It is named this way because it seems that years ago it was frequented by cows that lazed here peacefully in the sun. Today, it continues to be a small, restful corner of paradise on earth, set between granite rocks with soft lines shaped by the wind and surrounded by Mediterranean scrub. The ‘spiaggia delle vacche’ (beach of the cows) is located in the territory of San Teodoro, in the locality of Monte Petrosu, and is part of the marine protected area of Tavolara – Capo Coda Cavallo. It is a small thirty-metre strip of fine cream-coloured sand, rocky outcrops and a crystal clear sea, reflecting shades varying from blue to emerald green depending on the light. The water is shallow with a sandy seabed and is sheltered from the winds. From the beach, you can admire a captivating panorama, with the islands of Tavolara and Molara in front of theIsolotto Rosso (Red Islet) with the promontories of Porto San Paolo on the left. At sunset, the rocks are coloured with various pink and reddish shades.

To reach the beach, you can take the state road SS 125 in the direction of Olbia up to the small village of Monte Petrosu, then you can follow the Cala Girgolu road (or Ghjlgolu) until you reach an area equipped as a car park. From here, a path branches off, between granite rocks and dense vegetation, leading to a series of picturesque little coves: the first is the famous Cala Ghjlgolu, in the territory of Loiri Porto San Paolo. Here, the ochre-coloured sand is mixed with pebbles; around it, there are numerous ‘tafonate’ rocks, eroded by the wind and water that create cavities, and behind it a pond, the habitat of numerous species of seabirds. On the beach, you can rent pedalos, dinghies and kayaks to get to the nearby beaches, including the ‘spiaggia delle vacche’ and the small cove that precedes it along the path, known as ‘spiaggia della tartaruga’ (turtle beach) due to a distinctive turtle-shaped rock. To the north-east, you can also admire the ‘scogliera dei sassi piatti’ (cliff of flat stones), which owes its name to the polishing action of the waves that, when breaking on the coast, have made the rocks and rocky walls smooth.

San Teodoro is a renowned tourist resort that boasts numerous coastal ‘pearls’ located in the protected area of Capo Coda Cavallo: the most famous are La Cinta, a very long, thin golden strip washed by the blue sea, and Cala Brandinchi that has a Caribbean landscape, with an arch-shaped white sandy shore and a turquoise sea. A promontory overlooking the sea separates it from Lu Impostu, its natural continuation, while, further south, you will find the beautiful s’Isuledda with its rocky spur delimiting the protected area to the south: 500 metres of soft white sand leading into a shimmering sea, with sand dunes covered in Mediterranean greenery.