The city of Olbia is a gateway to Sardinia and it is an important logistical hub due to its port and its international airport. For someone the city could be considered only a landing point for tourists who want to visit the island, but its attractions and sights deserve more than a fleeting glance. The staff of our Car Rental at the Olbia Airport gives you 10 good reasons to stay in town. Here some suggestions about what to do and visit in Olbia:

1) The natural gulf is wonderful and full of life: directly in the city centre you can admire a colony of pink flamingos and, not too far, you can see the typical local activity of the mussel farming.

2) The coastline of Olbia extends for 120 km and the beaches are stunning, with white finest sands and enchanting crystal waters.

3) Thanks to the position of the city, in Olbia you can enjoy an amazing landscape, for instance the view on Monte Pino which overlooks the town. This is the favourite place to hike and to do outdoor activities.

4) The worldwide famous suburbs of San Pantaleo and Porto Rotondo are hamlets of the Olbia municipality.

5) Olbia is a city full of history. In order to deepen this aspect, we recommend you visit the national archaeological museum.

6) Olbia provides all the services of a big city, almost like an European metropolis but at the fingertips of tourists.

7) The hotels of the city offer hospitality at high international standard levels, the many bed and breakfasts and the rural tourism farmhouses are easily reachable. In addition to that, although many beaches are free to enter, the services there provided are of high quality.

8) The city has one of the most beautiful town parks in Italy, almost a botanical garden, the ideal for those who love jogging and playing open-air sports.

9) The holiday houses have competitive prices and unique locations, especially if we consider the quality of the service and their strategic position near to Costa Smeralda.

10) Olbia is the best place also for people who want to visit the local regions of Gallura and Alta Baronia with a rental car from the Olbia airport. In the evening, after a nice trip in the hinterland, you can take a moment to discover lesser-known aspects of the city and share the laid-back atmosphere of a mediterranean town of international appeal.

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In addition to the previous ten ones, we decided to give you three more reasons to come and visit Olbia. The following suggestions are updated to 2024:

1) Olbia has excellent airline connections, in summer you can choose among dozens of flights to and from all over Italy and also towards many European destinations. Since 2023 there is a direct intercontinental flight to Dubai (the biggest middle-eastern airport hub). Olbia is well connected with the major Italian airports in fall winter as well. You can easily reach all European destinations and most of the intercontinental ones with only a stopover.

2) The new Olbia promenade, entitled to the former president of the Italian republic Francesco Cossiga, is a wonderful place to take a day or a night walk. The nearby square “Piazza Crispi” has been recently expanded and equipped for large events. It has become the centre of the night life and it has been enriched with the “Jungle Tree” playground and impressive fountains.

3) Olbia is the city of the big events in Sardinia with a packed calendar with international exhibitions. Only in 2023 it hosted the World Rally Cup, the ATP Challenger 125, the World Aquabike Championship and the UIM F1H20 World Championship. Many gigs take place in town during the year, like the Red Valley Festival in summer and the last New Year’s Eve concert of the Italian singers Zucchero and Salmo.

The list here above is only a short overview of the things that you can do and see in Olbia and its surroundings. The Olbia area has so much to offer! This picturesque town is to be experienced, not only visited. In the last few years it has been ranked very often among the best cities in Italy for the high life- and services quality. In order to fully capture the essence of this unique destination you have to immerge yourself in the experience, explore every corner using detailed guides, web sites and going to the local touristic info points. Only this way you will actually enjoy the richness and variety of Olbia and its surroundings.

F.A.Q. – FREQUENT ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OLBIA AS TOURIST CITY

• In which geographic area of Sardinia is Olbia located?
Olbia is located on the North-East coast of Sardinia and it is the doorway to the most known Costa Smeralda.

• Which is the best place to stay for a holiday in Olbia?
The city of Olbia is an exceptional logistic hub that has no equal. If you choose a place in town to stay, it will be easy not only to reach the nearby locations, but also the most famous and popular ones of the entire north area.

• Where is it convenient to rent a car in Olbia?
At the Olbia airport, of course, where you can find many rental companies. The best ones are the local ones because they are well structured, they provide good additional services and take care of customers, just like Only Sardinia Autonoleggio does.

• What to do in Olbia?
In Olbia you can do so many activities, as mentioned above in the 10 listed points.
Moreover, it is a city in full economic, demographic and tourist boom. Olbia is a town which is becoming increasingly popular: it is not by chance that many people, both Sardinian and foreigners, are deciding to go live there.

• What beaches I can find in Olbia?
Olbia is located on a coastal area that extends for around 100 km. In this area you can find numerous beaches with the finest white sands and crystal waters. Just to name a few of the most famous ones: Pittulongu ¹, Pellicano, Spiaggia Ira, Porto Istana ², Punta Corallina, Rena Bianca and so on. Even the blazoned island of Tavolara ³. belongs to the municipality of Olbia.

• Where is Olbia airport located?
The airport of Olbia Costa Smeralda is situated only 4 km far from the city centre. The airport area is perfectly integrated in the urban fabric and from this place it is very easy to reach every corner of Sardinia.

• What for is Olbia so famous?
Olbia is famous for the events like the New Year’s Eve concert and for a series of local cultural initiatives like “estate olbiese”, for the life quality of European standard levels, for the good food. The beaches in the immediate proximity of the town are known all around the world. The historic center is a gem, to be admired from the famous Ferris wheel. Its “Lungomare" ⁴ is new and renovated. Olbia also has an excellent and interesting historical-cultural heritage. Olbia, today more than ever, is a city to visit. In short, Olbia is renowned for its natural beauty, its unspoiled beaches, its rich history and its importance as a logistical and infrastructural center in northern Sardinia.

• How many inhabitants has Olbia?
Olbia has a resident population of about 62.000 inhabitants. To be precise, the small town of Olbia has 62.273 residents (information updated on January the 9th 2022).

• What is the zip code of Olbia?
The Olbia zip code is 07026. The acronym in Italian language is “CAP” which means Codice di Avviamento Postale.

• What suburbs belong to the municipality of Olbia?
First of all Porto Rotondo, San Pantaleo e Pittulongu, but also the beautiful and picturesque Berchideddu, Murta Maria, Rudalza and Su Canale (suburb shared with the municipalities of Monti, Loiri Porto San Paolo and Telti).

• Where to rent a car in Olbia?
It is possible to rent a car in Olbia at Only Sardinia Autonoleggio. Only Sardinia Autonoleggio office in the city of Olbia is located in the airport, inside the car rental terminal.

Info about Olbia: by clicking here you can read further information on the town on a very interesting blog, conceived through the eyes of those who experience the city as inhabitants.

Collegamenti:
¹ Video of Pittulongu beach
² Video of Porto Istana beach
³ Story of Tavolara Kingdom video
⁴ New Promenade of Olbia