The Gulf of Olbia opens like a long corridor between granite hills covered in maquis. The ship enters slowly, passes the ferries from the mainland, then moors at Isola Bianca, the jetty that extends the town. Gateway to northeastern Sardinia, Olbia has lived from the sea since the Phoenicians; its Greek name means "happy." The modern city, lively and unpretentious, hides a pleasant old core and serves as a starting point for one of the most sought-after coastlines in the Mediterranean.

From Isola Bianca to Corso Umberto

The terminal is about 2 km from the centre. A free shuttle links the pier to the heart of the city in about ten minutes; keen walkers can follow the waterfront in about 25 minutes. The shuttle drops its passengers near Piazza Regina Margherita, at the start of Corso Umberto, the main street lined with 19th-century buildings, shops, ice cream parlours and terraces where Sardinians drink their coffee standing up, Italian-style.

San Simplicio, the granite elder

A few streets from the Corso, the Basilica of San Simplicio is worth the short climb. Built in the 11th century of grey granite blocks, it ranks among the most important Romanesque churches in Sardinia. Its sober façade, pierced by a simple rose window, contrasts with the coolness of its nave and massive columns. Every May, the feast of the patron saint turns the forecourt into a stage for music and traditional costumes.

A museum to understand the gulf

On an islet linked to the port, the archaeological museum traces the history of Olbia, from Phoenician navigators to Roman merchants. Its rooms notably present ancient shipwrecks found in the harbour basin, with their cargoes of amphorae. Admission is free, the visit takes an hour, and the picture windows neatly frame the comings and goings of ships — a clever way of linking the past to the present-day spectacle of the quays. The surrounding area holds even older traces: a few kilometres away, the sacred well of Sa Testa bears witness to the Nuragic water cult, three thousand years ago.

The lure of the Costa Smeralda

Many passengers devote their day to the surroundings. About thirty kilometres to the north, the Costa Smeralda lines up coves of turquoise water and upscale villages born in the 1960s under the impetus of the Aga Khan. Porto Cervo, with its marina full of yachts and its shady piazzetta, is perfect for strolling and luxury window-shopping. Organized excursions remain the simplest way to get there; by taxi, allow about 40 minutes by road.

Beaches close at hand

Without going that far, Lido del Sole beach borders the southern edge of town, and Pittulongu beach, facing the island of Tavolara, stretches its pale sand about ten minutes away by car. The silhouette of Tavolara, a limestone monolith over 500 m high rising from the sea, accompanies you all day: you see it on the horizon from almost every point on the coast.

Sardinian flavours before departure

All that remains is to taste Sardinia. The trattorias in the centre serve culurgiones (potato and mint ravioli), roast suckling pig and seadas, a cheese fritter drizzled with honey. Wine lovers will look for a glass of Vermentino di Gallura, a local white that pairs with seafood and sheep's milk cheeses.

As the ship casts off, the granite of the hills turns pink in the evening and Tavolara watches over the entrance to the gulf. Olbia does not have the monumental grandeur of the major ports of call; it has better to offer the curious: a lively Sardinian city, some of the most celebrated shores in Europe and, as a final image, the silhouette of Tavolara — a monolith set on the sea that many passengers can still draw from memory, long afterward.