The most beautiful natural sites to discover Sardinia

Less famous than Berchida, the beach stretching northwards between La Caletta and the mouth of the Posada river is no less charming. Bordered by the Stagno Lungo and a whole network of river arms that flow into the lagoon, it's never crowded, thanks to its length: almost 3 km of fine, white sand for unhindered toweling. The coastline is often battered by winds, and it's no coincidence that the "spiaggia grande" is equipped for water sports, including kitesurfing and windsurfing.

Nestling in the heart of a holm oak forest, the Is Janas cave reveals its mysteries along a 240 m-long corridor. It is of considerable importance for the archaeological remains found there and for the fauna that lives there, including the geotriton, endemic to the island. Among the archaeological finds are shards of pottery and forged bowls used by the Ozieri culture around 3,000 BC. The tour continues along a superb path that leads to Stampu 'e su Turrunu, a 16 m-high waterfall that gushes out of a huge hole in the rock.

The isolated Sa Stiddiosa waterfall is a masterpiece of nature, a flow of water over a rock face into the Flumendosa River. This karst spring is impressive in spring, when the ground is waterlogged and a veritable shower of rain falls from the rock, constellating the river with ripples. The walls over which the waterfall slides turn green, the humidity forming dense, almost tropical vegetation. Add to this spectacle a river of crystal-clear waters and numerous basins for bathing. A must-see in spring.

Among Castelsardo's most beautiful beaches and coves are Marina di Badesi (Li Junchi), a 7 km golden sand beach ideal for surfers; San Pietro, in the municipality of Valledoria, with its fine cream-colored sand, protected by dunes and a pine and eucalyptus forest; Prima Guardia (La Ciaccia), a golden sand beach bathed by a transparent sea and with shallow waters, ideal for families. Finally, to the west of the town, Lu Bagnu, a vast, paradisiacal stretch of sand bordered by crystal-clear waters and awarded the Blue Flag.