Santa Teresa di Gallura is the stip of Sardinia nearest to Corsica, apart from the smaller isles. This strategic landing did not escape the Romans; moreover, it is situated at a little distance from Corsica, another colony of the Empire.
At the beginning, two ports were founded: Porto Longone and Tibula (whose real location is a matter of discussion still nowadays). The first one rose near the current inhabited center of Santa Teresa; the second one was on the southern part of Capo di Testa.
The Tower of Longosardo belongs to the Aragonese domination instead. It was built to avert the plague of pirates. Up to the Italian Unity and over, Gallura had been a land of adventurers, smugglers and bandits, even coming to subversion or to the historic Mutiny of Gallura. Moreover, the lack of urban settlements on the coast facilitated contraband. To face this all, the birth of Santa Teresa was promoted at the beginning of the nineteenth century, with a project planned by the Piedmontese officer Pietro Magnon and designed by the King himself. After the world war, Santa Teresa along with the Emerald Coast, Palau and La Maddalena became one of the Mediterranean elite tourist centers. A hundred years later, the project of the King Vittorio Emanuele became reality.
The original districts are all contained between the current Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and Piazza San Vittorio. The ancient name of the village still survives among the inhabitants of Santa Teresa and the surroundings: as a matter of fact, the town is familiarly called Lungoni. The current name of the town was imposed by the King, in honor of his wife Maria Teresa. In the Town Hall, in Villamarina square, it is possible to admire a copy of the original project of the town, designed by the King Vittorio Emanuele. The beautiful Rena Bianca beach lies to the north of the church of St. Vittorio and on the left of the Longosardo tower. The small rock on the left of the sandy shore is the isle of Santa Monica (or municca). The town reference point is currently Vittorio Emanuele square, where you can also find the promotion and information tourist office.
In St. Vittorio square there is the church with the same name (XIX century), where you can also visit the Museum of the Foundation, with the narration of the history of the sanctuary. The impressive Longosardo tower is open to the public as well: from its terrace you can perfectly see the pure white cliffs of Corsica. For long years the port has been used as a support for fishing boats only. Since 1925, however, the port of call opened courses to the Italian peninsula and Corsica. The Port came up right in the Longosardo roadstead; it is a modern structure with cafes, restaurants and commercial premises.
Coming out of San Vittorio square, along La Marmora road, the avenue Tibula is on the right. Following this avenue, there are several signs indicating a series of country paths. After a short slope, on the right there is a junction to the village of
Santa Reparata, where
La Colba beach lies. Turning into Orsa Maggiore road and then left again along Costellazioni road, you cannot miss the important settlement of the
nuraghi Lu Brandali. Getting back to the main road, you will penetrate into the peninsula of
Capo Testa. Crossing the narrow isthmus, you will find yourself between two beaches: on the left there is
Rena di Ponente beach or Taltana; on the right, within the
bay of Santa Reparata, the long Capicciolu beach stretches.
At the end of the road, a sign indicates the entrance to the lighthouse of Capo di Testa, where the admission is forbidden. The small inlet on the right is the marvellous
Cala Spinosa.
Leaving the car in the car park, you can walk backwards and find a hollow on the right between two granite rocks: there is a red-paint inscription indicating La
Valle della Luna. This gorge was once known as the Valley of Cala Grande, but in the decade between the ‘70s and the ‘80s it became one of the favourite destinations of the hippies of all Europe, who coined the new name. Getting out of Santa Reparata towards Sassari, you will find several signs indicating the localities of
Porto Quadro,
La Ficaccia and
Marazzino. This road also allows a panoramic route around the port and along the coast. Porto Quadro is a large suburb with a modest beach. A dirt road links the village to La Ficaccia, where it is still possible to appreciate some pens. This village is also the starting point to reach
Punta Falcone.
The road that leads to
La Marmorata beach lies to the east of La Ficaccia.
Going southward another little bit, there is the tourist settlement of Marazzino, from where a small road allows reaching the beach of
Cala Sambuco. On the road to Palau, there are the entrances to the villages of
Valle dell’Erica and
Conca Verde one after the other, built in the neighborhoods of charming beaches, such as
Licciola beach. A road on the right, exactly opposite to Conca Verde, leads to the wonderful Area di Caresi. Inside the valley you can admire some of the greatest natural granite sculptures in the territory of Santa Teresa.
Porto Pozzo lies on the same road - it is an old fishing village. Further on there is the beach of Porto Liscia, cut across by the river with the same name. Given the importance of the ecosystem present at the mouth of the river, the town of Santa Teresa created the Oasis of Permanent Protection of Coluccia.
Getting out of Santa Teresa towards Palau, you can find the Church of
Nostra Signora di Buon Cammino immediately on the right.
