It may seem incredible to those who imagine Sardinia as a tropical country, yet, even if much more rarely than elsewhere, the weather may not be mild.
And then those who have imagined a holiday always soaking in the crystalline waters of our sea will ask themselves a question that may not be able to answer: what to do in Olbia when the weather is bad.
Fortunately, our city, although not large, has numerous possibilities to spend your holidays in a pleasant way.
Here we illustrate some of them, divided by theme
Cultural Interest Sites
A walk downtown
Visit the cellars
Sites of cultural interest
Olbia and its surroundings have been inhabited since before 2000 BC .. Here the Nuragic civilization has expressed itself here in its most classical and monumental form, and Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and the medieval Giudicato of Gallura have left important testimonies.
Tomba dei giganti Su monte e S’abe
This important and evocative collective burial site was built between 2000 and 1600 BC. The large granite stele, 4 meters high, and the side benches typical of that shape were subsequently added to a primitive structure similar to that of an elongated Dolmen ” a bull’s head ”which is found in many other parts of Sardinia. Admission to the site is free.
Nuraghe di Riu Mulinu
The great nuraghe of Riu Mulinu, built around 1200 BC dominates the Gulf of Olbia. Surrounded by a walled courtyard of over 200 meters which in certain points still reaches 4 meters in height by 3 in thickness, this single tower nuraghe is 8 meters wide on the inside. From its top you can admire the whole area up to the island of Tavolara and beyond. Admission to the site is free.
Ruins of the Punic Walls
Olbia, founded by Greek colonists but immediately occupied by the Phoenicians and then by the Carthaginians, is one of the few cities in the Mediterranean that have, within the town, the remains of the walls built at that time (around 300 BC). They are located in the city center (via Torino) and it is easy to reach them on foot.
Roman aqueduct
Also in Olbia, as in many other cities of the Mediterranean, an aqueduct. The Olbiese one, starting from an underground conduit, leads from a source brings water from a source located more than 3 km from the city. A large settling tank, which can still be visited today, the bases of the pillars that supported the arches, and the ruins of the terminal part located in the center of the city give a good idea of the size of the work. It can be visited free of charge and is just a few minutes’ drive from ours Hotel Felix Olbia.
Basilica of San Simplicio
Built in the 11th century in local granite, it is superimposed on a previous early Christian, the Basilica di San Simplicio it is the oldest Christian temple in north-eastern Sardinia. In fact, below the basilica, passing through the underground parking below, the original walls of the building are visible. Dedicated to the patron saint of Olbia, this basilica is the center of the “manna festival” which is celebrated on May 15th. It is located a few hundred meters from the city center.
Archaeological Museum of Olbia
The Archaeological Museum of Olbia is a beautiful modern building overlooking the sea and is located in the immediate vicinity of the town hall. Divided into rooms arranged in chronological order, it contains various finds from the Phoenician, Punic, Roman and medieval periods. Of particular interest is the room that contains the wreck of a Roman ship, sunk during a Vandal raid in 450 AD.
Admission is free.
A walk downtown
If the day is not suitable for the sea Olbia offers the possibility of a pleasant walk in the city center.
This develops from the town hall, a well-kept Art Nouveau building from the early 1900s, towards Corso Umberto, a paved pedestrian avenue which in its initial part even has the original Roman road pavement. In the Corso there are numerous commercial activities of all kinds, local artisan shops but in particular the gastronomic offer is developed.
In fact, the impetuous growth of the city in recent decades and the presence of an increasingly international tourism is reflected in the gastronomic offer. It will be possible to see traditional restaurants working side by side, offering seafood cuisine to ethnic cuisine venues, pizzerias and cocktail bars, artisanal ice cream parlors and US-style bakeries.
In addition, in the summer season, a lively market with stalls offers an additional opportunity to spend free time browsing among lamps, handicrafts, clothing and much more.
The narrow side streets of the Corso are also interesting, and offer not only original glimpses to photograph but also an assortment of restaurants and bars for after dinner.
Visit to the cellars of Olbia
The area immediately adjacent to Olbia also offers the opportunity to visit numerous wineries. The hilly territory that is the hinterland has seen the birth of numerous wineries that offer the possibility of guided tours
Here you will find a short list, not completely exhaustive and in strict alphabetical order of the wineries that you can find within a radius of 15 km from the city center and a few minutes drive from our Hotel Felix Olbia.
Definitely a good solution to spend the day when in Olbia when there is bad weather.
Cantina Mancini
Piero Mancini’s Cantina delle Vigne has been producing wines such as Vermentino di Gallura DOCG since 1989, using grapes from its own vineyards, located in the Gallura area in Sardinia.
Website
Cantina Murales
La cantina Murales produce nella sua azienda bianchi, rossi e rosati. Inoltre spumanti metodo classico e un vino bianco dolce da uve stramature.
Sito web
Cantina Mura
The company was founded in 1975 in the Azzanidò valley, along the “Sa Castanza” river. It produces vermentino (a company registered with the Consortium for the Protection of Vermentino di Gallura D.O.C.G.), cannonau and Sardinian bovale.
Website
Tenute Olbios
Olbios means happy, prosperous, rich land. the name that the ancient Greeks gave to our land. The winery produces Vermentino, an IGT red and a classic method sparkling wine.
Website
Vigneti Zanatta
It is a young company founded in 2003 from the union of two lands suited, by nature and tradition, to the production of wine: Sardinia and Veneto. It produces cannonau reds and DOCG vermentino wines.
Website
Vini La Contralta
It is a new reality that wants to use all that Nature in Sardinia has to offer. It produces Rossi (Cannonau and Carignano IGT) and Vermentino.
Website
As we have seen, Olbia is not only dozens of wonderful beaches, but also offers the opportunity to spend pleasant moments of leisure and cultural enrichment.
In short, if you don’t know what to do when the weather is bad in Olbia and you have read this article, we are sure to have given you some ideas.
