Olbia

Olbia (Sardinian: Terranòa; Gallurese: Tarranòa) is the major city of the Gallura sub-region in northeastern Sardinia.

Olbia is the 4th largest settlement (by population) on the island. Since 2016 the whole Gallura sub-region including Olbia is a part of the province of Sassari.

The name Olbia is from the Greek happines. These days the city rarely attracts visitors who usually arrive there by a plane or a ferry port, and than rush out to the beauties of the coasts of the Gallura including the most expensive one -- Costa Smeralda.

Ufficio Informazioni turistiche, Via Dante/Corso Umberto I (at the corner with Molo Brin, +39 39 0789 52206. Apr-Sep 09:00-20:00; Oct-Mar M-F 09:00-13:00.

• Basilica di San Simplicio, Via San Simplicio. 07:30-13:00, 15:30-20:00. This austere Romanesque basilica minore was built in 11-12th centuries. It is considered as one of the most important monuments in the Gallura region.
• Chiesa di San Paolo, Via Cagliari. Built in the middle of the 18th century. It has a characteristic tiled polychrome dome added in 1939.
• Palazzo Colonna. A villa in a Liberty style was designed by architect Bruno Cipelli for Colonna family. It now hosts the Town Hall.
• Villa Clorinda, Via de Filippi. A Lyberty villa in pseudo-Gothic style by the same architect. It's a private property, which belongs to a religious college. Still reportedly visitors are able to pass the gates and see the building from outside.
• Teatro Michelucci. An open-air theatre designed by the famous Italian architect Giovanni Michelucci.

• Pozzo sacro di Sa Testa. The remains of a Nuragic temple built around a sacred well.
• Acquedotto romano. Some very modest traces of the Roman aqueduct and the cisterns.
• Cabu Abbas. Some remains of nuraghe.
• Castello di Pedres. Remains of the 13th-century castle.
• Tomba di giganti di Su Monte 'e S'Abe. One of the so-called tombs of giants, a Nuragic tomb on the South of Olbia. This one is considered to be one of the largest ones and better preserved in Sardinia.

Pozzo sacro di Sa Testa. The remains of a Nuragic temple built around a sacred well.

Acquedotto romano. Some very modest traces of the Roman aqueduct and the cisterns.

Cabu Abbas. Some remains of nuraghe.

Castello di Pedres. Remains of the 13th-century castle.

Tomba di giganti di Su Monte 'e S'Abe. One of the so-called tombs of giants, a Nuragic tomb on the South of Olbia. This one is considered to be one of the largest ones and better preserved in Sardinia.

Basilica di San Simplicio, Via San Simplicio. 07:30-13:00, 15:30-20:00. This austere Romanesque basilica minore was built in 11-12th centuries. It is considered as one of the most important monuments in the Gallura region.

Chiesa di San Paolo, Via Cagliari. Built in the middle of the 18th century. It has a characteristic tiled polychrome dome added in 1939.

Palazzo Colonna. A villa in a Liberty style was designed by architect Bruno Cipelli for Colonna family. It now hosts the Town Hall.

Villa Clorinda, Via de Filippi. A Lyberty villa in pseudo-Gothic style by the same architect. It's a private property, which belongs to a religious college. Still reportedly visitors are able to pass the gates and see the building from outside.

Teatro Michelucci. An open-air theatre designed by the famous Italian architect Giovanni Michelucci.

• Museo Archeologico, +39 0789 28290. Tu-Su 09:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00. Some remains of the sunken ancient ships are of a particular interrest there. Free admission.
• Parco "Fausto Noce". It's a nice and the largest urban park in Sardinia. Some say though that at times it looks rather deserted, so you may not feel quite safe yourself there then.

Museo Archeologico, +39 0789 28290. Tu-Su 09:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00. Some remains of the sunken ancient ships are of a particular interrest there. Free admission.

Parco "Fausto Noce". It's a nice and the largest urban park in Sardinia. Some say though that at times it looks rather deserted, so you may not feel quite safe yourself there then.

Olbia has the only mall and the only McDonalds for hundreds of miles – for many people there that is a good thing.

• Trattoria da Leo e Lina, Via Sarcidano, 7 Olbia, +39 3346667784. Great family-run restaurant with friendly service and typical Sardinian dishes. Cheap with plentiful helpings. €8-14.
• Zaza Doner Kebab, Piazza Regina Margherita. Turkish restaurant with many dishes such as Kebab, Falafel, Borek, desserts and vegan recipes.
• Sifen Wok, Chinese Self-Service Restaurant with prices remaining the same, no matter the quantity of the food eaten.

Trattoria da Leo e Lina, Via Sarcidano, 7 Olbia, +39 3346667784. Great family-run restaurant with friendly service and typical Sardinian dishes. Cheap with plentiful helpings. €8-14.

Zaza Doner Kebab, Piazza Regina Margherita. Turkish restaurant with many dishes such as Kebab, Falafel, Borek, desserts and vegan recipes.

Sifen Wok, Chinese Self-Service Restaurant with prices remaining the same, no matter the quantity of the food eaten.

You may encounter poor road conditions, with potholes and open grids. Also the skill of some drivers leaves something to be desired. For girls it's better not to walk alone late at night, just to avoid the possibility to meet drunk homeless (usually harmless though).

• Oschiri A village of 4000 people.
• Tempio Pausania -- a former mountainous co-capital of the Gallura subregion.