Sardinia, known as ‘Sardinia’ in Sardinian and ‘Sardegna’ in Italian, is the second-largest Mediterranean island after Sicily. The shortest distance to the Italian mainland is 187 kilometres, whilst it is just eleven kilometres to the southern tip of Corsica. Around a quarter of Sardinia’s 1.65 million inhabitants live in the greater Cagliari area in the south. Sardinia’s highest peak is Punta La Marmora (1,834 m) in the Gennargentu massif. In the area we visited on the east coast – the region around the Golfo di Orosei – the peaks of the Supramonte rise to just under 1,500 metres. The areas we explored – the Baronia and Barbagia regions in the east, as well as the interior – have always been the land of shepherds and are extremely sparsely populated. As well as its scenic diversity – Sardinia is also known as the ‘little continent in the Mediterranean’ – the Mediterranean island attracts most tourists with its Caribbean-style beaches and idyllic bathing coves.
The route profile in the area around the Gulf of Orosei ranges from undulating in the coastal region, through hilly terrain with moderate climbs, to challenging climbs in the Supramonte Mountains and around Monte Albo. Only those in good shape will manage without a triple or compact chainring. At times, perfectly tarmac-surfaced roads alternate with bumpy tracks – complete with huge potholes. Overall, however, you can’t complain about the condition of Sardinian roads. Even on the major coastal roads, there’s hardly any traffic; inland, you can count the cars you come across in an hour on one hand. Sardinian drivers are generally considerate; only a few, mostly younger ones, seem to think that a safety distance of ten centimetres is sufficient when overtaking.
You can find these routes with GPS data below as downloads:
• Tour 1: Around the White Mountain (115 kilometres, 1,330 metres of elevation gain, max. 13 per cent gradient)
• Tour 2: Mare e Monti (128 kilometres, 1,300 metres of elevation gain, max. 16 per cent gradient)
• Tour 3: Into the bandits’ lair (150 kilometres, 2,340 metres of elevation gain, max. 9 per cent gradient)
• Tour 4: The Sardinian Dolomites (104 kilometres, 1,750 metres of elevation gain, max. 10 per cent gradient)
Downloads:
PDF: Italy: Sardinia
GPS data: Italy, Sardinia
