Places in Porto Rafael, Sardinia

Porto Rafael is a newly built elegant resort with secluded villas nestled among oak trees and granite rocks. It is one of the preferred locations by yacht owners. Beyond the remains of a military outpost near Porto Rafael, you can reach the Costa Serena and the beautiful Cala Scilla, the latter known as Porto Rafael's swimming pool.

Not far from here is the famous Capo d'Orso or the Bear's Rock, an imposing 120 m high granite rock that truly resembles a big bear watching out the sea. More exquisite little bays hide equally attractive beaches around the famous rock.

Among these are Cala Capra, Cala Casotto and Acapulco beach. Some kilometres ahead of Santa Teresa, there's a further detour that takes you to the village of Porto Pollo, internationally acclaimed as a wind and kite surfing spot.

It is located in the Isuledda or Isola dei Gabbiani, an extremely thin isthmus with two beaches on both sides enlisted among the most beautiful of the whole island. If you are into this kind of sports, there are other specific places in Sardinia where you can practise, like Chia, Buggerru and Villasimius.

Together with Palau, the other main town is Santa Teresa Gallura, located on a promontory opposite the French island of Corsica, gently descending towards the Rena Bianca, a short stretch of white sand easily accessible from the town centre.

Although the landscape is dominated by thousand of wind shaped granite rocks immersed in thick bush and clear waters, white sandy beaches are quite common. Megalithic and lunar in its landscape the Capo Testa promontory and Valle della Luna offer spectacular sceneries of a rocky environment shaped by the winds and the sea.

The inland area is various and wild as well, being the heart of the Gallura region. The road to Tempio Pausania snakes up through increasingly wild and open countryside towards Bassacutena before reaching Luogosanto.

This attractive town's architecture is typical of the area and its countryside hides numerous medieval remains and tiny country chapels. The road leading from Luogosanto to Tempio gets steeper and twister as it climbs towards the Padulo plateau and to Monte Limbara, offering unspoilt beauty and a wide variety of flora and fauna.