Discover Villasimius: beaches and points of interest

Notteri Lagoon

A unique natural spectacle, an ecosystem between land and sea that enhances the Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area, at the southeastern tip of Sardinia: a thin strip of sand separates the blue sea and the lagoon, home to pink flamingos. A unique scene with intense and brilliant colors, perfect for commercials and films. The Notteri Lagoon is located at the narrowest part of the Capo Carbonara peninsula, the extreme southeastern tip of the island, just minutes from the town center and the modern marina of Villasimius. It is separated from the sea by a thin strip of sand, the beach of the same name, also known as Spiaggia del Giunco, and is immersed in Mediterranean scrub. Looking from the top of the cliff that borders it, an astonishing picture emerges: a double blue field, with various shades, practically "Two Seas" (another name by which Giunco is known) separated by the white of the beach. The lagoon, without emissaries or connections to the sea, is half a meter deep: thus favoring the presence of pink flamingos, observable along the southeastern coast, only here and in the lagoons of Colostrai and Feraxi.

Porto Sa Ruxi Beach

Between Capo Boi and Campus Beach, a bay opens up formed by three small beaches with rocky sides. The uniqueness of Porto Sa Ruxi lies in its shape: three arches corresponding to as many beaches with very fine white sand, protected at the back by low rocks. The charming cliffs then frame this beautiful beach well sheltered from the mistral wind.
To reach it, you cross suggestive sandy dunes covered with Mediterranean scrub. It will be delightful to dive into its transparent sea with its typical turquoise color and enjoy the sun on this coarse-grained sandy shore. At times, it will feel like being on a tropical beach! The landscape is worthy of a postcard showcasing the most beautiful and famous beaches of Sardinia. Campus

Punta Molentis Beach

On the southeastern coast of Sardinia, stands a stunning beach with unmistakable charm, a location for some commercials: clear water and white sand on one side, a granite quarry on the other. The azure and turquoise of the sea, the bright white of the beach, dotted with pink on the shoreline, and the green of the Mediterranean scrub. These are the postcard colors of Punta Molentis, one of the gems of Villasimius (and all of southern Sardinia), which you’ll find along the scenic road to Castiadas and Costa Rei. The crystal-clear waters wash over the fine, white sand, whose reflections illuminate the coast. The promontory and the beach are part of the Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area and owe their name to su molenti, the donkey: once a means of transporting material extracted from the surrounding granite quarries. The granite rocks emerge like relics where the shore at sunset is tinged with pink.

Campus

A stretch of fine white sand at the gateway to one of Sardinia's most famous tourist destinations, within a protected area occupying the southeastern tip of the island. It will appear in all its splendor along the scenic road from Cagliari, about 40 minutes to Villasimius, a few kilometers before reaching the renowned tourist center, between the village and the beach of Porto sa Ruxi and Campu Longu. Campus Beach is one of the gems of the southeastern coast, preserved by the Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area: located at the mouth of a small river, between reeds and Mediterranean scrub that come very close to the shore, it is wide and long, made of soft sand that dips into a crystal-clear and transparent sea with various shades of green and with gently sloping seabeds. Two small promontories enclose and protect it, one of which separates it from the small beach of Cuccureddus. Well-equipped, it is the ideal place for families with children and less experienced swimmers who prefer to swim near the shore surrounded by multicolored fish. Perfect also for those who love long swims or walks.

Timi Ama Beach

Timi Ama Beach is one of the beaches of Villasimius, located between Porto Giunco Beach and Simius Beach, along the beautiful southern coast of Sardinia. Timi Ama Beach is characterized by a shoreline with very fine, soft, pure white sand and reflects in a crystal-clear sea with beautiful colors ranging from emerald green to turquoise, changing. The seabed is shallow and sandy, ideal for bathing in complete tranquility and safety. There is no presence of seagrass. To the north and south, a small cluster of rocks borders the beach, while behind it are villas and luxury residences, beyond which we find the Mediterranean scrub. This beach is quite frequented during the summer months, like the other beautiful beaches of Villasimius, although it is never extremely crowded.

Isola dei Cavoli

A small granite island at the extreme southeastern tip of Sardinia, less than a kilometer from Capo Carbonara, a borderland of unparalleled beauty, immersed in a wild and protected natural context. Isola dei Cavoli has a surface area of just 43 hectares but is a true floral and faunal gem, accessible only by private boats or organized excursions from the port of Villasimius. Its jagged coasts open into small coves surrounded by granite boulders with white sandy bottoms: the long and narrow Cala di Ponente, accessible to small boats, Cala del Morto to the south, Cala del Ceppo, and the larger and more protected Cala di Scasciu.

Serpentara

Small but rich in nature, off the coast of Sarrabus, in the extreme southeastern part of Sardinia, there is an island with a coastal edge of rocks and stones that vaguely resemble a snake. A small island of granite rocks that probably owes its name to its elongated and sinuous shape. Serpentara is located four kilometers offshore from the beaches of Villasimius, of which it is part. Its surface area of 134 hectares is uninhabited but populated by wild rabbits amidst lush and fragrant Mediterranean scrub, overflown by herons, Corsican gulls, and shag cormorants, which nest here. Near its coasts, it is not uncommon to encounter dolphins.

Porto Giunco

A corner of the Caribbean in Sardinia, a “pearl” of the southeastern coast, 45 kilometers from Cagliari: a sublime strip of fine sand and calm sea that blends with the sky. Anyone passing through Villasimius, a famous tourist destination in the southeast of the island, is dazzled by it: a long stretch of soft, very light sand, with pink hues derived from granite fragments, enclosed between a lagoon and the sea of light blue tones, which takes on an infinite number of shades as you go offshore. Porto Giunco is a tropical beach in the heart of the Mediterranean, one of the most famous on the island and among the most beautiful in Italy, as confirmed by TripAdvisor users, as well as by specialized magazines: its colors seem painted by an artist and have inspired directors and advertisers who have chosen it as the setting for their commercials.

Capo Carbonara

In the southeastern corner of Sardinia, you will find fairy-tale coastal and underwater landscapes: above the water, promontories, coves, and beaches, underwater granite pinnacles and cracks colored by sea daisies and gorgonians, inhabited by swarms of fish. Unique and varied landscapes, rocky coasts and long beaches, lagoons and green areas, within an ecosystem that protects its biodiversity and is an ideal habitat for the reproduction of many species. The Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area is located in the territory of the renowned tourist center of Villasimius and is divided into two bays by the promontory of the same name, covering a total area of 86 square kilometers, from Capo Boi to the Island of Serpentara, including Isola dei Cavoli and the shoals of Berni, Mezzo, Libeccio, Pescatelli, and Santa Caterina, where the Madonna of the shipwreck, a statue by Pinuccio Sciola, lies, the destination of a solemn procession in July.

Fortezza Vecchia

Located on a granite promontory not far from Capo Carbonara, in a scenic position on the sea, the fortress was built between 1580-1590, probably to adapt a pre-existing structure dating back to the 14th century to the changed defensive needs. Its design was part of the program to establish a defensive system of interconnected coastal towers, desired by Philip II of Spain to counter the attacks of the Barbary pirates. Equipped with a garrison from 1590-91, it then acquired an increasingly important role and continued its function until 1847. The fortress originally had the shape of an equilateral triangle. In 1790, it underwent a significant transformation: the plan was given a quadrangular shape, and small bastions were added at the four corners, giving it the typical star shape that characterizes it.