Sea or mountain? Swimsuit or hiking shoes? And why not both? Yes, Ogliastra does not disappoint anyone, and those who choose it to know that they can decide, day by day, how to interpret their holiday. The gateway from which to access this area is the city of Tortolì, which offers visitors pristine beaches, rocky coves, and lagoons, behind woods of hills covered with Mediterranean scrub and Cannonau vineyards.

And it is right here, in this stretch of coast, that we advise you to stop also to taste the local food and wine.

A break after a day dedicated to a boat trip or an excursion can be spent at the Basaùra, especially if you are looking for a lunch or dinner overlooking the sea and a menu linked to the cuisine of the past based on fresh local fish.

Sitting comfortably on the patio of this restaurant, enveloped by the delicate sea breeze that caresses the white curtains of the structure, while enjoying the dishes accompanied by a glass of Vermentino: this is the experience that the Basaùra Restaurant has been offering, for many years, to its customers.

We recommend that you start your experience in this restaurant with a raw plate. Oysters, mussels, shrimps, scampi, and clams from local fishing boats are served on an ice plateau to preserve their taste and freshness. The beginning of the journey into the Ogliastra culinary tradition then continues with the burrida, according to the grandmother’s recipe (with race, walnuts, and vinegar), with fish ravioli and ravioli with cuttlefish ink, prepared with fresh pasta.

The fregula, with local clams and bottarga, is the “sovereign” of the first fish dishes from Basaùra. Those who have never tasted it, have the opportunity here to taste a version that combines high-quality raw materials and a preparation anchored to tradition.

And while the Basaùra staff pours you another glass of Vermentino you can order a crispy and tasty fried fish based on shrimp, squid, and small local fishing: the sea is before your eyes and on your palate.

Marco, the owner of the restaurant, a profound connoisseur of the area, and always ready to give advice on places to visit, accompanies customers in choosing the catch of the day, in the right wine to match. And after just one lunch, a last look at the sea and a thought about what you tasted: it is easy to go from “Welcome to Ogliastra” to a sure “We will meet again very soon”.

Nel 1905, Max Leopold Wagner, celebre etnologo tedesco, scoprì a Tortolì la cottura “a carraggiu”. Durante un’escursione in bicicletta con il collega Eugen Burger, fu attirato dal bagliore di un fuoco e, temendo un incendio, si avvicinò: invece trovò una festa con balli sardi e musica di launeddas.

Wagner apprese che la carne, cucinata intera in una fossa sotterranea coperta di terra e rami, arrostiva lentamente sotto il fuoco secondo l’antica tradizione tortoliese.

Non si sa quale animale fosse, ma Wagner ne lodò il sapore, probabilmente assaggiandolo, restando affascinato da questo originale metodo di cottura.