Capo Testa

Capo Testa is a small peninsula in the north of Sardinia, near Santa Teresa Gallura. The typical granite of the Gallura has been weathered into striking hollowed shapes known as “tafoni”, and juniper and mastic grow on the cape. The cape was once a small island. Today an isthmus with a road links it to the mainland, lying between the beaches of Rena di Ponente and Rena di Levante. The Romans already quarried granite here and shipped it to Rome.

In the Valle della Luna, the name refers to the pale colour of the rocks, which seem to glow in the moonlight. In the 1960s a hippie community settled here, wanting to live close to nature. The modern lighthouse guides ships through the Strait of Bonifacio, and beside it are the remains of an older lighthouse from the 17th century. Sturdy shoes are advisable on the rocky ground.

The two beaches by the isthmus complement each other: when the wind blows on one side, the other is usually sheltered. You can reach the small sandy cove of Cala Spinosa, with clear water and good snorkelling, by boat or along a steep path of about 20 minutes. The paths through the rocks, including in the Valle della Luna, are not waymarked.