Excursions and Points of Interest

The International Camping Valledoria, located near Castelsardo, between Stintino and Santa Teresa di Gallura, advises its guests about the following excursions: “SAN PIETRO BEACH”, “THE COGHINAS RIVER”, “TERME DI CASTELDORIA”, “MONTE USSONI AND BAIA OSTINA”, “THE ELEPHANT ROCK”, “CASTELSARDO”, “BADESI”, ” ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM “,” CALA TINNARI “,” COSTA PARADISO “,” AGGIUS “,” NURAGHE MAJORI “and” TEMPIO PAUSANIA “.

The beach of San Pietro

The beach of San Pietro is one of the beaches of the municipality of Valledoria that are located along the northern coast of Sardinia and overlook the Gulf of Asinara, in the province of Sassari. It is characterized by an expanse of soft and light-colored sand. There are posidonias beached in small quantities: the classic marine balls. It is bounded by the the river Coghinas on the right of the beach. The sea has a medium-low backdrop with a color scheme comprising the different shades of emerald green and blue. Medium-frequented during the summer months. Behind the beach there are small dunes and the Mediterranean scrub. How to get there: from Valledoria, proceed on Provincial Road 90. At the roundabout, turn right and continue straight until you reach the rest area. Services: available on the beach, possibility to rent equipment, deck chairs, sunbeds, umbrellas. Several hotel facilities and restaurants available in the area. Dominated by the small country church of San Pietro Celestino on a small promontory, San Pietro a mare is the beach par excellence of Valledoria. White sand dunes and a very wide beach that is reflected for about a kilometer on the turquoise sea. Continuing to the west, the tongue of golden sand becomes narrower to Maragnani to become extinct near the first houses of La Ciaccia, where it gives way to a new scenic beauty, the cliff, which will accompany us up to Castelsardo.

The Coghinas river

The Coghinas is the most important river in northern Sardinia; with a length of 116 km it is the third river of the island after the Tirso and the Flumendosa, but it results in 2 ° for basin width after the Tirso and the 2nd after the Flumendosa for average water flow. The term Coghinas, which in Logudorese means “kitchens” derives from the presence of hot water sources that, at the height of Casteldoria, a village near Santa Maria Coghinas, gush out giving life to a thermal complex already known in Roman times. The presence of salt-bromine-iodic waters that flow at a temperature of 76 ° C has allowed the development of modern facilities that, together with the beauty and richness of the flora and fauna of the places and the presence of protected areas, increase the potential of tourist development in the area, located less than 10 km from the most beautiful beaches of the Gulf of Asinara. There is the possibility to take daily excursion along the river with a kayak.  The departure takes place near the thermal spring, where you can admire the steam games that the hot water causes on the surface of the river, and then continue between reeds and meditterranea scrub until the arrival in the lagoon a few steps from the sea. A challenging route where the camera is obligatory, you can immortalize White and grey herons , kingfishers, falcons, ducks, gabbelles and for those who are lucky the stork that has a nest about one kilometer before the bridge in the middle of the route. The experience can be carried out all year.

From Monte Ussoni to Baia Ostina

From Monte Ussoni to Baia Ostina is an itinerary that offers unique sceneries ranging from the mouth of the river Coghinas and its fertile valley to the uncontaminated coast between the end of the beaches of San Pietro and La Ciaccia and Baia Ostina close to Castelsardo. On the ss 134 proceeding from Castelsardo to Sedini-Valledoria you turn to Multeddu towards the forest yard on the left and proceed for several kilometers in the dense forest and among the vegetation consisting of the typical Mediterranean maquis with mastic bushes and holm oaks and other essences introduced with the work of forestation such as the domestic pine and the Aleppo pine. Arriving at the top of Monti Ussoni (348 m) you have a spectacular panoramic view of the entire Asinara Gulf. In the days without haze, you can enjoy the view from the coast of the Red Island, to Punta Canneddi and Tinnari (often you can also see the mountains of Corsica) to Porto Torres, Stintino and the whole island of Asinara. In the south-west there is Castelsardo and its promontory. Returning back you can choose to go and visit the beautiful oak forest of the Holy Spirit, which takes its name from the ruins of the church of the same name, or continue towards Baia Ostina.

The Elephant Rock

The Elephant Rock is a large trachytic and andesitic boulder, with a strong rust color, remarkably eroded by the atmospheric agents that have given it the singular aspect of a seated pachyderm. The rock, which has a height of about four meters, is located in the municipality of Castelsardo in the locality ‘Multeddu, at km 4.3 of the SS 134 that connects the aforementioned municipality to Sedini. Originally the boulder was part of the rocky complex of Mount Castellazzu from which it detached itself ‘rolling downstream. In addition to a certain tourism-landscape importance, the Elephant Rock also has a significant archaeological importance for the two domus de janas, dating back to the pre-nuraghic period, which are housed inside. The domus de janas, realized in two successive moments, are positioned on two different levels. The upper one, the first to be excavated, has only three rooms and lacks the covered pavilion that preceded it, probably collapsed together with the prospect of the tomb. The walls, flat and straight, have no sculptural motifs. The second hypogeum, which opens up below, on the contrary is very well preserved: it consists of four rooms and was originally preceded by a dromos, that is a short corridor, partly covered and open in the initial stretch. It is accessible via a narrow quadrangular door of 0.50 by 0.55 m. Of notable interest is the presence of a bovine protome, a decorative element common to several domus de janas, carved in relief on the wall of a cell. Its particular curvilinear style, which denotes a rather advanced artistic phase, allows the construction of the tomb to be traced back to the first half of the third millennium BC. This type of protome is stylistically similar to those found in the Tomba maggiore of the necropolis of S’Adde ‘and Asile di (Ossi), in the Tomba V of the necropolis of Montale’ (Sassari), in the tombs IV and VI of the Calancoi necropolis ( Sassari) and in the domus of the Orto del Beneficio Parrocchiale di Sennori.

Castelsardo

Castelsardo is a medieval village located in Northern Sardinia, in front of the Gulf of Asinara. It preserved practically intact thanks to its particular geographical position, a promontory close to the sea, which has preserved it from attacks and destruction over the centuries. Founded by the Genoese family of dorias with the name of Castelgenovese, it was then conquered by the Aragonese and renamed Castellaragonese. The current name Castelsardo dates back to the mid-18th century, when it replaced the Spanish one. Castelsardo today is a tourist-equipped town, with a marina and beautiful beaches and coves ideal for pleasant summer stays. During the year, rituals and traditions, such as the famous Lunissanti Festival, mark everyday life, characterized by the hard work of basket makers, fishermen and farmers. Castelsardo is part of the territory of Anglona in the province of Sassari, in a very particular position overlooking the sea and dominating the hilly inland landscape. There are glimpses of remarkable beauty that are characterized by the calcareous rocks that form plateaus and plateaus, dug by erosion phenomena that form valleys or cliffs. The prevailing vegetation is that typical of the Mediterranean maquis, which also developed in the hinterland and not only on the coasts, while the woods extend for no more than a few tens of hectares. In many of these slopes the watercourses, of which the main one is the Coghinas river, dig very deep valleys where the formation of medium-sized caves is not rare. In the areas of the hinterland there are flocks of sheep or grazing cows, which characterize the Sardinian landscape.

Badesi

A wide white beach stretches for kilometers, crossed by the Coghinas river, one of the most important river in Sardinia. The dunes, made of very fine sand, are covered with juniper trees and in the distance you can see the island of Asinara. Thanks to its exposure to the mistral wind, this shoreline is the ideal destination for sailing enthusiasts throughout the year. Furthermore, the coast of Badesi has been recently declared a site of community interest, due to the richness of its flora and the peculiarities of its fauna, particularly the resident and migratory birds that nest in the middle of the reeds on the banks of the Coghinas river and of the river islets . But also the rest of the territory of the municipality is attractive and above all very varied, with hills covered with dense vegetation and flat, sandy soils where lush vineyards grow, from which the prestigious and award-winning Vermentino di Gallura (DOCG) is obtained. In May, the Magrini Surfcasting Trophy takes place in Badesi, an international level fishing competition from the shore. The patronal feast of the Sacred Heart takes place on June 3-5. But it is in summer the perio whith most of the manifestations and festivals are held, gathered under the single billboard of the Summer Badesana. Noteworthy is the famous summer carnival of Badesi, with the parade of allegorical floats, held every year on the night of August 13th, and the Gastronomic Festival which takes place on August 8th, with the tasting of typical dishes and specialties from Gallura, in an appointment that attracts more and more tourists year after year.

Casteldoria SPA

The scientific term is salsobromoiodic waters, which means strongly mineralized waters of marine origin. For the locals, they have always been simply ‘li caldani’, hot water pools, which reach 70 ° C and blend with the water of the Coghinas river, which, not surprisingly, means ‘kitchens’. The waters of the Terme di Casteldoria have important healing capabilities.  From the heart of the earth, a gift for health The thermal waters of Casteldoria are born at 2,000-3,000 meters deep and, when they flow, have a temperature of 67-78 ° C, with a flow rate of 15-20 liters per second and have a Ph of 7.4. As they rise to the outside, they are enriched with mineral salts, which make them healing. The waters have in fact antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, decongestant properties; they also help stimulate the immune system and are relaxing. Treatments with these waters are recommended for those suffering from rheumatism, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, dermatitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis and gynecological problems. Treatments for everyone in the Casteldoria Thermal Baths Sludge is also excellent, consisting of clay, salsobromoiodic water and microorganisms and biomaterials. Arranged in special stainless steel tanks, the mud for about 6 months is kept in continuous contact with the thermal water flowing at a constant rate at a temperature of 60 ° C. A long and delicate process, which allows the mud to acquire the therapeutic properties. All therapies are carried out under strict medical supervision with a mandatory preliminary visit. Treatments such as inhalations and aerosols, mud-balneotherapy, balneotherapy are planned. In the Wellness Center Terme di Casteldoria, then, you can also count on regenerating treatments and advanced and personalized medical advice to improve the quality of your life: relaxing and healing massages; face and body treatments with mud and salsobromoiodic water Terme di Casteldoria, thermal sauna, thermal steam bath, thermal fusion showers and vibrating platform. The thermal pools of the Casteldoria Spa Those who want to enjoy the benefits of the thermal waters without undergoing treatments, can devote themselves to free swimming or learn to swim, thanks to the courses organized for adults and children, in the thermal pools of Casteldoria. On the right bank of the Coghinas, on a hill overlooking the sea, there are the semi-olympic swimming pool, sprayed at alternate hours with new thermal salt-bromine-iodine water at a temperature of 27 ° c, and the large pool with twelve hydro-massage jets sprayed at new hours with new thermal water salsobromoiodica at a temperature of 37 ° c for thermal treatments, physiotherapy, postural gymnastics and at the same time inhalation of salsobromoiodic vapors.

Cala Tinnari

Cala Tinnari is a splendid solitary and uncontaminated cove situated on the stretch of coast between the village of Costa Paradiso and Punta Li Canneddi near Isola Rossa. The beach, formed by small pebbles transported by the Riu Pirastru, meets at the end of a walk of about 30 minutes which descends along the slopes of Mount Tinnari (214 m). Cala Tinnari, immersed in the typical scents and colors of the Costa Paradiso, is the ideal destination for lovers of peace and tranquility.

Isola Rossa

Isola Rossa is located in the municipality of Trinità d’Agultu e Vignola, it is a famous seaside resort on the Costa Rossa, a coastal stretch of the Gallura between Santa Teresa and Badesi. This stretch is characterized by fine white sand beaches and crystal clear water, the center of Isola Rossa winds between the main road and the waterfront towards the tourist port. Just five minutes from Isola Rossa, lies the marvelous La Marinedda bay, the Blue Flag 2018 beach of the Red Coast, encircling the stretch of sea that from the promontory of Isola Rossa reaches Punta Li Canneddi. The whole beach is characterized by white sand and turquoise sea, equipped with umbrellas and sunbeds, kiosks and water sports, first of all surfing.

Other Excursions and Points of Interest

For all the excursions, trips and activities to be carried out in the area, we wait for you every day in the Reception to give you advertising material and give you all the information you need to fully enjoy your holiday.