Some experiences are just a must when visiting other countries: seeing the Eiffel Tower at night in Paris, riding on a Londoner double-decker red bus, or squeezing yourself through the narrow tunnels of The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt are just a few to mention. We consider hiking in Baunei one of the things you just can’t miss when visiting Sardinia.
Also see: Winter in Sardinia: Our 4-day Road Trip Itinerary
Surrounded by steep mountains, wild nature, and one of the most dazzling seas in the world, Baunei is a village clinging to a sheer slope at almost 500 meters over the sea and home to a population of about only 3.600 inhabitants.
Besides being known as the haven of the most famous Sardinian beaches of Cala Goloritzè and Cala Luna, here you will also find some of the best hiking and climbing experiences in Europe. The mountain range where the village is located, known as the Supramonte of Baunei, has trekking trails that stretch from the mountains to the sea, with plenty of options from moderate hikes to multi-day trekking and rock climbing.
Laying on paradisiac beaches and enjoying scenic boat rides were completely out of the question during wintertime (don’t miss that in summer!) so we decided to hike one of its famous trails: Punta Salinas, one of the most extraordinary terraces on the Gulf of Orosei, it’s a viewpoint at 466m up the mountainside from Cala Goloritzè.
Things to know before you go
This is a 4:00h moderate to difficult hiking route, about 10km long (total). Due to the lack of signposting in this trail, we recommend using a GPS, downloading the trail in the app AllTrails, or, if you’re not comfortable using those, you can hire a guide in town.
We also recommend doing this trail during the morning time – there is a lot of shadow over the sea in the afternoons. We started the trail at 1 PM and barely made it back in time before sunset, which was honestly pretty scary. Our phone’s batteries were dying and we had no lanterns with us (rookie mistake!).
Despite being a large island, Sardinia has one of the lowest population densities in Italy, leaving the island virtually empty during winter.
Therefore, chances are that you’ll be the only one hiking in the mountains that day, and even though the area is not considered dangerous, it’s always advisable letting a family member or a person of trust know of your plans and what emergency numbers to call in case of need. In Sardinia, the emergency number is 118.
Last thing to know before you go is that you’ll need good boots for this trail! The path is mostly made up of loose stones and pebbles that can hurt your feet if you’re not wearing appropriate shoes.
The Trail
Departure
The starting point is set at the car park in Su Porteddu, from where both the trails to Cala Goloritzè and Punta Salinas start. There’s a ticket booth at the entrance that operates during the high season in summer (ticket covers for car parking), however, the entrance to the trail is open and completely free during wintertime.
Follow the signs for Cala Goloritzé, beginning with a simple ascent on a clearly visible path. A few minutes in and you’ll get to Punta Caroddi, where the view opens towards the sea to a most impressive glimpse of the area.
You’ll soon realize that the only sounds in the area are those made by the pebbles moving under your feet, and the bell rings of the goats. This is one of the most silent and peaceful places we have ever been.
Intersection
The path is wide and comfortable until at about 464 meters, where you have to pay attention to a barely visible detour. Here, the trail splits into two, descending towards Cala Goloritzé on the left and climbing to Punta Salinas on the right. Take the narrow uphill path leading to the ruins of Coile Sorosoltai, with a semi-destroyed hut and a goat fence.
Note: Once you start this part of the trail, we highly recommend using AllTrails to guide you in the right direction – the path is barely visible at times and we got lost quite a few times when not checking the app.
Climb to the Plateau
About a kilometer further, you will climb up the side of the mountain up to a plateau. This was one of the high points of our hike, where we felt like real adventurers conquering the mountains! The plateau leads up to a small farm where you can see pigs and goats roaming freely around the area.
Cuile Su Runcu
Right after the farm, on the left side of the plateau, you will follow a dirt road leading to Cuile Su Runcu, one of many ancient shepherds’ sheepfolds in the area. From here, follow the trail along the ridge to Punta Salinas – don’t forget to stop to admire the views!
Punta Salinas
After about 2 hours since the start of the trail, we made it to Punta Salinas. No photo or text will ever be able to describe the beauty of this place! We sat there for some time admiring the place before rushing back to the car park before dark.
Our first idea was to do the Punta Salinas & Cala Goloritzé trail, but since it was getting dark we thought it safer to head back through a familiar route. If you go in the morning this loop trail is definitely doable and judging by the views we had up there, it must be absolutely worth it!
Note: If Punta Salinas looks like too much for you, another option is to go down the main Cala Goloritzé trail, which should take about 3 hours both ways. Overlooked by a majestic pinnacle, this famous beach has translucid turquoise waters flowing from underwater springs. This trail is well-signalized, so it should be a safe moderate option.
