Directions to / from Cagliari
There are 2 ways to get to the house, which differ in the first hour or so of travel from the airport - through the mountains or round the coast roads. As roads are new you often have to ignore signs that look good so it's best to make sure the direction and road size/name is right rather than trust place names at all times. The SS125 is the name for both the old and the new road on the common piece - they both go the same places but new road is much quicker and bypasses villages so if in doubt aim for the bigger road!
Cagliari to Meeting Point - Mountain Route
Cagliari to Meeting Point - Coastal Route
Directions to / from Olbia
There is really only one good way to get from Olbia to Gumtrees and so we have just described this route. Until 5-10 years ago the trip to Olbia would take 4-5 hours but now can be done in just over 2 hours due to new roads cutting off the sharp mountain bends etc.
Olbia to Meeting Point
There are 2 ways to get to the house, which differ in the first hour or so of travel from the airport - through the mountains or round the coast roads. As roads are new you often have to ignore signs that look good so it's best to make sure the direction and road size/name is right rather than trust place names at all times. The SS125 is the name for both the old and the new road on the common piece - they both go the same places but new road is much quicker and bypasses villages so if in doubt aim for the bigger road!
Cagliari to Meeting Point - Mountain Route
- As you leave the airport follow the sign for cagliari and then villasimius / quartu.
- After a sign for quartucciu there will be a sign for Muravera / Arbatax / Siniscola - turn right here.
- Follow signs for Villasimius - after approx. 5km you will reach a new roundabout. Take signs for Muravera/ Villasimius.
- Follow Olbia / Muravera / Villasimius. By the roadworks follow the small sign for Muravera NOT Villasimius
- Keep on road. After app 15 km you will pass diverland water park on the right.
- Further on, on the right there is a bar, before you start the mountain ascent. Good idea to stop here as there is not another. Not good travellers perhaps should drive from this point…except children !!!
- Continue on the short ascent…one road only..and then a longer descent. This takes approx. 25/30 mins.
- Once you are down you will go over a narrow stone bridge. After this look for another sign to muravera on the left follow this and you will be on a new road which bypasses muravera
- Keep on the road following signs for tortoli until the road ends. Then take tertenia 15
- Please phone us when you pass tertenia.....it is a sprawling village on your left.
- Follow tortoli and barisardo until end of road then take barisardo. Turn right sign says ierzu and lanusei . Slow down . We will meet you under the bridge here.
Cagliari to Meeting Point - Coastal Route
- As you leave the airport follow the sign for cagliari and then villasimius / quartu.
- After a sign for quartucciu there will be a sign for muravera / arbatax , / siniscola - turn right and follow signs for villasimius.
- After approx. 5km you will reach a new roundabout - take the sign for Muravera / Villasimius
- Follow Olbia / Muravera / Villasimius. By the roadworks follow the small sign for Villasimius
- After app 500mtrs turn left to Villasimius. You enter the new road which is the nuova ss554.
- At the end of this dual carriageway there is a fork in the centre of the road - bear left to villasimius.
- You join the old road for approx. 5kms . At the new roundabout take the sign which is only marked nuova ss125
- The road will show signs for Tortoli. Carry on on this road all the way. This road bypasses muravera. You will eventually have to leave this road . Then take tertenia 15.
- Please phone us when you pass tertenia.....it is a sprawling village on your left.
- Follow tortoli and barisardo until end of road there are flashing arrows. Then take barisardo. Turn right. Sign says ierzu and lanusei. Slow down. We will meet you under the bridge here.
Directions to / from Olbia
There is really only one good way to get from Olbia to Gumtrees and so we have just described this route. Until 5-10 years ago the trip to Olbia would take 4-5 hours but now can be done in just over 2 hours due to new roads cutting off the sharp mountain bends etc.
Olbia to Meeting Point
- Follow USCITA (Exit) signs out of airport
- Turn left at the first set of traffic lights indicating SASSARI & NUORO
- Before long, bear right indicating SASSARI and then immediately left for SASSARI, CAGLIARI
- After approx. 2 miles turn right for Cagliari, Nuoro - this is the second turning after a garage - continue on this road for approx. one hour.
- Just after the 62 kilometre sign (at side of road) there is a sign for Nuoro-LA SOLITUDINE and Orune - DO NOT TAKE THIS TURN
- Continue straight on for Cagliari, Sassari.
- At the 52km marker you will go through a tunnel and then take the next exit indicating Lanusei and Tortoli, then Nuoro Ospedale. You will u will now be on single carriageway. Bear right for Lanusei. At the top go immediately through a tunnel .
- PLEASE RING US AT THIS POINT.
- After the tunnel continue straight on for Lanusei. The road eventually becomes bendy and you will see a large yellow area sign on the right marked OGLIASTRA. Continue over a railway line (feels like a cattle grid) and you will reach a junction signed Lanusei/Tortoli . Bear left and pull in . We will meet you here.
As an overview the route consists of spending roughly 1 hour going from Olbia to Nuoro and then 1 hour going from Nuoro to Lanusei. The last 15 minutes is the descent from Lanusei to
the valley of Pelau
The map on Google is fairly accurate until Lanusei but then I had some issues getting it to follow the correct route!
After leaving the airport simply follow signs to Nuoro. You will never actually go into Nuoro but will hit the ring road and there are 2 turns here in a short space of time so this is the main place to be careful.
When you start on the SS389 and follow signs to Lanusei this will last for the best part of an hour. There are a few bends for the last 15 minutes of this hour.
When you hit Lanusei it is probably easiest to drive through the village and as you come out there will be a large fork in the road with a road curving upwards to the right - see photo below.
This is signposted Cagliari, Loceri and SS125 and is the correct road to follow. This is different to that shown on the link but will be quicker - it is equivalent to going straight from marker D to marker E. In the worst case if you end up on the wrong road - to either Cardedu or Barisardo then it will not waste a huge amount of time. Follow this road for approx 10 minutes going downhill and you should come to the junction mentioned in E where you have to turn right and proceed over the bridge
the valley of Pelau
The map on Google is fairly accurate until Lanusei but then I had some issues getting it to follow the correct route!
After leaving the airport simply follow signs to Nuoro. You will never actually go into Nuoro but will hit the ring road and there are 2 turns here in a short space of time so this is the main place to be careful.
When you start on the SS389 and follow signs to Lanusei this will last for the best part of an hour. There are a few bends for the last 15 minutes of this hour.
When you hit Lanusei it is probably easiest to drive through the village and as you come out there will be a large fork in the road with a road curving upwards to the right - see photo below.
This is signposted Cagliari, Loceri and SS125 and is the correct road to follow. This is different to that shown on the link but will be quicker - it is equivalent to going straight from marker D to marker E. In the worst case if you end up on the wrong road - to either Cardedu or Barisardo then it will not waste a huge amount of time. Follow this road for approx 10 minutes going downhill and you should come to the junction mentioned in E where you have to turn right and proceed over the bridge
Gumtrees Villa