Olbia: Waterfront & Harbor

Tucked into an inlet on the northeast coast of Sardinia, Olbia hosts both a port and an airport, so it’s a popular place for tourists to pass through on their way to other parts of the island. This historic port is a nice jumping off point to see ancient architecture, and also has a few great runs. 

Waterfront/Isola Bianca: There is some fairly good running along the downtown waterfront area, starting from Via dei Lidi in the north. Runners can follow the sidewalk down along Lungomare S. Josemaria Escrivà de Balaguer and take a loop around Parco Fausto Noce. Back on the waterfront, cross under SS125 to Parco Giardenetti. At the northeast end of the park, Viale Isola Bianca has a nice promenade out to the ferry port. Runners can also continue south through Parco Giardenetti before looping back. Note that the area surrounding SS125 can be kind of complex and busy (lots of on and off ramps) so use caution or simply start from the park. Starting from Via dei Lidi, it’s about 5 miles round trip. MAP. 

Tourist Port Area: Another great area to check out in Olbia, though significantly shorter than other routes, is the lovely tourist port to the south of downtown. Here, runners will find cobblestone and boardwalk paths along the harbor and great views of boats bobbing before Isola del Calvallo. For extra distance, most of the roads inland (west of the harbor) have good sidewalks. There isn’t much to see on these streets other than hotels and condos, but it’s a pleasant route all the same. MAP.