Siniscola, Sardinia: what to see, festivals and where to stay

Siniscola is the main town of the Baronia, the region on Sardinia's north-eastern coast between Gallura and the Gulf of Orosei. The town lies a few kilometres from the sea, at the foot of Monte Albo, a long white limestone mountain that dominates the landscape. Its territory includes some of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast, in the seaside districts of La Caletta, Santa Lucia, Capo Comino and Berchida, with dunes, pine woods and clear sea. Siniscola thus has two souls: the farming and pastoral town of the Baronia and the beach resorts, very busy in summer.

History

The Siniscola area was inhabited in the Nuragic period, as nuraghi and giants' tombs show, and in Roman times the eastern road linking Olbia to Cagliari ran along the coast. In the Middle Ages the town was part of the Giudicato of Gallura and then passed to the Pisans, the Aragonese and the Spanish, who included it in the barony of Posada and then in the fief of the lords of the Baronia. Along the coast Spanish towers, such as those of Santa Lucia and La Caletta, defended the area from pirate raids. In the 20th century Siniscola grew as a farming and industrial centre, with quarries and a cement works, and from the 1960s beach tourism developed.

The town

The centre of Siniscola keeps the parish church of San Giovanni Battista, with its bell tower, and several smaller churches. In the streets there are traditional stone houses and murals telling the town's history and traditions. It is a lively place, with markets, shops and a strong tradition of music and tenor singing.

Monte Albo

Monte Albo is one of the most distinctive mountains in Sardinia: a long white limestone ridge, some twenty kilometres long, that looks snow-covered even in summer. It is a protected area, rich in endemic plants, caves and springs, home to mouflon, peregrine falcons and golden eagles. Hiking trails climb to the crest, with views of the sea and the inland Baronia. At the foot of the mountain are karst caves and springs.

Beaches

The Siniscola coastline is long and varied. La Caletta is the largest district, with a marina, a long golden sand beach and a Spanish tower. Santa Lucia is a small fishing village with its tower and a beach framed by pine woods. Capo Comino, further south, is one of the most beautiful places on the coast: white sand dunes, a lighthouse, an islet, Isola Ruja, and turquoise sea, with the beach of Sa Petra Ruja. Berchida, on the border with Orosei, is a very long, wild beach backed by dunes and maquis. The pine woods along the sea offer shade and quiet, and the area is also ideal for windsurfing and kitesurfing.

Festivals

The main festival is that of San Giovanni Battista, the patron, in late June, with procession and celebrations. In January the great Sant'Antonio bonfires are lit, and in summer the seaside districts organise festivals, concerts and food fairs.

Food

Baronia cooking is made of simple ingredients: pane carasau and pane frattau, pecorino cheese, roast meat, lamb and suckling pig, and fresh fish from La Caletta. Sweets include seadas, papassinas and casadinas. The wines are Cannonau and Vermentino from the surrounding hills.

Getting there

Siniscola lies on the Olbia-Nuoro dual carriageway, about 45 minutes from Olbia and its airport and 45 minutes from Nuoro. It is a good base for the Baronia and the east coast: Posada, with its castle and medieval village, Budoni, San Teodoro, Orosei and Dorgali, with the Gulf of Orosei and its coves.