Known locally as the Parco Nazionale del Golfo di Orosei e del Gennargentu, the Gennargentu National Park can be found along the eastern coastline of Sardinia. The park includes not only the Gennargentu mountain range, but the Bay of Orosei as well. From the peak of Punta La Marmora, to the depths of the bay, there is a lot to see within the borders of the park.

Many animals call the Gennargentu National Park their home. The most notable of these is the Sardinia Wildcat. However there is also the Mediterranean Monk Seal, Mouflon, Garden dormouse, Weasel, Marten and the Sardinian Fox. The island park is also inhabited by a number of different bird species which includes the Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Bonelli’s Eagle as well as the Butterfly Corsican Swallowtail.

Gennargentu National Park, Sardinia, Italy by Gianfranco

Because of the height of the Punta La Marmora, the tallest mountain in Sardinia, the Gennargentu National Park is also home to the island’s only ski resort. Every year countless visitors make their way to the park to spend some time on the slopes.

Gennargentu is also home to the Cala Luna beach which is considered by many to be one of the finest beaches in the Mediterranean. It can take one several hours just to walk the length of the beach. However, with the many caves that can be found along the way and explored, a trip to the beach could take you all day.

One can also experience the forests and heart of the Gennargentu National Park by hiking through the Supramonte of Oliena-Dorgali. This is a dirt road which extends through the valley of the Lanaittu. At the end of the road, one will find the small village of Tiscali which was built within a cave. You could spend all day walk the road to and from the hidden village in the mountain side. The countryside is rugged and there are many ravines, but the trip to see the village is definitely worth making.

From the Winter wonderland at the top of Punta La Marmora, to the hidden secrets of Tiscali, to the majestic shorelines of the Cala Luna, the Gennargentu National Park seems to have a little bit of everything that people are looking for in a holiday destination. There is excitement and adventure in every corner of the national park.

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