Holidays in Arzachena

Il Country Resort & Restaurant Parco degli Ulivi is a 4-star superior hotel in Arzachena, just two kilometres from the centre of town, surrounded by olive groves, holm oaks and Mediterranean scrub. It is the ideal destination for those looking to relax, enjoy nature and good food. The hotel is perfectly positioned for visiting nearby beaches and towns, organizing hikes and walks, or exploring the numerous archaeological sites in the area.

Arzachena, what to do in Gallura: excursions, nature, granite rocks and beaches

Arzachena is the municipality which administers the Costa Smeralda. Surrounded by hills and granite rocks covered in Mediterranean scrub, Arzachena is easily reached from Olbia, just 25 kilometres away, and Palau, at 14 kilometres. The municipal territory covers an area of over 228 kilometres, and 88 kilometres of coastline. Its origins are ancient – it was known by the Romans as Turibulum, the name for an incense burner whose shape recalled that of a mushroom. And it’s the mushroom that is the symbol of Arzachena, after a huge mushroom-shaped rock in the old town.

Towns to see around Arzachena

Palau

Bear Rock, the symbol of Palau, is a massive granite formation sculpted by time and weather into the shape of a great crouching bear, which can be seen just 5 kilometres outside the town. The little town is nestled in an inlet with views across to La Maddalena Archipelago, to which it is connected by frequent ferry services. A few kilometres from the town is the charming resort of Porto Rafael, named after its founder, Count Rafael Neville de Berlanga.

Cannigione

This well-known holiday destination, originally a fishing village, attracts thousands of visitors to its marina. Cannigione, a district of Arzachena, is a few kilometres from Country Resort & Restaurant Parco degli Ulivi, on the west coast of the Gulf of Arzachena. Boat trips to La Maddalena Archipelago National Park depart from Cannigione. The Cannigione coast and its beaches are ideal for both families and young people who want to enjoy a holiday where they are free to choose a different little town along the Costa Smeralda every day. The gently sloping sea bed is highly popular with scuba divers and snorkelers, to the extent that it has become one of Sardinia’s diving centres par excellence.

Porto Cervo

Since its foundation, Porto Cervo, a district of Arzachena municipality in Sassari province, has been considered the jewel of the Costa Smeralda. Its port, one of the biggest and best-equipped in the Mediterranean, is the home of the famous Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, organizers of enthralling sailing regattas and races. Founded in the Sixties by H.H. Aga Khan, the little village is a favourite destination of the international jet set.

Culture and archaeology: what to see

Nuraghi near Arzachena

The history of this part of Gallura and the Arzachena area goes back thousands of years, and the town still preserves traces of its Nuragic Age past intact. Just outside Arzachena, a few minutes from our hotel, is an archaeological park with 8 main sites and various itineraries to follow – Nuraghe La Prisgiona, Coddu Ecchju Giants’ Tomb, Li Lolghi Giants’ Tomb and the Li Muri necropolis, are all sites not to be missed on a journey of discovery of the past.

What to buy in San Pantaleo

Quality shopping and souvenirs

Perched on a granite hill, halfway between Olbia and Arzachena, is San Pantaleo, a small village, an authentic Gallura gem with its cobbled streets, known for its shops and cafes and its Thursday market, where the main street is transformed into a bustling marketplace and each stall has something original or delicious to offer.

The land of Vermentino

What to drink in Gallura Gallura is home to the biggest wineries producing Vermentino, the white grape imported by the Spanish, which together with Cannonau has become a symbol of Sardinia. Wineries nestled in the Gallura countryside are open for tours and tastings, as well as learning about winemaking history and techniques. Such as Surrau Winery in Arzachena, Capichera Winery, long one of the best interpreters of Vermentino, or the winery in Monti, a small town between lower Gallura and Lugododo in the Costa Smeralda hinterland. A complete range of Gallura wines, as well as hundreds of Italian and international labels, are available in the cellar of our gourmet restaurant at Country Resort & Restaurant Parco degli Ulivi.