Sardinia Day 5: Orosei, Cala Fuili, Su Gorropu

Orosei

After loading up on maps and leaflets in the Orosei tourist office, we headed towards the beach of Cala Fuili, supposedly one of the most beautiful beaches of Sardinia. It is situated about three kilometers south of the seaside village Cala Gonone and can be reached by car.

Upon arrival you’ll be treated on a breath-taking panoramic overview of the beach, a splash of green vegetation and crystal-blue water all around. By taking a flight of steps, you’ll can get down to the actual beach. I heard it can get very crowded in Summer, but we had the entire beach to ourselves. There isn’t a lot of shade, so if your plan is to stay here, better bring enough sunscreen.

Since pebble beaches are not that comfortable to lay on, we opted for a 5-kilometre hike to Cala Luna. There is a well-marked trail that starts at the back of the beach and goes through some kind of canyon. It started off as an easy hike, but soon the difficulty level rose. We had to climb over rocks with the use of ropes. Unfortunately, one negligent hiker had forgotten to throw the rope back down and we were facing a very high rock we could impossibly climb by ourselves, so we were forced to head back.

Su Gorropu

We returned to the car and drove on. About half an hour later we arrived at the beginning of the hiking trail to the spectacular Su Gorropu canyon. From the carpark, it was about two hours downhill to reach the canyon which remains very well-hidden until the last steps.

Once at the river, littered with boulders and green pools, you can hike in the canyon for another kilometre. Well, hike… Let’s call it an endless climb over huge boulders where the challenge is not to trip and end up in the water.

One tip: look for green dots on the rocks, they indicate the easiest way to climb into the canyon, but be prepared as you’ll still have to use both hands and feet in order to work your way in. Don’t forget to look up every now and then to the 300-metre-high rock walls that surround you. But be careful not sprain your ankle while doing so, you’ll need it to climb all the way up the canyon again. (Do not underestimate this part!)

Camping with a view

We had become quite proficient at seeking out nice camping spots. This time, we found an isolated parking lot at a panoramic viewpoint that overlooked the coastline and the huge Pedra Longa. There was one little disadvantage to this perfect place. The winds here were so strong they almost blew our tent away. In order not to wake up down the cliff, we gathered big stones to hold the tent with – just to be sure…

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