Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Capo Testa Capo Testa Rock Formations

Capo Testa Rock Formations

Windblown rock formations in an ancient Roman quarry.

Capo Testa, Italy

Added By
ser flac
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Waves lap the shore of Capo Testa (Flickr/Frengo2.0)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/frengo/271049...
Smooth granite surfaces, created over generations (Flickr/Gienepien)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/gien/13977985...
(Flickr/Steffi_Franco)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/steffi_franco...
Capo Testa from a distance (Flickr/Angelo Ribelle)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiarettarj/28...
Warn down rocks look over the sea (Flickr/jihan65)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/cnichele65/28...
Smoothed out rocks resembling a shark’s mouth (Flickr/perledivetro)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/perledivetro/...
The former quarry (Flickr/Roby Ferrari)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/roberto_ferra...
A natural sculpture, created by the wind (Flickr/Foobarbaz_pl)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/foobarbaz_pl/...
The point at Capo Testa (Flickr/perledivetro)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/perledivetro/...
Sharply contoured granite (Flickr/koalie)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/koalie/287958...
Capo Testa   Dominikus / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Capo Testa, on the Northern coast of Sardinia, allows for the imagination to wander.

Taking a hike along the rugged granite coast is akin to staring at the clouds and defining their changing shapes. Some people see a shark's mouth or a mushroom, while others might see human face smoothed out by nature's forces.

For thousands of years, the powerful wind over the Mediterranean has shaped Capo Testa. Rocks have smoothed from the sea breeze, and some have even curled and contorted into formation. As the closest Sardinian shore to Rome, Capo Testa was at one point used for mining granite. The Romans set up a small town around their pits, and extracted large amounts of the stone for building structures in their capitol.

Today there are few traces of the Romans, but the modified shoreline still attracts many visitors for a hike or picnic on the Mediterranean. The rocky coast is also ideal for swimming, drawing many tourists to the calm and blue-green pools formed around Capo Testa.

Related Tags

Geological Oddities Geology

Know Before You Go

3 kilometers from Santa Teresa di Gallura

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

serflac

Edited By

atimian, Dominikus

  • atimian
  • Dominikus

Published

August 23, 2011

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.ciaosardinia.com/eng/beaches-and-nature/capo-testa-beach
  • http://www.360sardinia.net/itineries.php?tour=64
  • http://www.hikenow.net/Sardinia/Capo-Testa.html
Capo Testa Rock Formations
Capo Testa, 07028
Italy
41.240561, 9.156709

Nearby Places

Escalier du roi d'Aragon (King of Aragon’s Stairs)

Bonifacio, France

miles away

Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach)

La Maddalena, Italy

miles away

The Giants' Grave of Coddu Vecchiu

Arzachena, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,071
Stories 111

Nearby Places

Escalier du roi d'Aragon (King of Aragon’s Stairs)

Bonifacio, France

miles away

Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach)

La Maddalena, Italy

miles away

The Giants' Grave of Coddu Vecchiu

Arzachena, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,071
Stories 111

Related Places

  • Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

    Tianliao Moon World

    Visit Taiwan’s badlands, which allows visitors to feel like they’re walking on the moon.

  • Russia

    Ulakhan-Sis Range

    A remote Arctic mountain range is home to "granite cities" found almost nowhere else.

  • A beach on the island with distinctive rock formations.

    Malpe, India

    Thonsepar

    These four small islands contain unique hexagonal rock formations.

  • The winding curves of Ybykty Canyon.

    Koyulus, Kazakhstan

    Ybykty Canyon

    This small canyon is home to a treasure trove of geological oddities.

  • Healy, Alaska

    Suntrana Canyon

    This often-overlooked canyon dazzles and intrigues with its many layers of colors, shapes and odd formations.

  • Looking down at the water-carved tunnels

    Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

    Trümmelbach Falls

    Visit Europe's largest subterranean waterfall, carved by water from the glaciers of the towering peaks surrounding the valley.

  • A view of the perfectly round Lac Pavin.

    Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, France

    Lac Pavin

    This volcanic crater lake is renowned for its perfectly round shape, stunning blue-green waters, and unique geological properties.

  • Pyramids of Euseigne

    Hérémence, Switzerland

    Pyramides d'Euseigne

    These spindly, stone-capped formations are the product of glacial deposits and thousands of years of erosion.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.