Meet at hotel, bike build.
We ride north to the delightful coastal town of Castelsardo overlooked by a castle. The route largely follows the coast
We follow the coast north to the emerald bay and pretty resort of Isola Rossa, we then head inland to Tempio Pausania. Tempio is an ancient town built out of granite. It is in the heart of the mountainous Gallura region.
A long ride through the mountains to the east coast.
We ride south along the SS125, carved out of the mountains by Piedmontese engineers in the 19th century and back to the coast at Cala Gonone
Rest day at Cala Gonone a delightful port on the rocky east coast. Walks, rides, boat trips available, visit coves with no access except on foot or by boat, swim in achingly blue sea. Optional ride to the Serra Orios Nuraghic village at Dorgali.
Ride along the SS125 southwards. The route goes inland as the coast is too rocky for road transport. Back to the coast at Santa Maria.
Ride to Tortoli following the SS125, then head coastwards, visiting the Nuraghe S’Ortali. At 46 km, we can visit bronze age tombs in the Parco Archeologico e Naturalistico del Bosco Selèni. Cycling through the mountains we arrive at Ulassai, a typical mountain village with an amazing cave complex just above the town.
Leaving Ulassai we ride to the Nuraghe Su Marmori then on to Nuraghe Arubbiu, one of the best preserved nuraghe in Sardinia. It is a complex of five towers. The route follows deserted roads through the mountains.
We will have seen a few nuraghe already, but the best is the UNESCO site at Barumini, Su Naraxi. The route goes through Barumini to the Nuraghe then to the Hotel. The cycle ride goes along some deserted roads and follows a lake with some great views.
Some wild terrain today, as we ride by the Giara di Gesturi, a wild moorland area. We climb over the highest pass so far, the Passo Tascusì at 1295m in the heart of the Gennargentu mountains.s
After the long ride yesterday an easier one today, heading westwards(and mostly downhill). We cross the old dam over the river Tirso and amble our way to the town of Abbasanta. For those who wish to visit, the Nuraghe Losa is close to our hotel.
Leave the Hotel along the SP15. After 8.5km we can visit the Chiesa di Sant' Agostino on right. At Cuglieri the Basilica Santa Maria della Neve affords great views from the terrace. Bosa is a delightful town on the coast overlooked by its imposing castle, Castello di Serravalle. It is the home of Malvasia di Bosa, a sweet white wine.
We cycle along a stunning route that largely follows the coast. There are several options to leave the bikes and walk down to beaches.
The tour ends after breakfast.
Sardinia is a stunning island in the middle of the Mediterranean, it is little understood as a tourist destination outside Italy, so the areas we will be staying in will be very quiet. The coast is amazing, with hidden coves and beaches amid an azure sea. The inland area is mountainous and empty, with a mixture of pastoral agriculture, woodland and bare rock.
We will be riding from the west coast to the east coast, then for several days following the stunning SS125, a road hewn into the mountains by 19th century Piedmontese engineers. We then head back inland, crossing the Gennargentu mountain range to the west coast at Bosa Marina. On the final day we ride back along the coast to Alghero. The Nuraghe are unique to Sardinia and the Sardinian bronze age civilisation. No one knows exactly what they were for, but they are everywhere. The Nuraghe vary from heaps of stones to elaborate castle-like series of towers and walls. They are not and never have been habitable. We will visit a selection including the Serra Su Nuraxi based round a five lobed castle like structure.
Alghero is a pretty town, it was settled by the Spanish and the local dialect can be understood by Spanish speakers.
The Sardinians have their own unique culture and history, which is reflected in the food and architecture. Food is based on peasant fare, using what they had available. Plenty of meat, largely pork, and pasta. The local wines are great and little drunk outside Sardinia. Cannanau is the most common, a deep flavoursome red wine from the local variety of Grenache grapes. Vermentino di Gallura, a white wine which is completely different to the Vermentini elsewhere.
Travel to the start and from the finish is not included in this holiday. Thus, it is very important that you note that neither your Tour Manager nor Bikexplore are responsible for you in any way until the appointed time at the designated meeting point. Should you fail to arrive at the appointed time for whatever reason, we will not be responsible for any additional expenses you may incur in order to meet up with the tour group. Before finalising travel arrangements, you should ensure that the tour is definitely going ahead. Should there be insufficient bookings or pandemic travel restrictions are re-imposed, we reserve the right to cancel the tour at any time. It is therefore recommended that you book fully flexible and refundable transport and accommodation or wait until you have been told the tour will go ahead. In the event of the tour being cancelled we will not be responsible for any losses incurred outside what you pay us.
Sardinia can be tricky to access, but there are fights to Alghero, Olbia and Cagliari. There are also ferries from Toulon in France and Livorno in Italy, both accessible from the UK by train.
Trains are very limited in Sardinia, The Italian train website states that there is a bus from Olbia to Sassari. In order to progress you would need to change. Buses will take bikes. There is also a train from Cagliari to Sassari, again you would need to change to a bus to progress.
Hotel accomodation, generally 3 star.
Accomodation on on a shared room basis, single room supplement of £250 depending on availability.
A van is provided for luggage transfer and support.
One rest day at Cala Gonone, a delightful beach town.
Mainly quiet roads, most roads have good tarmac, but some of the smaller ones will be a little rough. There will be a few busier connecting roads especially on the coast. I am a fairly relaxed ride leader, leading mainly from the back with trips up to the front on occasion' I expect most people will be riding as a group but if you want to ride faster and meet up with us that is your choice. I will be providing GPX routes and a paper route to enable that.
The weather is usually good in Italy in September, Sardinia tends to have a very even climate, however, we will be riding in the mountains, so you will need to bring appropriate clothing for adverse conditions. I do not expect bad weather as we will still be in their summer, however, mountains are mountains. Please bring plenty of sunscreen and a hat to protect yourself.
We recommend a good audax type bike, though as no luggage needs to be carried you can bring your lightweight road bike. However, some of the roads are very small and can be rough, I recommend larger tyres than usual to avoid any problems.
You should ensure your cycle is well maintained, paying particular attention to wheels, tyres and brakes. Some climbs are long so a low bottom gear (i.e., small chainring the same size or smaller than the largest cog on your rear wheel) is recommended. If you are unsure about gears, please discuss with the Tour Manager. New tyres and inner tubes are recommended. Participants will be expected to carry sufficient spares and tools each day to deal with punctures and minor repairs.
The support vehicle will not be far away in case of dramatic changes in the weather. You will not need to carry luggage, but a saddlebag, rack pack or bar bag will be useful for carrying wet weather gear, spare clothing needed for the day, camera, snacks and your map. Each participant is expected to bring and carry their personal items and spares. Helmets are your personal choice as there is no legal requirement for these to be worn in Italy.
Although you will be provided with route notes and GPX files and there will be a support vehicle as well as the Tour Manager, please bring a map with you in case you get separated from the group. Touring Club Italy maps are a good choice; the TCI map of Sardinia covers all of the route.
Please ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to cycle the distances (and ascents) planned for the tour.
Travel insurance is compulsory.
I am a keen cyclist, trained cycle instructor, ride leader and mechanic, able to support members of the group who require it. I have led a number of tours for both CTC Holidays and Tours and Bikexplore, and I have toured extensively in Europe and further afield. As have lived in Italy for a number of years, I speak Italian fluently. I have also led a previous tour in Sardinia and know the area we are riding in well.
gregorywoodford@gmail.com; 07508028457
Booking Form for Sardinia