Santa Teresa Gallura & Palau

Santa Teresa Gallura sits at the northern tip of Sardinia, just 12 kilometers from Corsica — on clear days, the neighboring island seems within reach. The lively coastal town has a pretty central square (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele), a pedestrian zone with boutiques and ice cream parlors, and the spectacular city beach Rena Bianca directly below the center: fine white sand, turquoise water, and views of Corsica — one of the best city beaches in Europe.

East of Santa Teresa lies Capo Testa — a peninsula that looks like a sculpture landscape: huge granite blocks, shaped by wind and sea into surreal forms, form the backdrop for hidden coves like Cala Spinosa and the Valle della Luna (Moon Valley), where a small hippie community has lived since the 1960s. The hike over the rocks of Capo Testa at sunset, with views of Corsica and the Bocche di Bonifacio, is one of the unforgettable moments of a Sardinia trip.

Palau, 25 kilometers east, is the ferry terminal town to the La Maddalena Archipelago and a pleasant coastal town with a good selection of fish restaurants. The landmark is the Bear Rock (Roccia dell'Orso) — a granite rock shaped by the weather on a hill that actually looks like a bear. The short climb (20 minutes) rewards with a 360-degree panorama over the archipelago, the coast, and the mountains of Gallura. Near Palau is also the beautiful beach Porto Pollo — one of the best kite and windsurfing spots in Sardinia thanks to the constant Mistral wind.