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Emerald water beneath limestone cliffs and mountains in the Gulf of Orosei near Cala Gonone

Sample journey · 9–11 days

The other Sardinia: stone towers, masks and the wild east coast

Cagliari, Su Nuraxi, the Barbagia, the Gulf of Orosei & Alghero

Photo: David Bayliss / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Sardinia is often equated with yachts on the Costa Smeralda and white sand. This journey goes where the island is more its own, and wilder. It begins in Cagliari, continues into the hills of the Marmilla to Su Nuraxi, the largest and best-studied nuraghe complex built by the Bronze Age Sardinians, and climbs into the Barbagia, the island's mountainous heart. Here village walls are painted with political and everyday murals, and winter carnivals still bring out wooden masks with very old roots.

The second half of the journey is the east coast along the Gulf of Orosei, where limestone cliffs drop straight into a turquoise sea. Here we walk into the Su Gorropu gorge, one of the deepest in Europe, take a boat to coves no road reaches and follow the trail down to Cala Goloritzé. To finish, Alghero with its Catalan heritage and the cliffs of Capo Caccia. The journey suits active families with older children and couples who like to walk: the trails are short but steep, and the stays, from a farm in the mountains to a small hotel by the sea, would be chosen to suit your rhythm.

The route

The journey

  1. Cagliari
  2. Su Nuraxi (Barumini)
  3. Nuraghe Arrubiu
  4. The Barbagia: Orgosolo & Mamoiada
  5. Gola Su Gorropu
  6. Gulf of Orosei & Cala Goloritzé
  7. Alghero
  1. The rooftops and domes of Cagliari from above, with the sea beyond

    01Days 1–2 · Cagliari

    Bastions and flamingos

    Two nights in Cagliari, Sardinia's capital, whose old quarter, the Castello, stands on a hill above the port. In the morning, a walk among Pisan-era towers and narrow lanes to the terrace of the Bastione di Saint Remy, with the whole city and bay below. In the National Archaeological Museum are the small bronze figurines known as bronzetti and the stone warriors of Mont'e Prama: the best introduction before heading into nuraghe country. In the afternoon, the Molentargius lagoons, where pink flamingos are often seen, and in the evening Poetto beach and a first dinner of Sardinian fregola with a local Vermentino. Children also enjoy the short climb up the Sella del Diavolo headland for its view over the sea.

  2. An aerial view of the stone towers of Nuraghe Arrubiu among trees and fields

    02Day 3 · Su Nuraxi & Arrubiu

    Towers of the Bronze Age

    About an hour north through the hills of the Marmilla lies Barumini and Su Nuraxi, a UNESCO-listed nuraghe complex. Its central tower, built of huge dry-laid stones more than three thousand years ago, is ringed by defensive walls and the foundations of a village; visits are guided only, and the guide leads you up narrow stairs inside the tower, a real adventure for children. On the way to the mountains, Nuraghe Arrubiu near Orroli, one of the island's largest, named for the red lichen on its stones. Thousands of nuraghi survive across Sardinia, and archaeologists still debate their purpose: fortresses, temples or community houses. In the evening, the road into the Barbagia mountains, about two hours of winding roads.

  3. A narrow lane in Orgosolo with a mural painted on a house wall

    03Days 3–5 · The Barbagia: Orgosolo & Mamoiada

    Painted villages and wooden masks

    Two nights on a farm in the Barbagia mountains, among oak woods and pastures. Orgosolo, once known as a tough shepherds' village, is now famous for hundreds of murals that since the late 1960s have told of land rights, wars, emigration and daily life; with a local guide they open up like a history of the village. In Mamoiada, the mamuthones and issohadores: black wooden masks, sheepskins and heavy bells worn by the men who process through the village at winter festivals. A mask museum and a carver's workshop make sense of the tradition even outside carnival time. Lunch is with shepherds in the hills, if they invite you: meat roasted over the fire, thin crisp pane carasau, sheep's cheese and the Cannonau wine this area is known for.

  4. A riverbed between limestone rocks in the Su Gorropu gorge, Sardinia

    04Days 5–6 · Gola Su Gorropu

    Into a gorge of white walls

    From the Barbagia it's about an hour to the east coast and three nights in Cala Gonone or around Dorgali. On the way, or the next morning, the Su Gorropu gorge in the Supramonte mountains, whose limestone walls rise around 400 to 500 metres in places. A trail leads in from a mountain pass or along the bed of the Flumineddu river: usually an hour and a half to two hours each way, with an uphill return. The first part of the gorge is open to anyone who walks well, while the deeper section, across giant boulders, is only for those with a guide and the right equipment. In summer we set off early, before the sun clears the walls, while the gorge is still cool. For families with older children it's often the favourite day of the journey; for younger ones, a shorter walk or a boat to the sea caves works well.

  5. Cala Goloritzé from above, with clear turquoise water and a boat

    05Days 6–8 · The Gulf of Orosei

    Coves with no road

    There are almost no roads along the Gulf of Orosei: limestone cliffs fall straight into the sea, with coves of white pebbles and astonishingly clear water hidden between them. One day goes by boat along the coast: Cala Luna, sea caves and swims wherever the boat can stop. The next morning, Cala Goloritzé, one of the most beautiful coves in the Mediterranean, with a needle of rock rising above the water. It can be reached only on foot: from the Golgo plateau the trail descends for about an hour, and the return is uphill. Visitor numbers here are limited, so we reserve a place in advance. Evenings are on the seafront at Cala Gonone, with fresh fish and a calm view of the sea; for those who like, a short but striking coastal path to Cala Fuili.

  6. Pale houses along a street in Alghero's old town

    06Days 8–11 · Alghero

    A Catalan town on its sea walls

    About three hours across the middle of the island to the north-west lies Alghero and the last three nights. The town belonged to the Crown of Aragon for centuries, which is why its street names are also written in Catalan, and some older residents still speak a Catalan dialect. Sunset on the sea walls, Gothic lanes and coral jewellery workshops. One day goes to Capo Caccia: by boat, or down more than six hundred steps cut into the cliff, to Neptune's Grotto, its halls full of stalactites. The next day is for doing very little: swims at the Lazzaretti or Maria Pia beaches, a bike path along the shore or a winery in the hills. On the last day it's barely a quarter of an hour to Alghero airport, with flights home usually via a connection.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Su Nuraxi

    A stone tower three thousand years old, climbed by narrow stairs within its walls.

  2. 02

    Orgosolo and Mamoiada

    Murals that tell a village's story, and ancient wooden carnival masks.

  3. 03

    Su Gorropu

    A hike into one of Europe's deepest gorges, between limestone walls hundreds of metres high.

  4. 04

    Cala Goloritzé

    A cove with a needle of rock above clear water, reached only on foot.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • With younger children

    Instead of the Su Gorropu and Cala Goloritzé trails, more time on boats and in coves, with drives broken into shorter stages.

  • More active

    For experienced hikers, sections of the Selvaggio Blu coastal route with a guide, climbing at Cala Gonone or kayaks along the Orosei cliffs.

  • In another season

    May to June and September to October are usually best for walking; summer is hot, while in winter, at the January and February carnivals, the masks appear in the Barbagia villages.

  • With Corsica

    From Santa Teresa Gallura the ferry across the Strait of Bonifacio leads to Corsica and on into the mountains of the south.

Practical considerations

  • The best time is spring and autumn (roughly May to June and September to October). July and August are hot, with walks possible only early in the morning; many boat trips run roughly from April to October and depend on the sea.
  • The journey is planned as a self-drive: mountain roads are winding and slow, so we allow more time than the map suggests. The longest day is from the east coast to Alghero.
  • Visitor numbers at Cala Goloritzé are limited and a place must be reserved, while access and guiding arrangements at Su Gorropu change. We check both trails before you travel; after heavy rain they may be closed.
  • The trails call for good shoes, a hat and plenty of water: there are almost no springs in the Supramonte.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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