The bus from Olbia and Palau to SANTA TERESA DI GALLURA , Sardinia's most northerly port, passes a succession of lovely bays, some dramatic rocky coastline, and a handful of campsites. Santa Teresa's tourist office is on the main Piazza Vittorio Emanuele (June-Sept daily 8.30am-1pm & 3.30-8pm; Oct-May Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 3.30-6.30pm, Sat 9am-1pm; tel 0789.754.185); there is also a summer-only booth down by the port. Moby Lines, Saremar and Sardinia Ferries operate sailings from here to Bonifacio in Corsica (4-18 daily; 1hr; L13,000-18,000/?6.76-9.36).

Among Santa Teresa's plentiful central hotels , good, relatively cheap choices include the plain and secluded Scano on Via Lázio (tel 0789.754.447; L90,000-120,000/?46.48-61.98) and the more elegant Da Cecco , at Via Po 3 (tel 0789.754.220; Easter-Oct; L90,000-120,000/?46.48-61.98), both of which, like most other hotels here, demand at least half-board in July and August. There are several more hotels outside town, where they are best placed to take advantage of some of Sardinia's most alluring beaches , all with superb views over to Corsica, just 11km away. To the east, Punta Falcone and La Marmorata are popular spots, while 3km west of Santa Teresa, Capo Testa is one of Sardinia's finest bathing localities, a rocky promontory surrounded by turquoise sea. In the latter area, you can stay comfortably and cheaply at Bocche di Bonifacio (tel 0789.754.202; April to mid-Oct; L90,000-120,000/?46.48-61.98), which also has good-value apartments to let, though these are usually booked up in peak period.