Cala Goloritzè, between dream and nature

Cala Goloritzè - On its central eastern side, the coast of Sardinia takes on an aspect that is the reflection of the mountain massifs behind it, rising sheer to the sea with rugged cliffs, often covered by thick and unexplored vegetation that further highlights its wild character. Between these steep cliffs, tiny coves of erosive origin make their way, as inaccessible as they are fascinating.

One of these is Cala Goloritzè, considered by many to be the most beautiful beach on the island, declared a UNESCO natural heritage site in 1995. Located on the southern side of the Gulf of Orosei, in the municipality of Baunei in the province of Ogliastra, north of the two capitals, Lanusei at 40 Km, and Tortolì at 25 Km, the bay was created in 1962 following a landslide which, crumbling the limestone rock of the cliff behind it, formed the beach. To reach it by land, it is necessary to park the vehicle in Su Porteddu, a series of open spaces set up as parking areas for campers, equipped with a refreshment point, and continue on foot for a 3.6 km long path that with an initial part in light uphill and the rest downhill goes into the Mediterranean scrub among wild myrtles, mastic trees, cysts, secular junipers and strawberry trees and alternating dirt sections with other steeper rocky ones for 470 meters in altitude, provides a full immersion of one hour of trekking in amidst sensational visual and olfactory sensations, leaving on the way some caves used as shelter by shepherds. The vegetation is very dense and, visitors aside, it keeps mass traffic away, protecting an ecosystem in which animal species, such as the queen's falcon and wild goats, can live in complete tranquility. Near the coast, a steep staircase of stone steps with wooden handrails leads to the small beach, no more than 90 meters long and an average of 10 meters wide, with white sand with pink hues, with very fine grains in some places, larger in others , which degrades into transparent water with shades ranging from ivory to gold to move on to turquoise and blue and cobalt blue further out. The rocky conformations that surround the cove seem to be suspended on the surface of the water and are reflected in it. On the left, the bay is closed by a high rocky wall covered in the upper part by scrub, while on the right, by a sheer cliff on which, after a slight bend, a point opens up inside which the action of the sea combined with that of the wind has dug an arch, symbol and guardian of the bay, which magically opens the view to the horizon behind. To complete this dream picture, not far from the thick vegetation rises the Aguglia di Goloritzè, a majestic pointed rocky phalanx 143 meters high. The beach can also be reached by sea with any pleasure boat or with a daily shuttle service that leaves from Santa Maria Navarrese or Arbatax. The limited turnout makes it an ideal environment for lovers of relaxation, which together with the shallow water particularly suitable for families with children, have transformed this corner of the Ogliastra Coast into one of the most famous and sought-after destinations of national and international tourism.