Red porphyry rocks by the sea
On the coast of Ogliastra, in the municipality of Tortolì, the small port of Arbatax, with ferries to the Italian mainland, is famous for one of the most photographed natural sights in Sardinia: the Rocce Rosse, the "Red Rocks". Next to the harbour, a group of cliffs and spires of red porphyry, a volcanic rock, rise from the turquoise sea, sculpted by wind and waves into jagged, pointed shapes, creating an extraordinary contrast of colours between the intense red of the rock, the blue of the sky and the green and turquoise of the water.
The rocks are especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset, when the light makes them glow with shades of orange and purple. They have appeared in films and advertisements, and in the summer they are the setting for concerts and events. Next to them stand the Capo Bellavista lighthouse, on a promontory with a view over the coast, and the Spanish Torre di San Miele. The coast around Arbatax and Tortolì has beautiful beaches, such as Cala Moresca, Porto Frailis, with a Spanish tower, the long beach of Orrì with its pink granite rocks, and the beach of Cea, with its red porphyry sea stacks. Arbatax is also the terminus of the Trenino Verde.
Tip: the rocks can be reached on foot from the port in a few minutes; for the best photos come at sunrise, when the light is warmest.
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