Sardina

I heard from my Italian friends, including some from Sardinia, that all of it is beautiful. But all the times I've been I've stayed in Gallura, which is the area in the very northernmost Side of Sardinia. I've stayed in or around Santa Teresa di Gallura, Porto pozzo, Capo Testa, Arzachena, Palau or other areas around there depending on where I rented a place that year. Wherever I stayed I used it as a base to visit the area, including the Maddalena archipelago. Sardinia is very big, and it takes along time to drive anywhere. For example the Olbia airport and Santa Teresa look very close on a map but it would take me well over an hour to cover that distance, even with no traffic. As a result, I never had a chance to venture outside of northern Sardinia.

Thanks for your reply. I had also read somewhere that Santa Teresa was a great town and have pretty much decided that's the area I want to stay in. Do u have any hotel or apt recommendations? I've been on trip advisor which is my favorite site to use for accommodations. Where have u stayed that u would go back to and where would u not stay? Thanks for your help
Angel

One year, over 10 years ago, I stayed at the Hotel Mirage, in Capo Testa, just outside S.Teresa. It was a very cheap low end resort with rooms in individuals buildings (I think there were a couple units per building). It was low season (early June) so it was not full. They had a nice pool area and shows at night for guests in a sort of outside theater. It was also walking distance from the Baia di Santa Reparata and also Cala Luna, a secluded beach surrounded by rocky formations similar to what you could see in New Mexico. It was a place where people bathed also in the nude (which is very common in all secluded beaches of Sardinia). Going to S. Teresa for the evening was just a 2 minutes' drive (a car is essential in Sardinia) and S. Teresa is very lively in the evening. Occasionally I would also go to Palau, a bigger town with lots of shops. One year I stayed also at Porto Pozzo (don't remember the hotel) a little farther away from S. Teresa. It was a very small village and within days they embrace you as a local villager. They have plenty of vacation apartments everywhere in Sardinia, so if you prefer an apartment, go for it. There are thousands and thousands available, and unless you go between Mid July through August, you won't have a hard time finding one. Whatever you do, take some of the boat excursions to the Maddalena archipelago. Do it soon because the area gets windy and when it's windy they cancel the trips. Also take a ferry across the Bocche di Bonifacio to Bonifacio, in Corsica. Corsica is also beautiful, albeit more expensive than Sardinia. Knowledge of English is limited outside the main tourist areas in both Sardinia or Corsica. My French is also very limited, fortunately the Corsican dialect is a variation of the Tuscan dialect, therefore I just spoke Tuscan to them.