Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DON'T MISS
THE BLUE CRESCENT
If you do nothing else in Sardinia, take a boat trip along Cala Gonone's southern coast. Some incred-
ibly pretty cliff-flanked bays are accessible from town by car or on foot (eg,
Cala Cartoe
to the north,
and
Cala Fuili
and
Cala Luna
to the south), but the best can only be reached by sea.
From the port, boats head south to the
Grotta del Bue Marino
(adult/reduced €8/4; guided
tours hourly 10am-noon & 3-5pm Aug, 10am-noon & 3pm Jul, 10am, 11am & 3pm Sep, 11am & 3pm
Oct-Nov & Mar-Jun) , a haunting complex of stalactite- and stalagmite-filled caves where monk seals
used to pup.
From there explore a string of coves and beaches, from the crescent-shaped
Cala Luna
and
Cala
Sisine
, backed by a green valley, through to the dazzling-white pebbles and incredible cobalt-blue
waters of
Cala Mariolu
.
The
Nuovo Consorzio Trasporti Maritimi
( 0784 9 33 05;
www.calagononecrociere.it
;
Porto
Cala Gonone) whisks you along the beautiful coastline from March to late September. Its packages in-
clude return trips to Cala Luna (€15 to €23), Cala Sisine (€22 to €30) and Cala Mariolu (€30 to €40).
A trip to the Grotta del Bue Marino costs between €19 and €22, which covers entry to the cave.
Sleeping & Eating
The resort goes into hibernation from October until Easter; bookings are essential in sum-
mer. Besides the following options, the resort also has a campground. Snack bars, cafes
and gelaterias line the
lungomare
.
Hotel L'Oasi
( 0784 9 31 11;
www.loasihotel.it
; Via Garcia Lorca 13; s €53-79, d €68-136; )
Perched on
the cliffs above Cala Gonone and nestling in flowery gardens, this B&B offers enticing
sea views from many of its breezy rooms. It's worth paying an extra €15 per person for
half-board, as the three-course dinners are prepared with fresh local produce. L'Oasi is a
10-minute uphill walk from the harbour.
B&B
€
Agriturismo Nuraghe
Mannu
(
AGRITURISMO, CAMPGROUND
€
0784 9 32 64;
www.agriturismonuraghemannu.com
;
d €54-68, half-board per person €45-54, camping
2 people, car & tent €18-24; )
Off the SP26 Dorgali-Cala Gonone road, and immersed
in greenery, this cracking
agriturismo
has four simple rooms, plus a tree-shaded cam-
ground with space for five tents. The farmhouse restaurant rustles up a feast of home-pro-
duced cheese, pork, lamb and wine.
