Torralba – Santa Teresa di Gallura

47th day

Today I enjoyed the route like never before. Over the years we've been traveling, I've gotten used to looking for the shortest path to reach our destination because I don't want surprises. In Norway, there were stretches where I really struggled, which is why I have such a bad memory of the country... The day we took the ferry to Denmark, I was dancing on deck while T said goodbye sadly because he had really enjoyed those rugged and narrow roads with Beast. For me, it was a torment 😥.
I deviated from the route to stop by a Lidl to stock up on water and beer for the days we are going to spend in Corsica (France is super expensive 😉) and the road took me uphill on narrow roads where, as I've mentioned, I felt completely safe despite the Italians, who overtake you on the right, on the left, and well, I think they would do it from above if possible 🙄.

Thorsten's path has been very similar to mine and he has also enjoyed it a lot. He passed through cork oak fields because apparently, the Gallura area has a cork tradition and has turned Sardinia into the Italian capital of cork.
The product has transformed the local economy, giving life to workshops and businesses that employ hundreds of people. The product has become so well-known that there are specific routes to learn about the extraction and production process of a lot of items made from this raw material 👝🍾.

We spent the night at a campsite near Santa Teresa di Gallura, a farm with its own products and a herd of donkeys that roam freely around the area leaving little gifts everywhere. One of the males has a really bad attitude 😠 and walks around the premises looking for trouble.
The place is not bad and is close enough to the village for a visit with Beast. It is said to be very beautiful, and we confirmed this when we approached this afternoon.

Santa Teresa Gallura was founded by King Victor Emmanuel I, who dedicated it to his wife Maria Teresa of Austria, and it is one of the most important tourist cities in the area. It is known as the "little Turin" because of its grid layout and is surrounded by small beaches and coves with crystal-clear waters where you can stop for a swim.
Ferries to Corsica leave from the port of Santa Teresa; we bought tickets for tomorrow and then headed to have a drink at the Faro di Capo Testa, which is in a privileged setting, and we took the opportunity to have an aperitif in front of the stunning views of the Mediterranean.

Then, while looking for a bakery, we wandered a bit and ended up in the central square, one of the squares with the most children we've seen in years. Like

in the past, playing with scooters and balls 🙂 and having a blast. It was a joy to see them. Moreover, despite it being early in the season, all the terraces were full of people. We didn't find a bakery, but we did find a bar to have a glass of wine. After that, a short visit to the Torre di Longosardo, which is the highlight of the town, and a stop at the supermarket to buy mortadella before leaving Italy because, besides being delicious, it's super cheap.

The campsite has a restaurant, and we were considering going there for dinner, but in the end, we opted for a snack on the porch while watching the feisty donkey fight with the rest of the herd 🙈.
Good night... I'll keep you posted 😘