From our field notes
Cala Goloritzé: access, trail and rules for the Gulf of Orosei's most beautiful cove
Published 7 October 2026 · updated 7 October 2026 · 4 min read
By Clément Lacaille, publisher · our method
Cala Goloritzé is Sardinia's most famous cove: a white-pebble beach below a limestone arch and a 143-metre spire, in unreal blue water, in the south of the Gulf of Orosei. In 2025 it was voted the world's most beautiful beach by The World's 50 Best Beaches ranking. It has to be earned: you can only reach it on foot, access is capped in season, and boats are not allowed to land. Here is how to get there, when, and what to know about the rest of the gulf.
At a glance
The information below is what was known on 30 September 2026; access rules are set each season by the municipality of Baunei: check them before you go.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where? | Municipality of Baunei, south of the Gulf of Orosei, east coast of Sardinia |
| How? | On foot only, from the Golgo plateau (Su Porteddu car park) |
| Time | About 1 h 30 down, 470 m of elevation, longer climb back |
| Access in season | Visitor cap, online registration in advance, entry fee (€7 in 2024) |
| Boat | Landing forbidden; motorboats kept 200 m from shore |
| Best time | Start at opening, climb back before the hottest hours |
The trail from the Golgo plateau
The Golgo plateau is reached from Baunei on a narrow, winding mountain road. The trail starts at the Su Porteddu car park and descends a canyon (the codula di Goloritzé) through holm oaks and junipers to the sea: about an hour and a half of walking, for 470 m of elevation. The path is stony in places; the climb back, in full sun in the afternoon, is longer and harder than the descent.
This is not a walk in flip-flops. Walking shoes, at least two litres of water per person, a hat, snacks. There is no water point or kiosk on the beach.
Capped, paid access in season
To protect the site, a designated natural monument, the municipality limits visitor numbers in season: a few hundred a day, with online registration at least the day before and an entry fee, set at €7 per person in 2024. Out of season, access is free. The details (dates, quota, price, registration website) change from year to year: check the municipality of Baunei's information before your trip.
No landing: the cove can also be seen from the sea
Landing is forbidden at Cala Goloritzé, and motorboats have had to stay 200 m from shore since 2007. Boat trips from Santa Maria Navarrese, Arbatax or Cala Gonone pass the spire and the arch but do not drop you on the beach. To lay your towel there, you have to walk.
Heat: the trail's real danger
In July-August, the early-afternoon climb is gruelling, and heat is not a mere discomfort: the study by Joan Ballester and colleagues (Nature Medicine, 2023) estimated more than 60,000 heat-related deaths in Europe during the summer of 2022, with Italy the hardest-hit country. Start at opening, swim, and climb back before noon or late in the day. With young children or less fit walkers, choose a boat trip to admire the cove from the sea.
The rest of the Gulf of Orosei
Cala Goloritzé is only one of the gulf's coves, which line some forty kilometres of roadless limestone cliffs. The others are reached by boat or on foot:
- Cala Mariolu and Cala Biriola: among the most beautiful, by boat (or a very long technical hike).
- Cala Luna: by boat from Cala Gonone, or on foot from Cala Fuili (about 2 hours).
- Cala Sisine: by boat, or via a track and a trail.
- The Bue Marino cave: boat visit from Cala Gonone.
- Renting a licence-free boat for the day lets you arrive before the tours.
Where to stay and how to combine
Santa Maria Navarrese and Baunei are the closest bases to Goloritzé; Cala Gonone is the base for boats to the northern gulf. Our two-day combination: one day by boat from Cala Gonone (Cala Mariolu, Cala Luna), one day on foot to Goloritzé from the Golgo plateau. In between, the SS125 (Orientale Sarda) is superb but slow: allow about an hour and a half for 70 km.
Sources
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1. What you need
Before you go
Readers' questions
Can you reach Cala Goloritzé by boat?
You can see it from the sea but not land there: landing is forbidden and motorboats must stay 200 m offshore. To reach the beach, you walk down from the Golgo plateau.
How long does it take to hike down to Cala Goloritzé?
About an hour and a half down from the Su Porteddu car park, for 470 m of elevation. The climb back takes longer, especially in summer.
Do you need to book Cala Goloritzé?
In season, yes: access is capped with online registration in advance and an entry fee (€7 per person in 2024). Check the year's rules with the municipality of Baunei.
When is the best time to go to Cala Goloritzé?
May-June or September-October for walking in cooler weather; in summer, start at opening and climb back before noon.
Is Cala Goloritzé suitable for children?
For children used to walking, yes, avoiding the hot hours. With young children, choose a boat trip that passes the cove.