# Cerca de Olbia Olbia is the gateway to north-east Sardinia. To the north, the coast leads to the Palau quay and the La Maddalena boats; nearby are the coves and nuraghi of the Costa Smeralda, and further away, the Barbagia, Bosa, Alghero and Stintino. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/olbia/getaways ## Planes de un día - [Capichera, Vigne Surrau and Agriturismo Rena from Olbia](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/costa-smeralda/itineraries/capichera-nuraghi-and-vermentino.md) (39 min en coche): Forty minutes from Olbia, the side of the Costa Smeralda that is not beach: the 4-metre stele of Coddu 'Ecchju, a vermentino tasting and a farm lunch. - [Spiaggia del Principe, snorkelling and dinner at Lu Pisantinu](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/costa-smeralda/itineraries/beach-snorkel-and-dinner-with-a-view.md) (42 min en coche): A pink-granite beach first thing, snorkelling by boat towards the Monaci lighthouse in the afternoon, Porto Cervo at sundown and a Gallura dinner on a terrace by the sea. - [La Maddalena and Caprera by car from Olbia](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/la-maddalena-archipelago/itineraries/caprera-and-garibaldi-by-car-from-olbia.md) (45 min en coche): Car ferry to La Maddalena, a stroll around Cala Gavetta, Garibaldi's house and tomb on Caprera, seafood lunch at La Grotta and the afternoon on the panoramic road. - [La Maddalena by boat in a day from Olbia](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/la-maddalena-archipelago/itineraries/maddalena-islands-by-boat-from-olbia.md) (45 min en coche): Drive to Palau, a boat from 10:00 to 17:00 with swims at Cala Corsara, Santa Maria and the Budelli pools, Roccia dell'Orso at sunset and seafood dinner facing the islands. - [Mamoiada and Orgosolo by car from Olbia or Cagliari](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/barbagia/itineraries/masks-murals-and-cannonau.md) (1 h 47 en coche): The mamuthones museum in Mamoiada, the murals of Orgosolo, a Barbagia menu with wine at Il Portico and a three-wine tasting at the village winery. - [Tiscali and Su Gologone by car from Olbia or Cagliari](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/barbagia/itineraries/tiscali-and-su-gologone.md) (1 h 49 en coche): A guided climb to the Nuragic village of Tiscali from Oliena, suckling pig roasted at the Su Gologone restaurant and the afternoon at Sardinia's most important spring. - [Grotta di Nettuno by boat and Alghero in a day from Olbia](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/alghero-capo-caccia/itineraries/grotto-by-boat-and-bastions.md) (1 h 57 en coche): Drive from Olbia to Alghero, a boat around Capo Caccia to the Grotta di Nettuno, seafood lunch at Il Pavone and a stroll along the walls before heading back. - [A day under sail around Asinara](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/stintino-and-asinara/itineraries/asinara-by-sailing-boat.md) (2 h 7 en coche): A classic sailing boat from 9:30 to 17:30 via Cala d'Oliva, Cala del Bianco and Cala Reale with lunch on board, the Tonnara Museum on the way back and a Sardinian inland dinner at Depalmas. - [Bosa on foot and by boat on the river, from Cagliari or Olbia](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/bosa-planargia/itineraries/castle-tanneries-and-boat-on-the-temo.md) (2 h 7 en coche): A climb up Sa Costa to Malaspina castle, Bosa-style lunch by the Ponte Vecchio, the Sas Conzas tanneries and, late in the afternoon, the Temo by boat. - [A day at La Pelosa and Capo Falcone](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/stintino-and-asinara/itineraries/la-pelosa-and-capo-falcone.md) (2 h 7 en coche): A morning at La Pelosa with your reservation, seafood lunch at L'Ancora, the Tonnara Museum in the afternoon, the Capo Falcone tower at sunset and dinner on the promenade. - [Malvasia and the vulture coast, from Cagliari or Olbia](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/bosa-planargia/itineraries/malvasia-beach-and-coast-road.md) (2 h 7 en coche): A beach morning at Bosa Marina, a Malvasia tasting at Emidio Oggianu's vineyard, lunch beside the Temo and the afternoon on the coast road to the Torre Argentina and Capo Marargiu. - [Escala del Cabirol, Palmavera and Sella & Mosca from Olbia](https://www.geocalia.com/en/italy/sardinia/alghero-capo-caccia/itineraries/capo-caccia-stairs-and-palmavera.md) (2 h 27 en coche): You go down the 654 steps of Capo Caccia to the Grotta di Nettuno, see the Palmavera nuraghe, have lunch at Al Tuguri and stop at the Sella & Mosca winery on the way back. ## Only Barcelona flies direct to Olbia There is a direct flight to Olbia airport (OLB) from Barcelona; from the rest of Spain you arrive with a connection. It is the practical entrance to the north of the island: [Alghero](/en/italy/sardinia/alghero-capo-caccia) has its own airport, but no direct flight from Spain, so the north-west coast is also reached from here. Almost everything that leaves Olbia needs a hire car, which is picked up at the airport itself. Outside the fast roads the roads are narrow and winding, and the times on this page are approximate. Without a car, what works is sleeping in Palau and getting around by boat and on foot. ## Three-quarters of an hour to the Palau quay The shortest outing, and the one repeated most, heads north on the SS125, the coast road towards Santa Teresa. In about 45 minutes you reach Palau, facing the [La Maddalena archipelago](/en/italy/sardinia/la-maddalena-archipelago), and from that quay there are two ways to see the islands. The first is to leave the car in Palau and board an excursion boat that stops at La Maddalena and continues to Spargi, Cala Santa Maria and the natural pools of Budelli, with the Spiaggia Rosa seen from the deck: [the islands by boat from Olbia](/en/italy/sardinia/la-maddalena-archipelago/itineraries/maddalena-islands-by-boat-from-olbia). The second is to take the car across on the ferry, about twenty minutes, to tour the old town, cross the bridge to Caprera, see Garibaldi's house and tomb and end the afternoon on the panoramic road: [La Maddalena and Caprera by car](/en/italy/sardinia/la-maddalena-archipelago/itineraries/caprera-and-garibaldi-by-car-from-olbia). Each plan takes a whole day. To do both without returning to Olbia there is [two nights in the archipelago](/en/italy/sardinia/la-maddalena-archipelago/itineraries/two-nights-from-olbia-maddalena), one in Palau and one on La Maddalena. Before reaching Palau, about 40 minutes from Olbia, lies the [Costa Smeralda](/en/italy/sardinia/costa-smeralda), which has two faces. One is the sea: a pink-granite beach first thing, boat snorkelling from Poltu Quatu and Porto Cervo at sundown, in [a day by the sea from Olbia](/en/italy/sardinia/costa-smeralda/itineraries/beach-snorkel-and-dinner-with-a-view). The other is the Arzachena countryside, with the giants' tomb of Coddu 'Ecchju, the La Prisgiona nuraghe and a vermentino tasting: [the Capichera nuraghi](/en/italy/sardinia/costa-smeralda/itineraries/capichera-nuraghi-and-vermentino), about six hours that leave the afternoon free. The two combine in [two nights on the Costa Smeralda](/en/italy/sardinia/costa-smeralda/itineraries/two-nights-among-nuraghi-and-coves), one at a country estate and one above Porto Cervo harbour. ## Towards Nuoro or Sassari, about two hours away From an hour and three-quarters the island changes. Along the SS131 DCN towards Nuoro you enter the [Barbagia](/en/italy/sardinia/barbagia): the mamuthones museum in Mamoiada and the Orgosolo murals are a little under two hours away, in [masks, murals and Cannonau](/en/italy/sardinia/barbagia/itineraries/masks-murals-and-cannonau), and Oliena, from where you climb with a guide to the Nuragic village of Tiscali, is about the same distance: [Tiscali and Su Gologone](/en/italy/sardinia/barbagia/itineraries/tiscali-and-su-gologone). To the west, via Sassari, in about two hours you reach Alghero: the Grotta di Nettuno by boat and the bastions at sunset in [Alghero from Olbia](/en/italy/sardinia/alghero-capo-caccia/itineraries/grotto-by-boat-and-bastions), or on foot down the 654 steps of the Escala del Cabirol, about two and a half hours away, in [Capo Caccia on foot](/en/italy/sardinia/alghero-capo-caccia/itineraries/capo-caccia-stairs-and-palmavera). About two hours away are also [Stintino](/en/italy/sardinia/stintino-and-asinara), with [La Pelosa and Capo Falcone](/en/italy/sardinia/stintino-and-asinara/itineraries/la-pelosa-and-capo-falcone) and [Asinara by sailing boat](/en/italy/sardinia/stintino-and-asinara/itineraries/asinara-by-sailing-boat), and [Bosa](/en/italy/sardinia/bosa-planargia), with [the castle and the boat on the Temo](/en/italy/sardinia/bosa-planargia/itineraries/castle-tanneries-and-boat-on-the-temo) and [Malvasia and the coast road](/en/italy/sardinia/bosa-planargia/itineraries/malvasia-beach-and-coast-road). With four or five hours of driving in the day, at this distance it pays to sleep there. Each area has its getaway: [two nights in Alghero](/en/italy/sardinia/alghero-capo-caccia/itineraries/two-nights-between-cave-and-wine), [two nights in Stintino](/en/italy/sardinia/stintino-and-asinara/itineraries/two-nights-by-boat-and-beach), [two nights in Bosa](/en/italy/sardinia/bosa-planargia/itineraries/two-nights-river-and-coast) and [two nights in the Barbagia](/en/italy/sardinia/barbagia/itineraries/barbagia-two-nights-fonni-to-oliena), from the Gennargentu to Oliena. On the east coast, the [Gulf of Orosei](/en/italy/sardinia/gulf-of-orosei), with the boats to Cala Luna and the path to Cala Goloritzé, does not yet have a plan leaving from Olbia. ## With the mistral, the Arzachena countryside The sea plans run from May to October, and those for Stintino and Asinara, from June to September. In July and August Palau fills up early and the car ferries are full at peak hours: it is wise to leave Olbia around eight. If the mistral blows, the boat around the islands changes route or does not sail; that day the Arzachena countryside, which does not depend on the wind, fits better. From November to April the sea plans are out of season and what works is what is on land. The Capichera nuraghi and the Mamoiada and Orgosolo day are good for any month, and Tiscali from February to November. Spring and autumn are also the best months for the Barbagia, without the summer heat of the interior.