Skip to content
Vicinalia
Italiano Sign up

Palau: what to know before buying a home

A municipality in the province of Gallura Nord-Est Sardegna, Sardegna. Official data on earthquakes, population, services and transport.

Liveability index free for any address

Search for an address in Palau

The report looks at the exact point: landslide and flood risk, seismic zone, price per square metre for the area, services and nearby stops.

For example: Via Nazionale 1, Palau.

Palau, the port for La Maddalena in Gallura

Palau is the port for the ferries to La Maddalena, on the northern coast of Gallura between Santa Teresa Gallura and Arzachena. The town grew up around the harbour, with granite hills behind it and the islands of the archipelago in front. On the headland of Capo d'Orso stands the wind-carved rock that resembles a bear, one of the landmarks of the area. Olbia, with its airport and ferries to the mainland, is within driving distance.

This is a seaside property market. Many homes are second homes or holiday flats, used mostly in summer, and prices depend heavily on the view, distance from the sea and services that stay open all year. If you plan to live here permanently, visit in winter too, when the pace and the services change. The report measures the distance from the address to schools, pharmacies and shops.

There were 4,113 residents in 2023 according to Istat, the national statistics office, up 9.0% on 2011, a better trend than in many Sardinian towns. The average age is 47.3, close to the 46.7 of the province of Gallura Nord-Est Sardegna. Foreign residents make up 12.2%.

Earthquake hazard is the lowest in Italy: all 26 municipalities in the province are in seismic zone 4 of the Civil Protection classification, and expected ground acceleration in the built-up area is about 0.050 g. For a house near the sea, salt damage to window frames and to the steel in reinforced concrete, damp and the state of the facades matter more. The climate zone is B, with mild winters and the mistral wind.

The Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) publishes the cadastral maps, and the report traces the address back to its plot. Between the granite hills and the small streams running down to the sea, landslide and flood hazard are checked for the exact spot.

Key points

  • Ferry port for La Maddalena, on the north coast of Gallura.
  • Population up 9.0% since 2011.
  • Seismic zone 4, like every municipality in the province.
  • Many second homes: services and pace change out of season.

Overview

Palau is a municipality in the province of Gallura Nord-Est Sardegna, in Sardegna. At the end of 2023 it had 4,113 residents, ranked 8 of 26 municipalities in the province.

Earthquakes

For Italy's Civil Protection Department, Palau is in seismic zone 4, the lowest-risk zone, where strong earthquakes are very rare. All 26 municipalities in the province are in the same zone.

In the built-up area, the expected ground shaking (peak ground acceleration, PGA) is about 0.050 g, a moderate value: the level with a 10% probability of being exceeded in 50 years, on rock.

In zone 4 the risk is low, but for an older building it is still worth asking about the state of the structure.

Population

Compared with the 2011 census, the resident population has grown by 9.0%. The estimated average age is 47 years, in line with the province. 24% of residents are over 65 (the regional figure is 27%). Foreign residents make up 12.2% of the population. On average, a household has 1.9 members.

Income and climate

In tax year 2024, taxpayers in Palau declared an average taxable income of 20,720 euros, in line with the province (21,361 euros). The Italian average is 24,895 euros.

Palau is in climate zone B, with 817 heating degree days: heating may be switched on from 1 December to 31 March, for up to 8 hours a day. The same table puts the town hall at 5 metres above sea level.

Services

In the official Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health lists, Palau has 4 schools and 1 pharmacy. The Overture Maps data also lists 9 grocery shops and supermarkets, 15 sports facilities and 3 parks and green areas.

The data shows no healthcare facilities within the municipality, against a provincial average of 0.7 per 1,000 residents.

Public transport

We do not yet have open public transport timetables for this municipality: the report says so explicitly, without inventing distances.

How built-up it is

Buildings, roads, car parks and other sealed surfaces cover 8.3% of the land in Palau, compared with 3.4% in the region. In 2024 built-up land grew by 1.1 hectares.

Radon and contaminated sites

Palau is one of the municipalities designated as a radon priority area by the Regione Sardegna in 2022. According to the ISPRA map, the estimated radon emission in the municipality is medium. Radon varies from building to building and can only be known by measuring it, especially on ground floors and in basements.

Landslides and flooding

Landslide and flood hazard changes from one street to the next even within Palau: the report checks the address against the ISPRA maps.

House prices

The Revenue Agency's price ranges per square metre (OMI) apply to zones, not to whole municipalities: the report gives the range for the address's zone.

Land registry

The cadastral maps for Palau are public: from the address the report finds the sheet and parcel number.

Liveability area by area

The Vicinalia liveability index runs from 0 to 100 and looks at the place, not the people who live there: services within walking distance, transport, green space, natural hazards, air, quiet, buildings and connection. Here it is worked out at the centre of each of the 59 inhabited census areas in Palau. Half of the residents live in areas scoring 71 or more.

Residents by band

  • fair 16.2%
  • good 66.1%
  • very good 17.7%

Vicinalia index by census area, licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Data: IdroGEO ISPRA (2026), Istat, INGV, EEA, AGCOM, Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.

The colour is the value at the centre of the area. For an exact address, search for it above: the free check looks at that exact point. How the index is worked out

Data sources

ISTAT code 113020. The text on this page is generated automatically from the data.