There is a fantastic hotel named Hotel Su Gologone located just outside the town of Olbia. They describe themselves as an "experience hotel" and I must say, the title fits as there are numerous exciting experiences to be had, no matter what your interests!
Atmosphere
The interior is traditional Sardi (Sardinian style) and tiny relaxation alcoves are found throughout.
The hotel owners take great pride in their Sardinian heritage and have gathered a remarkable assortment of Sardinian art and artifacts. Guests receive a booklet with explanations about the artwork upon check in.
Outdoor areas provide the opportunity to connect with nature, explore the vegetable garden, unwind by the pool, enjoy a massage with estate grown aromatics, observe the making of the renowned Sardinian bread, or indulge in a cocktail while admiring the majestic Barbagia Mountains.
Experiences
Guests are able to choose from myriad experiences. Su Gologone offers hikes in the mountains, horseback riding tours and country picnics. Yogis will enjoy the spa and various yoga classes. Numerous hands-on cooking classes are available in order for you acquire a new repitoir of Sardinian dishes that you can then bring back to your hometown. Crafty types will enjoy making their own jewelry, pottery, herb sachets or embrodery with helpful instruction and direction. Shoppers fear not- you can always buy as opposed to creating your souvenir!
In the end, we chose two highly recommended and very memorable experiences: having lunch with a real day modern shepherd and a Sardinian wine class with the hotel's sommelier.
Tonino is a modern day shepherd as evidenced by the t-shirt and mini-frigo, but months long stints in solitary tending to goats is not for the faint of heart. He prepared a wonderful spread of homemade products and was warm and welcoming.
Lunch consisted of salumi, sausage and olives, followed by a main of beef and two cheese courses paired with local honey all washed down with local wine and homemade cherry grappa (didn't go back for seconds on the later 😂).
GOATS RETURNING FROM THIER MORNING TOUR AND THE PET DONKEY
Back a the ranch...
Clearly, Svein and I do our share of wine tasting, but it turned out that Marco was more of a teacher than we had anticipated. We both developed a deeper understanding of the complexities of Sardinian wine, and I even learned some tips that will help me in my upcoming sommelier exam!
Dining
The main restaurant, pictured above, offered traditional Cucina Sarda. There was also a vegetarian set menu being offered al fresco in the garden and for lunch there is a fish restaurant near the pool. Breakfast is served on the terrace.
Getting off the beaten path in Sardinia makes for lifelong memories!
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