How is Cala Gonone?
Cala Gonone is a fraction of Dorgali and is part of the province of Nuoro. A small and nice sea town, perfect for spending their beach holidays.
Here I chose to spend a few days with my family to visit places that I have always heard about but that I had never seen.
At Cala Gonone you will find a mild winter climate and a warm summer. What characterizes this area, as in all of Sardinia, is the mistral. A strong wind that is not constant but with variable directions.
The little town in summer is very lived by both locals and tourists. Here it is easy to organize your holiday, visiting the beautiful beaches, accessing the various organized tours or spending your evenings among the local bars or restaurants.
What to see in Cala Gonone?
In Cala Gonone you can go through the different shops along the main street, visit the port or the beaches easily reachable on foot or by public or private transport. If you have decided to spend your holidays in Cala Gonone, do not forget to visit the aquarium.
The beaches of Cala Gonone
Among the beaches that I easily reached on foot I can mention the central beach of Cala Gonone and the beach of Palmasera. Both very nice, clean water and equipped beaches.
To the beach of Palmasera I arrived via a train made available by ClubEsse, accommodation where we stayed during our stay in Cala Gonone. Once we arrived we sat in a Club Esse station that included three sunbeds and an umbrella. We relaxed on the beach, enjoying the good weather and moments of play with our son Tommaso.
The central beach of Cala Gonone is not very large but its scents, colors and surrounding landscape make a pleasant day in this beach. Half-moon shaped, it is located between the port of Cala Gonone and a low cliff. We also chose this beach because it is perfect for people who, like us, have small children. The seabed is shallow and sandy ideal for children who love to swim by the sea safely.
We spent one of our days in Cala Gonone on an organized tour to visit the beach of Cala Luna.
If you are wondering how to reach the beach of Cala Luna, I can tell you that there are two ways: one quite simple and the other a more difficult, proof of experienced walkers.
Having a little child, we chose the first method. We reached this heavenly place by a boat trip, which I talk about in detail here!
If you want to reach the beach of Cala Luna by land, I can tell you that there is a hiking trail that starts from Cala Fruili or Baunei. I don’t want to hide the fact that I would have liked to. I hope, one day, to be able to tell you about this experience in my new article.
Once in Cala Luna, we were not equipped with umbrellas but there we found a kiosk that sold everything you need from the beach. So, given the scorching heat, we rented an umbrella for a few hours. Also, not far away I got to use the bathrooms and buy refreshing drinks at bar ristorante “Su Neulagi”. Although Cala Luna is difficult to access, I must say that it offers several useful services.
The other beaches that I have not seen but that are highly recommended are: Cala Fuili, Spiaggia di Sos Dorroles, S’Abba Meica beach / Dog beach e Spiaggia di Ziu Martine.
What to do in Cala Gonone with children?
I found Cala Gonone the right destination to spend family holidays, especially with a little child. Start with anticipating that the accommodation that we chose for the stay in the seaside resort of Dorgali has helped to make our holiday easier and relaxing (of this I will talk about at the bottom of the article).
In addition to this, the boat, the sea, the hours spent on the beach, the new places we visited and the evenings in the town made her carefree and joyful days.
Among the places that I would recommend to both parents and those who go on holiday without children is the aquarium of Cala Gonone. I can say that the fascinated look of my son has made the time inside the aquarium pleasant and instructive. Seeing a child of just over a year kidnapped by the colors, the fish and the different types of marine species is priceless.
Visit to the aquarium of Cala Gonone
The aquarium of Cala Gonone was designed by the architect Peter Chermayeff, a world-famous professional, and Sebastiano Gaias who chose to create an aquarium in a socio-cultural context where sea and mountains meet.
The aquarium is located in a point from which you can admire the Gulf of Orosei. The exhibition consists of 25 tanks that tell mostly about the Mediterranean Sea.
Active since 2010, inside you can admire marine ecosystems of Sardinia, as well as a tropical section and a fun tactile tank.
The Ministry of the Environment has recognized the structure for its high level of animal welfare as it respects all the disciplinaries indicated by the Legge Zoo. In fact, inside there are also animals in difficulty, which have been entrusted to the group of experts who work at the aquarium of Cala Gonone.
While visiting the aquarium, what struck me was the attention to issues related to the presence of waste at sea, sustainable consumption, and the protection of biodiversity.
Children, including mine, were really fascinated by digital interactions, the 300 marine species and the 450000 litres of water that made the experience even more impressive.
Inside the structure, there is a small restaurant, a shop, and a marine theme area dedicated to children.
For prices and opening times you can see the official website of the Aquarium of Cala Gonone.
Where to sleep in Cala Gonone?
In the past, I happened to have booked a few nights in a holiday village but only now I realize how comfortable it is if you have a child.
At Cala Gonone we chose Club Esse Hotels & Resorts. A holiday village that offers many services, including the picturesque train that takes you to the beach and comes to pick you up.
Having a little child with many needs to be respected, we chose to book accommodation with full board. Unlike other holiday villages where I stayed, I must to say that the Club Esse has a special care for the little ones. Everything is thought out in detail.
Restaurant
A self-service restaurant or buffet where you can find any type of dish, ideal for those who want to maintain a vegan diet or food free to which is intolerant or allergic even on vacation.
Every day we found regional and international dishes, with a wide choice of starters, first courses, main courses, side dishes, pizza, fruit and dessert.
Children can have lunch at the RistoMini with the staff of the “Hero Camp“, where a special menu designed for them is served. In fact we did not use this last service preferring to eat all together in the main restaurant.
Another area very nice and made for children ranging from 0 to 3 years is the Biberoneria. Here parents can cook their meals and find the main basic foods prepared without salt from the indoor kitchen.The selected products are fresh and the choice is varied (meat/fish broth, vegetable sauce, cheese, milk and yogurt).
Entertainment and playground
The entertainment program is really rich and the places where you can enjoy moments of leisure and relaxation are many. The swimming pool, the amphitheater, the piano bar are all places where you can participate in organized events, where fun and joy are assured.
The play area is also the most popular place for children, where slides, swings and much more make waiting times between appointments less long. For example, waiting for the opening of the restaurant we took Tommaso to play and he was excited.
Rooms
The rooms are elegant and located between the different paths well maintained and cozy. The external environment gives the impression of being part of a real village, where other guests appear as new neighbors.
The interior of the double bedroom where we slept is furnished in Mediterranean style. In the evening, before going to sleep, we allowed ourselves a few minutes of relaxation on the chairs and table outside, where there was also a clotheshorse.
All rooms are equipped with air conditioning, TV, mini fridge, telephone, hairdryer, safety deposit box, bathroom. Ours also included a camping cot for Tommaso.
Where to eat in Cala Gonone?
By reiterating that we chose to stay at the Club Esse in Cala Gonone with full board – then with the restaurant service for lunch and dinner – one evening we dined with friends in a restaurant in the center of Cala Gonone.
The choice fell on Ristorante Pizzeria San Francisco and I must say that it was more than right as it was all delicious. Here you can choose between sea and land dishes as well as enjoy a good pizza.
The service was exceptional, we ate on the terrace a really delicious seafood appetizer and a first fish impeccable. Definitely recommended!
How to get to Cala Gonone
Once you have passed Dorgali, you will have to go through the tunnel on the SS 125, crossing the valley between monte Bardia and monte Tului.
Cala Gonone is located on a steep hill downhill that leads true to the coast of the Gulf of Orosei.
