommend you visit. Here you can savor a lunch featuring the best of Sardinian culinary tradition, accompanied by a unique atmosphere and attention to detail. After the (surely abundant!) lunch, a visit to the restaurant’s Art Workshops is a must, where the very kind staff will tell you the story and origins of this corner of Sardinia. In the afternoon, many kilometers of curves will separate you from the town of Bitti, where you can stop for dinner at the beautiful "Hotel Ristorante Su Lithu."

We are in the heart of Sardinia, but today you will head north to Castelsardo, passing through Pattada, where you can visit the Museum of Sardinian History and Tradition. Among the many exhibits, you will find the typical Sardinian knives: the “Pattadese.” Once you arrive in Castelsardo, a fishing village perched dramatically on the sea, you cannot miss visiting the medieval castle. We recommend having lunch at the beautiful restaurant “L’incantu,” with its breathtaking view over the gulf. After lunch, return towards Bitti passing through Tempio, Calangianus, and the Monti wine-growing area, where the grapes for the renowned Sardinian white wine, “Vermentino,” are produced. A few more curves separate you from your destination, with mountain landscapes once again taking center stage until you return to your hotel.

Today you’ll say goodbye to Bitti and head south, but before leaving the Gennargentu mountains, enjoy the most beautiful stretch of the SS125 Orientale Sarda, the one that connects Dorgali to Tortolì: the mountains, the Su Gorroppu gorge, and the landscapes of this unspoiled corner of Sardinia will give you intense emotions. After a quick lunch on the road, continue toward Cagliari along the entire SS125, which in its final stretch near Burcei transforms completely, making you feel like you’re inside an American canyon. Once in Cagliari, the island’s capital, you can explore the elegant historic center and climb up to the castle with its panoramic viewpoint overlooking the gulf.

You’ll start right away with the first stretch of the Strada Statale 125 Orientale Sarda, which connects Cagliari to Santa Teresa. The southernmost part of this fantastic road, in the Burcei area, is truly unique because within just a few kilometers the scenery around you changes rapidly, making you feel like you’re inside an American canyon. Once you pass Muravera, curves, beautiful roads, and stunning views will separate you from the nuragic palace of Barumini: the largest nuragic settlement dating back over 4,000 years. In this magical place, guides will immerse you in the island’s oldest history and tell you about the lives of Sardinia’s inhabitants—their wars, religion, society, and customs. After the visit, return to Cagliari to enjoy a relaxing evening in Sardinia’s most elegant city.

Head southwest towards Pula. Along the way, don’t miss Baia Chia beach, one of the most beautiful in Sardinia! Continue on to the island of Carloforte, a former Genoese colony where Ligurian traditions—such as the Genoese dialect and tuna fishing—are still very much alive today. Here, you can visit the small town center with its seaside promenade and take a full tour around the island, enjoying stunning sea views. Once back on the mainland, proceed toward Masua, crossing the entire Sulcis-Iglesiente province, a mining area full of abandoned quarries, currently one of the poorest parts of the island. Upon arriving in Masua, driving along the coast, you’ll be amazed to see a huge sea stack known as the “Pan di Zucchero” (Sugarloaf), named after the very light color of the rock it’s made of. We recommend a guided tour of Porto Flavia, a cliffside mine overlooking the sea that will leave you speechless. After a quick lunch, head to Portu Maga for the night. But the day’s surprises aren’t over yet—you’re just a short distance from Piscinas, Europe’s largest natural desert. With its tall white sand dunes facing a crystal-clear sea, it’s one of the island’s most magical places. Don’t worry—feeling a little lost is the least that can happen to you!

Today you will head north towards Torre dei Corsari, where sandy and desert-like landscapes dominate this area. You will arrive in the warm plains of the Oristano region, driving among vast rice fields and farms dedicated to milk production. Looking for some curves, you will push towards central Sardinia, passing through the towns of Samugheo, Santulussurgiu, and Cuglieri, before reaching Bosa, a renowned fishing village famous for its canal port and medieval castle. In the afternoon, you will experience one of the highlights of your trip driving along the coastal stretch that will take you to Alghero, the capital of the Coral Riviera. The Alghero-Bosa coastal road, nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage site, is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world. 53 km of curves along the sea route connecting Nurra to Logudoro will captivate you not only for the quality of the ride but also for its scents and colors. Once in Alghero, a breathtaking aperitif at the Riservato Beach Bar is a must. Only after watching the sun set over the sea, immerse yourself in the narrow streets of the historic center, where you will find a wide choice of traditional restaurants. Among them, we recommend “La Bifora,” located on the bastions overlooking the marina.

Head towards the Capocaccia promontory, from which you can visit the beautiful viewpoint overlooking the island of “Foradada” to the west, and the Porto Conte bay to the east. From here, you can also enjoy the striking skyline of the fortified city of Alghero. Continue north towards Stintino, where you can visit the “La Pelosa” beach, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world for its crystal-clear water and fine white sand. The next stop is Castelsardo: cross the entire pine forest of Marina di Sorso to then reach the coastal road that leads to the beautiful medieval village; we recommend visiting the castle followed by lunch at the “L’incantu” restaurant, accompanied by the splendid view that characterizes it. After lunch, leave the sea behind and head towards Olbia through the inland route: here you will pass through the towns of Perfugas, Tempio, and Calangianus, connected by winding roads immersed in cork oak forests, one of the distinctive features of Gallura.