Santa Teresa Gallura is a town at the northernmost tip of Sardinia.
Understand
The official name of the commune is Santa Teresa Gallura, albeit it's also often called as Santa Teresa di Gallura (and Lungoni in Gallurese, Lungone in Sardinian).
It's a fairly popular tourist destination and there are several beaches in the town itself as well as great accessibility to important nearby destinations such as the Costa Smeralda, Castelsardo.
The town is also a transition point for a relatively inexpensive car ferry from Bonifacio, Corsica.
Tourist information
- 1 Ufficio Turismo e Spettacolo, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele I, 24, ☏ +39 0789 754127, turismo@comunesantateresagallura.it. M-W 09:00-13:00, 16:00-18:00; Th F 09:00-13:00, 16:00-18:30; M-W 10:00-13:00, 16:00-18:00.
- 2 Seasonal information point (Stazione Marittima – Porto Commerciale), ☏ +39 0789 755113.
Also one may check with the Infopoint at Lu Brandali (see below).
Get in
By boat
Frequent ferries by Moby Lines and Blu Navy link the town with Bonifacio in Corsica.
- 3 Stazione Marittima (Ferry terminal). This ferry costs approximately €25 and leaves every 2 hours starting around 8AM.
By plane
The closest airports are in Olbia (Aeroporto Costa Smeralda) and Alghero (Alghero Riviera del Corallo).
- Bus connection with the Olbia airport. departures in summer from Santa Teresa: 6:00, 8:30, 12:30, 14:00, 17:00, 19:00; from Olbia airport: 10:40, 12:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:15, and 21:45. Turmo Travel provides a direct bus connection with the Olbia airport (90 min.). €4.30, tickets are sold on board.
By bus
Buses from Olbia (and airport), locations along Costa Smeralda, Sassari, Alghero and Cagliari.
- 4 Regional bus hub, Piazza Bruno Modesto. For schedules follow the link to the "Orario trasporti" at the bottom page of the Santa Teresa Gallura tourist portal [dead link]. According to this information tickets for ARST buses can be bought nearby at "Lu Vindiolu", tickets for other lines can be bought on board.
Get around
By bus
Sardabus provides a few bus services to the nearby settlements. In summer, there is a frequent connection to the Capo Testa peninsular.
By taxi
- 5 Taxi rank, Piazza San Vittorio 14, ☏ +39 0789 754376.
By car or motorcycle
The car and motorcycle rental street is Via Maria Teresa/Via Nazionale, with 4 rental offices, none of them international brands, between numbers 29 and 58. Motorcycle rentals start around €20. The emptier beaches and most nearby archeological sites are only accessible practically by private transport.
See
- 1 Lu Brandali, ☏ +39 3423731281. Apr-Sep 09:30-18:30; Nov-Feb 09:30-11:30; Mar 09:30-12:00. An archaeological site with remains of a prehistoric village and nuraghe (megalithic tomb). €2.
- 2 Torre di Longonsardo. Apr-Sep 10:00-13:00, 16:00-20:00; Oct 10:00-13:00, 16:00-18:00. 16th-century defensive tower. Admission free.
Do
The town is very walkable, and the primary beach, La Spiaggia di Rena Bianca, is next to the center.
Eat good food, relax at the beach, and find la dolce vita.
Buy
The supermarket on Via Nazionale has normal prices, whereas most other places in town are high.
Eat
Most places are pricey compared with other Western European cities, but a few budget options are as follow:
La Lucciola at Via Maria Teresa 42 serves a large variety of pizza and pastry options: +39 338 125 7602
The restaurant downstairs in Albergo Scano offers a fixed price dinner that generally runs below €15 per person, including the house wine.
Drink
It is a quiet town, but there is some nightlife and live music to be had. Ask at the tourist information center for their advice on the best spots.
Sleep
Hotel Sandalion regularly offers the best budget option in town, and it is close to the main piazza: +39 0789 754541
Another budget option is Albergo Scano also near the main piazza: +39 0789 754447
Nearby Capo Testa and Palau generally have the best options that can be booked online with major hotel chains.
Go next
Some great day trip destinations include:
- Bonifacio in Corsica
- Tempio Pausania -- an old town, famous for its granite architecture, a former mountainous co-capital of the Gallura subregion
- Castelsardo -- a nice town at the coast of the Asinara Gulf built around an old castle
- The town of Maddalena at the Maddalena archipelago
The Costa Smeralda begins around 30 km from Santa Teresa.