Olia Speciosa, which is located in southeast Sardinia, is approx. 50 km away from the island's capital,
Cagliari. The location is picturesque, surrounded by the
Sette Fratelli mountain range and it offers pure rest and recuperation. Here you can still experience the real Sardinia. Among the hills, with their imposing granite cliffs and the evergreen macchia bushes, lie isolated farms, where farmers produce their food in the traditional Sardinian way. Regional specialities, such as oranges and olive oil, cheese and freshly-caught fish from the nearby lagoons, are sold everywhere along the roadside and in small shops; and here you always get a friendly smile with it too.
Olia Speciosa itself is a small village with a nice church next to the town hall, which is decorated with Sardinian wall-painting, as well as a few typical shops and restaurants. The day's freshly caught fish can be bought in the local Pescheria and homemade ravioli and delicious pastries in the Pasticcheria, right at the entrance to the village. Everything radiates rural charm, which delights anyone looking for the real Sardinia, off the tourist trail.
The glorious
Costa Rei is approx. only 8 kilometres away from Olia Speciosa. This stretch of coast is renowned for its crystal clear water, golden sands and long beaches. It also has a lake system that forms a nature reserve for rare avian species. Costa Rei is bordered by the bays of
Sant Elmo to the south, and to the north by Capo Ferrato, a nature reserve where no construction is allowed. The beauty of Costa Rei’s captivating landscape is in every respect the equal of Costa Smeralda’s. Costa Rei’s long sandy beaches offer rest and relaxation of the highest order. For those who like their vacations more active, surfboards, scuba diving courses and rental motorboats are all readily available, while restaurants and shopping are only a stone’s throw away.
And even if you want to spend all your time at the beach, there’s plenty to do: kid’s pony rides at a riding school, excursions to nearby
Villasimius, Capo Ferrato and the Flumendosa river valley, or from Arbatax to Cala Gonone via motor boat. Away from the beach, there’s excellent shopping in Costa Rei’s many boutiques, in
Muravera or in Cagliari.
