Loc. Su Gologone 08025 Oliena − Italy
Twenty-five kilometres from the nearest beach, Su Gologone lies in the heart of Barbagia – a part of the island rich in traditions and history. Ancient olive trees and vineyards cling to the slopes of the mountainous Supramonte area, where the air is fragrant with myrtle and rosemary.
Only 25km from the nearest beach, the hotel is surrounded by Mediterranean flora – geraniums, hydrangeas, bougainvillea and prickly pears – and steeped in the art and culture of a part of the world that is both rugged and refined. Every detail of the hotel reflects the character its location. The furnishings and materials – juniper wood, terracotta and inlaid plaster – are deeply authentic. Stay with us and enjoy warm hospitality, untainted nature, enduring customs and mouth-watering cuisine.
The story of the hotel began with a revolutionary idea. It seems incredible now, but when, in the 1960s, Peppeddu Palimodde began serving local cuisine close to the Su Gologone spring, he was responsible for bringing the Supramonte region out of historical isolation. ‘When we were engaged,’ recalls his wife, Pasqua, ‘Peppeddu wanted to do something to celebrate the land he loved. He thought opening a restaurant was the perfect way to do this. When we returned from our honeymoon, he’d convinced me it was a good idea.
In 1967, Oliena’s first ever restaurant, Su Gologone, opened its doors. No one could have predicted that the simple food locals cooked every day would have such an impact. The restaurant was such a success that the Palimodde family opened a small hotel to accommodate the stream of visitors arriving from abroad to taste their cuisine. Slowly, tourists were realising there was a different Sardinia to be discovered beyond the island's beautiful beaches.
Today, travellers are welcomed by Pasqua and her daughter, Giovanna. Giovanna has transformed the hotel into a world-renowned destination, creating interiors which feature the works of major Sardinian artists and furnishings made in Su Gologone’s own Botteghe d’Arte. She also designed alfresco settings such as the Terrazzo del Sogni, Terrazzo dei Desideri and Magico Tablao bar, and plenty of hidden corners you'll discover during your stay.
The sea.
The sea of Sardinia is among the best in the world. Hard to believe? Just visit Cala Cartoe, in the Orosei Gulf, and you’ll be blown away: you will find the finest sand, water reflecting unmistakeable green and pale blue hues, cliffs adorned with dense vegetation, dotted with Scotch brooms entailing a wild beauty.
Alternatively, make a trip to Cala Gonone: here, in addition to white sands and mesmerising sea colours, you can visit the sublime Dugong Cave, a triumph of spectacular dripstones and icicles as ancient as the earth. Visiting the centre-eastern coast means, however, being met with a never-ending sequence of stunning beaches: Cala Goloritzé, Cala Luna, Cala Sisine, Cala Mariolu and many more. Further to the north, a little over forty miles from the hotel, we strongly recommend you visit San Teodoro and its lagoon, a paradise for bird watching, where you will also find pink flamingos. Its coastline, an enchanting gem on the Tyrrhenian Sea, is a protected marine area, entailing fascinating diving spots.
Ancient hamlets.
Taking a stroll in the quaint historic centre of Oliena (about 4 miles from Su Gologone), amid cobblestone streets and ancient houses, you will easily meet elderly ladies who still wear the su hustumene, the traditional garb. Dorgali is fervent with tourism and craftsmanship: do pay a visit to the leather ateliers and the goldsmiths workshops, famous for manufacturing filigree. Set a little over one mile from the sea, Orosei is a charming village (20 miles from Su Gologone) characterised by pure white sand beaches, surrounded by pine groves, Mediterranean forests and pink granite and basalt cliffs. Its attractive historic centre features ancient houses and its churches are decorated with antique wooden statues. Country festivals should not go amiss. Grazia Deledda, who won a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926, set her most famous novel, Reeds in the Wind, among the streets of Galtellì (16 miles from the hotel). The Literary Park is set along the characteristic and well-kept historic centre, around the places which inspired the writer. 15 miles from the hotel, in a mountainous area defined by a wild landscape, Orgosolo is famous for its murals: 150 paintings enriching the streets of this village, telling the story and the peculiar identity of its inhabitants. Traditions take centre stage here. During the many country festival, the locals wear folk costumes, accomplished by local seamstresses, with brocades, floral decoration and silk threads from silk worms, who are still farmed here from time immemorial.
Archeology.
The Serra Orrios complex, the Sedda ‘e sos Carros site, dedicated to the cult of water, the hamlet of Tiscali, hidden inside a cave in the rugged mountains between Oliena and Orgosolo, the Corbeddu cave, where the pristine skeleton of a 5,000-year old Queen was found: this is a land which bears witness to the people who lived here, chiefly the extraordinary saga of the Nuragic era (1,800 – 600 BC)
Nature.
In the Dorgali countryside, Inspinigoli is a deep cavern reaching the centre of the earth thanks to a 280-steps stairway, featuring a 40-metre high limestone column. Legend has it that this is where virgins were sacrificed: the echo coming from the bottom is in fact akin to a female lament. The sound effect you can hear inside a cave in the Oliena territory, aptly called Sa Oche ‘e su Entu (The voice of the Wind), is indeed noteworthy. Between Oliena and Urzulei, Su Gorropu is the biggest canyon in Europe: the Flumineddu river runs through it, among walls reaching the height of 500 metres (1,640 feet). Simply umissable.
Culture.
The country seat of Barbagia, Nuoro was called the “Athens of Sardinia” because of the many intellectuals (poets, writers, sculptors, musicians and legal experts) who livened it up, wanting to promote the redemption of the island after centuries of colonial subordination. The Archaeological Museum hosts precious artefacts from the prehistory of the land. The outstanding Ethnographic Museum presents the story, the traditions and the folk costumes of the entire island. The MAN (Museum of Art of the Nuoro Province) hosts works by Sardinian artists and important international exhibitions. You will also find pictures by the main Sardinian painters in the Tribu Museum, together with a whole floor entirely dedicated to the works of Francesco Ciusa, the most important Sardinian artist of the Novecento. Its birthplace is right in the historic centre, opposite the San Carlo church, where his tomb is kept, featuring a copy of his most famous work on top, the Madre dell’ucciso (The Mother of the Murdered), which triumphed at the 1907 Venice Biennale. A few steps away from it you will find the birthplace of Grazia Deledda, a treasure hove of a museum; the house of the lawyer Gianpietro Chironi, recently restored and ready to host the Regional Pottery Museum; the square dedicated to the poet Sebastiano Satta, carried out by the sculptor Costantino Nivola (the fascinating museum dedicated to him in his home town, Orani, is well worth a visit). Last but not least, the Solitude Church, with its superb bronze gate, executed by Eugenio Tavolara, houses the remains of Grazia Deledda, kept in a sarcophagus. The latter is set at the beginning of the rise towards Monte Ortobene: you may reach its top via car, as well, and the vista on the Oliena valley, the Orgosolo Supramonte and the Gennargentu is simply magnificent. On the eastern side, the big statue of Our Saviour protects the city of Nuoro below. A festival is dedicated to Our Saviour on the last Sunday in August; this is one of the most important celebrations on the island, with men and women walking in procession as far as the top of the mountains, wearing traditional costumes.
The ample outside spaces of this Suite allow our guests to live intense emotions, in close contact with nature: you may opt for a scented, Sardinian herb bath, and will sleep under the stars...
The suite feature an lcd 32” tv, a kettle, a Nespresso coffee maker, as well as a vast selection of teas and infusions, a minibar and towels, a luxury courtesy set, a safe, a good selection of magazines and radio stations and air conditioning.
Because of the beauty and the energy of the space, which has its own private rose garden, she felt she couldn’t keep this special corner of peace and tranquility, just steps from the swimming pool, to herself and so she has decided to share her atelier with guests who would like to paint or do something creative while on holiday at su Gologone.
Paintings, sculptures and other works of art can be found in rooms, common areas and, of course, in the Botteghe d'arte (The Art and Craft Studio) but the Atelier offers a new way to experience art at the hotel. Its explosion of colours is perfectly complemented by the assortment of brushes, canvas, coloured pencils and paper and an easel, placed at the disposal of guests.
It’s own private world, the Atelier comes with everything the aspiring artist needs. The en suite bedroom can be shut off behind sliding doors, and comes with all the mod-cons; a 40” TV, CD player, iPad and free wifi. Additional amenities include a Nespresso coffee maker, an ironing kit and a beach bag, containing sunscreen, towels and a straw hat. The garden is the location of an outdoor double bath, ideal for bathing under the stars and an open-air living room that is screened by billowing curtains. The veranda has its own table and chairs and overlooks the small courtyard and private rose garden, as well as spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, framed by trees and plants, which will delight anyone who likes to paint alfresco. Should they feel so inspired, Atelier guests are also invited to display their paintings at the Studio.
Round-the-clock butler service, private dinners in the rose garden, a baby-sitter and a nurse can be arranged upon request.
Two separate spaces make up this suite: the master bedroom, featuring a masonry bed, and the living room, entailing a fireplace (one) and a drawing room. The Country Suites enjoy a view on the Herb Garden and have sole use of an outside lounge, with a private tub and hammock, on a large terrace adjacent to the enchanting Orchard Garden.
Juniper beams, running along the entire ceiling, and white resin flooring set the interior apart: this plant is an emblem of Supramonte, in view of its twisted, evocative shape.
The orbace woollen cloth, leather and wool materials which typify agricultural Sardinian life, reworked in the Art Studio “Su Gologone Style”, have been employed to stir a refined, traditional atmosphere. The wooden décor is carved by skilled local wood workers.
The two suites feature an lcd 32” tv, a kettle, a Nespresso coffee maker, as well as a vast selection of teas and infusions, a minibar and towels, a luxury courtesy set, a safe, a good selection of magazines and radio stations and air conditioning.
With fireplace, a lovely Juniper and beam out, on a garden terrace, the bath such as once, without whirlpool, because sciuperebbe with its noise silence of this atmosphere suspended in time; or with a large relaxation area, the games of the past and the window when open it makes you breathe the scents of herbs.
The Ciusa Executive Suite
"After so much noise, I return now to the silence of the tanca," wrote Francesco Ciusa in a letter of May 1907, the day after his affirmation at the Venice Biennale, when he returned to Barbagia.
Ciusa is the Sardinian "first sculptor", as Deledda was the first writer, Sebastiano Satta the first poet: first because no one who had preceded them had been able to show that they deserved these titles.
In the Ciusa executive suite, the Sardinian contemporary artist relives in his works that, numerous, enrich the environments.
Designed by Giovanna Palimodde, inspired by the work of the contemporary artist, the Suite Executive Ciusa is divided into two separate rooms, the bedroom with a double bed, and the living area with lounge.
All the furnishing elements are unique and made by the artisans of the Botteghe d'Arte Su Gologone Style: in their design, Giovanna Palimodde was inspired by the characteristic geometric motifs of the Nuorese artist's work, entrusting the realization to the expert hands of the embroiderers of our Shops.
Outside, a large terrace with Philippe Starck tub for two people.
Inside, the suite has an LCD TV, a kettle, a Nespresso coffee machine with a wide selection of teas and herbal teas, a minibar, a bathrobe and bath towels, a luxury courtesy set, a safe, a burner for essences and candles. CD player with choice of CD, welcome fruit basket, air conditioning.
Dedicated to a great 20th-century Sardinian artist, including Federico Melis, Giuseppe Biasi and Edina Altara.
The rooms feature traditional (often period) furnishings, authentic designer pieces, art books and precious embroidery created by the skilled hands of the women of Oliena.
Two suites and two bedrooms, with built-in beds, white-resin floors and juniper-wood beams that run along the ceiling.
Some have either an iron or a wooden four-poster bed, as was commonplace in our villages. They consist of a room with a bed, a sofa bed and a large bathroom with shower.
Most of them have a balcony or a terrace.
Amenities include air conditioning, minibar, telephone, safe, led tv, hairdryer, Nespresso, kettle, bathrobes and slippers. The rooms will be rearranged in the evening, too.
Decorated with a typical Sardinian style, conceived in the Su Gologone Art Workshops, they consist of a large bedroom and a spacious bathroom with shower.
Some rooms have a balcony.
Equipped with all the main facilities (air conditioning, minibar, telephone, safe, led tv, hairdryer, slippers) with the possibility of extra services such as flowers, fresh fruit, culinary and SPA box sets.
25 metres long, the water in it comes exclusively from the Su Gologone spring, just 500 metres from the hotel.
Although the wonderful Sardinian seaside is just a handful of kilometres away, the swimming pool (open from the end of April to October 15th) is an excellent alternative.
Alongside, there are two hydromassage tubs (one located among the olive trees), as well as the gym with its Technogym-brand equipment.
At the gazebo bar (open from May to October 15th), you will find a delightful buffet with snacks and local specialities and, resting atop some of the stumps, wooden board games.
A large space where you can restore body and soul, with two massage rooms, beauty and relax treatments.
Just before dawn and at dusk, when Su Gologone slips into the blue hour, take a yoga class in the aromatic setting of the Herb Garden, or high on the Terrazzo dei Desideri, where land meets sky.
A roomy space, close to the swimming pool, fitted with state-of-the-art machinery and tools to enjoy physical activities.
It is always open and you may stay as long as you like.
Furnished with collections of baskets and ancient utensils of the area, it collects books dedicated to culture, art, history, geography, traditions and Sardinian cuisine.
Wine Cellars
We have two cellars at Su Gologone.
In the Vineria beneath Bar Francesco Ciusa, we have a beautifully designed bespoke 12-seat table created for our wine tasting sessions, and also ideal for a private reservation.
Tastings
A 12-seater table and its cork stools rest directly on the rock.
Everything here is made and decorated with materials from the past, from the utensils from the cellar to the terracotta floor, up to the juniper beams.
Cookery Classes
Our cookery classes are a one-a-kind opportunity to learn first-hand the time-honoured recipes and culinary skills honed in the home kitchens of Barbagia.
. Sardinian women have passed down their knowledge to one another for generations, and we’d love to pass on their passion for Sardinian food to you.
Herb Route
In the Herb Garden, each plant has its name written in Italian, Sardinian and Latin on the plate next to it.
Choose a herb you like or are curious about, and we’ll make an infusion for you in the Kitchen Garden or Magico Tablao.
The Champagnoteque
An intimate, reserved space next to the Tablao Bar.
You will find French and national bubbles, alongside ham, strawberries and local delicacies.
Terrazzo Dei Desideri
This is where anything can happen, where every wish can come true.
While you contemplate the sunset, or while having an exclusive romantic dinner, relaxing, having a yoga lesson.
Terrazzo Dei Sogni
The spectacular view of Mount Corrasi makes Su Gologone’s ‘terrace of dreams’ one of the most captivating parts of the hotel.
It was here in 1966 that American director John Huston shot a number of scenes for his epic film The Bible: In the Beginning, starring Ava Gardner, Peter O’Toole and Franco Nero.
Cinema under the stars
Watch a movie or a sardinian documentary
An exclusive, exciting space, you’ll enjoy the starry sky as a backdrop for films and documentaries on Sardinia.
Tex Willer Garden
This garden is dedicated to Aurelio Galleppini, the Sardinian-born creator of Tex Willer, the main character in the Italian comic strip Tex.
He never left Italy but drew his inspiration from the white karstic stone and rocks of this part of Sardinia, where the landscape is similar to the deserts of the Wild West.
Business meetings in environments like this become unique, unrepeatable experiences. Very much worth trying.
La Sala plenaria
A large area with vaulted ceilings up to six meters high but at the same time collected. The hall, for the furnishings and the architectural configuration, makes it possible to enhance the conference by making it very prestigious. The room enjoys the proximity of the other areas that allow you to provide high quality services such as refined catering of the Hotel Su Gologone, press center, translation center.
An extraordinary venue in which to experience and immortalise the most significant events of your life.
Su Gologone’s restaurant is spread across a terrace with stunning views and rooms decorated with Sardinian art and crafts.
The scent of meat slowly roasting over an open fire is bound to entice you in!
Our à la carte menu features classic Barbagia dishes, and much of the produce comes directly from our own farm and vegetable garden.
Next to the restaurant, the hotel shop sells Sardinian foods to take home as mementos, alongside local artisanal tableware and utensils.
Here you can watch how Sardinian women, dressed in typical Oliena fashion, have been making bread for centuries.
They’ll prepare different local specialities such as pane carasau (a crisp, wafer-thin flatbread). When it’s ready, it’s for sharing among everyone.
Glass displays illustrate the artistry of Sardinia's breads: those made for special occasions, those dedicated to the saints, and even play breads that were baked for children.
The pine tree growing at the centre of the Nido del Pane has its own story too…
The bricks used for the floor and the stone columns date from the 17th century; the wooden tables are adorned with typical Sardinian panniers; and the vibrantly coloured plates are enamelled iron.
Between June and September, two evenings a week (or on request for parties), guests are invited to immerse themselves in Sardinia’s culinary traditions: the ancient rustic techniques used to bake bread and spit-roast meat.
You’ll be welcomed by candlelight, walking on a carpet of wild herbs that imparts an intense perfume. The atmosphere is magical.
Designed by Giovanna Palimodde, it’s an enchanting place to sip an aperitif and try some Sardinian artichoke and wild antipasti, against the breathtaking backdrop of the Supramonte.
Or come after dinner for a digestif. We have 15 grappas, most of which are Sardinian, and local liqueur made from herbs and berries. Once a week (usually Friday or Saturday), we’ll treat you to canti a tenores, the polyphonic Sardinian folk singing recognised by Unesco as an important aspect of the world's cultural heritage.
If you are unwinding by the pool, you’ll only need to walk a few steps to enjoy a summer meal, savouring on an inviting buffet with snacks, several salads, cured meats, cheese and other local specialities.
While you wait, you can engage with our unique wooden board games.
Francesco Ciusa’s art is the star attraction of a space epitomising culture and beauty.
Spending time in this bar, you’ll acquire a better understanding of this Nuoro artist, who achieved great success at the Venice Biennale with the La Madre dell’Ucciso (The Mother of the Murdered) sculpture in 1907.
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Hotel: Hotel Su Gologone
Address: Loc. Su Gologone 08025 Oliena
Region: Sardinia
Country: Italy
Official website: http://www.sugologone.it/en/
Telephone: 0039 0784 287512
Fax: 0039 0784 287668
Hotel email: info@sugologone.it
Olbia
From Costa Smeralda Airport 97 km.
From port 97 km.
Alghero
From Fertilia Airport 150 km.
From port 150 km.
Cagliari
From Elmas Airport 200 km.
From port 200 km.
Porto Torres
From port 159 km.
The Hotel Su Gologone is located in the east coast of Sardinia, 7 km. far from Oliena, 16 km. from Dorgali and 25 km. from Cala Gonone.
Immersed in nature near the Su Gologone source (400 meters) and the Cedrino river (450 meters) is surrounded by Mediterranean maquis with lawns, myrtles, oleanders.