It is enclosed and protected by two large cliffs that slope towards the limpid sea with colours ranging from emerald green and blue to turquoise, awarded in 2017-18 with the Blue Flag of the Fee (Foundation for Environmental Education), for environmental sustainability. The beach of Porto Palmas is a small and enchanting crescent-shaped stretch of medium-grained sand, soft, light and amber-coloured, mixed with white pebbles, a remnant of the nearby quarrying activities. It is located on the Nurra coast in the town of Palmadula, within the territory of Sassari, just north of the Riviera del Corallo and next to the mining settlement abandoned in the 1960s and the ghost village of Argentiera, fascinating scenario of industrial archaeology.

The beach is rough and wild, but rarely crowded, well sheltered from the Mistral and equipped with parking and dining options; moreover, the water is shallow and the seabed is mostly sandy, making it ideal for families. Scuba divers, meanwhile, will be fascinated by underwater wonders. All around, a series of dunes stretch as far as the inland, covered with vegetation. Even the cliffs that surround it are resplendent with Mediterranean greenery, which stands out on the grey rocks, both contrasting with the colours of the sea: a picture postcard scene not to be missed. We recommend continuing the day with an excursion nearby, to Cala Marini Netti and Cala Trincata.

A little further south is another spectacle of nature, nestled between the protected marine area of ​​Capo Caccia and the head of Argentiera: Porto Ferro, a two kilometre long sandy crescent, the northern limit of the Riviera del Corallo, also a coastal enclave of Sassari. It is one of the largest beaches of the Nurra, awarded as Porto Palmas, with the Blue Flag, destination for surfers and nudists. Behind it lies the splendid scenery of Lake Baratz. Three watchtowers overlook the bay, built by the 17th century Spaniards against the Saracen threat. South of Porto Ferro begins the Riviera del Corallo, 90 kilometres of coastline within the territory of Alghero. The first paradise is Mugoni, completely sheltered by the bay of Porto Conte. Then there is a series of pearls like the beaches of Capo Caccia and the Grotta di Nettuno, Le Bombarde, Lazzaretto, Punta Negra, the dunes of Maria Pia and the well-equipped town Lido.