Olbia Costa Smeralda Area (Italy)
The province of Olbia-Tempio consists of sea, plains, hills, mountains, cultivated areas and abandoned fields. One of the typical features of this area, particularly in Gallura, are the granite rocks 'worked' by wind and rain, which take the form of miniature mountains and extraordinary natural sculptures. The numerous oak forests from which cork is extracted, sometimes called 'soft gold', and the processing of which has a long tradition on the island, are also characteristic, and archaeological enthusiasts will find evidence of Nuragic, Punic, Roman and other medieval civilisations. The province is also characterised by the presence of scattered rural settlements called stazzo, small agro-pastoral farms, usually family-run, originally created by shepherds between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
As a result of the urbanism that has taken over the area in recent decades following the start of the tourist industry, these once prosperous buildings have been completely abandoned. This is a phenomenon that has mainly affected the areas around Arzachena, inhabited until the mid-twentieth century by only a few farmers and shepherds. In 1962, the Arab Prince Karim Aga Khan IV decided to implement a large-scale tourism and real estate activity in the area by creating the 'Costa Smeralda Consortium', exploiting the natural beauty of the area and creating a luxury tourist paradise.
Today, this area of Sardinia is one of the most popular and well-known holiday destinations not only in Italy but throughout the world.
- Porto Cervo
- Basilica di Nostra Signora di Luogosanto
- Baja Sardinia
- Cala Coticcio
- Rose Beach (Spiaggia rosa)
- National Park of the La Maddalena Archipelago
- Razzoli Island
- Ostrov Santa Maria
- Golfo Aranci
- Loiri Porto San Paolo
- Olbia
- Grande Pevero
- Arzachena
- Museo di Olbia
- Casa-Museo Garibaldi
- Palau
- Pittulongu
- Cala di Volpe
- Cala Moresca - Golfo Aranci
- Porto Rafael
- Liscia Ruja Beach
- San Pantaleo
- Poltu Quatu
- Porto Istana
- Porto Rotondo
- Cala Capriccioli
- Tavolara Island
- Cannigione
- Marina di Cala Capra
- Golfo Cugnana
- Golfo Marinella
- Piana Island and Horse Island
- Nelson Beach
- Stairs and St. Lucia Church
- Military forts in the La Maddalena archipelago
- Budelli
- Cavaliere Beach
- Museum of the Sea
- Cala Garibaldi
- Relitto Beach
- Liscia di Vacca
- La Maddalena Island
- Santo Stefano Island
- Portisco
- Cala del Sonno
- Granite massifs at San Pantaleo
- Cala Francese
- Cala Napoletana
- Caprera Island
- Mortorio Island and Soffi Island