Great attraction of the Baronìe and all of eastern Sardinia, beloved for the mix of white sand, turquoise sea and Mediterranean greenery, a scene from the movies
High white sand dunes colonized by junipers and an extraordinary natural environment characterize the coast of Cape Comino. The beautiful, wide and long beach of Capo Comino is an earthly paradise that is part of the tourist village of the same name in Siniscola and forms a single shoreline with s’Ena ‘e sa Chitta, ‘the beach of confetti,’ a stupendous northern stretch (about three kilometers) of the coastline. As you walk along the soft sandy shore to the south you will see scattered rocks emerge, until you reach Capo Comino: the promontory is the easternmost end of Sardinia that closes the Gulf of Orosei to the north. The ‘cape’ is guarded by an ancient lighthouse, a symbol of the place, facing the small Ruja Island, which can be reached by swimming or walking depending on the tide. The red porphyry of the islet blends with the celestial hues of the sea. The extremely clear waters, in turn, match the green surrounding vegetation, including a regenerating pine forest.
On the coast, beach service is provided by small, discreet establishments dedicated to lovers of nature and relaxation. The settlement of this hamlet has developed on an agrarian area with small buildings that have little impact on the extraordinary coastal landscape. From the lighthouse at Capo Comino, walking and mountain biking routes begin to the beaches of Berchida and theBiderosa Oasis.
Closing the bustling and beautiful dunes dotted with junipers and mastic trees are the ponds of Salina Manna e Salinedda, habitats of waterfowl. Their salty air mingles with Mediterranean scents. The wild and unspoiled setting has captivated several directors: Lina Wertmüller filmed some scenes of the legendary film ‘Travolti da un insolito destino nell’azzurro mare d’agosto’ (1974), starring Mariangela Melato and Marcello Giannini, here-as well as in Cala Fuili and Cala Luna, in the territory of Dorgali. Guy Ritchie followed in its footsteps in the remake ‘Swept Away,’ (2001) starring Madonna. Carroll Ballard set ‘Black Stallion’ (1979), produced by Francis Ford Coppola, there.
The seabed of Cape Comino, low from the shore for tens of meters, further out to sea is full of surprises, perfect for diving: in the depths lie the remains of a Roman fleet dating back to the time of Nero, the ship Comandante Bafile sunk in 1942, and a small French ‘destroyer,’ which sank in June 1963 and washed ashore by the nets of a fishing boat. The beach, often buffeted by winds, is also a destination for wind and kite surfers and is popular with spearfishing enthusiasts. It has ample parking and dining facilities, while in the small village you will find accommodations and restaurants. To reach it from Siniscola, one of the main centers of the Baronie, you’ll travel about 15 kilometers of State Road 125 in the direction of Orosei, passing through another village of low, colorful cottages, the fishing village of Santa Lucia, built around a 16th-century Aragonese tower, from the top of which you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view. Opposite, another beautiful stretch of white sand. A forest of domestic and Aleppo pines greens between the village and the beach, which hosts campsites. Further north is another splendid Siniscola hamlet, La Caletta, famous for its marina and another coastal wonder, known as the ‘big beach’ to distinguish it from the other Siniscola shores: five kilometers of soft, golden sand that plunges into the crystal-clear blue sea. Here, too, a pine forest contours the shoreline, which is equipped for kite and wind surfing.
Siniscola’s thirty kilometers of coastline are almost equally divided between landscapes of smooth rocks and white beaches. To the south you will admire a spectacle of the northeastern coast, considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean: Berchida, a wide half-moon of soft, white sand dunes covered with centuries-old junipers. Still further south, in the territory of Orosei, lies the magnificent oasis of Bidderosa: a coastal forest of over a thousand hectares that includes five coves, bordered sa Curcurica, literally ‘the moorhen’: the emerald colors of the pond have as a scenic backdrop steep pink granite hills covered with pine forests and Mediterranean scrub. Its waters are home to herons, black-winged stilts, cormorants, flamingos, egrets and kingfishers.