On leaving the ferry at Santa Teresa, at 9p.m. and pitch dark, we took the north coast road for 16 miles along the Maddalena Archipelago to Palau, having decided that the ACSI Capo d’Orso site would be the nearest. It is a huge site, 13 hectares, with very sloping pitches. The manager drove us around in a golf cart, to show us the available pitches by torchlight and their varying prices, according to site location and services. We picked one near to the services which looked, compared to all the others offered, reasonably level. However, half an hour later, having used all our jacks, ramps, corner steadies and all of the large rocks that were lying around, we had to settle for being parked overnight at a very sloping angle; by this time it was 11pm, otherwise we would not have stayed, we were grateful, at least, that we had an electric hook-up because the fridge would not have functioned on gas on that slope. One night there was enough for us and we were off next morning, 40 miles down the east coast road through Olbia to ACSI’S Porto San Paulo site Tavolara (n40.51’33” e9.38’34”), which is just a 500m walk from the dominant Tavolara rock.
The shade was sooo welcome at Tavolara!
Just perfect!
The Rock, Tavolara’s not Gibraltar’s on this trip!
We spent a relaxing couple of days there, enjoying the beach walks.
Wild camping is as thin on the ground on Sardinia as it was on Corsica so our third stop was yet another ACSI one, spending 3 days at Tortoli/Arbatax on the Cigno Bianco site (n39.54’28” e9.40’45”).
We enjoyed our stay there, including the time we walked (only) a few metres too far along the beach when returning from a walk and finished up at Camping Village Orri, the site next door; the upside of that hiccup was finding Peter and Kay, to whom we had bid goodbye on leaving Pietracorbara on Corsica, 3 weeks earlier!
At the end of our first week on the island we went in search of the free Camperstop at Solanas (n39.13333 e9.43254) in the Golfo di Cagliari. We arrived on a Sunday lunchtime so, needless to say, the large carpark and the overspill were full, so we rode around and found on-street car parking bays on the outskirts, where we were lucky enough to pull in, in the shade, until the early evening when we returned to the Camperstop and found several free spaces in the overspill, directly onto the beach.
relaxing with new friends
At the carpark entrance a notice says that it is for vehicles under 2500cc only, which would preclude many cars let alone campers, but it’s not enforced; we stayed for 3 days along with many others, some of whom also had a trailer in tow. The small, traditional town had a typical well-stocked alimentari, which supplied all we needed. We had no shade, but the slight sea breeze offset the hot sunshine throughout our stay. We also spent several hours chatting, drinks in hand of course, with our German “neighbours” Pia and Jorg, and I’m sure that between us we’d put the world to rights before we said our goodbyes on 13th June, as we made for Cagliari and they towards their Olbia ferry!
compact, but we bagged the last pitch!
We found the Cagliari Camperstop (n39.21024 e9.12772) and were shown to a pitch at €20 without hook-up; electricity was an unnecessary extra €5 as the sun was beating down on the solar panel! It follows the usual large town site, closely parked vehicles but adequate enough if one wants to be only a mile from town centre. The services were much needed after 3 days wild camping; toilets and (poor) showers were available too.
IKEA Towers!
Cagliari is steep to explore on foot, as we did, so look for the bus stop which is apparently quite close to the site! We didn’t make it into the centre, so do please tell us about it if you do; we walked for a while, encountered a very steep set of steps and promptly turned back, stopping off en route at a gelateria!
shade no problem on this Cagliari street!
We drove past the local IKEA on the way in and we think that they may also have built staff accommodation close to the Camperstop, as the photo shows!
With tanks emptied and water replenished we were all set for another couple of nights wild camping, which we happened to find along the road at the beach just south of Pula, at Sta Margherita (n38.96252 e8.97538). We pulled off the road before lunch and parked behind a solitary Italian ‘van, but we were joined by several others by the evening; there are 2 or 3 campsites across the road, but we were all happy to park gratuito!
Sun, sea and shade, all we need!
We did do a few short walks but, using my oft repeated phrase, we just had a relaxing time; the fact is that the weather had, for some time now, been too hot for us to want to do anything else. The heat, combined with our aversion to making much use of our bikes, means that this trip has given me little of interest to pass on, so apologies for boring you all this summer! When we next set off we’ll have a motorbike on board, which will allow us to zip around on the very narrow, often hilly and twisting, roads on which we do not risk driving our (now large) motorhome; we encounter plenty of steep gradients and hairpin bends (or snakes, as Pia calls them!) on the more major roads, so we don’t go in search of those that can be avoided. We’ve also skipped several Camperstops during the trip because of their inaccessibility in our ‘van, including Domus de Maria, close to here.
lovely view through…
..the Porto Botte dust bowl!
We used Park4Night to find our next stop, the salt flats area of Porto Botte in the Golfo di Palmas. We did stay overnight but don’t recommend it because, although it’s on a no through road, it’s a busy, noisy, non-asphalted dust bowl; our motorhome was covered with a rust coloured haze by the time we left!
As we’re heading north again by now we have the advantage of the hot sun being behind us when on the road! This day, being Sun 17th June, was Father’s Day so I wanted us to be parked up by around midday so that we could go in search of a very good restaurant. We had picked the Camperstop listed Stadio Tharros at Oristano, where we found the services to be in a disgusting state; we did use the dump so that we were ready to find a better place, maybe without any facilities. Like a few others we then parked up on the car park well away from the motorhome area’s dump.
Best lunch in town here at S’Istentu!
A lengthy walk into town in the hot sun followed, for which we were amply rewarded with a fabulous meal and service at ristorante S’Istentu, which we happened upon at Vico losto 9/11 a little side street quite close to the cathedral; Oristano is worth a visit just to eat there!
More space at Su Pallosu than Cagliari…
..and we could see for miles…
..and found a shady spot too!
..and miles…
After a slow walk back to the ‘van we carried on for another 20 or so miles to a wildcamping spot at Su Pallosu (n40.04259 e8.39678); it was a good recommendation from Peter and Kay and we stayed a couple of nights.
After a 2 night stay at an ACSI site in Cuglieri, which was obviously not noteworthy as we can neither remember it nor have any photos to remind us, we had a couple of days along the river at Bosa on the free Camperstop (n40.29472 e8.49922).
Unfortunately we were not able to visit the castle because the access was closed at the time, but it’s a lovely town which we explored on foot and by taking a ride on the tourist “train”.We were spoilt for choice with coffee stops ( including one seemingly visited by William Shakespeare!) and there’s also a restaurant on the river, right by the camperstop.
Beautiful Bosa…
..town…
..and piazza
Did you know Will Shakespeare was so well travelled?!
peaceful views…
..in another layby stopover
One more overnight stop was a large layby (n40.33328 e8.43445), parked high up with views for miles along the coast.
Then on to Algherro, where we made our last campsite stop on Sardinia at ACSI La Mariposa (n40.34’46 e8.18’45”),
Compact Camping, Algherro style!
where the pitches were cramped but adequate as is the norm on a city site of course. Make sure you ask for tokens for the showers if you are ACSI members, otherwise you’ll need to put coins in the slot!
Fabulous birthday meal, but…
..best behaviour required as…
..there’s a trebuchet close by!
We walked a few metres to the bus, which took us to the old town walls, inside which we found another great restaurant, with a sea view along the bastion, the Angedras at Via Cavour 31 where we celebrated my birthday. Peter and Kay had told us about another one close by, but it was closed, even on my birthday!
On Monday morning, 25th June, we drove the 25 miles up to Porto Torres and parked up for the day a short way out of town, in a carpark along the coast road, where a few other motorhomers were doing the same.
Lazy last day before…
..Sardinia Ferries…
…swallows us!
We were a bit disappointed that there was nowhere in town with space for us but, to be honest, it was just too hot to do any foot slogging anyway! We parked on the port about 6pm and found a restaurant a couple of streets away that was already open for evening service. We were booked for the 10pm sailing to Toulon with Corsica Sardinia Ferries and had an uneventful crossing in a very comfortable cabin. And so ended another island trip!
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