Gallura and Costa Smeralda · Provincia della Gallura Nord-Est Sardegna

Things to do in Monti

Monti, home of Vermentino di Gallura DOCG: Monte Olia forest, San Paolo eremita sanctuary, Logu nuraghe, wine tastings and the August festival.

Monti, Sardegna — © Gianni Careddu · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Monti is the home of Vermentino di Gallura wine, about 25 minutes' drive from Olbia, among vineyards, cork oak woods and wind-sculpted granite boulders. It's perfect if you love wine, woodland and views: from the Monte Olia forest to viewpoints over Tavolara, with the Gallura coast about half an hour away. Great for a day away from the beach or a slow holiday among wineries and nature.

What to see in Monti

Old town and San Gavino church

The centre keeps its granite houses and buildings. The 17th-century parish church of San Gavino stands out for its fine bell tower.

Sanctuary of San Paolo eremita

A country church in bare stone: consecrated as early as 1348, its current layout dates from the 17th century. It's the destination of the village's most heartfelt pilgrimage.

Castra castle and Logu nuraghe

Only a few ruins remain of Castra castle, linked to the Doria family. The Logu nuraghe (Bronze Age tower) rests on a huge granite outcrop. The area also has tafoni (rock hollows) used as prehistoric burials and the allée couverte (gallery grave) of Terra.

Sa Turrida viewpoint

A lookout over the Olbia valley, Tavolara island and towards Lake Coghinas.

Things to do in Monti

Start with a Vermentino tasting at one of the local wineries. Then head for nature: the Monte Olia forest, south of the village, is a haven of holm oak, strawberry tree and heather where deer, mouflon and birds of prey live, with the natural pools of S'Elighe and Su Labioleddu. The S'Ambiddalzu plateau, towards Alà dei Sardi, is perfect for hiking and biking among granite boulders. Discover the experiences offered by local operators below.

History

Inhabited in the nuragic age, in Roman times the area lay on the border between Olbia's territory and the lands of the Balari people. In the Middle Ages it belonged to the Giudicato (Sardinian kingdom) of Torres; after 1259 it passed to the Doria, then the Malaspina and Arborea, and finally to the Aragonese as a fief. It bought its freedom in 1839.

Food and local products

The star product is Vermentino di Gallura, Sardinia's only DOCG wine since 1996: a fragrant white, perfect with seafood. Try sa suppa, made with dried bread, cheese and mutton broth, handmade maccarrones de manu and tattalliu, spit-roasted offal. For dessert, baci d'angelo and sa niuledda. Local honey is excellent too.

Festivals and traditions

Sagra del Vermentino, in August, with tastings and music.
Pilgrimage of San Paolo eremita, mid-August, from the village to the sanctuary.

Nearby

Olbia, with its old town and San Simplicio basilica.
Telti and Monte Pinu.
Berchidda, another Vermentino town below Monte Limbara.
Loiri Porto San Paolo and the beaches facing Tavolara.
Alà dei Sardi, on the granite plateau.

Getting there and when to go

Olbia airport and port are about 25 minutes away; the village is on the SS 389 and has a station on the Cagliari–Golfo Aranci line. Spring to autumn is best; August is festival month, September is harvest time.