Santa Teresa Gallura

First Impressions of Santa Teresa Gallura

We arrived in Santa Teresa Gallura just in time for lunch. As we were driving into town, I recognized the name of a restaurant that was recommended to us--da Thomas. We didn't even stop to check the menu; we just trusted the vibe and went in. 

It was a good call.

The light and airy vibe of da Thomas

A Seafood-Focused Lunch

We started with a fancy salad that looked almost too pretty to eat. 

Fancy Salad

Polpo Scottato - Seared Octopus in potato cream

We followed that with the seared octopus with confit cherry tomato, pistachio crunch, mullet roe and a puffed polenta wafer. 

It sounds like a lot--and I guess it is--but itall came together beautifully. The octopus was incredibly tender. I don't have much experience eating octopus, but I enjoyed every bite.

Paccherini with courgette cream, prawn and pistachio crunch

Vongole e Bottarga

Clams, garlic, parsley and local bottarga (cured fish roe). Briny and delicious!

We both finished with gelato and then it was time to find our airbnb. 

Room with a Partial View

Thankfully, we found the place easily (a nice change!) and bonus: there was plenty of nearby parking and even a partial sea view from the apartment. 


The heat was intense, so we took some time to cool off indoors before heading out again. 

Sunset in Rena Bianca beach

Evening Explorations

Once it cooled down a bit we set out to explore. Our first stop was Rena Bianca beach, where we found a trail leading down to the sand. We decided to save that adventure for the next day and instead walked up toward the Longonsardo Tower.  

On the way, we passed a modern statue of the Virgin Mary, placed there to watch over sailros. It made for a striking silhouette in the setting sun. 

Virgin Mary statue to protect the sailors

We stayed up there until the sun dipped below the horizon. Even after it had disappeared, the sky was on fire with color. 

Orange sky

Ira captured this dramatic shot of the Torre di Longonsardo, which was built as part of King Filippo II's defense strategy to protect the harbor from pirate attacks.

Torre di Longonsardo

And just like that, our first day in Santa Teresa Gallura came to a close.

A dopo!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Few New Updates (#250)

Image
This morning we went over to the apartment. We made sure to go early since there's no electricity or lighting at the moment. Many of the rooms look the same, aside from the pile of old doors and materials that have now been cleared. The biggest change by far was the terrace. From the guest bedroom, you can see the progression: what it looked like last spring, what it looks like now...and the rendering of what it will someday become. Notice that the old bathroom is completely gone--you can now see straight through to the terrace. Guest bedroom Spring 2025 Guest Bedroom Winter 2025 (minus the terrace bathroom) Guest bedroom rendering Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they've been able to save many tiles. Our original plan was to repurpose whatever survived into a medallion or faux rug in the foyer. So...we may be moving on to plan B. Tile demolition Below is the view looking out through the former bathroom door--soon to be a window--looking out on the terrace. The thickness...
Read more

A New Lunch Spot, A Little Bonsai and a Lot of Contractors

Image
Just when we started feeling a little smug about knowing our way around town--having our favorite cafes and go-to spots--something happened to remind us how much we still have to discover. Today we had lunch plans with Tim and Izabella. We told them to choose the restaurant, and they picked one we had never even heard of: Villa La Boccia.  There are no signs pointing you there, no flashy advertising, nothing to catch your eye as you drive past--which we apparently do regularly without ever noticing it. So naturally we were curious about this "secret" local spot.  When we arrived, the parking lot was completely full. Completely. The restaurant itself was large, with indoor dining and a courtyard, and every seat seemed taken. We were stunned. How had we missed this place? Luckily Tim had made a reservation--he told us he had tried before without one and failed to get a table. Good thing he planned ahead.  Inside, the place was buzzing and the menu was extensive. It was hard...
Read more

A Busy Last Week in San Diego

Image
Our last week in San Diego arrived faster than expected, and David is feeling the pressure to get as much bonsai work done as possible. If he'd had his way, Ira probably would have been working every daylight hour and only released at night. Unfortunately for David's plan, we already had a few things scheduled. One of those plans was a long-anticipated trip to the zoo with RC. With everyone's busy schedules, this was the first day that worked for all of us. And really, we had to take advantage of our annual pass, right? Kai arrived proudly wearing the gorilla shirt we'd bought him the last time we visited the San Diego Zoo . He was eager to show us how fast he could move and had a great time climbing and weaving his way through the polar bear exhibit.  This time the polar bear was just as active. It definitely pays to visit early in the day. Sadly I stopped recording too soon because right after he jumped into the water, swam toward us, climbed out, and shook himself dr...
Read more