Venus’ Pools – Baunei
Clear, fresh and sweet waters
Venus’ Pools
“Being born from the sea, she was worshipped as the protector of sailors. As soon as she rose from the waters, the Horae clothed her and adorned her with roses, myrtle and jewels, then accompanied her to Kythera and placed her on a shell, where a sanctuary was promptly erected for her.…”
Among sea, myrtle and jewels, it would not seem so surprising that a natural sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite could be found here, on the coast of Baunei, as well as in Kythera! No name could be more appropriate, for the “Piscine di Venere”,(Venus’ Pools).
Venture out to where the sea seems to have been created especially for… divinities.
Where to find it?
Situated in ‘Su unglone de Bilariccoro’, at the base of ‘Su Piggiu ‘e Interiscalas’, the locality’s toponym, only recently replaced by the more evocative ‘Piscine di Venere’ , they are about an hour’s boat ride from the port of Santa Maria Navarrese, and a short distance from the entrance to the Grotta del Fico (Fig Cave) and Cala Biriala.
How to reach it?
The small cove of Piscine di Venere can be reached by boat, renting a dinghy from one of the many companies offering this service at the port of Santa Maria Navarrese, or booking a trip with a skipper (usually a dive here is a must!).
As we all know, there are no road signs or indications on the sea to indicate that you have arrived at your destination. So how will you realise that you are in front of the Pools of Venus? You will be immediately attracted to this corner of paradise because… boats seem to fly here!
Choosing adjectives is hard work, but someone has to do it!
Limpid, crystalline, pure, translucent… This and many other marvellous ways we can describe the water of this particularly beautiful stretch of sea, which is probably the most striking on the Baunei coastline.
Its colours range from deep turquoise to aquamarine and its particular clarity is due to the presence of underwater freshwater springs that flow not far from the shore, as well as to the seabed rich in limestone rocks.
You will have the sensation of swimming in a pool, but in the open sea!
Depending on the currents, this sometimes creates a small beach of white pebbles (characteristic of this stretch of coastline) and the typical colours of the Mediterranean maquis.
Being located in an inlet well protected from the winds, the Piscine di Venere is a quiet and sheltered place to spend a few hours of complete relaxation!
RELATED POST
The roughness of navigation along the cliffs of Capo Monte Santu has been known since antiquity, and many historians identify this stretch of the east coast with the ‘Insani Montes’ mentioned by numerous authors, especially in connection with tragic shipwrecks.
The promontory of Capo Monte Santu marks the southern border of the Gulf of Orosei, whose northern border is at Capo Comino.
Inland from Cala Sisine, about an hour’s walk from the beach, it is a very evocative cave, whose very name reveals some curious characteristics: it is called the “Grotta del Miracolo” (“Su Meraculu”, in Sardinian).
A beach, that of Cala Luna, which already at first glance shows that it fully deserves the definition of ‘Pearl of the Mediterranean’.
Portu Cuau – Baunei Coast
Cala Goloritzé, Baunei Coast: spectacular beach framed by limestone, crystal clear sea and mountains. A popular destination for excursions and climbing.
Along the coastline, a few miles north of Santa Maria, is the limestone peak of “Pedra Longa”.
The beach of “Cala Birìala” (called “Birìola” by the Cala Gonone fishermen) was one of the beaches most often visited by monk seals.
To the north of Pedra Longa is “Forrola” bay, dominated by the majestic “Punta Giradili”, which, at 765 metres, is one of the highest cliffs in the Mediterranean.
Divided into two parts by a large rock used as a docking pier by the barges carrying tourists, it is now known by the double name of ‘Ispuligidenie – Cala Mariolu’.
Sailing northwards, about a mile away from the ‘Mudaloru’ beach, is the ‘Grotta del Fico’ (Fig Cave), which opens up in the limestone cliffs, about 10 metres above sea level.
The “Grotta dei Colombi” is only accessible by sea and in order to see the stunning majesty of the vault up close, it is necessary to sail very close to the cliff.