Search hotels in Tempio Pausania

Tempio sits on a hilltop overlooking the granite peaks behind Aggius in the west and Monte Limbara to the SE; it is a mix of old and new, the core characterised by a warren of small narrow streets hemmed in by granite-built old-style houses, many with balconies. The lanes are studded with bars and small restaurants and offer some coolness to escape the summer sun. The cobbles would be a challenge to high heels, but the core is quite small and walkable easily. Local food is really good, from pizza (Il Trenino), to light lunches (Living) and the more traditional Sardinian dishes (Trattoria La Gallurese - order the snails/lumache); bars are cheap and service is mostly great (Living, New Chopin, Caffe' de Piazza), although one or two places are glacially slow (Bar de Museum - but fantastic pasta!). It seems a very happy town and the locals that somehow understood my broken Italian were welcoming and many spoke some English to help me out. There are numerous small and large parks affording shade and tranquility and to outer this, there is a bar - Risen - that caters for the young and plays plenty of party music, which was fun, but I didn't last until the advertised 4am closure... We had originally booked into the Pausania Inn, but left after a night and booked into the New Petit Hotel: a friendly place with smallish rooms but with great views over Aggius and just on the edge of the old town, so perfectly located for accessing the town without a 1.75km walk from the other hotel.

Tempio has an attractive old town. There was a music festival the night we were there, so it was hard to find a table in a restaurant and very loud. We particularly liked the agriturismo style restaurant next to the Nuraghi Maiori, about 2km North of town. The pipistrelle bats in the Nuraghe had just had babies. Tempio stays cooler than the rest of Sardinia so it’s good place to go in a heat wave.

A fascinating historic town away from the more popular beaches and resorts. With quaint streets and shops it has the feel of a place yet to be spoilt by tourists. Pedestrianised areas allow you to focus on the history as you walk the streets and sample the many little bars and restaurants. Probably not a place to stay if you are looking for night clubs and discos, but more of a traditional Sardinian town.