Olbia

Olbia
—  Comune  —
Comune di Olbia

Coat of arms
Olbia is located in Italy
Olbia
Location of Olbia in Italy
Coordinates: 40°55′N 09°30′E / 40.917°N 9.500°E / 40.917; 9.500
Country Italy
Region Sardinia
Province Olbia-Tempio (OT)
Frazioni Berchiddeddu, Murta Maria, Pittulongu, Rudalza-Porto Rotondo, San Pantaleo
Government
 • Mayor Giovanni Enrico Giovannelli
Area
 • Total 376.10 km2 (145.21 sq mi)
Population (2010)
 • Total 56,231
 • Density Bad rounding here150/km2 (Bad rounding here390/sq mi)
Demonym Olbiesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 07026
Dialing code 0789
Patron saint San Simplicio
Saint day May 15
Website Official website

Olbia (Italian: [ˈɔlbja] ( listen), or locally [ˈolbja]; Gallurese Tarranòa, Sardinian: Terranòa) is a town and comune of 56,231 inhabitants (2010) in northeastern Sardinia (Italy), in the Gallura sub-region. Called Olbia in the Roman age, Civita in the Middle Ages (Giudicati period) and Terranova Pausania before the 1940s, Olbia was again the official name of the town after the period of Fascism.

Geography

Location of Olbia in northern Sardinia.
The harbour.

It is the economic centre of this part of the island (commercial centres, food industry) and is very close to the famous Costa Smeralda tourist area. It was the administrative capital of the former province of Olbia, operative since 2005 and canceled after a referendum seven years later. A dynamic city, which presents itself as a tourist destination, for the beautiful sea and beaches and also for the large number of places of cultural interest to visit.

↑Jump back a section

Climate

Olbia has a Hot-Summer Mediterranean climate with very mild winters, warm springs and autumns and hot summers.

Climate data for Olbia, Sardinia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 14
(57)
15
(59)
16
(61)
18
(64)
22
(72)
26
(79)
29
(84)
30
(86)
26
(79)
22
(72)
17
(63)
15
(59)
20.8
(69.6)
Average low °C (°F) 6
(43)
7
(45)
7
(45)
9
(48)
12
(54)
16
(61)
19
(66)
19
(66)
17
(63)
13
(55)
9
(48)
7
(45)
11.8
(53.3)
Precipitation mm (inches) 55
(2.17)
65
(2.56)
58
(2.28)
48
(1.89)
31
(1.22)
21
(0.83)
5
(0.2)
18
(0.71)
30
(1.18)
71
(2.8)
66
(2.6)
90
(3.54)
558
(21.98)
Avg. precipitation days 14 13 14 13 9 6 2 5 8 11 14 15 124
Source: worldclimateguide [1]
↑Jump back a section

History

Olbia (the name is of Greek origin) is very ancient and was possibly founded by the Punics, according to the archaeological findings. It contains ruins from Phoenician and Carthaginian settlement to the Roman Era, when it was an important port, and the Middle Ages, when it was the capital of the Giudicato of Gallura, one of the four independent states of Sardinia.

↑Jump back a section

Main sights

  • the Romanesque former cathedral of San Simplicio (11th-12th century).
  • the Church of St. Paul Apostle (medieval period)
  • National Archaeology Museum
↑Jump back a section

Transportation

Olbia Airport departures area.

Olbia is the main connection between Sardinia and the Italian peninsula, with an airport (Olbia - Costa Smeralda), a passenger port (Olbia-Isola Bianca), and a railway from Olbia railway station to Porto Torres, Golfo Aranci and Cagliari. There is an expressway to Nuoro and Cagliari (SS131) and national roads to Sassari (SS199-E840), Tempio Pausania (SS127), and Palau (SS125).

↑Jump back a section

Economy

Meridiana Fly has its head office on the grounds of Olbia - Costa Smeralda Airport.[2]

↑Jump back a section

External links

Media related to Olbia at Wikimedia Commons

↑Jump back a section
Last modified on 26 April 2013, at 12:46