Tortolí and Arbatax

tortoli and arbatax

From Baunei the road descends steeply to TORTOLÍ , 5km inland from the port of ARBATAX , itself little more than a paper factory, a few bars and restaurants, and a port from which ferries ply to Genoa, Fiumicino and Civitavécchia three or four times weekly (daily in summer). The small beach here is famous for its red rocks, but there are better bathing spots outside town - especially to the south, where there is a series of sand and rock beaches at Lido Orri . There's a tourist office at Arbatax station (daily: June-Sept 7.30am-1.30pm & 5-8pm, July & Aug closes 10.30pm; Oct-May closed; tel 0782.667.690) that has information on sea excursions , including to the Grotta del Bue Marino for L35,000-45,000/¬18.20-23.40 ; in winter Tortolí's Pro Loco on Via Mazzini is open 9am-noon (tel 0782.622.824). For ferry tickets , the Tirrenia office is near the port, on your right as you walk towards the station (Mon-Fri 8.30am-1pm & 4-8pm or 3.30-7.30pm in winter, Sat 8.30am-1pm, plus Wed & Sun 10pm-midnight).

There are several small hotels in the Arbatax area, most of them difficult to reach on foot. The only reasonably priced one lies a couple of kilometres south of the port in the Porto Frailis district, near a good beach, the Gabbiano (tel 0782.623.512; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98). Otherwise, head towards Tortolí, where there is a small selection, including the pleasant Splendor on Viale Arbatax (tel 0782.623.037; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98) - opposite the Esso station on the other side of the rail tracks - and, further up on the left (on the corner with Via Sarcidano), Dolce Casa (tel 0782.623.484; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98; June-Sept), a clean and comfortable place run by an expatriate Englishwoman and her husband. There's a campsite in Porto Frailis, Telis (tel 0782.667.323; May-Sept), which also has bungalows to rent. Frequent buses connect Tortolí, Arbatax and Porto Frailis.As for restaurants , there are a few seafront places in Arbatax itself; in the Porto Frailis district, one of the best is Il Faro , overlooking the beach, and with a good choice of fish.