Jul 3, 2022
molto bene ~ 3 full days in gulf of orosei, sardinia, italy
By anne-Marie Leduc
Beautiful Sardinia,
truly one of the most spectacular and beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I am so excited to go back and explore more of this beautiful island. The scenery, the weather, the food, the people… I LOVE ITALY! Sardinia has a lot of seaside villages to choose from, but it’s quite a large island so you need to plan ahead. We chose to focus on one area which is the Gulf of Orosei as we had only a couple of days and our main goal was to rent a boat. We were really hoping to explore secluded beaches and coves on our own.
Here are some tips from our experience in this amazing part of Italy.
The best time to go
If you want to avoid scorching temperatures and crowds the best time would be April to June. The flowers are blooming and it is not as hot as in peak July and August. As for us, we went at the beginning of July and found it was perfect. The beaches were not packed with people and the boat rentals were not all booked, but we could sense day by day that it was getting more crowded. I would say though that the next time we will go mi-June or the end of June to make sure to beat the summer crowd.
How to get there
This was the trickiest part of planning our trip since we couldn't find a lot of information online. After emailing a couple of hotels, and researching further, we found that it is finally very easy to get there. We recommend not taking a taxi, it will cost you an arm and a leg (or 200 euros one-way). For only 16 euros you can take a direct coach bus during summer months to Cala Gonone from Olbia airport. The bus stop is right at the airport exit. It takes about 2 and a half hours so pack some snacks. If you plan on staying longer or want to visit several areas in Sardinia, renting a car is probably a good idea as taxis are extremely expensive and public transit options are limited.
Where we stayed
We had the perfect relaxing stay at the Hotel Villa Gustui Maris Cala Gonone. We booked online after comparing a couple of hotels on booking sites. This villa was exactly as described and even more beautiful than the pictures. It is one of the prettiest villas that we stayed in. It is located very close to the town center, a few minutes walk up a steep hill. The reward is a breathtaking view of the Gulf of Orosei. During our stay it was very quiet with only a handful of people lounging around. Most of the time we were alone at the pool which was awesome. The staff were very kind and discreet and the food at their restaurant was absolutely delicious (surprising for hotel food!). Everything was perfect, we will definitely come back.
Where to rent a boat
Most beaches in the Gulf of Orosei are accessible by boat only. There are Most beaches in the Gulf of Orosei are accessible by boat only. There are water taxis and cruises that you can take but the best option is surely to rent your own dinghy (a small, inflatable motorized boat). You do not need a permit for that which is why we wanted to do it in the first place. You can go directly to the kiosks at the Cala Gonone port, but we recommend booking in advance to make sure to secure one. We chose https://www.escursionicalagonone.it/ and had great service. Make sure to ask them for an umbrella and an ice box to keep your aperitivo cold.
How to prepare your boat day
You have to be well prepared for your boat day if you want to have the best time. The number one thing to bring is sunscreen and water. Be aware that there are no restaurants and shops on any of the beaches. Bring your beach essentials like hat, sunglasses and light clothes in case you get sunburns. I recommend filling your ice box with ice, water, beverages and food early in the morning before getting on the boat. The supermarket and several restaurants open early so you can pick up some sandwiches to takeaway (more on that below). If you don’t want to wait in line under direct sun for your boat to be prepared, be there at 8:45am or even a little earlier to be amongst the first one in line.
Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!
Ok this one seems obvious, but don’t be the person who thinks they don’t burn. We’ve all been there and we’re better than that, lol. Reapply sunscreen every hour or every time after jumping in the water. The Italian sun is no joke here. It is full on!
Where to eat recommendation
Cala Gonone is a relatively small port village with not a lot of restaurants. We tried a couple - it was a hit or miss. The best ones in our opinion was Place Zio Pedrillo where we had amazing pizzas, pastas and Retrovino market wine bar which was awesome! They offer great Italian cheeses and delicatessen platters and you can ask them to prepare sandwiches for you to pick up the morning of your boat day trip. They open at 8:30 am. We also had dinner at our hotel, Hotel Villa Gustui Maris where we had high quality steaks and octopus dishes and it was delicious. We also like the Supermercato Nonna Isa for their fresh fruits, great selections of groceries and little aperitivo that we bring to our room to drink on our balcony. Going there to buy some goodies felt very Italian.
