Porto Cervo
Porto Cervo, frazione di Arzachena, è il centro più famoso della Costa Smeralda. Nato negli anni ’60 per volontà del principe Karim Aga Khan, Porto Cervo possiede oggi uno dei più attrezzati porti turistici del Mediterraneo, con i suoi oltre 700 posti barca. Scegliere di trascorrere le vacanze a Porto Cervo significa scoprire le sue piazzette, i negozi, le boutique esclusive tra balconcini colorati, i locali notturni e i ristoranti che ne fanno la piccola capitale della Costa Smeralda.
The beaches of Porto Cervo
La Costa Smeralda è un lussuoso angolo di Sardegna, polo turistico sorto intorno ad alcune fra le più belle spiagge non solo d’Italia, ma di tutto il mondo. Un susseguirsi di bianche distese di sabbia e rocce frastagliate, affacciate sul mare cristallino e protette dalla rigogliosa macchia mediterranea alle loro spalle.Le spiagge elencate di seguito distano tutte pochi chilometri dall’Hotel Balocco e si possono raggiungere in auto, in un tempo variabile fra i 5 e i 15 minuti. Ecco alcune delle più belle spiagge di Porto Cervo e della Costa Smeralda:
Cala Granu
A soli 5 minuti dall’Hotel e situata nell’omonima località, Cala Granu è un’insenatura di sabbia bianca e morbida, con mare brillante e trasparente, in parte circondata dalla vegetazione. Facilmente raggiungibile, la spiaggia di Cala Granu è inoltre riparata dal vento ed è ideale per famiglie.
Grande Pevero
A soli 4 km in direzione sud rispetto all’Hotel, potrete raggiungere la spiaggia del Grande Pevero, situata sull’omonimo Golfo, di fronte alle Isole Li Nibani. Tra le più frequentate della Costa Smeralda, il Pevero è una mezzaluna di sabbia bianca, circondata da macchia mediterranea e rocce di granito che affiorano da un mare turchese. L’Hotel Balocco mette a disposizione dei suoi clienti un servizio navetta da/per la spiaggia.
Liscia Ruja
Conosciuta anche come Long Beach, la spiaggia di Liscia Ruja è la più importante e celebre della Costa Smeralda. Sabbia dorata, fine e chiara, mare dagli incredibili colori, intorno soltanto una natura solitaria e selvaggia, anche questa spiaggia è raggiungibile percorrendo appena 10 km. Inoltre è meta ambita nel giorno di Ferragosto per la grande festa che viene organizzata ogni anno.
Capriccioli – La Celvia
Ad appena 10 km a sud, incontrerete un tratto di costa che comprende almeno cinque arenili e altrettante lingue di sabbia, raggiungibili passeggiando fra gli scogli e tra boschi di ginepro. Fra tutte, la spiaggia di La Celvia è la più estesa.
Principe
La spiaggia del Principe è una delle più famose della Costa Smeralda. Poco più a sud del Romazzino, la cala è un arco di candida sabbia e di mare color smeraldo, che giustifica la sua nuova denominazione (in precedenza, Portu di li Coggi), proprio perché spiaggia preferita dal principe Karim Aga Khan.
Romazzino
Vicino a Cala di Volpe e a 11 km dal nostro Hotel, si trova la spiaggia del Romazzino che si caratterizza per un panorama ancora integro ed estremamente suggestivo, alla base del promontorio di Punta Capaccia, su cui si apre un arenile di sabbia chiara e ghiaietta granitica rosata che digrada nel mare verde-azzurro.
Excursions in Gallura
From the rare beauty of the landscapes of the islands of the Maddalena Archipelago and the islands of Lavezzi in Corsica, to the evocative landscapes of the inland area of Gallura. For our guests, there is an information and bookings service for guided tours in the area, available at reception, including excursions and trips in Sardinia, horse-riding excursions, trips to places of historical and archaeological interest and excursions by sea:
Maddalena Archipelago
One of the most enchanting corners of the entire Mediterranean. With its over 60 islands and islets and 20,000 hectares of land, the Archipelago is a geomarine park with uncontaminated nature. There are many ways and reasons for experiencing an unforgettable day surrounded by the rare beauty of the landscapes of the Maddalena Archipelago, with the crystal clear waters and solitary white sandy coves, framed by Mediterranean scrub.
Lavezzi Archipelago - Corsica
The natural continuation of the Maddalena Archipelago, the islands of Lavezzi, in southern Corsica, are small gems of sand set in crystal clear waters and surrounded by green maritime pines. The excursion continues with a brief overview of the island of Cavallo and the coast of Bonifacio, up to the transparent and wonderful seabed of the Piana island.
Inland Gallura
The Gallura inland area is a world of green valleys, cork oak woods and granite rocks, dotted by “stazzi”, rural settlements in the area. A landscape and a culture that is worth discovering, taking advantage of the interesting food and nature excursions proposed by various local cooperatives. Among the places of interest to visit are the beautiful panorama of Lake Liscia, the fresh water springs and the lush vegetation of Mount Limbara, the Arzachena Archaeological Park, and the hypnotic landscape of the MoonValley.
Costa Smeralda
The Costa Smeralda is also a paradise for lovers of sport and active tourism: from spots for extreme sports to the capital of sailing, with its rich and prestigious regatta schedule as well as a splendid natural gym for all water sports.
Yacht Club Costa Smeralda
Founded in the 1960s by the Ismaili prince Karim Aga Khan and by Andrè Ardoin, Giuseppe Kerry Mentasti and Luigi Vietti, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda plays a leading role in the world of international yachting.
The first headquarters of the YCCS was the Maison Du Port at the "molo vecchio” (old pier) and it later moved to new headquarters in the Marina Nuova of Porto Cervo in 1977.
Every year there are numerous international events and regattas organized by the Yacht Club: from the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta in June, which hosts a maximum of thirty of the most impressive sailing boats in the world, ready to challenge each other along the routes around the islands of the Maddalena Archipelago, to the Settimana delle Bocche and from the Maxy Yacht Rolex Cup to the Perini Navi Cup that take place in September.
Kite-surfing, Sailing and Diving
For sea and wind enthusiasts, not far from Porto Cervo, the Sporting Club Sardinia of Porto Pollo offers an ideal context for doing some windsurfing, kitesurfing and sailing in a sort of natural gym for all water sports. From Santa Teresa di Gallura to Porto Pollo, as far as the La Cinta beach of San Teodoro, northern Sardinia has the best kitesurfing and windsurfing spots on the island.
For those who want a deeper experience of the sea, various types of diving courses for adults and children are available in the wonderful depths of northern Sardinia. You can rent equipment and organize adventurous trips by rubber dinghy with snorkelling activities to discover the seabed and ancient wreckages. For those who love fishing, there are offshore trawler fishing and drifting courses available, organized by local sportfishing associations.
Costa Smeralda Golf
Situated in the enchanting panorama of the bay between Cala di Volpe and the Gulf of Pevero, you will find the Pevero Golf Club Costa Smeralda, one of the best golf courses in the world. A practice course, designed by one of the greatest golf architects in the world, Robert Trent Jones, honoured by the PGA Europe (Professional Golfer's Association) by being included in the prestigious “Europe’s Elite Selection”.
A course in an exceptional setting, between rocks, natural ponds and the greenery of the surrounding landscape. Open all year, the facility hosts golf seminars and allows anyone, whether beginners or champions, to take training courses held by some of the best PGA professionals in Europe.
Percorso Pevero Health Trail
The Pevero Health Trail is a health trail by the sea that winds through the areas of Pevero and Romazzino and touches the bays of Porto Liccia and Grande Pevero. It is ideal for quiet walks amidst the fragrances of the Mediterranean scrub but also for running or power walking training and it is over 13 km long. It consists of several trails and paths that branch off, with 11 fitness stations with benches and equipment where it is possible to alternate walking or running with the suggested exercises. You can find the description of the trail and the relative map at the following link: https://www.peverohealthtrail.com
Porto Cervo Nightlife
It is at sunset that the magic of the Costa Smeralda nightlife lights up. This is the time for an indispensable walk before dinner through the little lanes of Porto Cervo as far as the famous Piazzetta where there are boutiques and jewellers selling the most prestigious brands, as well as bars and restaurants. The prestigious Piazzetta in Porto Cervo is the best place for those who want to enjoy the lively and elegant atmosphere of the Costa Smeralda to the full, where you can do high-fashion shopping and enjoy an aperitif or a drink before the lively nightlife begins.
The Promenade du Port
In the heart of the old Port of Porto Cervo, you will find the Promenade du Port, a kaleidoscope of art galleries, design, glamorous clubs and restaurants, a promenade filled with art, food and wine, where you can rediscover the true essence of good living.
Following on naturally from the Porto Vecchio (Old Port), where super-yachts are moored, there is the Promenade du Port, a refined complex dedicated to art, design and food. Structured like a village, it includes elegant boutiques, art galleries, concept stores, trendy bars and gourmet restaurants, but also food and local artisan craft shops, entertainment and sports activities for families and children.
The Promenade is a place not to be missed even if just for a walk to glance at the shop windows filled with art and fashion, for an ice cream, an aperitif, some sushi or to buy local delicacies.
Later on, the lights and sounds of disco clubs accompany tourists until dawn, to the rhythm of excellent music, at some of the Costa Smeralda’s most famous clubs, such as Sottovento and Sopravento, a reference point for nightlife in Sardinia. Nature does the rest; every evening, when the breaking waves and the air filled with myrtle and salt give a touch of poetry to the sparkling Costa Smeralda nights.
Food and wine
The Costa Smeralda belongs to Gallura, a historical region comprised of the northeastern part of Sardinia, a territory rich in history and traditions. Spending a holiday in Gallura means not only appreciating the extraordinary beauty of its sea and its wild nature, but also diving into the extraordinary local food and wine.
It has always been linked to agricultural and pastoral activities and to the “stazzi”, rural settlements where sheep and pigs are bred and where vegetables are grown. Gallura’s cuisine combines the typical rural flavours with the taste of fresh fish dishes from the coast.
The excellence of Gallura
The food and wine itinerary through Gallura’s culinary excellence passes through tasty dishes with mutton, lamb and porcetto (suckling pig), cheeses and ricotta, bread soups with mutton broth, such as the fragrant suppa cuàta, a tasty baked dish made from stale bread, cheese and broth, among Gallura’s most typical traditional dishes, and exquisite desserts such as seadas, which are sweetened with bitter strawberry-tree honey. Other delicacies come from the sea: mussels, sea urchin eggs and lobster, the queen of the seabed and the local tables.
Gallura is also a land of famous wines, such as Vermentino di Gallura DOCG,the most noble of Gallura wines and among the most popular wines in Sardinia. Wine lovers cannot miss the interesting wine-tasting itineraries in the area’s wine cellars. In Berchidda, another excellent wine-producing locality, we recommend a visit to the Wine Museum with its annexed workshop. Our concierge service is available to advise you and organize tours and tastings at the best wine cellars.
Archaeology in Gallura
There are numerous archaeological sites in Gallura (Nuragic villages, collective tombs, fortresses and places of worship) situated between the harsh green of the olive groves and the cork oaks in this part of northern Sardinia. Gigantic natural masterpieces are the protagonists of this landscape full of history and mysterious therapeutic energies.
The Arzachena Archaeological Park
In particular, the Arzachena Archaeological Park has an interesting cultural heritage consisting of 8 sites scattered throughout the municipal area: the Nuragic complexes of Albucciu, Malchittu and La Prisgiona, the Tombs of Giants of Moru, Coddu Vecchju and Li Lolghi, the megalithic circles of the necropolis of Li Muri and the unique granite rock of Mont'Incappidatu inside the town of Arzachena.
Just outside Arzachena, along the state highway S.S. 125 Olbia - Palau, in the locality of Malchittu, there is an archaeological information centre established by the Municipality, with the possibility of following the itinerary accompanied by expert local guides
