Destination: Emerald Coast. An itinerary which winds its way along one of Italy's most beautiful coastlines, through a landscape of immense natural beauty, which has been elected favourite summer playground of the rich and famous. The first part of our journey takes us to one of the region's most important archaeological sites, the massive prehistoric stone alter of Mount Accoddi, and then on to Porto Torres, a favourite holiday destination since Roman times, where to visit the Basilica dedicated to Saint Gavino, martyred in 304 under the reign of Emperor Diocletian.
Thirty kilometers west of Porto Torres lies the celebrated beach of Stintino. The city of Alghero, famous for its Riviera del Corallo, is just a little further away. Vistors to nearby Castelsardo, ancient settlement facing out on to the Gulf of Asinara, can not fail to be struck by the town's old medieval center and the impressive Doria Castle. The town is known for its long tradition of basket weaving and has created a museum to celebrate the art.
Beyond Isola Rossa, travelling past a succession of magnificent beaches all lapped by the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean, we come to Santa Teresa di Gallura, one of Sardinia's most sought-after tourist destinations. An imposing 16th century tower stands guard over the town and its splendid Rena Bianca beach. From Santa Teresa di Gallura's tourist harbour, ferries transport passengers to the island of Corsica, a mere 11kms away. The promontory of Capo Testa is just 5kms from the town. Famous for its enormous granite caves where the Romans quarried the material necessary for the construction of the Pantheon.
Our journey towards the heart of the Emerald Coast takes us to Palau, town situated on the coast directly opposite the Maddalena Archipelago. From Maddalena, the largest of the islands, a bridge leads to the smaller island of Caprera where Giuseppe Garibaldi spent the last days of his life, in a house which has now been transformed in museum dedicated to the man deemed responsible for the unification of Italy.
As we travel along the panoramic SS125 highway, the Emerald Coast appears before us in all its splendour: from the Gulf of Arzachena to the beaches of Saline and Cannigione, this latter belonging to the town of Arzachena. In recent years, Arzachena has attracted an elite tourism and is now home to a number of exclusive boutiques, jewellery shops, luxurious hotels, and fashionable restaurants.
Of course, the beaches are the real attraction of the Gallura region and the island of Sardinia in general. Cala dei Ginestri, Cala Bitta, Baia Sardinia introduce vacationers to this most glamorous of holiday destinations, in preparation for their arrival in Porto Cervo, heart of the Emerald Coast. When they are not entertaining in their sumptuous villas, hidden away from prying camera lenses in the secluded bays overlooking the sea, the Italian industrialists, politicians and celebrities of the large and small screen who flock to Porto Cervo each summer pass the time of day in the Piazza Rossa, ideal place where to indulge in an extremely expensive aperitif or a little designer shopping, before heading to the Capricciosi beach.
Just a few kilometers from Olbia, lies Porto Rotondo: a kind of Sardinian Venice complete with its very own Piazza San Marco. The beaches of Cala Sabina, Cala Moresca and the Capo Fugari promontory mark our arrival in Golfo Aranci, a picturesque little town as yet untouched by mass tourism.
