Selvaggio Blu

Selvaggio Blu — "Wild Blue" — is Italy's hardest waymarked long-distance trek, threading 45 km along the wild Gulf of Orosei coast in eastern Sardinia from Pedra Longa to Cala Sisine. First traced in 1987 by Mario Verin and Peppino Cicalò as a "trek for those who hate trekkers", it's neither marked nor signposted, includes mandatory rope work and Class IV rock-climbing sections, and traverses a coast where there's no road, no village, and no fresh water for most of its length.

The walking is a continuous traverse of limestone cliffs above the Mediterranean — switching between rocky scrub paths, abseil descents into hidden coves (Cala Goloritzè is the trail's most famous, a tiny white-pebble beach reachable only on foot or by boat), and Class III/IV rock scrambles around impassable headlands. Each day involves 700–1,200 m of cumulative climb and descent, almost always on rough rock with sun exposure. The route requires rope skills (Italian guides typically rig 3–5 abseils up to 30 m on the standard line), proper rock-shoes-and-via-ferrata-kit gear, and a strong head for exposure. Most parties go with a guide — the trail has no markers and route-finding is non-trivial.

The walking season is April to June and September to October — summer is too hot and exposed, winter is unreliable for the water-drop logistics. Most outfitters arrange daily fresh-water drops by boat to designated cove camps, since the entire route has no springs. Cumulative climb is around 4,500 m. Guided trips through Sardinian outfitters (Sardinia Adventure, Cooperativa Goloritzè, others) run €1,000–2,000 for the 5-day all-inclusive with porter, food drops, and rope set-ups. Solo attempts are not advised; over 100 mountain-rescue callouts a year.