Bosa from the river, the tanneries, the old bridge and the Romanesque cathedral seen from the water.

The Temo is Sardinia's only navigable river: you can go up it for about five kilometres from the sea. For anyone arriving in Bosa, that means one thing: you can see the town from the water, among the fishing boats, with the tanneries on one side, the Corso on the other and the castle above it all. It is the quietest visit of the trip and the one that gives the best photographs.

The route

It is run by Bosa Diving Center, which has worked in Bosa since 1987 and has its base on a floating platform at the river mouth, at Bosa Marina. You board there and the boat enters the river. First you see the stretch at the mouth, with the harbour and the Bosa Marina tower behind, and then you reach the stretch that skirts the old tanneries of Sas Conzas, with a view of the town and the castle.

You pass under the Ponte Vecchio, the old bridge made entirely of red stone, and continue about a kilometre among vegetable gardens and fruit trees to the place where the Roman city stood, on whose remains San Pietro extramuros, Bosa's old Romanesque cathedral, rises. The company recommends doing it in the afternoon, when the heat drops and the light is prettier. It ends at the floating base or, if you ask, at the Bosa bridge, right in the centre.

By kayak

If you prefer to paddle, Bosa Diving hires kayaks and organises guided outings: about 5 km upriver, past the tanneries, the 18th-century palaces and Sa Costa, as far as San Pietro; or, in the other direction, towards the sea, to the volcanic coves of Cane Malu, Cala 'e Moros and Cala Rapina, where you can stop to swim. On the river the water is calm; for the sea, check the wind.

Price and booking

The company does not publish prices or hours on its website. Book by phone, on +39 335 818 9748, or on the form on its page, and ask the price, the exact duration and the departure time.