The Best Way to Explore Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda by Land

What to do when a mistral blows in unexpectedly…

We woke to the sound of the ocean at our beachfront hotel in Golfo Aranci and the sound of wind, very strong wind.  After breakfast we walked out onto the beach to check how hard it was blowing – pretty darn strong. Our hope had been to get out on a charter boat and explore the Sardinian coastline from the water, but it didn’t look promising. Time for an alternate plan.

The hotel concierge explained to us that a mistral had started blowing overnight and would continue for the day. Mistrals are northwest winds originating in France that usually last a day or two and often gust over 40 mph. Sardinia tends to experience mistrals from October to April, or even September. All boating excursions would be cancelled until further notice. We were disappointed and asked the concierge for suggestions; nothing beats local knowledge. 

We decided on some inland exploration that would include some hiking since the wind was blowing especially strong at the coastline. The concierge had recommended San Pantaleo, so we hopped in our little car, scored some parking on the outskirts of the small hill town, and started exploring.

San Pantaleo is a picturesque town in the middle of Sardinia and an easy drive from Golfo Aranci. There is a charming market square and small church. The town itself is framed by an impressive mountain chain. The tiny streets are full of little shops, art galleries and plenty of inviting places to stop and eat. We had fun meandering through the town and poking in and out of the shops.

From San Pantaleo you can drive to various Nuragic archeological sites. The sites are open every day except Monday, and it is simple to purchase an inexpensive ticket at the ticket office. First on our list was Tomba di Giganti Coddu Vecchju which dates to around 1800 BC. It is an ancient tomb with large stones and translates to tomb of the giants. Ancient Sardinia lore has many references to giants. The Bronze Age burial site is very interesting to behold; however, excavations prove the humans buried there were normal size. We hiked around the well-preserved ruins and looked inside the tomb which is situated in a peaceful field. 

We also chose to explore the nearby Nuraghe le Prisigiona. This is the ruins of a village dating from 1400 to 790 BC. The Nuraghe is an ancient circular edifice unique to Sardinia. The ruins are in a very good state especially considering how old there are. Signs clearly explain the various functions of the stone huts in the village. It was interesting to learn about this ancient civilization while hiking along the paths.

Next on our agenda was Porto Cervo for a glimpse of the Costa Smeralda. There are parking lots on the edge of this area, so we left the car and started to explore. Porto Cervo is the place to go for luxury shopping. We window shopped a bit, grabbed a bite to eat in a small café and then headed to the waterfront. It’s a nice stroll along the waterfront and fun to gape at the various yachts. 

In retrospect, I’m glad we experienced a mistral in Sardinia because we might not have explored as much as we did. What I thought was going to be a lost day turned out to be one of my favorites. For more ideas about things to do in Sardinia click here. Please make sure to click “Subscribe” in the upper right hand corner so you don’t miss any of my posts.

Helpful Info:

• B-Freak: Via Terni, 07026 Olbia SS, Italy – Our favorite store in San Pantaleo. Reasonably priced, funky clothes and accessories and a very friendly owner
• Giants’ grave of Coddu Vecchiu, 07021 Arzachena SS, Italy. The Nuraghe le Prisgiona is just up the road with its own parking lot or you can hike between the two sites. The ticket office is near the parking lot.
• Gabbiano Azzurro Hotel is a perfect location to be near these sites.
• Chaco Hiking Sandals are a great shoe for a day of easy hiking on a warm day.
• La Spigola Via C. Colombo, 19 – Golfo Aranci. A beautiful upscale beachfront restaurant