Castelsardo & Tempio Pausania From Olbia - Costa Smeralda

On a first visit to the city, the contrast between the loveliness of the landscape and the austerity of the granite buildings is striking. TEMPIO PAUSANIA was founded by the Romans, though the most ancient settlements dates back to Nuraghi and pre-Nuraghi times (3000 B.C. to 1600 B.C.), with well-preserved examples including the Nuraghi Majori. The village is known for its superb chestnuts and vermentino wines, its mineral springs, and its pleasant climate.

The old town, fortified with a castle, is an interesting and atmospheric place to visit. There are attractive restaurants in historic lanes, and shops selling all kinds of Sardinian handicrafts and other souvenirs. CASTELSARDO's castle, the Castle of the Doria, houses the Museo dell'Intreccio del Mediterraneo, a museum of basketball-weaving, an important local handicraft. From the castle to the storage area. The castle was built by the Doria family of Genoa, and then called Castelgenovese, was the home of a Doria bride: the Sardinian heroine Eleanora d'Arborea.