Costa Rei
Costa Rei bay
Costa Rei is the part of Sardinia's southeast coast between Punta de Is Cappucinus and Capo Ferrato. Divided between the towns of Muravera and Castiadas, Costa Rei is beyond all doubt one of the most famous of the island's coasts, with its splendid beaches surrounded by Mediterranean bush: a truly enchanted landscape.
The area is ideal…
…for those who love long stretches of sand, with the presence of a variety of beaches such as Cala Sinzias, Sant’Elmo, Santa Giusta, Monte Nai, Piscina Rei and Capo Ferrato..
…and also for those who prefer shoals and rocks. Indeed, at Costa Rei scuba divers find beautiful places for immersions on sea beds along the entire coast, including the fantastic Serpentari Marine Park with its unique flora and fauna.
Costa Rei's beaches extend for about ten kilometres. The sand is fine and white; the sea takes on intense and fantastic colours that go from turquoise to emerald to dark blue. The seabed is safe and shallow, ideal for children and the less intrepid adults! Starting from Cala Sinzias, after a long stretch of beach we come to Monte Turno, an ancient extinct volcano featuring dark rocks which are great for diving.
A small bay
Going still further on, we come to the area of Sant’Elmo, the name of a small shoal featuring a small cave the inside of which can be explored with simple diving gear. Experts can explore it even without breathing equipment. On the inside of the cave there is a trapped air bubble.
The "Scoglio di Peppino"
Continuing on, we find rocks that lead to a large shoal, the renowned Scoglio di Peppino, the most beautiful of the Costa Rei.
It is white granite some thirty metres long. It is almost connected to the coastline and recalls the shape of a whale. It has a small cove where the water is shallow, ideal for very small children. Inland of this stretch of beach we find a small stand of red junipers. These are centuries-old protected trees which are characteristic of Sardinia's coasts. From here we continue along a beach in front of Monte Nai from the top of which we can view the entire bay of Costa Rei.
The beautiful beach near "Monte Nai"
The centre of the beach is known as Piscina Rei and features small dunes and the famous sea lilies, sure signs of the absence of all kinds of pollution. The beach ends with the shoals that separate it from a small natural bay named Porto Pirastu, an inlet protected from the winds and for this reason used in ancient times as a landing place for ships.
After Porto Pirastu we come to Capo Ferrato, the final stretch of Costa Rei, with its pink granite rocks plunging into the sea, an ideal place for those who are fond of fishing.
Costa Rei's crystalline waters
Costa Rei is the ideal place for lovers of the sea and those who appreciate still uncontaminated nature. Beautiful natural areas and archaeological sites are an integral part of the Costa Rei landscapes, which include the islet of Serpentara and the islet of Cavoli , which can be reached during exciting boat excursions; the Sette Fratelli mountains, where you can participate in interesting excursions; the natural reserves of Colostrai where you can enjoy the site of the famous and splendid flamingos.
At Costa Rei, in the area around Piscina Rei, you can wonder at the twenty-two menhirs that go back some five thousand years in time. In the place known as Cuili Piras you can visit a megalithic complex that includes fifty-three menhirs. Menhirs are long stones embedded upright in the ground; they are sculpted and some rise to about five metres in height. They may stand alone or be arranged in rows or circles; they represent male divinities and fertility in the religions of Neolithic peoples.
In the place known as Santa Giusta, we find the S’Omu 'e S’Orcu nuraghe, the largest of its kind in all of southeast Sardinia. It is quite close to the sea and dominates the area from the top of a rise. The first nuraghes date back to about 1500 BC. They are round, tapering stone towers built of large stones arranged in courses and were used as fortified defensive outposts.
