Olbia

Italy

Things to do in Olbia:

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Olbia Restaurants

Affordable (43)

Ristorante La Palma

For three decades, this home-style restaurant has been a popular place for dinner. Fresh fish dishes are always a winner, as are the sensational home-made desserts.�Sit inside or outside on the... read more
Fine dining (38)

Nino's Restaurant

Rich regional cooking and fine seafood. Lobster, saut�ed mussels and clams, and fresh fish with vernaccia wine sauce are among the house specialities. Nestled in the lush grounds of Hotel Stefania,... read more

Olbia Nightlife

Chilled (32)

Night Market

This road turns into a bustling street market from 7pm, where you can enjoy the traditional passeggiata (evening stroll), browse through trinkets and souvenirs and pick up something to eat and drink. read more
Clubbing (31)

La Tasca

Have a meal and then enjoy live music or breezy lounge tunes with Olbia's cool crowd at this caf�-cum-wine-and-cocktail bar in the city centre. read more

This Month in Olbia:

By Katy Gillett

Key areas: The surrounding areas of Olbia include Porto Rotondo, Porto Cervo and the Costa Smeralda, popular destinations for international jetsetters and yacht owners. Head to these places for high-class shopping, trendy restaurants and bars, as well as spectacular scenery.

Olbia News & Gossip

Aquatic Odyssey

BASEL

Take the plunge on a white-water rafting trip down the Rhine River from CHF 100 (�75) per person Taking to the water is the best way to see outstanding beauty spots and pretty Swiss villages bordering the Rhine Gorge - Switzerland's own Grand Canyon. Tel: +41(0)81 911 5250, www.swissraft.ch

Hotel For fabulous views of the Rhine, stay at Hotel Hecht from �97. Book at www.hotels.easyJet.com

Drink Head to trendy open-air lounge bar Chill am Rhy for cool drinks under the shade of the imposing M�nster Cathedral. Riverside, next to the cathedral

Culture When night falls, grab a beer and head to the Imfluss Festival to watch local bands play on a spectacular floating stage on the Rhine. From 27 July; 13 Rheingasse, www.imfluss.ch

AJACCIO (CORSICA)

Explore coves and brilliant azure-blue seas in a boat from �300 per day Look out for dolphins, then dive in for some snorkelling or moor up and sunbathe. Sun Boat, 46 Rue de Boniface, Porto Vecchio, www.sunboatlocation.com

Route We fly from Basel to Ajaccio on Saturdays and Sundays.

Hotel Stay at the central Napoleon, near the beautiful Gulf of Ajaccio, from �99. Book at www.hotels.easyJet.com

Beach Bask like a seal in the sun on fine white sand at Palombaggia. With beautiful pine trees and crystal-clear waters, it was voted by The Sunday Times as one of Europe's top-20 beaches. Porto Vecchio

Detox Relax and enjoy the views in a spring-fed Roman bath that boasts healing properties. Bains de Caldane, Sainte Lucie de Tallano, tel: +33 (0)4 9577 0034

OLBIA

Discover Sardinia's vibrant underwater world on a diving tour from �36 The island's marine reserves are home to shipwrecks, rare corals, and other wonders. Porto San Paolo Dive Center, 14A Via Pietro Nenni, www.portospaolodiving.it

Route Hire a car at www.easyJet.com and drive to Bonifacio, then take a high-speed Corsica Ferry to Santa Teresa in Sardinia. The journey takes an hour. www.corsica-ferries.fr

Hotel At Pozzo Sacro, every suite has breathtaking sea views, from �139.

Book at www.hotels.easyJet.com

Relax For a truly glam beach day, head to Fiat Playa for its Jacuzzi, bar, DJs and cocktails. Porto Rotondo, Punta Marana Dinner Enjoy specialities such as Catalan-style lobster on the beachfront terrace at Da Tonino, Tavolara Island. Ferries from Porto San Paolo; tel: +39 0789 58570

CAGLIARI

For a slice of paradise, relax with a sundowner at a wonderfully intimate Sardinian cove from �6 Paillote Beach Club has incredible views, plus a restaurant, bar and private beach. Viale Calamosca, Calafighera, www.lapaillote.it

Route Drive from Olbia to Cagliari. We fly from Cagliari to Basel on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Hotel Stay at Hotel Panorama overlooking the "Gulf of Angels", from �108. Book at www.hotels.easyJet.com

Dinner For traditional Sardinian pasta, seafood and meat dishes, including porcheddu (suckling pig) try Opera Prima. 9 Via Campidano, tel: +39 070 684 619

Party Sip cocktails with the hip crowd at rooftop bar Caff� degli Spiriti and enjoy spectacular views over Cagliari, then party in the nightclub. Bastione St Remy

Olbia Trivia

May: Olbia is in the Gallura region. The dialect spoken here is known as Gallurese, often considered a transitional language between Corsican and Sardinian.
April: Sardinia is only Italy's second largest island (after Sicily), yet its 1,900km of coastline accounts for a quarter of the entire Italian coast.
March: Italians may be known for being gregarious and outspoken, but not so in Olbia. Sardinians (and Sicilians, for that matter) are generally much more reserved and conservative than the Continentali (as they call their continent-dwelling cousins).