Cala Gonone, Sardinia: a travel guide

Visit Cala Gonone

Cala Gonone is a town on the east coast of Sardinia, to the east of Nuoro.

Discover Cala Gonone

Italy This Way review: although there is not a lot to see in Cala Gonone, it is a pleasant small town and a perfect base for the boat trips along the coast to the south of the town

Beach in Cala Gonone

There is a beach in the centre of the town. It is not the most exciting beach in Corsica, but it is sandy and the waves are very small, so it is a good place to spend some time with the children if you are staying here, but not somewhere you would base a week long beach holiday.

Next to the beach is the harbour, from where you can organise your boat trips along the coast to see the famous coves and beaches. The harbour contains only small boats, and you can walk along the quay to have nice views across the boats to the town and hills beyond.

The town centre is mostly dominated by tourist apartments and hotels, and you will find a selection of restaurants and cafes, as well as a small supermarket.

Our favourite road in Cala Gonone was the Lungomare Palmosera, from where you have nice views across the beach and port. We ate at the Cala Luna restaurant on this road every evening, because of the views. We found it to be an excellent restaurant, but many online reviews are poor - perhaps it has changed ownership? Anyway check recent reviews before eating there but we were enthusiastic!

There is a small aquarium in the town, with some interesting fish and other creatures to see. The aquarium is small and takes less than an hour to visit, perhaps less than 30 minutes, so the entrance price seems a bit high, but it is well organised and entertaining for the children to visit.

Cala Gonone boat trip

The main attraction that attracts visitors to Cala Gonone is the boat trips that operate from the harbour. These trips follow the coast to the south of the town, to explore some of the most beautiful coast in Sardinia, with numerous small beaches, coves, and cliffs.

Cala Gonone boat trip

You can choose how far along the coast you want your trip to go, but we recommend you choose one of the longer tours because there is a great deal of natural beauty to see.

There are about 10 small kiosks in the harbour that sell tickets for these boat trips, so it is easy to organise after you arrive, although you should perhaps try and reserve the day before your trip if you are visiting in high season.

For more information about these boat trips around the Gulf of Orosei see excursions from Cala Gonone.