Night location: Santa Maria Navarrese, Italy

An early start was required this morning due to our plan to hike to the Cala Goloritze, 3 hours south of Arzachena. The drive through the countryside was beautiful, but the 60km stretch of road between Dorgali and Baunei was particularly spectacular. The road hugged the limestone cliffs as we ascended into the Supramonte and we marvelled at the gorges carved through the deep valleys below.

As we got closer and closer to our destination, Amber realised that we were not much lower than the rocky outcrops that we had been admiring on our drive. Knowing that we were walking to sea level, she sat in mildly terrified silence for the final 10 minutes of the drive and then got the giggles as she assessed the situation. Interestingly, this had been her idea so there was no backing out in spite of her apprehension.

The trail started on the Golgo Plateau at Bar Su Porteddu and was approximately 8km return, with an elevation of 500 meters. To put that in perspective, the Petronas Towers in KL are only 451 meters tall! After parking, applying sunscreen and paying the National Park fee we set off with the reward of the stunning beach luring us with every step.

We have subsequently learned that our guide book romanticised this walk with lines like 'easygoing hike along an old mule trail' and 'limestone canyon shaded by juniper and holm oaks'. While it was truly spectacular, the most difficult part of the walk was balancing on the combination of jumbo stone steps and loose rocks that made up the trail. It felt as though we were walking down a dry but very steep creek bed. Fortunately there were large sections of the trail that were shaded and the views down the canyon to the coast were incredible.

The beach at the end of the trek was absolutely glorious! The iconic limestone spire known as Punto Caroddi or Aguglia rose to a height of 148 meters behind the cove and the water was simply perfect. We visited the Italian version of Aldi yesterday evening so were well prepared with lunch supplies and plenty of water, so picnicking on the beach was lovely. Swimming in the pristine water was magical as you could clearly see fish of all different sizes swimming around you close to the shore. On the right of the cove was a natural arch that added to the landscape portrait.

It was no surprise that the ascent was difficult, but we made it! In fact, we were surprised that it only took 15 minutes longer than the descent, which should demonstrate how difficult the path was as we had to take a lot more rest stops on the way up. The local goats were at the top to celebrate our triumph with their bells joyfully proclaiming our arrival.

After feeling suitably revived at Bar Su Porteddu, we drove the rest of the way to Santa Maria Navarrese, and after checking in, relaxed beside our hotel pool for the rest of the afternoon. We enjoyed a delicious dinner under the stars that included Sardinian specialties like Culurgiones and Seadas.