OLBIA is the gateway to Sardinia, enjoying a splendid natural location in the center of the bay of the same name.
The city is equipped with important infrastructure. The port is the busiest in Italy for passenger traffic, and the airport, especially in the private sector, records impressive numbers in the summer. These aspects are closely linked to the Costa Smeralda, about twenty kilometers away, a sought-after destination for international tourism.
It is a continuously developing sector that accompanies the growth of the city, which is now a reference point for the island’s economy. However, tourism is not the main focus of local activities; it is what revolves around it. Construction and services, in particular, are the driving sectors, with the presence of numerous high-quality hotels and restaurants.
Of course, tourism plays its part, and Porto Rotondo, one of the jewels of Gallura, is the most evident example. Let’s not forget the beaches of Pittulongu and Murta Maria, as well as the enchanting village of San Pantaleo. Olbia, which has recently become a province, plays a fundamental role in commerce and industry, sectors in which it has become an attraction for investments. For several years, the University of Economics and Tourism Management has been established at the airport. Today, the city has about 50,000 inhabitants.
In the center stands the Minor Basilica of San Simplicio, the most important church, where every year, on May 15th, the feast of the Saint is celebrated with parades in traditional Sardinian costumes and a procession. Another important church is the Basilica of San Paolo. There are many sites of archaeological interest. A few kilometers from Olbia, on a hill, is the Castle of Pedres, near which are two important monuments dating back to the Nuragic age: the Giants’ Grave of Su Monte ’e S’abe and the Nuraghe Casteddhu.
It is worth visiting the Sacred Well of Cala Saccaia. But the entire city bears witness to its long history with the discoveries of artifacts from the Punic and Roman periods.
