Sardinia?

anyone ever been? Looking for recommendations on places to stay, points of interest. Me and my wife basically want to relax and get some routes in by the beach. Thanks!

Yep, it is fantastic! We went to Cala Gonone. It has lots of limestone sport climbing near and in town. There is also a large reserve south of town that has an amazing limestone spire just off the beach. It is best approached via a rental motorboat, which are ubiquitous there. The water is an amazing turquoise blue. the beaches are a bit narrow, and approached via shuttle boats that visit various coves up and down the  coast every hour or so. We went as part of a 2012 conference. Here is the link, with pictures, travel and lodging information ( cogs.indiana.edu/asic/2012/). The hotel was one of the best and most friendly I've ever stayed at. Each room is a little cottage, and the pool, bar and food are amazing. Book a 1/2 board, where breakfast and dinner is included. The hotel food is better than anything you will get in town. Italian hotels take food very seriously. You would never include food in a US hotel, but it is the way to go in most Italian destinations.

Cala Gonone fits your requirements---a pretty little resort town along the shore at the foot of the mountains and pretty much surrounded by rock. Lots of separate limestone crags around the town with a wide spread of grades available. The crags close to town are mostly single pitch sport, but several are up to 3 or so pitches. Higher above town in the Supramonte Mountains are longer routes. Nice beaches as well, of course. I can't recommend any particular place to stay but it is a tourist town so there are plenty of options. It is very hot from mid-spring through to mid-fall, but is often excellent in winter. There are plenty of other areas reachable as day trips from there as well. It is located roughly half-way down the east coast of the (fairly large) island with only one road in, so not really close to any of the airports and I'm not sure how well-served it is by public transportation, so I'd very much recommend renting a car at the airport. Definitely worth visiting.

The island is big and there is much rock. Agree with above poster, Cala Gonone would be the easiest place for the touring climber. The beaches are amazing. Cala Fuili is adjacent to town, with a nice beach and crags on the water, also if you are looking for harder/longer routes, a short walk up the canyon inland will take you to numerous stacked crags (my favorite was pederiva). Cala Luna is close also, probably best to take the boat as it is a bit of a hump to hike in there. Lots of routes right on the sandy beach (watch out for bad bolts). Best restaurants we found was the hotel restaurant san francisco and la poltrona. Fly into Cag. or Olbia and rent a car is the best way to get around. Oviglia's Pietra di Luna is a good guidebook that covers sport climbing over the whole island.

There has also been some new route development - mostly moderates - at Pedra Longa, which is on the coast not far from Cala Gonone. It's a beautiful spot and worth checking out. There should be a new guidebook for the Baunei area out soon if it hasn't already been published.

Sardinia is amazing - hope you make it there and have a great trip. And of course there is always a bar in just the right spot to enjoy a drink overlooking the ocean. 

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses!

Isili if you expect rain.

Also Capo Testa by Santa Theresa looks absolutely stunning in the book if you're thinking about trad. Unfortunately, it's sharp and uninspiring with few cheap accommodations (<70€) as of April 2018. 

Check out Ulassai up in the mountains. There has been a ton of development there over the past few years, and there is a thriving community of climbers. The nannai climbing home (https://www.climbingulassai.com/) does dorm-style housing or provides private rooms. Super nice people. Ulassai is within day trip distance of Cala Gonone, and about 30 other sub-areas ;p

I second Oviglia's Pietra di Luna guidebook. A good variety of areas with decent descriptions. This one book should cover a Sardinia-wide climbing trip. 

Amazing place... the bolted multipitch is wonderful. Check out Marino di foresta on pedra longa.

I'm heading to Italy in May to visit a friend. Am planning an extended vacation after to relax and do some climbing and mostly eat yummy italian food ;-)
Do you think it would be too hot to climb there mid may?

Thanks

Josephine, It will be a good season to climb. The sunny routes could be just a wee bit on the hot side, but if you seek out shady crags/routes or the weather is a bit cooler, conditions will be good, plus it should be warm enough to enjoy the amazing beaches.

In Cala Gonone, my favorite plan on my last trip (mid-end of may) was to crag at Arcadio in the morning, then as soon as the sun came around hit the beach and bars, seemed like a good pace...

Howdy!  

We are looking to head there for the first week of October. Are there any must-have guidebooks? We are interested in 50% single pitch and 50% multi pitch. We were thinking of getting two different places to stay, perhaps half in the east and half somewhere else, any recommendations?

We stayed here and it was very handy for access to crags and information.
https://www.lemonhouse.eu/

There has been a change of ownership, but they still do the same helpful service. 

Anyone have any specific favorite routes on the island they think is worth prioritizing? Here now out of Cala gonone but the whole island is still closed so I can’t buy a guidebook to browse so we’re kind of just winging it 

Tanner James wrote:

Anyone have any specific favorite routes on the island they think is worth prioritizing? Here now out of Cala gonone but the whole island is still closed so I can’t buy a guidebook to browse so we’re kind of just winging it 

Here is an online guide to the island. You will need to register to see the full topos but it is pretty comprehensive. Also, Cala Gonone will be quiet because it is a seasonal tourist town but many other places on the island will be alive and hopping right now as they are year-round communities.  

https://climbingitaly.com/sardinia/

Going to be hard to find your way around to a lot of the crags, let alone the routes, without a guidebook, so good luck. Hopefully you can find other climbers who will let you browse theirs. I recently obtained one titled Eastern Sardinia Crags by Richard Felderer, which is excellent and covers many areas, so see if you can get a hold of a copy.

If you like slabs and goutte d'eau ( tear drop) face climbing, obvious just a short way above town--Cala Gonone-- ( above the go-kart track, if I remember correctly) is the massive slab of La Poltrona. Deutsch Wall, is a 6 pitch line up the center of the tallest section, with a couple of 5.11 pitches. There are numerous variations up that section, so it is sometimes hard to find the correct line, though all are of a relatively similar level of difficulty ( and the harder ones seem pretty obviously so). There are many shorter ( and plenty of easier) routes on the flanks.

If you are looking for steeper stuff, Bidiriscottai is an easy and beautiful walk along the shore from town ( to your left as you look out to sea). If you walk along the cobble shore you walk over boulders that are a mix of bright white limestone and black lava--quite a stunning contrast. Personally, I don't recall any routes there to be particular stand-outs ( though you may well disagree!!!), and some ( especially the easier ones) were very polished, but there are plenty of decent climbs across the grades.
A longer walk or, better, a short drive, in the other direction along the coast will get you to Cala Fuili, a pleasant small beach with a canyon heading inland. There are multiple crags close above the beach, and more ( mostly hard to very hard) ones up the canyon. Once again there are routes for everyone from very easy beginner slabs to major overhanging test pieces. There is even a moderate route put up by Lynn Hill. Without a guidebook, you'll just have to pick an appropriate-looking line of bolts and go for it!!!!

There are many more crags, mostly featuring short, fingery face-climbing covering the hillside above town, but you really do need a book to sort them out.

Of course, inland from Gonone you have the many crags and 'small big walls'  of the Supremonte Mountains, but, once again, having a guidebook seems mandatory to find your way around there.

If you are willing to drive a bit, about 1.5/2 hours south and inland, you will find the many excellent crags of the Jerzu/ Ulassai area. The predominant climbing style there is steep, fingery face climbing, mostly single pitch, in beautiful surroundings. It is high up, so could be chilly at this time of year, especially on shaded faces, but you should still be able to find sunny, warm routes. The localities have embraced climbing, and there are climbing-centric lodgings, etc, so you should be able to find someplace there to purchase a guidebook.

In the same direction, but closer to ( and along) the coast are numerous crags around the town of Baunei, including the famous pinnacle of Aig. Golorizite.

Sorry not to be able to provide much specific detail, but hopefully this will get you pointed in the right direction ( directions)!!!!

Amazing info thank you for the write up! We hit bidiriscottai today it was beautiful!

Glad the information was useful. I'm curious, at Bidiriscottai did you find someone with a guidebook, just picked out some likely-looking lines of bolts and winged it, or a combination?

This one was good, and on MP so you should be able to find it without a guidebook. Morning shade, afternoon sun.

https://www.mountainproject.com/route/126988421/akuna-matata

Anyone know where I’d be likely to find an English-language guidebook locally in Sardinia? Specific climbing shop somewhere?