Page 148 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sardinia

146  SARDINIA AREA B Y AREA

Environs “some crabs”. Formerly a part of
There are two interesting Olbia, the village of Golfo Aranci
prehistoric sites near Olbia: the became an independent town
Cabu Abbas nuraghic complex in 1979. Since 1882 increasing
(4 km, 2 miles to the northeast) numbers of ferries from the
and the Sa Testa holy well. mainland have used Golfo
To reach Cabu Abbas from Aranci as a stopping place.
the old port of Olbia, go along Corsica Sardinia Ferries (see
Corso Umberto and then Via p207) has a direct service from
d’Annunzio. Once past the here to Livorno.
railway you will see the country
church of Santa Maria Cabu
Abbas. From here a dirt path
winds up towards the top
The ruins at Cabu Abbas, a nuraghic site of the mountain, another
just outside Olbia 15 minutes on foot. The site
offers a great view of the island
1 Olbia of Tavolara. There is a central
well with a tower where
Road map D2. * 43,000. k
@ £ g n 0789 52 206. remains of sacrifices – burnt
_ 15–20 May: San Simplicio. bones and pieces of pottery –
∑ olbiaturismo.it were found in 1937. This large
megalithic zone extends for Luxury sailing craft moored at the Porto
Olbia is only 200 km (125 miles) about 200 m (656 ft). Rotondo Yacht Club
from the port of Civitavecchia To reach the Sa Testa holy
on the mainland of Italy, and well, take road SP82 to Golfo 3 Porto Rotondo
has always been the main arrival Aranci as far as the Pozzo Sacro Road map D1. n 0789 34 105.
point on the island, rather than hotel. This site consists of a wide
the capital Cagliari. The building paved courtyard, from which Porto Rotondo is not so
of the airport just outside Olbia, 17 covered steps lead down much a town as a large, well-
to serve the Costa Smeralda, to a well chamber. planned tourist village which
has con firmed this role. grew from nothing during the
Olbia is a modern city and Costa Smeralda boom. The
usually considered as a stop off 2 Golfo Aranci buildings, placed around the
on the way to the coast. Of Road map D1. * 2,100. £ g _ inevitable yacht marina, were
interest in the town are a 15 Aug: Assunta. ∑ golfoaranci.com designed to fit in as much as
Roman cistern in Piazza possible with the natural
Margherita, proof of ancient The name “Aranci” means surroundings. The result is
Roman occupation, and the oranges, but you will not see certainly pleasant, and Porto
Romanesque San Simplicio. orange groves here. Golfo Rotondo has been a great
This church was built from the Aranci owes its name to a mis- success as a tourist resort,
11th century onwards and taken interpretation of the local despite its perhaps slightly
enlarged in the 13th century. place-name di li ranci, meaning artificial air.

Mussel beds at sunset in the Bay of Olbia
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp178–9 and p189

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