Ogliastra

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The region of Ogliastra is one of Sardinia’s wildest areas, still undiscovered from mass tourism, despite an enviable heritage of villages, untouched nature and some of the most beautiful beaches on the island. In Ogliastra you will find rocky bays and long sandy expanses, just close behind green woods and small villages with a timeless atmosphere. Despite this richness, Ogliastra has been kept out from tourist circuits. No luxurious hotels for famous people, no posh villas on the sea.

Here everything is beautiful: emerald waters, nice houses to let, good quality hotels. The region of Ogliastra stretches out between the land and the sea, up to the slopes of mount Gennargentu, the mountain territory of Supramonte and the mouth of river Flumendosa. Here beautiful beaches alternate with excursions in the vegetation, and all places are within easy distance. This charming variety of landscapes is what makes Ogliastra so attracting, although the tortuous streets make it a hard place to reach, and hence comes its isolation compared to the rest of Sardinia. The construction of a high-speed road which leads to Cagliari has partly compensated this isolation, paving the way for a new development of the area, which has always been considered as an “island in the island”, a happy land with a fantastic wine(Cannonau), good cheese and a dream sea.

The beaches of Ogliastra
The coast in the region of Ogliastra presents an alternation of long beaches with fine sand and dizzy sheer descents, spectacular bays and endless beaches. The area is able to suit everybody’s preferences. From north, in proximity of the Gulf of Orosei, numerous coves depart, along with rocky gulfs, small fjords hiding caves and tiny beaches. The cave Grotta del Bue Marino is the most famous of these caves, lying south of Cala Gonone. Other amazing caves are: Cala Luna, Cala Sisine, Cala Biriola, Cala Mariolu and the gorgeous Cala Goloritzè, with enchanting water colors. After passing Capo Monte Santo you will reach the beach of Pedralonga, with its calcareous pinnacles and the Saracen tower. Finally you get to the village of Santa Maria Navarrese, with the big, cliff known as the Island of Ogliastra, standing right in front.

La spiaggia di santa Maria Navarrese

Leaving the port city of Arbatax, the villages of Punta Frailis, San Gemiliano and Orrì offer small beaches set amidst sand and red rocks. Proceeding south you will get to the unconfined beaches of Cea and Marina di Bari Sardo, separated through the Saracen tower. Both beaches offer lots of space all year round, and even in August the number of visitors is never in excess.

The sandy strip continues toward Museddu and Perda Pera, until Marina di Gairo, Su Sirboni and Coccorocci. The southern border of the region is represented by Foxi Manna.

Gastronomic specialties
From the territory of Ogliastra take origins two of the most famous products of Sardinia: the Cannonau wine, red and flavored, and the culurgiones, a quality of pasta very substantial. But in Ogliastra also white wines, rosé and distilled products are produced, for instance the liquor made from mirth, strawberry tree and other wild berries.

Very typical and appreciated is ham, ( Urzolei, Villagrande and Talana quality). Sausages include bacon, shoulder and capocollo, all of them accompanied with a quality of bread called pistoccu, similar to the most famous carasau. As for fish, shrimps and crustaceans are the most common ones, as well as gilt-breams, seabass, mussels and clams, cuttlefish and shrimps, but also eels, which are fished in the waters near Tortoli, and the precious botargo.
Not to forget are also the delicious cheeses, especially those made from sheep and goat, with various flavors and ageing. You can find them in Cardedu and Tertenia.

As for pasta, beside the culurgiones, fregala is also worthy of mention, which is a sort of couscous seasoned with fish. Also, maccaronis de busa, a quality of homemade pasta prepared with a knitting needle, and seasoned with sheep ragù.

Olive oil is few but very good; the same goes for honey (derived from the wild flowers of orange tree, eucalyptus, rush and strawberry tree)

Where to eat
Here are a few tips on where to taste the exquisite delicacies of Ogliastra

Cooperativa Pescatori Tortoli - Ittiturismo La Peschiera
Loc. Peschiera San Giovanni, Riva di Ponente, Spiaggia Cartiera, Tortoli-Arbatax (OG).
Tel: 0782.664415
The restaurant, managed by the fishermen corporation in Tortolì, is staged under three big tents, amidst a mosaic of basins and canals. The menu is very rich: made with fish, hors- d’oeuvre made with fish, mussels, clams, grilled gilt-bream and bass, mixed fried fish and shrimps. All this is accompanied with vegetables, fruit, wine, dessert, coffee and mirth. The average price is 28 Euro. Absolutely to try. Reservation is always recommended, and becomes compulsory during high season.

Ittiturismo

Restaurant- il Bosco
Loc. Parco Santa Barbara, Villagrande Strisaili (OG), tel: 0782.32505
The restaurant is situated at 900 m above the sea level, amidst a beautiful wood near the village of Santa Barbara, on the slopes of mount Gennargentu, and offers the best of homemade cuisine. Sausages abound on the table: raw ham, sausage, bacon. As main course you can choose between Culurgiones or tagliatelle with mushrooms. Not to miss is the porceddu (little roasted pork), and sheep or goat roasts, accompanied with cheese and honey. The restaurant exclusively serves cannonau and vermentino, which are the local wines of the region.
Average price: 35-40 Euro.

Where to buy
Cannonau
The wine cellar Antichi Poderi di Jerzu is the paradise of Cannonau, in the heart of the region which produces the precious red wine. A bottle of Cannonau Josto Miglior (the top product of the wine farm) has a cost of 14 Euro. The wine farm also produces white wines, like the vermentino.
Antichi Poderi di Jerzu, Via Umberto I, Jerzu, tel. 0782.70028

Cheese
The corporation of Sant’Antonio, in the village of San Pietro, Tertenia ( tel. 0782.93390) is the best producer of cheese. You can find here ricotta cheese and all products deriving from sheep and goats.