The location of Olbia
The town can be found in the province of Olbia-Tempio in Sardinia, Italy. The holiday resort shares borders with Alà dei Sardi, Golfo Aranci, Monti, Sant’Antonio di Gallura, San Teodoro, Arzachena and Padru. Loiri Porto San Paolo and Telti are also its neighbours.
The history of Olbia
Although the name comes from Greek and means “happy”, according to archaeological findings, it was established by the Phoenicians. Another interesting fact is that they changed the town’s name several times during the past. Its name was Olbia in the Roman period, Civita in the medieval times and Terranova Pausania later, until 1940. Then Olbia became the official name. Once a tiny fishing village, Olbia today is one of the most popular resorts in the northeastern part of Sardinia. It has a busy port and an international airport.
The climate of Olbia
The port town has a pleasant Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry; in July, the temperature might get as high as 33°C. Winters are mild; the wettest period is between October and December. Do you like swimming? The temperature of the sea may even reach 27°C during the warmest weeks. If you are interested in outdoor tourist activities, we recommend that you visit Olbia between April and October.
The main sights to see in Olbia
Famous sights in the resort include the National Archaeological Museum, the Basilica of San Simplicio and the Church of St. Paul the Apostle. Olbia is a perfect starting point when exploring Tavolara Island nearby. If you are a nature enthusiast and like hiking, there is a designated course towards the highest point, Puna Cannone where you can admire the breathtaking view. The main street in Olbia is Corso Umberto I with its great atmosphere. There are excellent restaurants and shops here, and you can see architectural masterpieces as well.
The gastronomy of Olbia
The beautiful Olbia is well-known for its great restaurants and cosy cafés. If you visit the place, we recommend La Lanterna in particular. Their main speciality is pizza, but you should also try the frutti di mare, the pecorino made from sheep’s milk and the grilled dishes. Besides the delicious food, there is also a wide selection of wines to choose from.
Beaches in Olbia
Saline Beach
The breathtaking beach has a remarkable size with is 1400-metre length. There is red, coarse sand here. If you visit the beach, you must definitely try watersports such as surfing or sailing. The long beach is also ideal for a nice walk.
Dottore Beach
This beach is located in a beautiful and unique natural environment. It is surrounded by green land and there are also marvellous granite rocks here. You can spot tiny colourful pebbles in the white sand. Once you are here, you should try snorkelling and scuba diving.
Porto Istana Beach
This fine beach can be found opposite Tavolara Island. There are rocky areas dispersed in its fine white sand. The beach is tiny with a length of 200 metres; we particularly recommend it to families with children. There is a bar and a restaurant here, and you can rent sunshades and lounges. As for watersports, we can try canoeing, jet-skiing, surfing and sailing.
Yachtcharter in Olbia
Marina di Olbia
The important port has 270 berths for yachts up to 80 metres long. The maximum depth is 5.2 metres. The protected port offers several good-quality services, and there is a bar and a restaurant. Read about sailing in Olbia, or Olbia boat rental
Marina di Golfo Aranci
The well-equipped port is only 20 metres from the centre of Golfo Aranci. They have 30 berths for boats as long as 5-16 metres. The depth of the water is 1.5-5 metres. The breakwater provides safety against winds dominant in the area. They offer electricity, Wi-Fi, a bar and a restaurant.
Marina di Porto Rotondo
There are 650 berths here for yachts with a length of 90 metres. The depth of the water is 5.5 metres. They provide fuel, maintenance and medical assistance as well as drinking water, electricity and Wi-Fi.
Porto Cervo Marina
This is one of the best equipped and most welcoming ports on the Adriatic Sea. There are 700 berths available, 100 of which are preserved for yachts passing through. Yachts with a length of up to 120 metres can be docked here. The depth of the water is 1.7-7 metres. Every berth provides drinking water and electricity.
Poltu Quatu
Arzachena’s port, which opened in 1987, is still very popular to this day. They have 305 berths for yachts as long as 8-35 metres. The depth of water is 3 metres around the entrance and 2 metres in the inner dock. Information about sailing in Arzachena, or yacht charter in Arzachena
Marina di Cannigione
The port can accept boats with a length of up to 25 metres with its 400 moorings. The maximum depth is 4.5 metres. They have drinking water, electricity, and laundry and they also provide boat maintenance. You can also explore a cosy bar and a restaurant nearby. Read about Cannigione sailing, or rent a boat in Cannigione
Porto di Santa Teresa Gallura
There are 700 permanent berths for boats with a maximum length of 45 metres. The sea bottom is 5 metres deep. The perfectly protected port offers great services, and there is a great bar and a restaurant nearby. Information about Santa Teresa Gallura sailing, or boat rental in Santa Teresa Gallura
If you sail around Olbia, don’t miss the other wonderful holiday resorts in the area. Porto San Paolo, Tavolara Island, Golfo Aranci, Porto Rotondo and Porto Cervo are all wonderful choices. Find yacht routes in Costa Smeralda or choose another yacht charter in Costa Smeralda.
More information about Olbia
The climate diagrams are based on 30 years of hourly weather model simulations. They give good indications of typical climate patterns and expected conditions (temperature, precipitation, sunshine, and wind). The “mean daily maximum” (solid red line) shows the maximum temperature of an average day for every month for Olbia. Likewise, the “mean daily minimum” (solid blue line) shows the average minimum temperature.
The wind rose for Olbia shows how many hours per year the wind blows from the indicated direction. The diagram for Olbia shows the days per month, during which the wind reaches a certain speed.
Rent a boat in Olbia, and cruise around Olbia
Day 1. Olbia – Porto San Paolo 14.94 km (9.28 mi), Day 2. Porto San Paolo – Tavolara Island (Spalmatore di Terra) 4.63 km (2.88 mi) Day 3. Tavolara Island (Spalmatore di Terra) – Golfo Aranci 13.33 km (8.29 mi) Day 4. Golfo Aranci – Porto Rotondo 17.21 km (10.69 mi) Day 5. Porto Rotondo – Portisco 1.84 km (1.14 mi) Day 6. Portisco – Porto Cervo 16.49 km (10.24 mi) Day 7. Porto Cervo – Caprera (Pontile di Porto Palma) – Olbia 61.99 km (38.52 mi). 
Read more about Olbia sailing
Day 1. Olbia – Tavolara Island (Spalmatore di Terra) 16.22 km (10.08 mi), Day 2. Tavolara Island (Spalmatore di Terra) – Caprera (Pontile di Porto Palma) 44.81 km (27.84 mi), Day 3. Caprera (Pontile di Porto Palma) – Spargi (Cala Corsara) 12.39 km (7.70 mi), Day 4. Spargi (Cala Corsara) – Bonifacio 26.80 km (16.66 mi), Day 5. Bonifacio – Santa Teresa Gallura 16.45 km (10.22 mi), Day 6. Santa Teresa Gallura – Palau 21.16 km (13.15 mi), Day 7. Palau – Porto Cervo – Olbia 54.94 (34.14 mi)
More Costa Smeralda sailing itineraries.
