Sardinia suggested itineraries

So as to reach this part of Northern Sardinia, the elite tourist destination and protagonist of many a glossy magazine story otherwise known as the Emerald Coast, one should take the SS131 highway which from Sassari leads to Porto Torres.

Just 11 kilometers from Sassari, in the direction of the Gallurese territory, one comes across one of the most important archaeological findings of the region; the prehistoric altar of Monte d'Accoddi.

Sardinia is home to a great wealth of remains dating back to the Neolithic period, and this archaic sanctuary is considered to be one the most significant in all Europe. With a length of 75 meters and a height of 8 (although the structure was almost certainly much taller, originally), this monument is the subject of great interest amongst tourists and archaeologists alike and, interestingly, experts are still uncertain as to the circumstances which led to its construction.

The next step along this journey takes us to Porto Torres; an important tourist destination on the coast. Here visitors have the opportunity to visit an impressive Basilica dedicated to the San Gavino martyred in 304 for having refused to renounce his faith in Christianity.

The journey continues through a gentle Sardinian landscape, on a road which hugs the coastline and from where to admire the immense beach of Platamona, which, along with those of Stintino and Alghero, is one of the areas' most fashionable beaches; characterized by magnificent dunes of golden sand.

We change direction, heading towards Castelsardo, a town which perches on the edge of a promontory directly above the sea. The town faces directly out on to the Asinara Gulf, offering visitors one of the most beautiful views of the whole of Sardinia's Northern Coast. The medieval center is of great appeal, with its narrow lanes and perilously steep pathways, once climbed on the back of donkeys. Of the many fascinating buildings to be seen, the Castle built during the late medieval period by the Doria of Genoa is, perhaps, the most impressive.

The area around the small harbour of Frigiano is home to a wealth of hotels and restaurants and buzzes with activity throughout the summer season. Just beyond Castelsardo, towards the East, one can not fail to admire another of the area's most important sites: the Roccia dell'Elefante.

From Isola Rossa onwards, we travel through a dramatically beautiful landscape, where great jagged cliffs lurch into the emerald green sea. This is where some of the most beautiful beaches of the Mediterranean are located; beaches such as Li Cossi, Cala Sarraina and the bay of Rena Maiori.

Obligatory port of call, that to 'Santa Teresa di Gallura; one of the most fashionable Sardinian tourist destinations, constructed according to the wishes of King Emanuel I of Savoia. Rena Bianca is the town's principal beach. To get to the beach it is sufficient to follow any of the pathways leading from the Piazza della Chiesa to the seafront.

In some areas, this fabulous beach of fine sand takes on a distinctly pink hue; created by the presence of millions of minuscule particles of coral mixed with the sand. On a clear day, the Corsican coast, situated a mere 11 miles away across the sea, is easily visible.

From Santa Teresa di Gallura our journey heads towards Palau via the SS133b and then the SS133 highways. Once past Porto Pollo which, with its Isola dei Gabbiani, represents one of Sardinia's most important surfing localities, and the town of Porto Raphael, we arrive at Palau to find ourselves directly opposite the archipelago of the Maddalena, this latter a mere 15 minute ferry ride away.
The largest island of the archipelago, the Maddalena, is linked to the islet of Caprera by a bridge. Caprera is where Giuseppe Garibaldi lived the final days of his life; in the famous white house, now a museum.

The last part of this journey takes us along the SS125 highway. Quite incomparable the panorama from the Gulf of Arzachena, across the beaches of Saline and Cannigione, this latter complete with ancient stone jetty from where the mainland bound vessels used to depart.

The dazzling white of the limestone rocks and the intense cobalt blue of the sea characterize this stretch of coastline. The town of Arzachena was originally an ancient village inhabited by shepherds and their families. The Church of Santa Lucia is well worth visiting as are the Nuraghi Albucciu and Prisgiona archaeological sites, the most important of all those to be found in Sardinia.

From this point onwards we are more and more likely to come across a celebrity or two. At regular intervals along the winding coastal road lie the destinations most frequented by the stars of the small and silver screen, pursued by troops of flash-happy paparazzi: places such as Baia Sardinia, Poltu Quatu, Liscia di Vacca and, finally, Porto Cervo; the true heart of the Emerald Coast.
Here, the pulsating social life gravitates around the Piazza Rossa, to then spread out along the narrow roads lined with designer boutiques and glamorous night-time venues.

No less fashionable a location, lying just a few kilometers away beyond the beaches of Portisco and Cugnana, one finds the town of Porto Rotondo, the Venice of Sardinia.
From their sumptuous villas overlooking the bay, the rich and famous engage in a curious game of hide-and-seek with photo reporters often spied scrambling through the Mediterranean shrub in search of a summer 'scoop'.

Along the road leading to Golfo Aranci, are the beaches of Cala Sabina, Cala Moresca and the promontory of Capo Figari.
Golfo Aranci is a strikingly beautiful place, immersed in a landscape home to numerous species of Mediterranean fauna and marine life; an environment largely untouched by human intervention and still unknown to the tour operators. One of the many Sardinian archaeological sites worth visiting whilst on the Northern coast of the island is that of Capu Abbas, situated on the scenic road which leads to Olbia.