Santa Teresa Gallura in May Trip Report
Santa Teresa Gallura Trip report
It’s our second recent trip to Santa Teresa Gallura. Both times we stayed in a nice little apartment actually at Capo Testa of Santa Teresa Gallura. It’s an ideal position because 10 minutes walk to the west takes us to Capo Testa lighthouse for the sunset and to explore the amazing coves and rock formations of Capo Testa and ten minutes to the east takes us down to two beautiful beaches – Rena di ponente which is sheltered if the wind is from north/northeast and Zia Culumbu Spaiggia colonne sheltered if the wind is from south and west.
Santa Teresa is a small town which has developed due to summer tourism. It’s clean and tidy with a choice of supermarkets, bars and restaurants and its own beautiful beach Rena Bianca, which is so popular it requires booking from June until September. Our obsession for STG is for Capo Testa, more than ST itself, and the fact that it makes a good base for the easy hikes along the coast to the southwest, which are a riot of colours and flowers in the spring - April and May. The weekly market is on Thursday and there are some local producers of cheese and vegetables. The Despar supermarket in the centre also has a good choice of products made, or in the case of the meat, born, in Sardegna. But Santa Teresa doesn't have a pretty historical centre or a promenade. More on Santa Teresa itself here.
Day 1 Saturday
The car journey from Alghero to Santa Teresa Gallura on a beautiful Saturday morning in May was uneventful. It’s an easy drive, there was no traffic, we weren’t in a hurry anyway. On the way we also stopped at the Saturday market in Valledoria and bought some potatoes, spring onions and a whole box of broad beans for 5 euros which kept us happy all week.
Our second stop was at Isola Rossa for a picnic in the car on Sardinian Soppressa from the Superconcas supermarket in Isola Rossa (the same as last year) and focaccia from Conad in Alghero. We gott to our apartment at 2.30. After settling in, we went for a walk down to the beaches below and sat on the warm rocks near the Colonna Cala to enjoy the last of the sun. As usual, sunset from the lighthouse at Capo Testa concluded the day.
Day 2 Sunday We explored Capo Testa – the area below the lighthouse and Cala Francese in the morning and Valle della Luna in the afternoon
More details about exploring Capo Testa here
Day 3 Monday Rena Maiore – Cala Pischina hike in the afternoon
More details here
Day 4 Tuesday Costa Paradiso hike towards Li Cossi beach – full day
More details here
Day 5 Wednesday Sentiero Natura between Santa Teresa and Capo Testa
More details here
Day 6 Thursday
Thursday is market day in Santa Teresa Gallura and we get there too early at before nine o’clock. Santa Teresa is a couple of hours from Alghero and an hour from Olbia or Tempio Pausanio, so any stall-holders who are not local need a while just to get there. We are pleased to find the same lady who sold us the delicious sheep ricotta in Alghero. We also get 8 artichokes for 5 euros. There aren’t many food stalls, at least not in May. Not even the obligatory ‘roast chicken’ van and the only one selling fish is the local one who is always in that parking area in the morning. Many of the stalls sell very nice and not expensive linen clothes – casual-smart shirts for men, summer dresses, shirts, skirts for women. I’m tempted but I don’t get that many opportunities to wear the few summer clothes I’ve got already.
We have a vegetable and ricotta based lunch, including some of our stock of fave – broad beans which we bought in Valledoria on the way to Santa Teresa and have since got as far as the freezer.
In the afternoon we return to the Rena Ponente beach, I swim, again, we sunbathe and relax.
Day 7 Friday Naracu Nieddu and Vignola hike in the morning and Spiaggia delle Colonne
More details here
Day 8 Saturday Cala Pischina to Monti Russi hike in the morning and Rena di Ponente rocks because of the wind in the afternoon
More details here
Day 9 Sunday
It’s our last day at Capo Testa but it’s also a Sunday so we decide to have a quiet day. In the morning we go to Cala Francese.
It’s an easy walk but pleasant and less busy than other parts of the area. The first people arrive just as we are leaving at 11.30. In the afternoon I mostly pack up and clean and then we go to Zia Culumbu beach and just bask in the sun and relax.
Compared to the previous year there were a lot fewer people. This may have been because the German ‘Pentecost’ holidays were later, anyway, the difference was notable. The weather is pretty stable in that area at that time of year. About 21/22 degrees maximums about 17 degrees minimum. It’s always windy, not always in the same direction. Both years we had a half day of rain.
Parking was still free everywhere (charges start 1st June for the most popular beaches and Capo Testa area and 15/6 for the beaches further away)
Quiet places, at least out of season. Made special, for us, by Capo Testa.
Go to Bonifacio from Santa Teresa by ferry for the day
Go to La Maddalena from Palau by ferry for the day
Go for a day trip to Monte Limbara (hiking) and Tempio Pausania
Trip Report Sardinia 2025 coming soon
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