Su Gologone, turquoise water that comes out of a limestone crack.

Su Gologone is Sardinia's most important spring. It is in the countryside of Oliena, at the foot of Monte Uddè, where the Supramonte ends. The rain that falls on this limestone plateau seeps through cracks and chasms, runs underground and comes out again here, through a cleft in the rock, in a pool of green and turquoise water. It has been a natural monument since 1998.

What you see

From the car park, a flat, signposted path of about 250 metres takes you to the edge of the pool, at the foot of a grey wall. The water is so clear that it looks shallow, and it is not: in 2010, the diver Alberto Cavedon went down to 135 metres and the bottom is still unknown. The average flow is around 500 litres per second, and in floods, after heavy rain, it can exceed 10,000. The stream born here flows down to the Cedrino river.

Around it there is a eucalyptus wood with stone picnic tables, a kiosk-bar and a children's play area. Nearby is the little rural church of Nostra Signora della Pietà.

Kayaking on the stream

From April to September kayaks are hired in the park to paddle through the canyon and the lake formed by the stream, towards the Cedrino. It is a gentle trip, between rock walls and reeds, that families with children who swim enjoy. The park's website does not publish prices or hours: ask at the kiosk or call beforehand.

Entry and hours

Entry to the park is paid, according to the Ministry of Culture's listing, but neither the park nor Sardegna Turismo publishes the amount or the hours. It is run by a company from Oliena, Le Fonti. If you go out of season, call beforehand to check it is open.

Getting there

From Oliena, take the provincial road towards Dorgali for about 6 km and turn right at the signposted turning, which goes down to a large car park. From Olbia it is a little over an hour and a half by car; from Cagliari, about three hours (estimated). Very close is the Hotel Su Gologone, which has the same name and fills its pool with water from this spring, and its restaurant. The Lanaittu valley, from which the Tiscali path starts, begins next door.