Camping Tavolara

A 25-minute drive takes you to the energetic town of Olbia, with a much snapped palm-lined waterfront and a much regarded archaeological museum. You can sample some of Sardinia’s ancient past yourself by climbing the hill to see the nuraghe, conical brick towers built by the island’s original settlers 4,000 years ago. No-one knows why they built these monuments all over the island but the ones at Olbia have fab views across the bay. More ancient sights are at La Caletta an hour's drive away; from there, boats ship you to the Grotte del Bue Marino, a network of caves with Neolithic paintings, other-worldly rock formations and the largest underground lake in the world. Boat trips, a treat in themselves, depart from Porto San Paolo (five minutes’ drive), calling in at the wilderness isles of Molara and Tavolara. Diving and snorkelling expeditions let you explore the waters of the Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo marine reserve, brimming with basking sharks, dolphins, whales and seagoing tortoises. For quieter times, five-minute car trips or 40-minute ambles get you down to the beaches at Dorata and Cala Finanza, less-visited spots with secluded little bays and coves.