Arzachena

Arzachena (Italian pronunciation: [artsaˈkɛːna]; Sardinian: Altzaghèna, Gallurese: Alzachèna) is a town and comune (municipality) in the Province of Gallura North-East Sardinia in the northeastern part of the autonomous island region of Sardinia in Italy. Arzachena lies halfway between the original Costa Smeralda resort and Porto Rafael, both founded in the late 1950s. With a population of 13,456, it is the 2nd-largest municipality in Gallura by population after Olbia. The frazione of Porto Cervo is the main resort area of Costa Smeralda for summer tourism, which since the 1960s has replaced agriculture as the main local source of economic activity. Nearby there are numerous archaeological sites from the Nuragic period, including those from a local sub-culture known as Arzachena culture (the necropolis of Li Muri and others). Arzachena borders the municipalities of Luogosanto, Luras, Olbia, Palau, Sant'Antonio di Gallura, and Tempio Pausania.