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We found a wonderful cool pool to swim in on the way to the well known gorge of Gola di Gorroppu.

You drive from Dorgali towards Gola di Gorroppu and park the car when the track runs out, then cross the footbridge and walk on the right of the river in the direction of the gorge.

After about 15 minutes, the path forks - the right fork will lead you past a barrier into the national park and on towards the gorge, the left fork leads you downhill towards the river, where you can find big boulders and deep river pools to swim in.

After fighting our way through the crowded beaches in August it made a refreshing change, but sadly we didn't quite make the gorge which is a sight in itself.

On the way back, just short of the Dorgali road, you might like to stop for a drink or meal at the hotel Sant'Elene which serves Sardinian specialities and has a terrace with an amazing view over the valley.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20405 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17270
From the villages of Oliena and Orgosolo with those beautiful and controversial murales (graffiti) to Mamoiada and its mysterious carnival masks; from the spectacular views of the supramonte of Oliena down to the woods of Gavoi, Tonara, Fonni.

And, if you still miss Sardinia’s blue waters among all this green, head for Tortoli and visit its golden beaches, or go all the way up to the Gulf of Orosei stopping every now and then to enjoy its paradise bays.

There is so much you can do and see in this area of Sardinia, trekking, hiking, visiting some incredible archaeological sites such as Tiscali - yes, this was a Sardinian site long before being a Sardinian web company!

Our last excursion included a visit to Orgosolo and an outdoor lunch with the shepherds - delicious! If you like strong cheese, fresh bread and suckling pig that is.

We also took a guided tour of the mountains (Supramonte of Orgosolo) in an off-road vehicle. It was great, the shape of the rocks, the vegetation and the animals that you can view are unbelievable.

We finally allowed ourselves some time to view the Museum of the Masks in Mamoiada and to discover more about the ancient rite of carnival here. Nothing like you can imagine. Forget about the lovely, elegant masks of the Venice carnival. Here it is a totally different story!

Plan your itinerary very well. Roads are not always very good and because of the mountains you might need to drive much longer than what you expected to cover such small distances.

Orosei is a good place to reach both stunning beaches (e.g. Cala Gonone, Cala Liberotto) and the mountains (Oliena, Orgosolo, Mamoiada and Dorgali) for day excursions.

If you are staying for at least a week, it is worth spending a few nights in a agriturismo (farm house) around here.

From Arbatax you can easily reach the beautiful costs of Tortoli, Barisardo, Santa Maria Navarrese, Baunei and head for the mountains around Tonara, Aritzo, Sorgono where, again, you should spend a few nights.

In both cases you should hire a car, although some places can be reached in the summer season with the Trenino Verde, a tourist train.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17270 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8834 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/8834