Where To Stay In Sardinia For Couples: Best Hotels & Places To See!

Comments

1. 30 October, 2023 Reply

   Geoff

   Hi Clelia…your account of & suggestions regarding Sardinia are amazing but…I now fear that my wife and I (76 & 69) have not allowed enough time to really experience the island properly. We are now committed to flights to & from the island and have only allowed 6 nights ( in 21 May – out 27 May).

   I have planned to fly into Cagliari & stay for 2 nights, exploring the area. Drive to Oristano, explore the area and stay 1 night. Drive to Alghero, explore the area and stay for 1 night. Drive to Costa Smeralda and stay for 2 nights in Olbia. Fly out from Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport.

   This reads rushed!!! We love beaching, people watching, dining, shopping and just general sightseeing of the locals.
   Can you please assist me with the plan/advise if this will work or make suggestions?

2. 19 August, 2020 Reply

   Du

   You’re the best for this mind blowing synopsis of Sardines. Me and my life partner is intending to make a beeline for Sardines for special first night. We imagined that it is fascinating to lease a cruising vessel and travel all around the island with the pontoon and appreciate the sea shores. Do you have any proposals for the course of the cruising pontoon? Where do you figure we should begin our cruising venture? Do you have any recommendations for a sentimental wedding trip remain at a lodging? It doesn’t make a difference which part it is, the length of it merits remaining.

3. 25 July, 2020 Reply

   Jane Smith

   My sweetheart and I are reserving to visit Sardinia in mid-June. I notice above you state that it’s simpler for you to encourage where to go on the off chance that we let you recognize what we DON’T care for, so we don’t care for a dance club, uproarious bars, occupied seashores with heaps of youngsters (brutal yet evident!).

   We’d like a tranquil town, not many shops and eateries/bars, and a wonderful seashore. We haven’t booked any flights so are allowed to go anyplace. We won’t employ a vehicle, however, may think about a sulked, else we’ll be depending on an open vehicle.

   We are going on this occasion to unwind, anyway, we’re likewise very lively so on the off chance that you do know about anyplace that additionally offers paddling/kayaking/scuba plunging that would be incredible, yet not fundamental!

   1. Author

      30 July, 2020 Reply

      Clelia Mattana

      Hi Jane sorry for the late reply, I am moving and no wifi until next week, I’ll reply in depth soon! Cheers, Clelia

4. 3 January, 2020 Reply

   Kim De Weirt

   Dear Clelia,
   Thanks for the lovely advice and the time you spent on writing all this information down!
   We booked our flight to Olbia on May 20th and will then stay for 5 days. I’m quite sure that the region of Cala Gonone would be lovely to stay. But we alson like to go out for a drink and dinner at night, and not have to drive if possible…. Do you have any suggestions on nice hotels in this area, close to a ‘lively village’? Or could you advise me on a location where I could look for a nice hotel?
   Thanks in advance for your reply!
   Kind regards,
   Kim – Belgium

   1. Author

      3 January, 2020 Reply

      Clelia Mattana

      Hey Kim, thanks for the lovely comment! (don’t remind me of this article, I am constantly updating it so I truly appreciate your words!)
      As for your request, well, all you need is to find a nice Hotel in Cala Gonone! It’s a lovely village, you won’t need the car to go out at night because everything would be at a walking distance if you look for a place not too far from the beach. Here is a link of a website I use to book my stays all over the world, I already put it to the Cala Gonone Hotels page.
      If you want me to recommend a specific Hotel, set aside the ones I’ve already recommended, I know the owner of Residence Biriola and its place is almost always fully booked and well located! I spent a few days in the area last summer showing my boyfriend (German) around and he didn’t want to leave 🙂
      I hope you’ll have a great holiday in Sardinia!
      Kind Regards
      Clelia

5. 8 August, 2019 Reply

   Pav

   Hi Clelia, fab info on Sardinia! It’s so comprehensive and easy to follow. Could you please give me some advice around a 4 day trip around the 5th October. It’s likely we’ll fly into Cagliari. Wel want somewhere that’s going to have some fab beaches and equally good city life to explore without much stress of travelling! We may have car hire but only want to consider it if we have to. Do you have any advice on where would be best to stay? We don’t have a budget but nothing too extortionate. Thanks Pav

   1. Author

      16 August, 2019 Reply

      Clelia Mattana

      Hey Pav, thanks for stopping by! For 4 days and flying into Cagliari (and also considering is October so already a bit off season) I’d suggest to book something in Cagliari and rent a car to see the best sights around and you can also walk in the city or take buses, and being Cagliari the Capital, you’ll find everything open and at all price ranges 🙂

      Hope it helps!
      Cheers
      Clelia

6. 5 April, 2019 Reply

   Elyse Taylor

   Hey Clelia!

   Thank you so much for taking so much time to write about beautiful Sardinia! It has been really helpful in planning my honeymoon! My husband and I are coming for 6 nights and I’m so torn on where to go, everything just sounds too amazing and we just don’t have enough time to do it all! We are flying into Olbia and out of Cagliari & we are going to rent a car. Originally I thought we would start working our way straight down south to Cala Gonone, Baunei, Villasimius etc but now I’m really indecisive if we should make our way up to Porto Cervo for even just two nights. We love swimming, beaches & we like to have a drink what would you do with such a short amount of time?! heeelp!

   1. Author

      5 April, 2019 Reply

      Clelia Mattana

      Hey Elyse, thanks for stopping by and for your lovely comment! And obviously congrats on your wedding! as for your honeymoon… tricky with just 6 days! It really depends on what you want to prioritize: Relaxation on a (few) beaches or seeing as many places as possible? If you have the budget and want to enjoy the Costa Smeralda Beaches and the boat trip to the Arcipelago della Maddalena… I’d say, go for it! You don’t have to see everything, to have a great trip you just need to do this
      1) Split the trip in 2 location max (one in the north and one either in the south or the Golfo di Orosei and then basically straight to the airport)
      2) Stay in one location and set aside 4- 5 hours to go to the airport.

      Want a more active Holiday? Head to the Golfo di Orosei but stay there for at least 4 days and then opt to stay nearby Cagliari for the remaining 2. Not Ideal tough especially for a “conventional” honeymoon 🙂

      What I would do depending on the budget of course is Costa Smeralda + Boat Trip. But keep in mind that it is 3-4 times more expensive than other places but it’s a VIP area with amazing beaches around.

      You don’t have that budget? Forget Costa Smeralda and head south to Golfo di Orosei (Cala Gonone) and the remaining days at Villasimius, unless you want to relax with a lower budget than Costa Smeralda, in that case, I’d just stay in Cala Gonone and roam around by car, as there is so much to do that your head will spin!

      I’m sorry I didn’t have a straight answer but the options for beautiful locations are so many that not knowing your budget is rather difficult to give you a proper straight reply. Cheers!
      Clelia

      1. 7 April, 2019 Reply

         Elyse Taylor

         Thanks for the response! I feel like I should probably mention we arrive May 30th-June 5th, so I’m not exactly sure if that makes a difference where or what we should do? Someone on another forum mentioned it may be cold

         I think priorities wise, we want to see at least a few places and get a little variety while also getting to lounge on the beaches a bit! We are going to Positano and Santorini after so I think we will have plenty of time to just chill out there? Also those places are pretty expensive so I would love to be a bit more frugal in Sardinia but you know its still our honeymoon so finding a balance of not crazy expensive while still a little romantic! I was thinking maybe even 2 nights Palau with a day trip to La Maddelena, 2 nights Cala Gonone and maybe 2 nights in Cagliari or somewhere south? Wish we were there for longer!!

         Thanks in advance for taking the time to respond! It’s so hard to plan a trip like this when you’ve never there been before!

         1. Author

            31 May, 2019 Reply

            Clelia Mattana

            Hi Elyse,
            Sorry, my website is experiencing some IT issues and I wans’t able to see or respond to your message. I hope you were able to sort everything out (you should be here by now!) and enjoy Sardinia now that FINALLY the sun decided to come back to the Island 🙂

7. 14 March, 2019 Reply

   Charley

   Thank you so much for posting this! Me and my other half are hoping to visit Sardinia at the start of September after a hectic year so far of buying a house! It will only be for a weekend, Friday to Sunday so am hoping you can help us decide where to stay! We probably will be on foot with no other means of transport and are just looking to get away and relax. Grateful for any help you can offer!

   1. Author

      16 March, 2019 Reply

      Clelia Mattana

      Hi Charley, thanks for stopping by and for your nice words! (and congratulations about the house, that’s awesome!!). So… if you only have a weekend, and no car, to be honest and straightforward, just stick as close as the airport as you can be. So if you are flying into Cagliari, stick with Cagliari, same with Alghero and Olbia. They are all great options especially in early September when the weather is usually still nice and warm and you can relax and also visit some beaches as well as stroll around the city or have a one day trip (there are a lot of organized day trips so you can just relax and enjoy).
      If you want to relax that’s perfect. I live close to Cagliari but I also know Olbia and Alghero quite well (as well as their surroundings) and trust me, for relaxation, the closest to the airport the better. That means book a hotel/accommodation in the city center and from there you are all set. The transports to and from the airport are always very straightforward and not more than 20 min away.

      Hope it helps and have a great time in Sardinia 🙂
      Cheers
      Clelia

8. 13 February, 2019 Reply

   Karen

   This is so immensely helpful – thank you so so much! We are coming to the island for a wedding in July and can’t wait! We are getting in on a Sunday afternoon, planning to explore a few days and be in Cala Gonone by Thursday evening. One event is there, the rest are at Hotel Su Gologone.

   Is squeezing in Alghero, Bosa, and Cagliari too much in 3 1/2-4 days? If so, what would you recommend instead? Open to cutting out a spot and getting to Cala Gonone a night earlier to experience that, but would love your insights. We are newlyweds in our early 30s looking to experience the culture, food, and nights on the streets people watching if possible. Not big beach people, but will likely swing by one just to see it.

   Thanks so much!

   1. Author

      21 February, 2019 Reply

      Clelia Mattana

      Hi Karen, thanks for stopping by! So you will have let’s say 3 full days to squeeze in? (I’m counting the time to move from one place to the other out)… if so.. to be honest, I hate rushing things and also July is high season so if you truly want to experience something without masses of people all around you should wake up at 4/5 pm to get to the beach or any other place and TRULY enjoy it.
      My advice? Stick to Cala Gonone, if you have a car you will be able to 1)Not rush things too much 2) discover a little bit of the inland part of Sardinia which is nothing short than stunning (near Cala Gonone go to Baunei and Il Golgo for stunning views and culture), Hike to Cala Goloritze… go for the famous boat trip, stroll around the pier and the many restaurants and clubs by night. You have tons of choices, all within reach without having to jump from one place to another just to have a glimpse of it.

      This way you’ll have a fantastic reason to come back to Sardinia!!
      Cheers
      Clelia

      1. 22 February, 2019 Reply

         Karen

         Thanks so much for the advice! Really appreciate it. Just looked up Baunei and Cala Goloritze and can’t wait to see it in person. Your posts and this comment have been so immensely helpful! Thank you, again!!

         1. Author

            24 February, 2019 Reply

            Clelia Mattana

            Thanks a Lot for yout feedback Karen. I’m always very happy when I know my advice has been useful! I wish you a fantastic time in Sardinia!

9. 29 December, 2018 Reply

   Susan Lubrano

   I would really appreciate your help in making a decisision . I am from New York going to Procida to visit my family with my husband and two children. One of my children is 28 years old and married the other is 24 and single and we are a 60 year old active couple. After spending time in procida we would like to come to Sardinia and enjoy the beaches but we do need some activity at night since it can’t be totally romantic. I really don’t know what to pick we are active love to hike bike climb we love beaches we love food and walking around town tonight and seeing interesting things. We will not want to chew crowded or touristy please help as this trip is extremely important to us as a family we haven’t been away together in a long time I need to have fun and not be bored night since my single son will drive me crazy. Looking forward to hearing from you withgreat appreciation Susan

10. 4 December, 2018 Reply

    Tayla Clemente

    Hi Clelia, thank you for your break down of the different areas that make up Sardinia. My boyfriend and I are going to Sardinia from July 29 – August 1, I know this isn’t a lot of time because there is just so much to do and see in this lovely island, but we aren’t able to extend unfortunately. Where would you recommend to stay as a base?
    We are the type of couple that want beautiful beaches, great atmosphere (we don’t mind the crowds) and a good night life – but we also want to explore the amazing beaches up north and possibly do a day/boat experience to La Maddalena and those beautiful beaches up north.
    Would you suggest to stay in Alghero or Porto Cervo (the $$ is what I am worried about) or Cala Gonone.
    Thanks
    Tayla

    1. Author

       17 December, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Tayla, sorry for the delayed reply but after one year I finally took a vacation! 🙂 As for your question… I’d suggest the northern part for a few reasons: 1) you don’t have much time and you don’t want to spend it driving from the airport to the dream location! 2) staying in the north east you can take a day for the amazing boat trip to the Archipelago Della Maddalena. You don’t have to stay in the Costa Smeralda if you are worried about the budget, but I woudn’t disregard the options right now. You have still a lot of time to book and you might find some good deals.

       Take my example, I was able to stay in the beautiful(and super expensive) Bahamas for 2 weeks by checking the deals on booking.com way in advance and it wasn’t that bad and I had an absolutely smashing holiday at a decent price.

       Check out these options on booking.com (and choose the “free cancellation option) book the best deals you can find and then cancel the ones you are not interested anymore last minute! I always do like this and it works like a charm 😉

       Good luck and let me know how it goes!
       Cheers
       Clelia

11. 17 September, 2018 Reply

    Claudia Vila

    Hi Clelia…Molti grazie for your excellent and detailed webpage.
    I am planning to travel to Sardinia in late September (around 7-8 days). I am traveling by myself, love beaches, exploring around but also to go out at night to a good wine bar or restaurant, and as I am traveling by myself I would prefer places which are not that lonely, but also not that crowded. I prefer to take tours to visit places which are located out of the cities…..The three main places I would be looking forward to stay are Porto Cervo, Cagliari and Alghero. I would have to choose two. I definitely want to visit the golfo d’ Orosei…but I will not be staying to sleep there…ideally, I would like to take a boat ride which tours around the main beaches, and then go back to the town where I’m staying.
    – Which of the three town mentioned (Alghero, Porto Cervo or Cagliari) would offer the fastest and most reliable full day tour visit to the Gulf of Orosei?
    – If I am traveling by myself, enjoy my independence but at the same time don’t want to feel that lonely, and ideally have the chance to make other independent travelers, which two from the three town mentioned would be the better options?
    – Would you agree with me that the most specular beaches are at the Gulf of Orosei?
    – If you would have to visit only 5 beaches (including the Gulf of Orosei boat tour)..which would they be?
    – Which would be the 3 main attractions to visit in Sardinia, besides island hopping and town tours?
    – Would the La Maddalena archipelago be worth visiting from Porto Cervo? Or if you are already taking a tour to the Gulf of Orosei it would be kind of similar?

    …would September be a good season to visit Sardinia ?

    Molti grazie…aspetto tua risposta!

    Claudia : )

    1. Author

       24 September, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Claudia

       Not sure if I’m still in time to give you some advice as we are already at the end of September! But I’ll do my best:

       – Which of the three towns mentioned (Alghero, Porto Cervo or Cagliari) would offer the fastest and most reliable full day tour visit to the Gulf of Orosei?: To visit the Golfo di Orosei the fasted way is from Porto Cervo (even if it’s still not Ideal if you do not have a car), also Cagliari is an option (I drove myself to Arbatax and back in the same day to catch the boat), a bit stressful but adventurous, like you I was by myself!

       – If I am traveling by myself, enjoy my independence but at the same time don’t want to feel that lonely, and ideally have the chance to make other independent travelers, which two from the three towns mentioned would be the better options? I would say, Cagliari and Alghero. Porto Cervo is nice during high season but you’ll find mainly couples or group of friends, not many independent travels in there to bond with. Cagliari and Alghero are definitely much better!

       – Would you agree with me that the most specular beaches are at the Gulf of Orosei? In my opinion? Absolutely YES! a close second are the Arcipelago della Maddalena beaches and also a couple of beaches in South Sardinia, but to me The Golgo di Orosei beaches are simply awesome!

       – If you would have to visit only 5 beaches (including the Gulf of Orosei boat tour)..which would they be? : Cala Mariolu, Cala Goloritze, Tuerredda beach, La Pelosa beach in Stintino, Cala Biriola 🙂 There are a lot more but these are now my top 5 for sure!

       – Which would be the 3 main attractions to visit in Sardinia, besides island hopping and town tours?
       Too bad as I’m still working on it but I’m about to publish 2 massive articles on the best things to do in Sardinia (besides the beaches). It all depends on your personal preference but I’d visit the Su Gologone gorge in the Golfo di Orosei (hiking and amazing experience), Visit Porto Flavia by boat (it’s an old mine site in South Sardinia), and if you are into it… there are great cooking classes in Alghero 🙂 If cooking is not your forte, you can visit one of the villages in the hinterland, like Orgosolo with its famous typical Sardinian Murals!

       – Would the La Maddalena archipelago be worth visiting from Porto Cervo? Or if you are already taking a tour to the Gulf of Orosei it would be kind of similar? ABSOLUTELY YES! I did the two boat trips more time than I remember and they are both awesome and not similar, as the landscape of the rocks, the colors, the water… is different.

       …would September be a good season to visit Sardinia ? In theory yes, but late September is at risk of showers. I am not in Sardinia at the moment but I was talking to my family yesterday and they were planning to go to the beach as it was a beautiful day. The temperature are still nice, less tourists but you’ll have to also be luckyyou don’t come when we have those rainy days! It’s more of a bet to come to Sardinia at the end of September/beginning of October, but if you are lucky with the weather, you’ll LOVE IT!

       Cheers
       Clelia

12. 1 August, 2018 Reply

    Amanda

    Hello!
    Thank you so much for your generous blog! I was SO grateful to happen upon it!! 🙂
    My guy and I are traveling to Sardinia late September (slower season) and will stay 7 days. We are beach hoppers/explorers and enjoy a solid night life and amazing food and views. It’s SO difficult to decide on a region so we are thinking we will rent a car and hit maybe two days in each spot along the coast?
    sun – fly in to Olbia
    – 2 days in Porto Cervo, (sun-tues)
    – 2 days in Cala Ganone, (tues-thur)
    – 1 night in Costa Rei (maybe) (thur-fri) ***do you recommend this area or should we stay an extra day in Cala Ganone or Cagliari?
    – 2 nights in Cagliari. (fri-sun)
    sun – fly out of Cagliari
    Does this sound like too much? We arrive on Sunday morning and considered driving over to Isola Rossa to experience Sardinia a little bit by car and possibly stay for sunset before heading to Porto Cervo for the night.? Would you recommend this? Do you recommend Isola Rossa as a destination? Or a waste of a day? Or would it be better to just head up to our hotel and enjoy beaches around the northern Sardinia (Palau) area for the day? We plan to do a day boat trip to La Maddalena on Monday so this is why we picked this area for the night. As for night life, we heard this area is pretty good but not sure if it is during the off season… or on a Sunday and Monday night! haha
    Your help is very much appreciated!! Thank you again for your amazing blog! 🙂

    1. Author

       24 September, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Amanda!
       Sorry for the late response, I hope you will get this comment! Let me know if I’m still in time to give you some advice (given that it takes me a long time to reply when people ask me about itineraries etc), if so, I’ll do my best to give you some advice!

       Cheers
       Clelia

    2. 5 April, 2019 Reply

       Elyse Taylor

       Hey Amanda,

       My husband and I were thinking about doing pretty much the same itinerary for our honeymoon & I would love to know how it worked out for you or if you switched it around? Did you have enough time to enjoy in each place!?

       Thanks in advance ☺️

13. 10 May, 2018 Reply

    Jenna

    Hi! This website is amazing and really helped me plan my trip. I am traveling to Sardinia with my brother in August and plan on staying in Cagliari for two nights (visit beaches/ night life) and then one night near Berchidda (I’ve heard there is a jazz festival every year?) and two nights near Olbia. Have you ever heard of the time in jazz festival? Do you think I could stay 3 nights near Olbia and travel to Berchidda for the festival? Also, where would you stay near Olbia? My brother and I are in our late 20’s and we love to hike, beaches and night life and shopping. I thought about staying at an agriturismo? Any suggestions? Again, thank you for your advice!

    1. Author

       12 May, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Jenna! Yes I know of the Berchidda Jazz Festival of course 🙂 In here you can find the program for this summer (unfortunately in Italian, but you’ll have an idea of the dates). From Cagliari to Berchidda is around 2 and a half hours by car, you can stay there for the night, check out in here what are the options. I use this website all the time as it usually has free cancellation and you can find from luxury hotels to hostels and B&B.

       Then from Berchidda to Olbia, it’s around30-40 minutes, so quite convenient! For the place to stay, again… basically almost all the accommodation available in every area of Sardinia is listed on that website I told you. I can’t recommend one in particular near Olbia as I usually rent a small house with my family but to do that you have to stay at least one week and sometimes it goes by word of mouth among Sardinian people (who can’t speak English, as those who do are on the website!) 🙂

       Near Olbia I loved my stay in Cannigione. I still have the pictures of me and my 2 best friends camping in there, but they also have other options if you don’t like camping and for the nightlife is pretty good, not as good as San Teodoro… if you REALLY want to party, San Teodoro is the place to be and it’s not even that far from Olbia (just 30 min by car), great beaches but SUPER CROWDED in August like everywhere else in Sardinia so get ready for that. That’s the way it is in peak season 🙁

       Oh, almost forgot, there is a super nice hike near San Teodoro, at the Tavolara Island. It’s super beautiful and the views are stunning. You will have to go with an organized tour as you need a guide but it’s totally worth it! This one is a bit expensive but covers the whole day and usually these are the prices anyway. If you are interested to have a look, it’s here!
       Cheers
       Clelia

14. 9 May, 2018 Reply

    Ryan Whitmore

    Great article! Thanks for the tips and keep up the good work 🙂

    1. Author

       12 May, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Thank you Ryan!

15. 25 April, 2018 Reply

    isabel aslam

    First of all, I think your website pretty much saved my life, i never came across a more generous person than you really. I scanned other peoples comments to try and find an answer for my question, but as I didnt I take the chance to ask you and hope you will find the time to give your input 🙂
    So the plan is 1 week in Sardinia and we decided we really wanna see Cagliari and Cala Gonone. The main focus is the beaches around Cagliari, (Tuerredda, Chia, Villasimus).as you mentioned them as the most beautiful! Is it possible to live in Cagliari and do day trips to the beaches mentioned, with car ofc?.Do you think its doable to do 3-4 days in Cagliari with surrounding beaches and then 3 days in Gonone with surrounding beaches? Do you think its a good idea to live in cagliari centre and then do day trips around it instead of livving in more rural areas? many thanks!

    1. Author

       6 May, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Isabel, wow thanks for the lovely comment! I’m so glad to hear that I was able to practically help people that read my website’s articles 🙂 As for your question, absolutely yes! This is what most locals (including my family and friends) do every summer 🙂 We take day trips from Cagliari and surrounding areas to Chia beach and Tuerredda. For Tuerredda especially be aware that it gets SUPER CROWDED and the parking space is limited so you will have to go there super early and be patient as you won’t have the beach exactly for yourself (unless you are visiting in low season and especially not on the weekends). Villasimius is also very doable on a day trip there are two roads, the scenic route which is longer but stunning and the faster route which doesn’t give you the views but you’ll get there in less time. For Cala Gonone, the same… you can certainly explore on day trips from there. Obviously it’s not going to be a super relaxed vacation given that you’ll have to drive every day (let’s say around 1 hour to go to these beaches)but it’s certainly worth it! and one day when in Cala Gonone you won’t have to drive as you can take the boat to visit the Golfo and just relax and enjoy the scenery from the boat and on the stops to the beaches!
       Hope it helps and that you will have a fabulous vacation in Sardnia!

       1. 6 May, 2018 Reply

          Anna Isabel Aslam

          thanks for your fast reply! The trip is starting to take form in my head now 🙂 2-3 days covering la spezia, fly to cagliari with base there 5 days, on to the middle of east coast a few days and finishing the trip around san teodoro a couple of nights before flying home!
          Ive come across some people saying that santa maria navaresse is a better option than cala gonone, mainly because its closer to the sandy beaches more south and you can also access the same beaches (like cala luna) with boat from there aswell. what is your opinion? also, i found that the best B&B’s are located quite rural, found some gems outside san teodoro (trudda), is it worth it to be near the beach in your opinion even the hotels will not be as charming?

          1. Author

             3 July, 2018 Reply

             Clelia Mattana

             First of all, I was just talking about Santa Maria Navarrese with my family (we went there one summer) and NO NO NO… DON’T GO THERE! Ok maybe I’m being overdramatic 🙂 But Sardinian people are very spoiled and we didn’t like the beach at all. The prices are not even much better than other locations so just forget about it. You can take the boat by driving to either Arbatax, Cala Gonone or Orosei. Cala Gonone (the beach) is slightly better but not even close to the paradise beaches that await you in the surrounding areas but I prefer it 100% because it is a lively city and more convenient than Santa Maria Navarrese in my opinion. For the accommodation is really up to you. I don’t mind driving a bit but staying in a nice Agriturismo not directly on the beach, other people prefer to stay in town and spontaneously go out for a stroll at the beach at night for a gelato… both options are good for me, I’m not that picky because what I care about the most is discovering what’s outside my hotel or B&B. Yes, the experience can be nice if you find a good one, but overall you will be out most of the day so it doesn’t make a massive difference…

16. 14 April, 2018 Reply

    carlos mont

    hello Clelia nice page. i hope know your island someday!! 🙂

    1. Author

       14 April, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Thank you 😉

17. 13 April, 2018 Reply

    Jessica

    Thank you so much for this fabulous article! My husband and I are planning a trip to Italy Sept/Oct 2019 and we want to spend maybe 3 days in Sardinia beach hopping. 1 day boat rental in the archipelago and two days beach hopping. We would like to rent a car but I’ve been worried about what people do to secure their belongings while they are at the beach? I know that seems like a silly question but I’ve been looking all over the Internet for tips and tricks and I haven’t found any yet. Obviously leaving our luggage at whatever hotel we are staying at would be best, but if we want to be able to bring money ( for food and maybe beachside amenities) and cameras for pictures as well as our phone (GPS), what would you suggest to keep those items safe so that we can both swim? Are my husband and I just going to have to take turns swimming in the water while we watch our stuff on the beach? Or do you have any suggestions on how to keep our belongings safe while we swim? My thought was that maybe we needed to leave the phones and money hidden in the car and just take a waterproof camera but I don’t know how safe they are in the car if we have to hike along way. Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated! We want to be able to enjoy it worry free and still have our necessities with us to take pictures!

    1. Author

       14 April, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Jessica! Thanks for stopping by and for the rather unusual (but quite interesting) question about security on the beach. It’s interesting because as a solo traveler around the world I asked myself the same question, with the difference that at least you are two people and I had no one to watch my stuff while swimming and didn’t even have a car 🙂

       Here is my advice (based on personal experience):

       1) MONEY: Only bring enough money to the beach to buy some food if there are bars and restaurants nearby. I wouldn’t recommend bringing the whole wallet, just the driving license and a small purse with a bit of cash is enough. Also, note that some of the most beautiful beaches DO NOT have any restaurant or bar or any type of amenity, so you would have to bring your own food, enough water and stock it in a special bag to keep it cool.

       2) CAMERAS: I only recommend you bring a waterproof camera and your mobile phones (only if necessary). The best option is obviously the GoPro as it’s quite small and you will bring it to the water with you using something to safely place it on your wrist. If you don’t have a GoPro, make sure the camera is REALLY waterproof and don’t trust those plastic containers that promise you to keep your belongings safe in the water. I made a trial at home with one of those and it’s not ideal. Even if you buy an old version of a GoPro it would be so worth the investment in my opinion! I don’t have the fanciest one and I took this video in Mexico (yep on the beach by myself!) 🙂

       3)WHO WATCHES THE STUFF? I usually have this trick, which should work well in Sardinia too. When finding a place on the beach, I always try to find either a solo girl, a small family or a couple and place my beach towel nearby. When I want to swim, I politely ask if they can give a look at my stuff from time to time and that we can take turns watching each other’s stuff. It has always worked well for me. Since you are only bringing a small amount of cash and mobiles, no one is going to bother risking it for a few bucks, even more so when they see there are people around watching your stuff.

       LEAVING YOU STUFF IN THE CAR: Depending on which beach you decide to visit, usually there is a parking lot where for a few euros you can leave your car. We do that all the time and leave some of the stuff in there (like our mini fridges until it’s time to eat or other things we don’t want to bring on the beach). It’s safe and in years and years, I’ve never had any issue.

       I’d say if you follow these simple rules you can swim and have fun in the water without any problem! Enjoy Sardinia 🙂
       Cheers
       Clelia

18. 30 March, 2018 Reply

    Katelyn Fitzpatrick

    Hi there! My fiance and I are heading out to Sardinia in early July for our honeymoon. We have LOVED your website and taken many of your wonderful tips. We are first arriving in Olbia to rent a car, heading to Santa Teresa first. We will spend 3 nights in each place:
    Santa Teresa in a boutique apartment, Alghero/Bosa in a resort style place on the water, Cala Gonone in an Argriturismo, and we will end in the South to return our car.

    However, we are sort of at a loss of where to stay down south. Based on the places we have been so far do you think we should do a resort in Villasimius or on the Southwest side? We liked how on your list you mentioned the Southeast had bars and restaurants on the beaches, but we haven’t found a hotel that has that yet without being right in the city of Cagliari. Although, we do want to be central as we are flying out of there after 4 days.

    Any and all suggestions are welcome- we are making reservations this week. Thank you so much!!

    1. Author

       30 July, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Katelyn

       Sorry, I completely missed your comment, the number of emails and messages for help I receive is insane and managing the website by myself it’s getting very tricky to reply to everyone in detail and I sometimes miss a few comments! Congratulations for your wedding and i hope you had a great time in Sardinia 🙂

19. 19 March, 2018 Reply

    Maximiliano Cambón

    Hello Clelia!

    Thanks for the amazing blog!

    I will be traveling with my girlfriend for 5 nights to Sardania on the 21st of June, and we were thinking about were to stay.

    By the way you described perfectly the pros and cons of the different places, we think that Cala Gonone will suit us perfectly!

    But out “fear” is that you have to travell too long each time you want to go to a beach, I mean, that there is too much logistic for each beach you want to go.

    Is there also beaches that you can access easily if you don’t feel like taking a boat or hicking for hours?

    Is there any nice hotels you particulary recommend in the zone?

    As a second option on were to stay, we found a lovely place in Marinella, near Porto Rotondo. How is this place (Beaches, Pubs, Restaurants, Hiking,etc..)? We are not in plans on going with many fancy clothes and being with the cream of the cream.. we want a more relaxing trip, enjoying of nature and having great dinners!

    Thank you very much for you help!!!

    All the best!

    Caro & Maxi

    1. Author

       22 March, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Caro & Max!
       Thanks for your comment 🙂 So let’s see, first of all, given your preferences (beaches/pubs/Restaurants/Hiking),even if the places near Porto Rotondo are certainly great, especially the beaches, you won’t have any possibility to hike in there and depending on your budget, going out for a cocktail in the Costa Smeralda can be much more expensive than in the Golfo di Orosei area. If you want to enjoy the wild nature and don’t worry about wearing fancy clothes, then Cala Gonone is the right choice.
       Regarding the beaches, don’t worry, Cala Gonone has its own central beach too and it’s not bad! Nearby nice beaches where you won’t have to hike or use a boat are:

       Beaches near Cala Gonone reachable by car

       Cala Fuili
       Palmasera
       Cala Cartoe
       Cala Ziu Martine

       These are the best beaches you can discover using your car nearby Cala Gonone, but If you are in Cala Gonone you should still take time (1-2 days) to explore the other marvelous beaches by boat and trek to Cala Goloritze!

       Hotels
       Based on my experience and the comments/feedback of other people I’ve helped via my website, I can recommend you check out the following hotels:

       Residence Biriola
       Hotel la Playa
       Hotel villa gustui Maris

       Since it’s already almost April, what I would do is look at these places and book immediately as some of the ones I wanted to recommend are fully booked already (people start booking in January). What I usually do is find some good deals with free cancellation, book 3 or 4 places with that option and then decide last minute so I will have the choice to decide but the security to have booked the place 😉 (little tip from more than 5 years on the road!)

       I hope this helps and that you’ll have a great holiday in Sardinia!
       Cheers
       Clelia

       1. Author

          22 March, 2018 Reply

          Clelia Mattana

          Hey guys

          I saw a notification in my inbox with your reply but when I come and check it on the website I can’t find it. Not sure whether you have deleted it or if it’s an issue with my comment section. If you read this, can you please send me an email to hello@keepcalmandtravel.com and let me know? Thanks 🙂

20. 4 March, 2018 Reply

    Catherine

    Hello! My husband and I are thinking of going to Corsica and Sardinia at the end of June/first week of July. I have spent a lot of time researching and found your article to be the most helpful – – thank you!!

    Your breakdown of the different areas is so clutch! With that said, Cala Gonone seems exactly our style. We’re from Los Angeles but like a super low key/authentic experience. We appreciate the luxe but don’t need the glitz/glam. We prefer to find tucked away secret spots only the locals know about! Do you have any other helpful tips? Do you have any favorite Airbnb’s or Bed and Breakfasts in Cala Gonone other than what you’ve listed? We’ll definitely rent a car so we’d be happy to check out other super gorgeous nature spots. Have you been to Corsica? THANKS!! xo

    1. Author

       30 July, 2018 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Catherine, sorry, due to the number of emails, consultancies requests, and comments on the website sometimes I completely miss comments. I hope you were able to organize your holiday in Sardinia and that you had a great time!

21. 10 August, 2017 Reply

    Elizabeth Heath

    Clelia,
    We are vacationing near Cala Gonone in a few weeks and this is the best guide I’ve seen to the region, particularly for the beaches and how to reach them. Thank you!

    1. Author

       15 August, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Thanks so much for your kind words Elizabeth! Glad I could help you in planning your holiday in Sardinia 🙂

22. 6 August, 2017 Reply

    James

    Hi Clelia

    Do you know any special places that would be perfect for an engagement proposal? I have planned a surprise long weekend to Sardinia at the end of October. We will be in Alghero for one night and then 3 nights near OIbia. Or would you recommend 2 nights in Alghero rather? We will rent a car to get around. A scooter also sounds like it could be fun, unless it rains of course. Could you perhaps recommend a photographer who could capture the moment?

    Thanks 🙂

    1. Author

       15 August, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey James, difficult question 🙂
       Alghero is filled with lovely and romantic spots especially because you can admire the sunset over there so that alone would be a great setting for a proposal!
       For this reason, I would suggest 2 nights in Alghero maybe choosing a nice romantic hotel (check out the reviews and the pictures to see which one suits you the best!)

       I’d rather book a car than a scooter because October in Sardinia is a bit more unpredictable than September so that you won’t ruin your holidays because of a rainy day!

       As for a photographer, that is such a lovely idea! I had a reader of my website who does exactly this and was willing to photograph couples for free in Alghero but they were available in July only, such a shame you missed it! However, I have found this talented photographer specialized in engagement/couples/weddings nearby, you can check out her website in here.

       I hope this will help you in having a magic experience in Sardinia!
       Cheers
       Clelia

23. Pingback: 5 Reasons to Visit Sardinia in September-October - KEEP CALM AND TRAVEL

24. 21 July, 2017 Reply

    Jay

    Cala Ostina Beach is so run down and dirty from the hotel near by! There is a fine layer of some sort of oil covering it, maybe it was lovely once, but it would be a mistake to visit it now…

    1. Author

       21 July, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Wow Jay, really? I haven’t visited that beach recently, when did you go and what do you mean when you say that the road is covered in oil? I’m going to also double check with some of my friends who live nearby to see if it’s a temporary thing or not. Thanks for the feedback!

25. 16 July, 2017 Reply

    Rae Schmidt

    Thank you so much for your very informative and useful blog! My husband and I will be in Sardinia May 10-17, 2018. Our interests are food/wine, history/archaeology, art/culture. We prefer traveling slow and deep vs. dashing around. We’d appreciate 1) suggested adds/alternatives to our tentative plan and 2) your recommended picks. We will rent a car.

    Cagliari as home base – 2 days exploring Cagliari & 4 day trips –
    east choices: Villasimius, Capo Carbonara Marine Park, Costa Rei
    north choices: Nuraghe Barumini, Nuraghe Arrubiu
    west choices: Oristano, Tharros ruins, Is Arutas beach, Santa Cristina Nuraghe
    south choices: Pula, Nora ruins, Grotte is zuddas, beaches Tuerredda, Chia, Su Guideu

    Mahalo! (“thank you”),
    Travel lovers from Hawaii

    1. Author

       17 July, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Rae, wow Hawaii! it’s one of my dreams to visit your beautiful islands 🙂
       Ok regarding your question! If you are interested in art/archaeology and food, given that you have 4 days left after visiting Cagliari and the surroundings, I’d recommend a day trip to the Barumini Nuraghe complex, beautiful and the biggest in Sardinia as well as being a world Heritage site. I’d recommend staying in there until sunset, you’ll love it!

       Since you are in the area, take the time to visit “La giara di Gesturi”. Gesturi is the village after Barumini where you can see the little wild donkeys and also experience what a typical Sardinian village looks like. There isn’t much to do in there, but for a foreigner I believe that it is interesting to simply walk the street of a real non-touristic village, see how locals live etc.

       If you are interested in something unusual to see, 5 min away by car, in the village of Tuili you can see the “Sardinia in Miniatura” (a small replica of Sardinia, quite nice and interesting, check out the things you can do in there by clicking on the link).

       Another day trip worth taking from Cagliari is definitely the Tharros ruins near Oristano.Is Aruttas beach and San Giovanni Di Sinis are also 2 beaches worth visiting after your exploration of the archeological site in Tharros.

       Since you like traveling slow, I’d only take another day trip to the Nora ruins and the Grotte is Zuddas as you won’t have much time left to visit tuerreda and Chia (unless you want to just spend a couple of hours top on the beach, and in that case it’s better to only choose one, I’d go with Tuerredda even if they are both gorgeous but Tuerrdda to me is more fascinating, especially during low season)

       The remaining day if you feel like you haven’t rushed too much, you can also visit the beautiful east coast of Villasimius and capo Carbonara to relax before your departure.

       Hope that helps and have a fabulous time in Sardinia. One week is unfortunately not enough to see all the marvels of my island but your choices, given your interests are pretty good!

       Cheers
       Clelia

       1. 17 July, 2017 Reply

          Rae Schmidt

          Super WOW Clelia for such a fast and useful response! Please keep our email address and let us return the favor of local advice when your dream visit to Hawaii comes true! We love Italy and visit often in a quest to determine our favorite Italian place – we’ll be visiting Tuscany and Umbria for 2 weeks after Sardinia. In future travels to Italy, we’ll just have to add another section of Sardinia to our plan so we can be sure to experience all your wonderful island! And when we’re there next year, we’ll email you to see if you are around to say hello over a glass of wine to repay your kindness!

          1. Author

             20 July, 2017 Reply

             Clelia Mattana

             Hey Rae, sure!! I am currently visiting my family in Sardinia, but I am based in Mexico at the moment so it’s a bit closer (well closer than Europe!) to the dreamy Hawaii! I will keep your email for sure, thank you so much! And if I happen to be around in Italy when you’re back, I’m up for that glass of wine! I love Tuscany, one of the best regions in Italy, I’m sure you’ll have a great time in there too.

             Cheers!
             Clelia

26. 16 June, 2017 Reply

    Nabla

    Hi Clelia,

    My husband and I are panning a 10 trip in August and was hoping for some advice on where we should go. We will be hiring a car but ideally we would like to stay in one place. Could you recommend somewhere that has a nice beach but also within walking distance to restaurants, bars, cafes etc as we don’t want to have to drive somewhere just to eat. As we will have a car we will definitely want to do some day trip exploring so anything you can recommend would be appreciated.

    Thanks!

    1. Author

       25 June, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Nabla, if you want to reduce the time you spend on your car to even go to a restaurant or the main beach, I’d recommend one of these 4 destinations:
       1) Villasimius (southeast coast of Sardinia)
       2) San Teodoro (Northeast coast of Sardinia)
       3) Santa Teresa Di Gallura (North coast of Sardinia, towards the east end)
       4) Stintino (North coast of Sardinia, towards the west end, near Alghero)
       5) Cala Gonone (East Coast of Sardinia, in the middle)

       I have chosen these 4 as they all have in common a very nice beach at walking distance (well, depending on where your accommodation is, otherwise you can rent a bike or take the car for a 5 min drive), they have plenty of restaurants and bars to chose from and the surroundings are spectacular so you will have time to drive to the nearby beaches and villages for more variety!

       The choice depends on what you are more interested in,
       Villasimius is easy to reach from Cagliari airport, nice surrounding beaches like Costa Rei and Punta Molentis
       San Teodoro is convenient if you fly into Olbia airport, beautiful surrounding beaches like Cala Brandinchi, Tavolara Island and possibility to experience the Boat trip to the Arcipelago della Maddalena
       Santa Teresa, still convenient from Olbia and nearby Costa Smeralda and other fabulous places, Stintino is convenient from Alghero airport and is nice for the famous La Pelosa Beach but also if you want to have a more cultural experience visiting the small villages not too far like Castelsardo, Costa Paradiso (Budoni) and obviously to visit Alghero and surroundings. Last but not least, Cala Gonone is a great place to experience the wildest part of Sardinia, traditions, and culture, mountains and the best beaches (in my opinion) of Sardinia.

       A difficult choice I know, I’ve been to all these places several times and I love them all as they offer different experiences! Cheers 🙂

       1. 2 July, 2017 Reply

          Juliana Malagoli

          Clelia,
          Thanks for your comment, your post about Sardinia is of of the most complete ones around the Internet, so full of details. Thank you very much!!!!

          Im arriving this mid september at alghero airport at 11h30 pm- Its a Saturday, the 23rd.
          What would you recommend to get to Alghero, a taxi? Is that easy to do at that time? Does Uber works in Italy? Apologies my lack of knowledge.

          And do you know if we can rent a car in Stinto easily?

          Many thanks and let me know if you need some help around London!

          Thanks,
          Juliana

          1. Author

             17 July, 2017 Reply

             Clelia Mattana

             Hey Juliana, sorry I’m just catching up with all the comments! 🙂 If you arrive at 11:30 pm there shouldn’t be buses (last one is at around 11 pm) so your best option is taking a taxi, you can check out the fees and also call or email them to ask for further info in here

             Regarding Uber, I recently tried to use it in Rome (but I had issues, weird as I used it easily in Miami), so yes, we have Uber but it is a bit unpredictable, therefore I would recommend using a normal taxi to be 100% sure. Renting a car is fairly easy, many people who ask me about it rent their cars directly online in here and had no issues that I know of. You can choose a different place for pick up and drop off.

             I hope this helps! Usually, I prefer to book everything online beforehand for my trips, so far I have never had any issue and I can just enjoy my trip without worrying too much about finding what I need when I arrive.

             I hope you have a great holiday in Sardinia 🙂
             PS: I have lived in London for 6 years by the way! Will be back for a few days in September, always nice to visit my old friends!

             Cheers
             Clelia

27. 9 June, 2017 Reply

    Rei

    Hi Clelia, Thanks for the effort made in putting together this informative post.

    I have 10 days in Italy and was thinking of going to venice florence rome but decided to go sardinia for 5-6 days (from Athens) instead because I love beaches and Sardinia looks too pretty to ignore.

    I am single and will be travelling alone. Will it still be a good choice? I’m used to travel alone but usually avoid places where everyone else is middle of a honeymoon. But my priority will be the beaches…I’m thinking of being there 22 June (will it be too cold to swim) and thinking perhaps Cala Ganone will be a good base as the top few beaches seems to be there? As I’m on a budget which are the top two/3 day tours/ island hopping that I definitely must do and which agency is cheap and good? Or should I book only when I arrive in Cala Ganone town? Will it be possible for me to rent a scooter and drive around to the top 3 beaches from Cala Ganone? How much would a scooter or car be for a day? What would be the ideal itinerary if best beaches (white sand blue waters/ nice views) are important?

    Also do you know any local places with cheap but yummy seafood? Where would be clean and cheap place for a single lady to stay?

    Thanks so much in advance!

    1. Author

       17 July, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Rei

       So sorry, I had already replied to your message but I made some changes to my website in June and some of the comments and replies got lost in the process. Maybe you have read my reply, not sure! Either way, I hope you decided to come to Sardinia and had a good time!
       Cheers
       Clelia

28. 2 June, 2017 Reply

    Lanre Olabisi

    Thank you for all of this wonderful information! My wife and I are going to Sardenia for between 6-9 days in mid June and we still haven’t figured anything out. Can you give us suggestions on the following:

    Where should we fly into?
    What town would make the best base?
    Where should we go?
    Would you suggest we stay in one place or travel around a bit (we will rent a car)?
    Where should we stay?

    Any information you have would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know. Thank you for all of your help.

    1. Author

       25 June, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Lanre, so sorry I just saw the comments now as I am overwhelmed by the requests, that’s why I’m creating a consultancy page for a very small fee so I can continue giving people my help and not miss any message!

       I hope you had a great time in Sardinia!

29. 10 May, 2017 Reply

    Declan & Kristi

    Hey Clelia.
    Superbly informative page. Thank you for your time and effort to help others.
    My girlfriend and I are spending 10 days in Sardinia in June, flying in to and out of Cagliari. We will be renting a car. I would love to know what you think is the most economical way to fit in: Cagliari area, Cala Gonone, Golfo di Orosei, Porto Cervo and La Maddalena (if it’s reasonable to fit all this in). Would the best bases for this be Cagliari and Cala Gonone? And have I missed anything I’ll regret?
    Thanks in advance

    1. Author

       12 May, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey guys, glad you found my page useful!Regarding your question… in 10 days maybe this MIGHT be slightly too much, considering that you will have to drive all the way up north and back. It all depends on how you like to travel. If you don’t mind spending just 2 days in a destination and move on then it is possible otherwise I would just stay in Cagliari for 4-5 days and explore the surrounding areas by car, then move to Cala Gonone and use it as a base for discovering the incredible beauty of that place. If you feel like it, you might drive up to Palau (2 hours by car from Cala Gonone) and experience the amazing boat trip to Arcipelago della Maddalena. Maybe if you don’t want to get stressed too much you can book a night in there so you can drive late in the afternoon and won’t lose a day in Cala Gonone, drive to Porto Cervo just to take a pick at the luxury Sardinia and in the morning you go for the boat trip and back to Cala Gonone (so that you won’t be further away when you have to get back to cagliari).

       So wrapping it up… that’s what I would do:

       1) 4 days in Cagliari: Visit the city, drive to Villasimius/Chia/Tuerredda for day trips
       2) 5 Days Cala Gonone: boat trip to the amazing beaches, if you can hike please don’t skip Cala Goloritze’, explore the mountain area (Su gologone etc) or just relax one day in Cala Gonone
       3) 1 Day trip to Palau for the boat trip to Arcipelago della Maddalena (with or without overnight stay, depending on how early you want to wake up)

       That’s what I would do 🙂 This way you won’t have any regrets, trust me!
       Cheers
       Clelia

30. 6 May, 2017 Reply

    Amy

    Hi Clelia,

    So my boyfriend and I are coming to sardinia this July for 11 days! We are flying into alghero and staying for two nights, and finishing our trip off on the Madellena Island beach hopping and exploring etc (any thoughts or advice on staying on Madellena would be great also – are there bars and restaurants open in the evenings?)

    BUT in the middle of our trip we want 4 nights on the east coast to explore Golfo di Orosei. Should we stay in Cala Gonone or Orosei, is one a better base for exploring the coast, does one have better nightlife, is one more romantic (I’m guessing Cala Gonone) – any help would be fantastic.

    Thanks aagain!

    Amy

    1. Author

       8 May, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Amy! You are right… Cala Gonone, if you want more nigh life is slightly better (also because it is right on the beach while Orosei is not). I went to Orosei last year and there is indeed some nightlife in high season, street vendors, bars, pizzerias…you name it, but Cala Gonone is definitely more suggestive for couples as you can have a night walk near the sea which is always romantic 🙂

       Regarding La Maddalena Island, being populated by locals all year round, there surely are bars, restaurants, and shops. You won’t feel isolated for sure, the island is pretty small and I find the town lovely, even if it’s obviously a bit touristy during high season.

       I’m sure you will have a great time!
       Cheers

       Clelia

31. 4 May, 2017 Reply

    Kate and Tommy

    Hi Clelia!
    Could You please clarify that awesome road that leads to Cala Gonone? Because we travelled from Olbia, passing Dorgali, and I believe that You rather meant road leading from Grota Ispinigoli which is awesome. We travelled today that road and it was unbebievable 🙂

    1. Author

       8 May, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey guys, there is actually more than one road in the area that is super panoramic and awesome! One is the one you did 🙂 There is another one from Baunei up to Dorgali and Cala Gonone that I also love, being in between the mountains and the cliffs over the sea! Glad you are enjoying your time and thanks for pointing that street out! I am heading back to Sardinia next month and I will be adding some more streets and sights (possibly with videos)!

32. 13 March, 2017 Reply

    Kerri

    Hi there,

    Thanks for the great information on Sardinia. My boyfriend and I are looking at going at the end of June this year and you have really sold us on Cala Gonone! I was just wondering if there are many good bars and restaurants in that area/much of an atmosphere at night time?

    Thanks,
    Kerri

    1. Author

       21 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Kerri

       Cala Gonone is a very nice place if you are looking for great nature, sea and night life! Another option is San Teodoro but depending on the period, it can get very crowded and loud. I find Cala Gonone a bit more tranquil but still with a nice night vibe.

       1. 10 April, 2017 Reply

          Kate and Tommy

          Hi Guys! Same here – me and my fiance are going to Sardinia in three weeks, and Cala Gonone seems to be great for us. But there’s a major question: is that place alive in first week of may? We’re planning to stay 02-10.05.
          By alive we mean restaurants, shops, cafe, excursions and so on 🙂
          Would be great to hear from you! 🙂

          1. Author

             10 April, 2017 Reply

             Clelia Mattana

             Hey Kate and Tommy! Cala Gonone is not just a touristic place so the restaurants, shops etc will be open. Of course it will be a bit quieter than it is in high season but for me, this is more of an advantage. Regarding the excursions by boat, you should be able to do them, but it obviously depends on the weather. Usually, in May it is rather warm, but it’s not 100% guaranteed during the beginning of the month. My experience is that March and April can be super unpredictable (sometimes very cold, some other years I even took a swim). May is more stable but you have to keep your fingers crossed from time to time 🙂
             Hope it helps!
             Cheers 🙂
             Clelia

             1. 13 April, 2017

                Kate and Tommy

                Clelia, big thanks for your reply!
                One more question: we would like to go somewhere in the evening – You know, a pub/club/disco or romantic dinner. Is Cala Gonone good for that activities? Maybe we rather need to some bigger city?
                Yes, I know that Cala Gonone is definitely Sardinian style, and there is beautiful and so. I really loved your descritpion. But we would like some nice time spent in the evenings 🙂 Could you please help with that decision?

          2. Author

             14 April, 2017 Reply

             Clelia Mattana

             Hey again! In Cala Gonone, you can definitely find some fine restaurant for romantic dinners and there is also a club/disco called Long Coast Bay at La Palmavera beach. They are open in winter, so it’s going to be open in May too. Just to be sure, check out their Facebook page, I saw that they organize special evenings for the festivities, and they could give you some more info.

             Have fun guys! 🙂

             1. 14 April, 2017

                Kate and Tommy

                Big thanks! You’re awesome! 🙂

33. 9 March, 2017 Reply

    Jane Allingham

    Hi Clelia, what a fantastic site. thank you.

    My boyfriend and I are planning 6-7 days in Sardinia in July 2017. I have read your site back to front! we are interested in exploring beautiful beaches, nice little historic villages.

    Would you agree that this is a good itinerary:

    – stick to east coast given limited time? we are hiring a car.
    – fly into oblia
    – 3 nights Porto Cervo (day 1 – boat trip la maddelena archipelago, day 2 wander porto cervo, day 3???)
    – 3 nights Cala Gonone ( days 1 hire boat to orosei beaches), day 2 visti Dorgali and orosei), day 3 trek cala goloritze)
    – fly out of cagliari

    have i missed anything significant? Is castelsardo or alghero worth doing or is it too far in the car for 6-7 days.

    many thanks

    1. 12 March, 2017 Reply

       Jane Allingham

       Just checking you got my message ? thank you 🙂

       1. Author

          27 March, 2017 Reply

          Clelia Mattana

          Just replied! 🙂

       2. 17 August, 2018 Reply

          Tim

          Hi Jane – did you stick to this itinerary? I’m planning the exact same one, but wanted to know if you had any tips / things you would do differently? Thanks

    2. Author

       27 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Jane
       Sorry, just catching up with a million messages, emails and comments! As per your Itinerary, I’d say it’s pretty reasonable. Below my answers:

       stick to east coast given limited time? we are hiring a car. ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, IN 1 WEEK IS BETTER TO STAY ON THE SAME COAST. SARDINIA IS A LOT BIGGER THAN MANY PEOPLE MIGHT THINK!

       – fly into oblia
       – 3 nights Porto Cervo (day 1 – boat trip la maddelena archipelago, day 2 wander porto cervo, day 3???) YOU CAN DISCOVER ONE OF THE MANY BEACHES AROUND THAT BEAUTIFUL AREA LIKE CALA DI VOLPE AND ROMAZZINO BEACH!

       – 3 nights Cala Gonone ( days 1 hire boat to orosei beaches), day 2 visti Dorgali and orosei), day 3 trek cala goloritze) I’D MOVE THE TREK TO CALA GOLORITZE TO THE SECOND DAY AS YOU NEED TO BE THERE PRETTY EARLY AND IT’S A BIT TIRING, SO THE LAST DAY IN THE AREA YOU CAN TAKE IT EASY IF YOU ARE A BIT EXHAUSTED FROM THE HIKE!
       – fly out of cagliari

       have i missed anything significant? Is castelsardo or alghero worth doing or is it too far in the car for 6-7 days. NO DEFINITELY STICK TO THIS ITINERARY, I’D RATHER EXPLORE MORE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS THAN MOVE TO SEE CASTELSARDO AND ALGHERO AS YOU WILL BE LOSING THE WHOLE DAY JUST TO DRIVE UP THERE AND BACK.

       Hope this helps and have a fantastic time!
       Cheers
       Clelia

34. 21 February, 2017 Reply

    Michelle

    Hello,

    This is a very informed website. Thank you for taking the time to inform us of your beautiful country. My boyfriend and I would love to spend 3 weeks to a month in Sardinia. I’d like to rent a place and then take day trips from our home base. I’d like something with little tourists, nice beaches and highly cultural. Would renting a place in Cala Gonone. Where would you suggest we rent a place and then venture out from there? Thank you for your time!

    1. Author

       25 February, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Michelle

       Thanks for your comment! Cala Gonone seems to be the perfect area to set your base and explore! As for where to rent a place, there are several options, I usually use booking.com as they also have small villas (like houses for rent) in there and the prices are quite good without necessarily rent directly with the landlord (I did the same for my stay in Mexico last month), my only advice is to book asap as the best deals for renting a house/villa in sardinia go very fast!

       I’m sure you’ll love your stay in my beautiful island!

35. 23 January, 2017 Reply

    fab

    Hey Clelia

    Great write up !!

    I am looking to go to Sardinia with my finance for our honeymoon in early July.

    We would like to spend some time exploring the Maddelena Islands as well as get in some relaxing time in a comfortable hotel while keeping travelling to a minimum.

    You mention 2 hotels above, are there any others you recommend in that region for our honeymoon?

    Thanks
    Fab

    1. Author

       27 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Fab

       Sorry, I’m just catching up now with all the messages! My suggestion is to check out the website booking.com (it is the one I’ve been using for more than 4 years now and I know I can fully trust the reviews). I know Some of the Hotels and resorts I recommend and when I don’t know them personally I research them as I was the one who has to book (and I’m very picky!).

       If you want to get around La Maddalena Island, I suggest you to check this specific page for Hotels & Resorts deals in la Maddalena. Keep in mind that la Maddalena is a small Island and the best beaches are the ones you can see by boat trip but they are absolutely stunning!

       I hope this helps!
       Cheers
       Clelia

36. 29 December, 2016 Reply

    Chris

    Hi Clelia,

    I have found this site extremely useful as I am trying to plan my honeymoon in Sardinia for September 2017.
    I have a few questions I hope you could help with.
    I want to spend a week in Sardinia toward the back end of September, staying in one place with stunning beaches nearby for the daytime but also close enough to a more vibrant town/village for the evening to dine out and experience the true culture.
    Can you recommend the best boutique style hotels that spring to mind with the above in consideration? Preferably more couple oriented boutiques and spa facilities would be nice but not essential!
    Would really appreciate your recommendations.
    Thanks,

    1. Author

       27 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Chris, as already said …sorry for the super delayed reply! Since you still have time until your honeymoon I thought I might reply anyway, in case you read this or even to help other couples 🙂

       I will try to separate my suggestions based on areas:

       South Sardinia: Chia Laguna Resort. I know this place quite well and love it both for the stunning beach in front of it and for the facilities. If you have a car, you can reach Santa Margherita di Pula (20 min away) to experience the real Sardinian vibe. It’s not super ideal as you would have to drive but it is worth it. Also Cagliari is just 45 min away and it is worth a drive to explore the lovely part of the city (the castle, the belvedere etc)

       North East Sardinia : Grand Hotel Ma&Ma Resort</strong> This is a dream place in the small island of la Maddalena, I don’t think it could get better than that really. The place is stunning, boat trips to the amazing archipelago are available and the small town is lovely. For a couple, I think it’s ideal.

       If I had to get married tomorrow, I think I would go straight to the second choice but I wanted to give you another one as it is also very good.
       Given all the requests regarding honeymoon places, I think I will have to dedicate a whole article about the best places to book!

       I hope you’ll have a great time!
       Congratulations again 🙂

37. 10 December, 2016 Reply

    David

    Hi Clelia, thank you so much compiling such a comprehensive itinerary!

    I am currently planning a honeymoon in Sardinia, my wife and l will be arriving on June 12 next year and we plan to stay for a around 10 days, exploring the north of the island in a circular tour with a car.

    Thus far I have booked one hotel; we will first of all fly from LDN Gatwick to Olbia and drive to the Hotel Thalasso & SPA Capo d’Orso in Cala Capra Palau.

    1. Hotel Thalasso & SPA Capo d’Orso in Cala Capra Palau (4 nights)
    2. Bajaloglia Resort, Castelsardo (1 night)
    3. Alghero (maybe 3 nights), or would it be worth staying in nearby Stintino or Bosa? for a night each also and then only staying in Alghero for 1/2 nights?
    4. Then travelling across from Alghero or Bosa to Cala Gonone (3 nights)

    I would be grateful for any thoughts / suggestions you may have regarding this itinerary, and thank you once more for your very informative and user friendly blog.

    1. Author

       27 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey David, sorry I completely missed most of the comments in December and January! Given that you are planning your honeymoon (congratulations by the way!) I guess I’m now too late to help you out? If you happen to read my reply and still need any suggestion feel free to comment again!

       Cheers
       Clelia

38. 30 November, 2016 Reply

    Nicole

    I am so happy I stumbled upon this post! I have been researching Sardinia all day. Going with my husband this summer and want a romantic stay. I was considering Cala Gonone, but wasn’t sure because of all the hiking it seems is involved to get to all the beaches. But after reading this post I am pretty sure we will stay there! Do you know of any easy-access beaches near by?
    Thanks for this great tips!

    1. Author

       30 November, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       HI Nicole, I’m so glad I could help you! The beach in Cala Gonone has easy access, and there are some another ones you can reach by car (Cala Fuili and Cala Osalla), but I obviously recommend the day trips by boat! If you can afford it, rent your own one so you can really enjoy the trip even more!

39. 16 August, 2016 Reply

    Nevin

    Hi Clelia

    Your blog and ideas of Sardinia are fantastic and I am pleased I stumbled across this quality information. I have never been to Sardinia but myself and my wife are planning a 2 week trip in September 2017. As you can see I like to begin my planning well in advance. The questions from other people and your answers I found very useful to pick and choose some ideas about what we would like to do.
    As mentioned at this time I do not have a plan worked out for the 2 weeks. But we would be looking to spend a lot of time on a good beach, ideally the accomodation should be right by the sea. Ideally with some scuba diving and tennis involved. Possibly with a chance to go and view local attractions. Maybe a couple of boat trips. Some local shopping or nice markets might be fun.
    Nothing major on the nightlife but 1 or 2 places to go and enjoy a lively evening could be fun. I am not sure about the hotel yet but possibly half board.

    Keep up the great work.
    Kind Regards
    Nevin

    1. Author

       27 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Nevin
       I have completely missed this comment, sorry. But you gave me the inspiration to write down some points people should consider when coming to Sardinia.

       Scuba diving: Sardinia has some of the most incredible beaches in the world, I’ve seen a lot of them around and yet our beaches are unique, but given the geographical position we miss the coral reef, so scuba diving might be cool if you are interested in seeing underwater life and old ships and you can find most of it near Santa Teresa di Gallura in the north part of Sardinia. But don’t expect the super colorful fish or underwater flora you might find in tropical countries.

       Tennis: Most of the resorts and hotels provide Tennis courts so that shouldn’t be an issue

       Hotel by the beach: There are so many options in here! The thing is, it depends on what you consider to be a “good beach”. Some Hotels have their private beach and umbrellas, some others don’t and the beach is free for everyone. I personally prefer the free beach but most of the people who visit Sardinia prefer the organized one. Some beaches are very nice (usually those in front of the very expensive hotels of course) otherwise, you have to compromise and have an average beach in front of the hotel and rent a car to see the “Caribbean style” “jaw dropping” beaches. I’m very spoiled so for me, a beach that is considered very good for a tourist is just average. So yes, you can have a decent beach in front of the hotel, you just have to pick which part of Sardinia you want to explore!

       Boat trips: For me, this is a no-brainer. The 2 most beautiful boat trips that should be mandatory for everyone are the one at the Golfo di Orosei and the one at the Archipelago della Maddalena. It doesn’t matter how many time I’ve taken those trips, I would do it over and over each year.

       Nightlife: Depends on what you mean, but since you are not expecting crazy night life, even the small /medium villages in Sardinia have some sort of night life, especially during summer, we have a lot of “sagras” (street parties with night markets, local food, music & co). And we also have some nice relaxing cocktail bar here and there, unless you go to the hinterland super small villages and in that case, all you will find are bars where the elderly play cards (which I actually find pretty sweet, amusing and real Sardinia!)

       These are the considerations I wanted to make as I like when people come here with the right expectations! 🙂

40. 29 July, 2016 Reply

    Nam

    Its great as your other posts :D, regards for posting.

    1. Author

       31 July, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Thanks Nam!

41. 18 July, 2016 Reply

    Kirsty

    Hi Clelia,

    Thanks to your wonderful website my boyfriend and I have been inspired to book a holiday to Sardinia this September, most likely in Cala Gonone. I am a nervous driver and he doesn’t drive, so I want to avoid hiring a car. I’ve seen that there are buses from the village, but I wondered if you knew whether they were useful or not. I’m a bit concerned about how isolated the village is from the rest of the island, and it would be a shame if we were not able to explore the rest of the national park! I feel it will be expensive to go on boat tours for the whole week we are there, although I know this might be a better option.
    If you have any suggestions of other towns that might be more suitable for us, then we are open to hear them!

    Thanks for your advice in advance!

    1. Author

       24 July, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Kristy,

       Sardinia is so tricky when it comes to public transport. If you just want to use it you are confined to just a few destinations and even in that case, you are basically more or less stuck in there the whole time if you don’t have a car. The buses are ok, but they are mostly for the locals not for the tourists. Meaning that they often don’t stop to the nicest beaches and to go there you’d need a car. Maybe you can just rent it for 1 day and see how it goes? The roads in there are not super crazy unless you go up to the Gennargentu mountain, but I think there are day tours you could join to visit these areas.

       An alternative would be going to San Teodoro which is very well connected by bus, but even if I love San Teodoro I still prefer Cala Gonone (my opinion!), as it combines nature, some nightlife and amazing beaches.

       So I’d stick to Cala Gonone and maybe organize day tours by boat and by bus with private companies and 1 day renting a car 🙂

       Cheers
       Clelia

42. 16 July, 2016 Reply

    Kelly Langlois

    Hi Clelia,

    First we want to thank you for your help, it is truly appreciated.

    Here is what we decided to do:

    Fly into Cagliari on August 22nd and stay there until the 25th.
    We are planning on going to Chia beach, porto di teulada, visit the town of Cagliari, a day in Vilasimus and that should take up most of our time in that area.

    Then, because you strongly suggested Calagonone, we will drive there for 2 nights. We have booked a boat tour so far but thats about it. If you have any suggestions of other cool activities, restaurants or things to see please guide us.

    After that, on the 28th we will drive up to Olbia (Palau was way too expensive to stay there since we booked late). We want to see Cala Brandchini, Costa Smerralda (we read that we should do a boat tour there also, do you have a company to suggest? Is it really worth it or should we explore on our own?) We dont know all that much about the north so, again, if you have any suggestions, feel free to help us with any kind of suggestions. We will be staying close to the Olbia airport.

    We would like to have your opinion on which vinery we should visit between the following 3 options we researched: Cantine Argiolas (Cagliari), Tenute Olbios (Olbia) or Cantine Surrau (Near Olbia).

    Once again we truly thank you and appreciate the effort you put into making our trip memorable!

    Kelly and Eric

    1. Author

       28 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey kelly & Erik

       I was just going through all the posts about Sardinia to check if I had missed some of the comments, and unfortunately, I have missed yours. I hope you managed to visit my island and had a great time!
       Cheers!

43. 14 July, 2016 Reply

    Behin

    Hello Clelia,
    Thank you for your website – I just found it and have read just about everything – it has been an amazing resource! My husband and I are planning a vacation to Sardinia in early September. We would like to focus on more quiet places with most of our time spent at more secluded beautiful beaches and seeing historic sites and really experiencing more local culture.
    Your description of Castelardo sounded perfect for us but the beaches of Cagliari (Chia beach, Turredda), Stintino and Cala Gozone are the beaches we really would love to explore – we are looking for more quiet secluded beaches if possible. We would also like to see Alghero and the Maddelena archipelago as well – everywhere looks amazing!

    We will only have 5 days in Sardinia and we will rent a car to get around – but where would you suggest we stay as a home base to most easily get to these areas – or perhaps could you recommend where we could focus our travels? Perhaps a shorter itinerary that may capture these things?

    I am trying to find a B&B, hotel or even agroturismo that may be situated in just the right location so we can travel to places and come back at night? Also what are your thoughts on agroturismos?
    Apologies for all of the questions, but I would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations. Thank you so much! I cannot wait to see your island!

    1. Author

       15 July, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Behin! Ahh you always put me in uncomfortable positions here 🙂 Everyone wants to see everything on the island (I don’t blame you!!) but Sardinia is pretty big and unfortunately the roads are not easy to navigate for a good part of the island. So, given that, if you only have 5 days (are they full days?) it’s impossible to see more than 2 places that are quite close to each other. The secluded beaches are not easy to find and unfortunately you can’t expect to have the place all by yourself, unless you go by the end of September you might be in luck.

       Which place should you choose? I’m from the south so I know Chia and Tuerredda super well and they are indeed awesome, the best of the south coast, together with the Villasimius area. If you want to rush things a bit but also see other spectacular places, you could base yourself in Cagliari, drive to Chia one day and a bit further to Tuerredda the second day (the locals always do like that during the weekends).

       Then, from Cagliari you have 3 options (depending if you have 5 full days or not).

       1) 5 full days: 2/3 spent in Cagliari or 2/3 in the Golfo di Orosei area to take the boat trip to Cala Mariolu, Cala Biriola, Cala Sisine and Cala Luna, and another day you will drive to Baunei very early in the morning to hike to Cala Goloritze’. I can’t stress enough that the hike is a bit tiring especially going up after a day at the beach, but totally worth it.

       2) 3 full days: 1 spent in Cagliari and choosing either Chia or Tuerredda and 2 to Orosei/Dorgali to explore the already mentioned beaches (1-day boat trip, 1-day hiking to Cala Goloritze’)

       3) Just stay in Cagliari and get to Arbatax to catch the boat for the Golfo di Orosei and get back to Cagliari the same day. This is quite tiring, but I did it once and I would do it over again just for the sake of experiencing the boat trip! You’ll have to wake up super early in the morning and have the ticket bought online. I suggested Arbatax as it’s the first port where the boats leave for the day trip and it’s around 2 hrs drive from Cagliari.

       The agriturismos are very nice choices if you have a car and want to experience a real taste of Sardinia, they usually have nice restaurants with typical Sardinian antipasti and main courses. Anyways, it will all depend on your budget, if you want to relax more, a nice hotel might be better, but the B&B and Agriturismo will give you (most of the times) the real Sardinian atmosphere.

       Hope this helps and have a great time in my beautiful Island.
       Cheers
       Clelia

44. 29 June, 2016 Reply

    Jechon

    Hi Clelia,

    Great website! Lots of good information and really helps make Sardinia a top destination!

    I am looking to visit Sardinia with my partner but we are only going to be able to fit in one weekend… flying out on a Friday evening in late September, arriving Friday late at night, and then have to fly back home on the Sunday evening. So really we will have one full day (the Saturday) and then part of Sunday to be able to enjoy. Where would you suggest for such a short trip? Would be nice to get somewhere romantic with nice beaches or nature, and some nice food. Not too worried about nightlife though. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks!

    1. Author

       29 June, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Jechon, which airport are you flying to? As if you only have one day you’ll have to stay in the surroundings and I might be able to help you better!

45. 2 June, 2016 Reply

    Kelly Langlois

    Hi there,

    First of all , your website is amazing ! Congrats !

    My Boyfriend and I will be visiting August 22nd – September 1st. We will arrive in Cagliari and fly out of Olbia. We would like to know what would you suggest for a 10 day itinerary. Our main focus would be on nice beaches and will be traveling by rented car.

    We thought about doing the south for couple days but unsure what city to stay in for that part of the trip ( someone suggest to do Villasimus but im not sure if we should go there or stay in cagliari ? ) then drive up to Alghero (stintino looks amazing too). We would then go up to Olbia (to see maddalena and leave from there).

    PLEASE HELP US WE NEED TO BOOK OUR HOTELS SOON !

    Kelly & Éric

    1. Author

       2 June, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Kelly & Eric, I know it’s so complicated to find the right itinerary! If you have 10 days it’s a bit tricky to do everything you listed. I mean, it can be done of course but you’ll be rushing from one place to the other and not really enjoying your holiday!Did you had any chance to look at my article on “1 week in Sardinia itinerary” ? It can be applied to your case as well, even better if you have 10 days,

       I’d split like this: 3 days in Cagliari if you want to go for day trips to the nearby beaches (but It will take you at least 1 hr by car to reach them every day, something that we do very often in Sardinia anyways!), or you can explore the Villasimius area for 3 days and then head up north to Cala Gonone (please, please don’t miss that part as it’s the best!).

       And I will finish my trip with a couple of days in Palau to enjoy the trip at the Maddalena Arcipelago and the beautiful surroundings beaches like Capriccioli, spiaggia del principe and Romazzino. I’d honestly skip Alghero and Stintino (not because they are not beautiful, they definitely are!) but you won’t have enough time, just 2 days in there, 2/3 days in Palau, 3 days in Cala Gonone, 2/3 days near Cagliari. Wow… Sardinia is pretty big and driving all around like this in 10 days is super stressful in my opinion!

       What do you think? If you had at least 2 weeks you could be able to squeeze in also Alghero but like this, a bit of a stretch!
       Hope this helps

       Cheers 🙂
       Clelia

       1. 7 July, 2016 Reply

          Kelly Langlois

          Hi Clelia,

          First we want to thank you for your help, it is truly appreciated.

          Here is what we decided to do:

          Fly into Cagliari on August 22nd and stay there until the 25th.
          We are planning on going to Chia beach, porto di teulada, visit the town of Cagliari, a day in Vilasimus and that should take up most of our time in that area.

          Then, because you strongly suggested Calagonone, we will drive there for 2 nights. We have booked a boat tour so far but thats about it. If you have any suggestions of other cool activities, restaurants or things to see please guide us.

          After that, on the 28th we will drive up to Olbia (Palau was way too expensive to stay there since we booked late). We want to see Cala Brandchini, Costa Smerralda (we read that we should do a boat tour there also, do you have a company to suggest? Is it really worth it or should we explore on our own?) We dont know all that much about the north so, again, if you have any suggestions, feel free to help us with any kind of suggestions. We will be staying close to the Olbia airport.

          We would like to have your opinion on which vinery we should visit between the following 3 options we researched: Cantine Argiolas (Cagliari), Tenute Olbios (Olbia) or Cantine Surrau (Near Olbia).

          Once again we truly thank you and appreciate the effort you put into making our trip memorable!

          Kelly and Eric

46. 30 May, 2016 Reply

    Bethany

    We decided to wait until slightly off season for Sardinia in a year or two and are going to the Scottish Highlands for our honeymoon instead. But your input was invaluable! Thanks for your time.

    1. Author

       30 May, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       No problem Bethany! You’d better experience Sardinia when you can make the most out of it 🙂 Gave a great time In Scotland, I’ve been there too and it’s lovely!!

    2. 2 June, 2016 Reply

       Manuela

       Ciao Clelia!!
       Your blog is great, I’m sardinian and usually foreign sites don’t catch the real essence of Sardinia, but you do, so brava! 😉 (Yes, my english is not good, pardon 😉 )
       I love Orosei (like you! I’m from Nuoro!), but even Gallura and Ogliastra are so beautiful !!
       I was thinking that there’s another way for couples to enjoy the wild beauty of the lesser known parts of Sardinia: motorbikes!
       I’s possible to arrive to Olbia (or Alghero, or Cagliari), have a bike (and the necessary equipment) delivered and choose personalised tours in the uncontaminated nature of Sardinia … No one think about this way to discover the island, but I think it’s romantic and exiting at the same time, what do you think?!
       Ciauuu

       PS: Mattana..Uhm.. It’s a familiar surname… 😉

       1. Author

          28 March, 2017 Reply

          Clelia Mattana

          Hey Manuela, how in hell did I miss this? I’m Sardinian too but I decided to write in English to help people in visiting our paradise Island 🙂 And yes, Mattana is definitely a Sardinian surname 🙂
          Regarding the motorbike, of course it’s a great way to explore the island, or maybe part of the island as people sometimes think that Sardinia can be all discovered in just a week! I love the idea and it’s very freeing. Probably many people don’t do that because of the luggage I guess? But there are some adventurers out there, I’m sure!

47. 17 May, 2016 Reply

    Jordyn

    Wow what a great find. Thank you for helping me choose particular places to go and visit.

    We are staying at Grande Baia Resort, but plan on renting a car at the airport. We arrive July 4th and are staying until the 11th. My birthday is on the 6th, so it will definitely be a birthday week of celebrating. Could you help fill in some gaps for me?

    Tuesday night we are looking for a place to eat near the Marina di Orosei, can be around 15 minute drive at the most. Somewhere with good quality and possibly a nice view, do you have anything in mind? We are big on wine and good meals!

    Wednesday we have in mind to go to Costa Smeralada for my birthday and will be using your guide! Do you have any recommendations for a good cocktail or wine bar for appretivo during sundown.

    Friday we were planning on visiting the Orgoloso and Supramonte area for some winery visits. Have you heard of these wineries? Catina Di Orgosolo, Cantina Gostolai, and Atha Ruja. We were also looking for something to do in between these visits, do you have any recommendations? Could you also recommend dinner in that area, but not quite sure where, within this area would be great.

    Saturday we were would like to have dinner somewhere in the Palau area, could you recommend a few places?

    Thank you for your help!
    Jordyn

    1. Author

       28 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Jordyn sorry I’ve missed your comment! I have heard of these Cantine /wineries, they are quite famous in Sardinia, yes!

       Regarding the best restaurants etc, I try to give advice for as much as I know (I haven’t eaten in every possible restaurant in the island but if the owners invite me, I’m totally up for it!) 😀

       What I usually recommend is ask in town, the locals even if they don’t speak the language will try to help you as much as they can. Try going into a bar during the day, or ask in a supermarket. They will know where the best places to eat real Sardinian cuisine are!

48. 8 May, 2016 Reply

    Camila Madayag

    Ciao Clelia!

    You are like an angel, a light at the end of the tunnel! I couldn’t be happier to find you and your amazing website. Thank you for all the tips already.
    My husband and I are spending 6 days in Sardinia before we head out to the Amalfi Coast. We will arrive in Cagliari on June 12 and flight out of Olbia on June 18th. We will have car from airport to airport. I did a lot of research in Cagliari and San Teodoro, I was planning to spend 3 nights in each location but my husband was hoping for amazing sunsets on the west coast, which left me unsure if we could break the trip in 2 nights in each place and include Alghero. Do you think it is doable? We are very active and don’t mind driving.
    We haven’t book anything yet and have the flexibility to change the Olbia flight if necessary.

    Grazie mille per la vostra attenzione in anticipo.

    Camila

    1. Author

       8 May, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Ciao Camila!

       Thanks so much for your lovely words! After spending countless nights working on my website, writing and sweating buried in my room, you have no idea on how much I appreciate when someone writes that I was able to help them 🙂
       So… back to your question! As I always say, everything is possible of course! To drive from Cagliari to Alghero is about 2 and a half hours by car (let’s make it 3 hours to stay on the safe side) and it would take almost 2 hours drive from Alghero to San Teodoro and from there is quite easy to get to Olbia airport.

       That said, I think that if you really don’t mind rushing a little bit, your itinerary is doable. Of course, it would be better if you could skip San Teodoro and spend 3 days around Cagliari and 3 days in Alghero (so that you can enjoy the sunsets and explore the surrounding areas more in depth).You could fly out from Alghero Fertilia airport to Naples and continue your trip to the amazing Amalfi Coast (jealous, it’s another stunning place in Italy!)

       But If you still want to go to San Teodoro, as already said, it is possible to split the trip in 3 with 2 nights in each location, I guess the choice is yours and how much you want to relax vs see more amazing locations in Sardinia! You said that you don’t mind driving so why not? I actually enjoy road trips in Sardinia, one time I was even crazy enough to drive for 4 hours from Cagliari to Orosei and back on the same day just to enjoy the fabulous boat trip so as you can see, what you want to do, even if it’s not super common, it’s not that crazy! Sardinian Sunsets on the sea are incredible so I get your husband’s point..

       I hope you’ll have a great time in Sardinia! Think of me when you’re here as I will be still buried in my room working on my guides 😀
       Cheers

       Clelia

49. 28 April, 2016 Reply

    Natasia

    Hello there!

    I am so happy to have stumbled upon this site! It is amazingly helpful. I was wondering if you could recommend the best possible trip for me and my fiance as it will be our first time traveling to Sardinia.

    Our trip will be from June 24th-july 1st (fly out from olbia to rome? To head back to the usa) We will have about 100-200 dollars a day. We are really looking to enjoy the culture and especially the relaxation time on the beaches. We are not into the loud party scenes. But we do love adventure.

    So with that said, we have already booked a flight in to alghero and have 2 nights booked there. After that it is a blank canvas….I am hesitant to rent a car only because im not sure how that process works. For instance if we rented a car in alghero would we have to drop it back off in alghero or could we drop it off in olbia at the end of our trip? So the car rental is up for debate. Anyway, i was hoping you could give some of your wonderful advice as where we should go from alghero? I am loving the look of Cala Gonone and am hoping we can somehow get there from alghero in the short amount of time we have.

    Thank you in advance!

    Natasia

    1. Author

       7 May, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Natasia

       I’m glad you found some good tips in here 🙂 As for your questions
       1) Renting the car: Definitely YES! You will need a car as moving from one coast to the other in Sardinia with public transport is very difficult, long and time-consuming. All the major car rentals will let you drop off the car in a different city so it’s not an issue.

       Going from Alghero to Cala Gonone will take 2 and a half hours driving (through Macomer and Nuoro) but it’s definitely worth it considering that you will have a week, but I wouldn’t choose a third place as 2 in one week is more than enough!

       From there you also need to consider another hour and a half drive to the Olbia airport, but ,all in all, if you don’t mind driving a bit it’s a good itinerary. I am now working on the article “Sardinia in 1 week” and i have 9 itineraries but I usually don’t recommend to move from one coast to the other, except in this case, so I’m going to add this option too!

       Don’t forget to book in advance for the boat trip to the Golfo Di Orosei area as soon as you arrive at Cala Gonone and if you have time you must visit ” Su Gorroppu Gorge” ..if you like adventure, you’re going to love it!! and it’s only 50 minutes by car from Cala Gonone so not that bad!

       I love the Golfo di Orosei area because it combines the best beaches in Sardinia with excursions in the wild mountains and breathtaking views on the way!

       Have a great holiday in Sardinia 🙂
       Cheers
       Clelia

50. 21 April, 2016 Reply

    Nuno Cardoso

    Thank you so much for your help 🙂

    In Portugal we swimm with 18 C, so anything above that would be amazing. And I will think about change Porto Cervo for more days IN Alghero. Cheers

    1. Author

       21 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Oh If you are used to the temperature then you’re definitely going to be OK! 🙂 Glad I could help you Nuno!

51. 16 April, 2016 Reply

    Nuno Cardoso

    Ciao Clelia,

    First, congrats for this guide!!

    We are a couple arround 35, we planning to travel to Sardinia On the 27 September and do something like this:

    27 to 30 Setember – Cagliari
    30 to 3 october – Cala Gonone
    3 to 5 october – Porto Cervo
    5 to 7 October – Alghero

    Doing all this by renting car at Cagliari airport. It’s a good itenerary?

    What can we expect from weather? People On beachs? Nightlife?

    Thanks for your helo IN advance

    1. Author

       20 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Nuno! Ok, so… I think the Itinerary looks pretty Ok to me, except maybe for the Porto Cervo and then Alghero,being the end of the season (and the weather can be unpredictable in October) I’d skip Porto Cervo as it might be a bit dead by the time you get there and spend more time in Alghero and surroundings, as Aòlghero is more lively even in low season.

       Regarding the beaches and nightlife, in October if you’re lucky with the weather you could experience the bliss of having the beach all by yourself! Just consider that also depending on the sea conditions, the boat trips to the Golfo di Orosei might stop at the end of September, it varies from season to season, so it’s not set in stone obviously but it might be possible.

       I wish I could predict the weather for you but I’d be lying 🙂 Some years the sun shines in October and people can still swim, other seasons it gets pretty chilly… I hope you will be lucky if you decide to come and visit my island. All I can say is that even if you can’t swim, if the weather is nice, the beaches are super awesome to enjoy. Right now I’m in Sardinia and people are still not swimming of course but they are still incredibly beautiful and enjoyable!

       Good luck 🙂
       Clelia

52. 14 April, 2016 Reply

    Victor (Spain)

    Hi Clelia,

    Great website.

    We are planning to visit Sardinia, but for us, the most we can avoid high season is to travel from around 24th of august to 4th of September. Do you think is worthwhile? Are we going to see less massive tourism than some weeks earlier? If the answer is not, we do prefer to wait for another opportunity. Place seems to be really beautiful but, for sure, if it is crowded, we are not going to have a pleasant journey.

    Thanks in advance.

    1. Author

       14 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Victor, Thanks for stopping by 🙂

       Ok, let’s see.. If you expect to have the beach all for yourself then I’m afraid that it’s going to be nearly impossible until the end of September. Unfortunately when a place is beautiful it attracts tourists. But I have to say that after the 15th of August the crowds tend to be a lot less, especially on weekdays, when the locals are back to work.

       It also depends on the destination you choose. The most popular ones like Villasimius, San Teodoro, Porto Cervo might still get a bit busy till the end of the season. Other places, especially on the west coast like Oristano and surroundings will be a lot less crowded.

       I totally get your point, I’m a full-time traveler and being in super touristy places with hundreds of other people is not the same as having the place all by yourself. For sure the busiest months in Sardinia are July and August. It also depends on the weather of course but in Sardinia it usually stays good and relatively hot till the first weeks of September, so it’s a bet really. I’m currently in Sardinia and now obviously the beaches are deserted, they starts to get people in mid/end of May, and the first week or two in June and September are the ideal if you want to avoid the crowds.

       I know my reply is a bit vague but I can’t really predict it with absolute certainty, only give you a guidance based on my experience!
       Cheers
       Clelia

53. 2 April, 2016 Reply

    Sian Moorhead

    Hi,

    Thank you so much for this amazing blog, it has helped SO much! I have a few questions and was wondering if you could help me plan my route, I have a very (very) rough plan.

    My partner and I are arriving into Cagliari on the 12th June, and flying out on the 23rd. Our plan so far is to travel immediately from Cagliari – Villasimius, just for a pit stop and to enjoy the beach, then drive to Cala ganone. We plan to stay in Cala gonone for about 4 days, and rent a boat 1 day. Then we plan to drive to Arcipelago della maddelena (and stay cannigione cheap accommodation, unless there are cheaper campsites nearer as we plan on camping!). Here we do not know if we should make a pit stop in Oresei on the way, to break up the journey? After Arcipelago della maddelena we then plan to travel to San Tedoro for some night life. It is after this we are completely stuck – as we are flying back from Cagliari we are unsure whether to drive to the southern beaches, maybe making a stop near Oristano to break up the journey, or do you think we should head back to Cagliari/ Chia via Cala Ganone?

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
    Many thanks,
    Sian

    1. Author

       13 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Sian….

       Mhhhh Ok, let’s get over the major problem: If you arrive and fly back from Cagliari, changing from the east coast to the west coast (Oristano), considering the rest of your itinerary, is out of question 🙂

       I mean, anything is possible of course, but you’re going to just spend a whole day (or more) driving in the hinterland where the roads are not clear even for the locals and not seeing anything really significant on the way, so just stick to the east coast.

       My Idea, based on my experience is that, to avoid the stress of being constantly going up and down the east coast before going back to Cagliari, you should actually do the opposite.

       Let me explain: If your flight lands in the morning, I’d rent a car and go directly to Cannigione without stopping. This way you can rest on your first day (it takes approximately 4 hours by car, sometimes less if you know the road well) to get to the northern part of Sardinia.

       Once you are in Cannigione/Palau, you can also rent a boat or join the boat trip to the Maddalena Arcipelago and visit some of the surrounding beautiful beaches (3 days in total maybe?)

       Then you head south, stopping in San Teodoro (1 or 2 nights)

       And then heading straight to Cala Gonone (4 Nights)

       After that, you can go further south and visit Villasimius (1 day, just stopping by) before heading back to Cagliari.

       Take into consideration that Chia is further away from Cagliari, opposite Villasimius so unless you have one more day left you’ll have to stay in Cagliari one night and take a day trip to Chia and back.

       I hope this makes sense! I usually don’t recommend to visit too many places unless you like to rush a bit and don’t mind just having a taste of a place.

       In 10 days, to really relax and enjoy the place i’d say max 2 places, 3 if you are really active 🙂

       Cheers
       Clelia

54. 2 April, 2016 Reply

    Monica Bellika

    Hi Clelia,

    I am so glad I found your blog as me and my boyfriend just decided to go to Sardinia this summer(mid July) and because prices are increasing every day, we would like to book our planetickets and maybe car-rental as soon as possible. I will ask a question about our itinerary, but first a little info about us:

    We are a young and active couple which enjoy nature experiences, both beaches, but also hikes in the mountains, waterfalls, national parks, islands.. you name it! We enjoy good food and wine, architecture (as we are both architecs) and are not interested in heavy night life. In general we like contrast, so seing a a variety of what Sardinia has to offer would be nice. We don`t like the most touristy areas. (Last year we went to Sicily and avoided the touristy areas like Trapani and Taormina completely and we still had the best experience, plus a much cheaper one)

    We don`t have a high budget, but we will still rent a car for parts (if possible)of the journey. We haven`t booked any tickets yet, but we are thinking of staying aprox 10 days and arriving at one place and leaving at another. One of these destinations is Cagliari, but i am not sure if the other should be Olbia or Alghero. I am afraid that it will be to much to drive and experience the entire coast up north from Alghero and down south to Cagliari? (via C. Esmeralda)

    So, my questions to you are, first of all where to stay and for how long? If we only want to rent a car for parts of the stay (due to prices) Where would that be best? or in other words, where can we be without a car? I`m not sure how it would work with renting a car for part of the travel as we will be going along the coast… would it be a good idea to have a base? I really need your input here.. I dont know where it could be possible to travel easily with public transport or where we would want to stay for a few days, not needing a car. If we stay at one place for several days, there should be a bech and restaurants I guess.

    Next question is, from 16.th of july and aprox 10 days forth, can we plan as we go ahed or should we book everything in advance? It would be nice to book something and leave something to chance. What would be smart to book now? like car, hotels in some specific villages/places, boat, ferry etc?

    I really hope you have time to answer! I downloaded your guide as well, but my problem is I want to se it all, but we won`t have time or money to do that. We loved experiencing Sicily last summer and hope Sardinia can deliver as well! Thank you for all the advice and tips on your blog – I only read these types of advices and not big travel guides, as they almost always lead you to the most expencive and touristy areas. Your advices are genuine and so much appreciated!

    Kind Reards, Monica and Morten

    1. Author

       13 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey guys! Thanks for your comment!
       Soooo… let’s see how I can help in here 🙂

       Let’s start with the basics. I think that If you have to choose between flying to Cagliari and flying out from another destination, my advice is to choose Olbia for one major reason: since you told me you are quite active and like nature, contrast with mountains and beaches etc, the east coast would be the best.

       It is also true that the west coast is slightly less touristy than the east one but the things you are going to see on the east coast are in my opinion much better!

       As for the renting the car for just a few days, well… to be honest with you, having just 10 days it would be quite stressful and you would miss some very good parts not to mention the freedom of stopping to check out some of the beaches along the way.

       The public transport in Sardinia is not ideal unfortunately. The main trains only serve the route from Cagliari to Nuoro (in the centre of Sardinia) and then you’ll have to change to get to Sassari so you won’t see much. There are buses from Cagliari to Villasimius and San Teodoro/Palau, but it takes a while to get there and San Teodoro is not exactly the perfect place for you if you are looking for a relaxed vacation.

       The area that is perfect for you would be the Golfo di Orosei, (Cala Gonone, Baunei, Orosei are the main villages in the area), but going there by public transport is nearly impossible and you would need a car.

       If you are willing to spend less the only solution that comes to mind is to take the bus that stops in San Teodoro or Budoni and rent the car in there. There is a public service that will take you from Cagliari to Olbia in around 4 hrs and stops in Budoni/San Teodoro. You can check their time table in here http://www.gruppoturmotravel.com/english-version/Linea-Cagliari-Olbia.php

       After you are in San Teodoro you could rent a car and have a few options:

       1) drive directly to the Golfo di Orosei and in there, travel by car mainly (especially to get to the beaches and to the Gennargentu National Park as well as the trek to the awesome Cala Goloritze’ if you want.

       2) Stop in San Teodoro as a base and from there drive further north to Palau first, visit the small village of Arzachena and take the boat trip to the La Maddalena Arcipelago and then go Back to San Teodoro, and drive south to Golfo di Orosei and back up to Olbia to catch your plane.

       To give you an idea of the distances

       Cagliari-San Teodoro by bus: around 4 hrs

       San Teodoro- Orosei by car: It’s less than 80 km and almost 1 hr

       San Teodoro- Cala Gonone by car (further south on the Golfo di Orosei, better location on the sea and good for boat trips): , 1hour and 20 minutes

       San Teodoro – Baunei by car: Around 2 hours (Baunei is usually the starting point to visit the Gennargentu and the Golgo, a famous and beautiful area in the mountains)

       Cala Gonone- Baunei by car: 1 hr and 40 minutes (the drive is quite beautiful but full of turns) and there is no way to get there by bus.

       Last but not least: YES, BOOK EVERYTHING AS SOON AS YOU CAN! Especially the accommodation. Cheap places are very quick to go and people start booking from January to secure the best deals!)

       For the car I recommend you to check out online and make some enquiries to compare the prices. The bus tickets, if you decide to go that way can be purchased in there, but to make sure everything is OK I would email the company first (It’s Sardinia, you never know!)

       I hope this will help you in planning your trip!
       have a fantastic holiday 🙂

       Clelia

55. 31 March, 2016 Reply

    Stuart Samuel

    Hi Clelia Mattana

    My GF and I are hoping to head to Sardinia the second week of May this year.

    Were looking for a location out of the five that has lots of beautiful beaches where we can relax and chill with the option of boat trips some days.

    In the evenings we would like a nice selection of restaurants where we can taste real italian food then head onto a few nice romantic bars and a potential club.

    We have the option to hire a car if required.

    Thanks

    Samuel

    1. Author

       13 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Samuel!

       If you can rent the car then, given that you want to experience gorgeous beaches and boat trips I’d say go for the Golfo di Orosei Area (Cala Gonone), the village is nice and there are restaurants available not to mention that it is the main port for the boat trips that are awesome (just double check but I think they should be already running by the end of May).

       Another option is Alghero, being a big city you will find anything you need in there, and at a short distance by car, also beautiful beaches like Stintino which will be amazing this time of the year as it will not be crowded.

       The only downside is that there are not boat trips like the ones in Cala Gonone. Only the one to the Asinara Island, but it’s mainly to get you there not really a “scenic” boat trip per se.

       If I had to choose i’d go with option one 🙂

       Hope it helps!
       Cheers
       Clelia

56. Pingback: 5 Reasons to Visit Sardinia in September-October - KEEP CALM AND TRAVEL

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58. 9 January, 2016 Reply

    Jill Young

    Hi,

    Love your site…so informative….however now can’t decide which part of Sardinia we want to visit as we have never been. We usually stay on one of the smaller, still authentic Greek islands…love the local atmosphere of small tavernas offering local traditional dishes and the quite ambience and local charm the smaller islands offer as well as harbours and beaches. We like walking to different beaches along the coast but like to stay close to a town/village on the coast…preferably with a harbour. With this in mind which place in Sardinia would you recommend? It all sounds beautiful and I have been wanting to visit for a long time, however this year we are able to holiday in September rather than August so are looking at other destinations which have previously been off limits due to being too busy in August.

    All suggestions welcome. Thanks

    1. Author

       13 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Jill, sorry for the late reply, I hope you can manage to read my reply, as you are going to Sardinia in September.

       To get to know the real Sardinia and be near the beaches, I’d recommend Cala Gonone and if you have a car, get around and visit the small villages nearby like Dorgali and Orosei. They are not on the coast but not far away either so you’ll have the opportunity to see the real deal!

       Then you could take the boat trip from Cala Gonone (not to be missed!) and explore the lovely beaches I mention here in the article.

       I think this could be the best option for you. I love that area so much and for me (and many other Sardinian people) is considered to be the best of the Island!

       Let me know if you need further help 🙂
       Cheers
       Clelia

59. 7 November, 2015 Reply

    Bethany

    Hello!

    I live in New Jersey, an hour from New York City and am looking to book a honeymoon in Sardinia, probably mid August. No one in the US has really heard of Sardinia, so finding good information has been challenging. I really am sad to have to be getting married in August, but with my fiancé’s family coming from Perugia, it seems to be the only time.

    I have a few questions after reading through your posts and comments. First off, if we came on August 15, 2016, will we cry from the roads and beaches being too crowded? Also, if you have a car, are there designated places to park near the beaches and in the towns?

    I am not too scared of serpentine roads, as my fiance and I did a road trip through Umbria and Tuscany and he was a fantastic driver. But he is anxious about the crowds. I speak a little Italian am looking forward to an amazing trip…though getting to Sardinia for under $1500/USD seems to be impossible, but that is another story.

    Thanks for your blog and in advance for your advice.

    1. Author

       13 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Bethany

       Sorry for the late reply, and I hope I’m not too late with my reply! First of all congratulations for your marriage 🙂

       Second… well, I would be lying big time if I told you that you won’t be “crying” from roads and beaches being very crowded, especially the 15th of August which is a National Holidays so basically everyone goes to the beach!

       The good news is that after the 15th the Italian people usually are less as a good portion of them tend to book their holidays from July to mid-August, so (slowly) the beaches will start to be less crowded.

       In most of the beaches in Sardinia you will have a parking spot for the car but be aware that you will have to pay for it (usually for half-day or a full day), and in some beaches the fees are ridiculously high (something like 6 to 10 euros sometimes for the whole day). We Sardinians are so disappointed with that as the prices are really crazy and unfair, but that’s the way it is.

       Another thing you need to consider, especially for the very famous beaches is that to secure a spot you need to be there very early in the morning in high season. For example, when I go to Tuerredda, I know that I have to be there at 7:30/8:00 am and sometimes if you arrive a little late there is a huge line of cars waiting to enter the parking lot. One time we had to wait for like 3 hours. So the poor driver stayed with the car and we went to the beach to secure a spot.

       To be honest with you, for me that beach is so beautiful that I don’t really care about the crowds, I jump in the water and enjoy the beauty of the crystalline turquoise sea, knowing that I can’t have it all… (unless I go in May-early June or September).

       One thing you can do to try and reduce the impact of the crowds is to go to less famous spots but even there, you won’t have the beach for yourself, or you can get a bit spoiled and book a place that has its own private piece of the beach. This might be a good solution (probably the only one to avoid the crowds) but it’s obviously more expensive.

       I would check out the booking.com website as they usually state when the beach is reserved to the property and they have very good deals sometimes with the possibility to cancel your booking almost last minute. I always use them (just booked with them for my London mini break in May) 🙂 so it might be worth a shot, as the good places are going pretty fast!

       Hope I could help and have a great time!
       Cheers
       Clelia

60. 21 September, 2015 Reply

    Emma

    Your page is awesome, thank you very much for putting together all those information.

    1. Author

       13 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Thank you so much Emma, a lot of hard work so messages like yours always brighten up my day 🙂

61. 19 September, 2015 Reply

    Sibylle

    Hi Cle,

    I’m SO glad I found your blog online. Really enjoyed reading your guides 🙂
    My partner and I have booked an apartment in Alghero first week in October and I can’t wait to get there-hopefully the weather will still be nice.
    Our apartment is right opposite the Lido San Giovanni. I have just read some terrible reviews about the beach on trip advisor, how bad is it around there??
    Also we are not really keen on hiring a car so I was wondering I if you could give us any ideas on how easy it it to get around town and the surrounding areas by foot/ on the bus?
    Also you mentioned in your post that there is a shuttle bus operating between Alghero and La Bombarde Beach. Do you know if that is still the case in October?
    Sorry for all the questions…
    Looking forward to hearing from you

    1. Author

       13 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Sibylle,

       Hmmm I guess I need to check the section comment in here more often! I’m swept away from som many request and sometimes, also traveling non-stop it’s difficult to catch up! 🙁

62. 19 September, 2015 Reply

    Nicky

    Hi Clelia,
    Very informative blog thank you. My husband and I are planning to come to Sardinia mid October. We’d like to be in walking distance of bars and restaurants, probably rent an apartment but would like sea views. We plan to fly into Cagliari and will hire a car. I appreciate this is the end of season, where would you recommend us to stay?
    Many thanks for your help.

    1. Author

       13 April, 2016 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Nicky

       Apologies, I am catching up with the messages in here just now so I was not in time for your request. I hope you had a great time!

63. 31 August, 2015 Reply

    Rebecca

    Thank you I will try that and let you know how the holiday is. Very excited!!!

    Rebecca

    1. Author

       4 September, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       🙂

64. 27 August, 2015 Reply

    Rebecca

    Hi again 🙂
    We have booked our holiday!!!! 2 weeks in sardinia & all based on your recommendations, 1 week in Cala Gonone and 2nd week in Arzachena.
    Just wondered if you can recommend a car hire company?
    We leave on September 12th 🙂
    Rebecca

    1. Author

       27 August, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Rebecca, I’m so glad to receive feedback like yours (considering how much time it takes me to write the guides!!!) Unfortunately being Sardinian I always had my car to wander around, my recommendation here would only be based on other people’s experiences. Usually they go with the well known companies (Avis etc) the ones that you usually find at the airports. But I can’t guarantee that they are the best.

       What I would do is to check online to compare prices and conditions and google “X (name of the car hire)company reviews”….I always check out the reviews from several sources when I don’t know whom I can trust.

       Good luck and I hope you have a great holiday in Sardinia, great choices by the way! 🙂

       Cheers
       Clelia

65. 8 July, 2015 Reply

    Natasha

    Hi Cle,

    This blog is excellent, thank you for taking the time to put so much effort in to this.

    My partner and I are in our mid 20’s and are coming to Sardinia from Australia, flying in from Barcelona for 8 days. We love beautiful beaches and walks and want to see as much as possible but without being ridiculous and trying to see too much and constantly being on the go. Also places with a good vibe would be ideal.

    What itinerary would you suggest for us? We are going to hire a car.

    Also are there any boat trips/ visits to other islands that you would recommend booking ASAP. We realise we may have left it a little late…

    Thank you very much for your help.

    Cheers,
    Tash

    1. Author

       21 September, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Natasha

       Sorry i totally missed your comment in here. I take this opportunity to say that if you don’t hear from me in a week or so, please write a second comment as a reminder so I’ll try to reply ASAP!

       In your comment I don’t see when you wanted to come to Sardinia, if you are still in time, please shoot me a message and I’ll reply!

       Cheers
       Clelia

66. 5 July, 2015 Reply

    Joshua

    Hey Cle,

    Really love your blog, especially the way you package information that’s easy to read and concise! It gets to the heart of all the locations and that really helps people like us traveling to these parts of the world for the first time.

    My gf Jasleen and I, are flying to Italy for the first time for a couple of weeks. We are planning on doing Sardinia for about 5 days, from the 25th of August to the 30th. We’re looking to do a lot of beach time mixed with some evenings of partying and other nights, some romantic quite time – and a lot of good food! Hopefully we can get some diving in as well.

    We can’t decide whether to do Cala Gonone or Alghero for the entire trip. Not looking to move around too much, but we’re willing to drive up to an hour away to get to beautiful beach. Even looking to explore some secluded beaches.

    Looking forward to your suggestions – thanks!

    Josh & Jasleen

    1. Author

       21 September, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Sorry guys, I missed your comment! i hope you have chosen Cala Gonone as for your purposes it was the best choice! i hope you had a great Holiday in Sardinia, too bad I wasn’t able to help you out!

67. 4 July, 2015 Reply

    Rebecca

    Hi Clelia!
    Firstly thank you for writing such a great site – I have been looking so much online and struggling to know where to go – now I feel I have some good ideas!!
    I read your couples guide and am thinking that we might try Cala Gonone and possibly another area too, but many sound nice. We are going for 2 weeks in September so any tips you have would be brilliant, we don’t want to travel around between places toooo much but equally think we could explore a lot in 2 weeks! We love gorgeous beaches and villages with lovely restaurants, also going on big walks. A few relaxed bars etc great for the evenings too! It doesn’t need to be super cheap but am trying to stay below £80/night.
    There are obviously many beautiful places to visit but if you have any tips on best places to use as a base for our 2 week holiday, we will hire a car and explore too!
    We haven’t booked flights yet so anything is possible 🙂
    Thank you
    Rebecca

    1. Author

       6 July, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Rebecca!

       Your question is, so far, the easiest one 🙂 I’d stay at least 1 week in Cala Gonone and if you want to see another place, I’d stay around the small villages of Cannigione/Arzachena to see the beautiful beaches of the Costa Smeralda (without spending a fortune by staying in there), including the amazing boat trip to La Maddalena Arcipelago. I think this is what I would do, especially because you’ll have a car and from my guide you’ve already seen how many wonderful things you can discover! Don’t miss the hike to Cala Goloritze (but do it EARLY, very early in the morning) and book your flights to Olbia if possible. Even if the ones to Alghero are probably cheaper, than you’ll have the hassle to get from the west coast to the east coast and in the end it’s not worth it!

       Have a great time in Sardinia!
       Clelia

       1. 7 July, 2015 Reply

          Rebecca

          Thank you so, so much Clelia!!
          By chance Olbia is the best journey for us from London so that works out perfectly 🙂 bit scared of very early mornings but will try out best 🙂
          All sounds great, I’m going to book our flights now and look at all the places you have mentioned! Then just have to wait patiently until September…….

          Thank you :):):)

          1. Author

             13 April, 2016 Reply

             Clelia Mattana

             You’re welcome! I hope you had a great trip! 🙂

68. 4 July, 2015 Reply

    Olga

    Thanks a million, Clelia – this is very, very helpful! Really looking forward to our trip now

    1. Author

       4 July, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       No problem! I’m so glad I could help! Enjoy your trip Olga 🙂

69. 28 June, 2015 Reply

    Olga

    Hi Clelia,

    Thank you so much for your reply. You’ve convinced me that a car is a must!

    One more question: do you think this route is doable or do you think I’m packing in too much in one week?

    Alghero – Stintino – Castlesardo – Porto Cervo – San Teodoro – Cala Gonone – back to Alghero?

    Many thanks

    Olga

    1. Author

       29 June, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Olga

       I think this is a bit too much for one week! I’d skip at least 2 destinations and leave the best ones (in my opinion): 1 day at La Pelosa Stintino, straight to either Porto Cervo or San Teodoro, then Cala Gonone and back to Alghero. That should be more than enough for one week! 🙂

       Have a great Holiday!
       Cle

70. 26 June, 2015 Reply

    Andrea

    Ciao Clelia

    We are renting a camper van this august fro the 4th till 12th august, we can arrive in Sardegna 31st july and we can stay until 15th august. As we can flight to / from Alguero and Cagliari, my question is which is the route that you recomend us. Where to start and where to finish? Is it better to start in Alghero and finish Cagliari or backwards?. I have read your guide for couples and I’ve been thinking on starting in Alghero.

    Grazie mile and congratulations for your website.
    Andrea

    1. Author

       29 June, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Andrea, Thanks for your message!
       Ok, tricky question this one 🙂

       Here’s why.. I’d say that the best thing to do would be flying into Cagliari and flying out from Alghero, this way you’ll have a few more options (given that you also have 2 weeks!).

       From Cagliari you can stay either in the city and take day trips to Chia and Tuerredda and then move up to Villasimius for a few days, stop in Cala Gonone to discover the Amazing Golfo di Orosei and then up to Arzachena/ Cannigione for the Arcipelago della Maddalena boat trip.From there (depending on how many days you decide to stay in each location), you can stop 1 day at La Pelosa beach in Stintino and leave another day or 2 max to wander around Alghero town and surroundings!

       If you can’t choose 2 different airports, then I’d say Alghero is better, as the north part with the boat trips is definitely unmissable and going up north to go back to Cagliari is quite a stressful journey by car and it would eat up at least 2 days of your holiday!

       Hope it helps 🙂
       Clelia

       1. 1 July, 2015 Reply

          Andrea

          Hey Clelia!!
          Grazie for your quick answer. It’s going to help us in an incredibly way if finally we decide to do the trip, because..As I told you we are going on camper van or autocaravana and we’ve been reading that in august it is really crowded and really difficult to find a place where we can park the Camper..do you really think it’d be so crazy and difficult? I really wanted to do this trip…

71. 26 June, 2015 Reply

    Martina

    Hey Clelia!

    Your page is awesome, thank you very much for putting together all those informations.

    So since we don’t want to miss anything, I got some questions. A friend and me are going to stay in Arzachena from 20th until 27th of September. And we would love to get a weekly plan with your recommendation like Ed. Our plane is landing in Olbia on 20th at 10 pm and leaving on the 27th at 9 pm. We would love to see the most beautiful beaches (which can be seen in one week). We would also love the see a few of the most beautiful places (sea caves, historical places) as well (but we would like to stay at the beach, most of the time). I don’t mind driving a little, so I get to see the most beautiful of all. At night we want to Party, do you als have a recommendation for that? Thanks so much.

    Best,
    Martina

    1. Author

       29 June, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Martina, thanks for stopping by!
       Ok let’s see your “case” 🙂 This is what I would do if I were you and had 7 days to spend in Sardinia.

       Day 1 (arrival): Stay 1 night in Olbia and leave early in the morning to visit San Teodoro

       Day 2: Stop in Arzachena, which is perfect to reach Palau (20 min by car) for the Archipelago della Maddalena boat trip where you will see so many awesome beaches!

       Day 3: Drive to Costa Smeralda (September is an amazing time to see the best beaches!), I’d recommend you start with Capriccioli (20 min by car from Arzachena)

       Day 4: Drive again to Costa Smeralda and visit Cala di Volpe (again 20 min by car) or Spiaggia del Principe… there are so many great choice around the area!

       Day 5: Drive to San Teodoro (1 hour and 40 minutes). This is just if you could stay overnight in San Teodoro, otherwise it’s a bit far and you won’t enjoy the night life in there! If you can’t stay overnight and you are interested in seeing stunning places with sea caves etc, I’d rather drive to Orosei or Cala Gonone for the boat trip including the Bue Marino Grotto and La Grotta del Fico. You need to check out if the boats are still operative as it’s late september and it all depends on the weather (which should usually still be OK, but a bit less predictable at the end of the month)

       Day 6: Drive for 50 minutes south to reach Lu Impostu beach or Cala Brandinchi beach (they are close to each other) and totally worth it!
       Day 7: Spend the day in Pevero Beach, as you’ll need to leave in the evening and it’s still quite near Arzachena so you can relax a bit

       As for the nightlife, being late in September I’m honestly not 100% sure on the best places to recommend as this is already low season, but I guess in the Costa Smeralda area there will still be a bit of “movida”!

       Hope it helps and have a smashing time in my Island 🙂
       Cheers
       Cle

72. 21 June, 2015 Reply

    Vilane G. Sales

    Hi Clelia,

    First of all, I’d like to tell you that I’m impressed with your travel blog. It was decisive for my trip! The thing is: I’m getting married in September 12th and my honeymoon will be in Sardinia or Sardegna. I’m from Brazil and I’ve been in many places in Italy but I must tell you that this trip is really special. Me and my fiancé love Italy but we do love beaches. Sardegna was the perfect choice. We are flying on 15th and arriving at Elmas on the 16th. We will be there for 2 weeks! Yey! I took your advice and chose the places that you indicated! 1. Cala Ganone; 2. Alghero; 3. Porto Cervo 4. Cagliari. Do you think I can get a good idea of the island in two weeks? We are looking for the beaches BUT we are also interested in history and local culture. Do you recommend any other place to go? I’ve heard about the castles and the mines but I’m guessing that it might be dangerous. One last thing, if you had to pick just one beach in each destination, which one would you choose? Thank you so much for your couples guide! It helped a lot! Best, Vi.

    1. Author

       29 June, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Vilane, first of all, congratulations fro the wedding! 🙂
       As per your itinerary I think it’s perfect, you are going to see the top sights and being September you will avoid the crowds, which is perfect to have some privacy and thoroughly enjoy your honeymoon. Alghero and Cagliari certainly offer a good deal of historical and cultural sights (I wanted to cover them in this guide so you already have a fairly good idea on what to see).

       Regarding the mines, there is a nice area near Arbus/Piscinas where to reach the beach you’ll see a few of them (the ruins are beautiful and make for a memorable trip).Obvuously you need to be careful if you want to explore a bit more as they are on the hills and some of them are not 100% stable but you can take nice pictures of the landscape and there are not so many tourists in the area anyway. I went there in August and the road was almost deserted, a surreal experience.

       Ok one beach in each destination can be tough! but I’ll try:

       Cala Gonone: Cala Mariolu beach (but you’ll cover that on the boat trip), otherwise I’d say Cala Goloritze'(you’ll need to hike but it’s worth it)
       Alghero: Definitely La Pelosa Beach in Stintino!
       Porto Cervo: I’d say Capriccioli beach
       Cagliari: Tuerredda Beach (it’s not in Cagliari and it takes around 1 hour drive to get there but it’s the best beach around, especially in September)

       I hope you’ll have a great time!
       Cheers
       Cle

73. 15 June, 2015 Reply

    Cintia

    Hello Clelia,

    First of all, congratulations on your website – it is amazing!! I cannot tell you how lucky I feel finding out about this, it was definetly the best place to gather information about Sardegna.. Even the travel guide I bought wasn’t that helpful.. Thank god I hadn’t booked the hotels yet.

    Now I just needed your advices on a few things, if possible. I am staying there for 7 days with my husband (we are 26 and 28 years old and from Brazil) and we are interested mostly in relaxing at the beach and the amazing views (a lot of good pics), good food.. nothing too fancy but confortable hotels and not that interested in the night life. We are arriving and leaving through Alghero Airport from 17/7 to 25/7/15. We are also renting a car.

    I know that with 7 days only the ideal would be to see 2 places..but really cala gonone and surroudings are irresistible..as is isla madalena, porto cervo beaches and stintino, right? So I wanted to check with you if you think this is feasible:

    Day 1 (we arrive the night before): Drive until Cala Gonone and relax in some acessible beach, cala or grotta where we don’t need to arrive so early. What do you recommend? Also, google maps is showing a 2h18 drive, is this reasonably correct?

    Day 2: Boat trip to Cala Mariolu/Cala Luna/Cala Sisine. Should I book this in advance?

    Day 3: Trek to Cala Goloritze or Boat trip, still deciding… We were actually wondering if we can rent a boat (could be a small one, not fancy) for these two days and go see everything we wished and stay as long as we wish to in each cala..Is this possible? Would this be too expensive? Does Matteo work with this kind of boat rentals?

    Day 4: Drive up to porto cervo area and spend the day on the beach. I was thinking of Spiggia del Pevero and Spiggia del Principe. It should take us about 1h50 right? And for this region you recommend staying at Cannigione right?

    Day 5: Spend the day on the beach. I was thinking of Spiggia Capriccioli and Spiaggia Liscia Ruja. Do you think its too much to go to two beaches a day (days 4 and 5)?

    Day 6: Day trip to Madalena Island.

    Day 7: Drive up directly to La Pelosa beach and spend the day there until the sunset – it should take us about 2h20 right? Sleep in Alghero since we are leaving the next day at noon.

    So what do you think honestly? Putting together this itinerary I had to skip Grotta di Nettuno and the Nuraghes.. Do you think we can miss those?

    Thank you so much for your time and effort with this website, these are really valuable information you have put together for us travellers.

    Kind regards,
    Cintia

    1. Author

       28 March, 2017 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Cintia

       Argg I feel bad that I have missed your lovely comment! I hope you had an amazing time in Sardinia! Not sure you will ever read this, but I always feel bad when I miss a comment 🙂

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76. 31 May, 2015 Reply

    Olga

    Hi Clelia!

    Thank you so much for the update.

    I have another question re Alghero as a base: is it possible to take a boat trip to Costa Smeralda from there and if so, who provides such a service?

    If not, what other day trips (again, by boat, preferably) would you recommend?

    Thank you so much.

    1. Author

       1 June, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Olga, going from Alghero to the Costa Smeralda for the boat trip is not really possible, unless you wake up at 3-4 am, drive there, take the boat trip from Palau and go back. The ride is about 2 hour and 30 and it’s not exactly a smooth road, you need to know where you are going possibly with a GPS, but all in all I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are REALLY crazy about that boat trip.

       I did something similar for the Golfo di Orosei boat trip, I woke up at 3:30, drove from Cagliari to Arbatax, arrived at around 7 am (I already had the tickets reserved by some friends), went on the boat trip and drove back from 6:30 pm arriving at home at almost 10 as I was exhausted :), so yes, you can do it but it’s VERY stressful.

       A boat trip near Alghero which I recommend is the one to the Asinara Marine Park. It’s not a proper boat trip to discover the coves on the coastline like the other trips on the east side, but you need to rent a boat or use the daily service to reach the Asinara Island and it’s a great excursion! You can see the reviews I found on Tripadvisor in here

       Other excursions near Alghero…I added them on the post (finally) and I’ve chosen the ones that are th best in my opinion. I’d also recommend Bosa marina for a day trip if you have the time and you like the village vibe!

       Hope it helps 🙂
       Cheers
       Clelia

77. 28 May, 2015 Reply

    Olga

    Hi Clelia!

    Thank you so much for posting such an informative and helpful blog! Really enjoy reading it!

    Unfortunately, I could not find anything regarding exploring Alghero in this section and was hoping that you could suggest a couple of options for us.

    We are a couple in our mid-thirties, arriving on the 12th of August into Alghero and flying back on the 19th.

    Would like a beach vocation, preferably beside a busy picturesque little town or village, want to try authentic local cuisine, stroll around shops and markets and simply relax.

    Do not want anything very expensive and posh in terms of hotels, will consider an agriturismo too, excellent breakfast is essential for us!)), prefer not to rent a car but will, if absolutely must. Preferably 2 or 3 places as we don’t want to stay in the same hotel for the whole 7 days. Any suggestions re public transport and how to get to the places you recommend would be highly appreciated.

    Thank you so much!

    1. Author

       28 May, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Olga!
       Thanks for stopping by… actually I’m currently working on this post (it’s a real nightmare with my computer these days) and it should be ready in 2 days. It also include a whole section about Alghero, so if you bookmark the page or subscribe to the newsletter here, you’ll receive an email when it’s ready! It’s taking me soooo long to put all these info together, but in 2 days it should be up!

       If you still need any further info after reading the full post, let me know and I will try to help 🙂
       Cheers!
       Clelia

78. 19 May, 2015 Reply

    Sonali Saraogi

    Hello Clelia!

    First of all i’ve been researching Sardinia for a long time and haven’t had much luck or head away until i stumbled upon your blog ! so thank you 🙂

    I can imagine how much time you spend giving people advice on their itineraries so i am going to make mine short and sweet. I have 4 nights (29th – 3rd July 2015) and very little time to book! I want to do only beaches and water so was thinking if we fly into CAG and head to Villasimius where we can rent a nice boat (if you have any recommendations, pls let me know) for 4 nights with a skipper and head up the coast towards Golfo Aranci
    Question — can you suggest from whom i can rent a boat for 2 nights? Secondly, 4 days by boat to do the East coast should be enough?

    If not, we can get off the boat at Santa Maria Navaressa where i was thinking of booking a B&B in Orosei for 2 nights and flying out from Olbia on the 3rd.

    Would love you to know your thoughts and ideas and any recommendation on where to hire the boat from !

    Thank you

    1. 19 May, 2015 Reply

       Sonali Saraogi

       HI Clelia —Or i am thinking of booking a B&B at Orosei for 4 nights and planning day trips from there itself to various beaches…what do you think?

       1. Author

          21 May, 2015 Reply

          Clelia Mattana

          Hi Sonali, sorry I’ve been crazy busy to get ready for a conference I’m attending in 2 days…I’ll reply properly when I’m back on sunday!
          Cheers!
          Clelia

       2. Author

          28 May, 2015 Reply

          Clelia Mattana

          Hey Sonali,
          Here I am! I’m creating a new guide and it’s taking forever 🙂 back to your question… if you have 4 days and are lucky enough to rent a private boat…I’d say the best option is to base yourself either in Cala Gonone or Orosei.

          Cala Gonone is closer to the most famous beaches, but if you want to explore coves, secluded spots and admire the whole Orosei Gulf, then Orosei village is a good base. Always given that you’ll have your own boat!

          Check out both places and see which one has the best accommodation for you!
          That’s what I would do 🙂

          Cheers
          Cle

79. 15 May, 2015 Reply

    Ed

    My wife and I are looking into a trip towards the end of June for around 7 days. So far, I am interested in La Maddalena, Cala Goloritze (possible hike down to it), I’m not as interested in visiting towns and buildings, but beaches and nature. We will likely rent a car. I’m having a hard time comprehending how far each drive is and how much time it will take to drive / do all of the things I’m looking at. I’ve been quite impressed with your site, and much of my research so far has come from this site! (so thanks). Can you suggest a possible 7 day itinerary centered around La Maddalena and Cala Goloritze? Interested in a lot of beach time, don’t want to waste a lot of time driving (unless scenic drive), and mix in some historic / cultural sites (are there any castles worth seeing?)

    1. Author

       17 May, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Ed,

       if you just want to concentrate your Holiday in the North Part of the island and combine Beaches and nature, then your itinerary would be pretty easy to make!

       Airport of Choice: Olbia

       ITINERARY:

       FIRST STEP: 3 days in Cannigione: It is a great place near the airport and good as a base to explore the area and surrounding beaches and reach the pier for the boat trip to La Maddalena.

       Distances:
       Olbia airport—> Cannigione: 30 min by car
       Olbia airport —>Palau: 45 min by car

       – DAY 1: boat trip to Arcipelago della Maddalena (the pier is Palau, 20 minutes away from Cannigione)
       – DAY 2: visit the beach of Capriccioli (40 minutes from Palau, 25 minutes from Cannigione)
       – DAY 3: visit the beach of Porto Istana (45 minutes by car from Cannigione)

       SECOND STEP: 3 full days in Golfo di Orosei (either Orosei: or Cala Gonone as a Base)

       DISTANCES:
       Cannigione—->Orosei: around 1:40 minutes by car, with some scenic parts during the drive
       Orosei—> Cala Gonone: 30 minutes and a scenic drive (I love it!)

       -DAY 1: Boat trip to Cala Mariolu/Cala Luna/Cala Sisine
       -Day 2 : Trek to Cala Goloritze’
       -Day 3: Trek (or rent a Boat /find day trips) from Cala Gonone to Cala Biriola(an amazing beach!!!)

       LAST DAY: go back from Golfo di Orosei to Olbia Airport ( 1:30 min by car via SS131dcn – SS meaning: Strada Statale which is relatively smooth drive)

       As for the castles, we don’t have many in Sardinia, at least not on the east coast. You could find Nuraghes instead (ancient constructions build with stones, which you can only find in Sardinia)

       Hope this helps! 🙂

       Cheers
       Clelia

80. 5 May, 2015 Reply

    Pat mackey

    My husband and I are travelling to Sardinia on 13 May for 7 nights ……we were thinking about staying In a hotel in or near alghero for 2 nights to explore the area and then maybe on to the north/ North East Coast to visit the islands at magdelenna. We would like to take a villa or apartment for the weekend where we can do our own thing …..shop and cook the local food but also have the choice of some nice bars and good restaurants. I’ve been looking at Porto Cervo as a possibility?
    We fly out of alghero on the weds 20th but not sure where to finish our week in Sardinia and are afraid to miss out a “must see” as we have only what we read to guide us. Your suggestions would be most welcome!

    1. Author

       8 May, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Pat!

       Thanks for stopping by! 1 week is enough to discover a place or two in Sardinia so your idea is not bad! Depending on your holiday style, my recommendation can vary a bit whether you like the posh vibe of Porto Cervo (and its amazing beaches) or you prefer a more touristy/normal type of Holiday.

       Alghero is worth a visit! I’d use the Afternoon/evening to explore the city, visit the Nettuno grotto and stroll around the centre enjoying the sunset over the sea. The second day I’d suggest you to pay a visit to La Pelosa beach in Stintino on your way to the east coast!

       If you decide to go to Porto Cervo, bring with you some nice clothes as that place is well known among the VIP’s and very posh people 🙂 I went there (both in Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo) as a penniless student, just to have a look around and drool over the Yachts on the pier, but I was still wearing my best dress!

       If you like the Idea, I’d say go for it as the nightlife and nice walks are definitely worth it, otherwise I suggest to move a little bit and find accommodation in Cannigione or Arzachena and visit the Costa Smeralda by going there by car (Cannigione and Arzachena are very close and much cheaper).

       Your idea to take the day trip to the Arcipelago della Maddalena,is absolutely PERFECT! You can’t miss it for any reason! then you can also enjoy the beautiful beaches around Porto Cervo like Capriccioli, Spiaggia del Principe, Liscia Ruja and other lovely coves.

       Here are some suggestions on where to stay near Alghero and in Costa Smeralda: (I always use this website because it has many options and you can cancel last minute without losing your money and you only pay at your arrival)

       Alghero:

       La Meta Alghero Very close to the sea and the airport, great reviews and now has a discounted price (not sure for how long the discount will it last!)

       Alma Di Alghero Hotel: Fantastic view on the sea, very close to the city centre, a bit more pricey than the other but I LOVE that place!! (not sure they still have place, as it’s usually fully booked for the entire season by May )

       I put some hotels instead of villas for your first 2 days as it is usually difficult to get a self catering place for just 2 days, but you can still have a look at the main page of the accommodations in Alghero here, as you might find something suitable for you. You can sort the properties by ticking what you want on the left.

       If you think that Porto Cervo is too expensive, I also put the links to the nearby Areas of Arzachena and Cannigione

       —————–
       Porto Cervo:

       Apartment Porto Cervo: They still had availability for your dates when I checked, but they go very fast usually!

       Villetta Privata : This was the only one available together with the first one, the rest of the villas and small apartments in the area were all fully booked, whilst the hotels had still some places left and some of them were even promoting discounts (to fill their last spots), so I think its worth giving a look at the hotel as well!

       Here is a complete list of Accommodation in Porto Cervo, so If you don’t think my suggestions are what you were looking for, you can still choose among some other great ones 🙂
       Hotels in Porto Cervo
       Hotels in Porto Rotondo
       Hotels in Arzachena
       Hotels in Cannigione

       In My opinion if you don’t want to spend the whole 5 days in Porto Cervo & Surroundings, you could make a 1/2 days stop (depending on what time is your flight) on your way back to Alghero and visit Santa Teresa di Gallura and the great viewpoint of Isola dei Gabbiani, which are some of the “must see” places in my opinion. But in all honesty, Sardinia has so much to offer that I could spend the whole day talking about a million of “must see” places, but don’t worry, the ones you chose are really great!

       I hope this will help you! let me know if you need some more advice!
       Cheers
       Cle

81. 1 May, 2015 Reply

    Emily

    Hi Cle

    My boyfriend and I are booking to visit Sardinia in mid-June. I notice above you say that it’s easier for you to advise where to go if we let you know what we DON’T like, so we don’t like nightclubs, noisy bars, busy beaches with lots of children (harsh but true!).

    We’d like a quiet village, few shops and restaurants/bars, and a beautiful beach. We haven’t booked any flights so are free to go anywhere. We won’t be hiring a car, but may consider a moped, otherwise we’ll be relying on public transport.

    We are going on this holiday to relax, however we’re also quite sporty so if you do know of anywhere that also offers canoeing/kayaking/scuba diving that would be great, but not essential!

    Many thanks
    Emily

    1. Author

       17 May, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hi Emily, not sure why I skipped your comment! It’s starting to become very challenging keeping track of all the comments for the different guides! Since you’re living in mid-June, I’m still on time to help!

       The question you ask me is a bit tricky and if you could give me a few more details it would be great…
       Unfortunately, if you don’t have a car it’s very difficult to get to the quiet places in Sardinia. Mid June is starting to get more crowded (not the madness of August, but still) and the places I have in mind for those who don’t have a car are always San Teodoro and Villasimius (as you’ll have the village and the main beach at a very short distance (sometimes you can walk or you can rent a bike or a motorbike)

       If you like water sports, these are also good places, but again…they are not exactly peaceful. If you could rent a scooter then for more relaxed places reachable by train, I’d say the Oristano Area (BUT you need at least a scooter as the beaches are not that close to town) Or You can stay in Orosei and (scooter is essential), visit some lovely places in there. If you decide for Oristano, the best airport is Cagliari, whilst for Orosei/Cala Gonone is Olbia.

       It’s so difficult to give you the right answer without knowing the budget, but as a general rule in Sardinia it’s like that: When a beach is STUNNING (not talking about nice…but really beautiful), and you are in season, it’s going to be crowded. There are less and less “secluded” beaches and the ones that are, are not “spectacular”, but maybe I’m being too picky. The point is, if you come to Sardinia, you should see the spectacular places!

       I know, no one likes screaming children or crowded beaches, but sometimes we have to compromise a bit and be prepared. Unless you have the budget to stay in a private villa and rent a car..that would be the ideal solution, but obviously not for everyone.

       Compromise a bit is essential in high season, but you should be still OK as mid June is not that bad!

       Hope it helps a bit, I’m just being honest!

       Cheers
       Cle

82. 29 April, 2015 Reply

    Cara

    Hi there,

    Me and my bf are going to Sardinia end of July start of august. We’ve booked the first 4 nights in alghero and are looking to go up north around costa smerelda. We heard olbia is quiet built up and we wanted somewhere with a bit of culture but still close to the beach. We want to stay along that coastline but probably not olbia. We will have a car but would like the option of small cafés and restaurants to go to in the morning. Our budget is around €100-150 per night.
    We love your site and cannot wait for you to finish it!
    We’d love your thoughts and ideas!
    Thanks
    Cara x

    1. Author

       29 April, 2015 Reply

       Clelia Mattana

       Hey Cara

       Thanks for stopping by and be the first one to comment on a post that…it’s not even there yet 🙂 (working on it as we speak, I receive so many requests from couples heading to Sardinia!).

       Ok, back to your question! Since you’ve already booked 4 nights in Alghero, I am not sure how many days do you have left. Regarding Olbia, if you are referring to “Costa Smeralda” then, yes…you are right. It’s build up and doesn’t reflect the real Sardinian culture at all, but I can’t deny it’s still beautiful (even if I’m not crazy about it because of what we just said).

       So, excluding that option, if you want somewhere nice to go, you’ll have to head towards the Orosei, Cala Gonone Area. Unfortunately, July and August are the busiest months of the season so finding quiet beautiful places that are not crowded is almost a mission impossible 🙂 (everyone wants to enjoy their little piece of paradise after all, and things get out of control)

       I personally LOVE the vibe in villages like Orosei, Tortoli’ and Cala Gonone. Not to mention that they are closer to the most amazing area in Sardinia (well, my opinion!).

       If you want to stay a bit closer to Alghero (as the ride by car from Alghero to Cala Gonone/Orosei) it’s quite long (2 hours and 30 minutes minimum), another option could be to stop at Costa Paradiso. I’ve stayed in Costa Paradiso, in a lovely small Villa with my cousins 2 years ago (I was in Badesi, a lovely and quiet traditional village). The beach is not even 10 minutes by car from the village.

       I actually tried to use the bike to go to the beach and it was so much fun (all downhill)…the problem was coming back! I am not exactly a sporty person, and there were men in their 60’s mocking me as I had to get out of my bike and slowly get back to town 🙂 but I’m digressing.

       That specific village is VERY quiet and not on the beach but there are other places worth a visit:
       Castelsardo
       Isola Rossa
       Isuledda known as Isola dei Gabbiani
       Santa Teresa Di Gallura

       (all these places are on the north, proceeding from the west to the east coast from Alghero).
       It’s so difficult to reply when people ask me to suggest a nice place with nice beaches as Sardinia is basically full of lovely places to discover, but it all depends on your personal taste, way of travel (are you adventurous, do you want to just stay in a place and discover the surrounding areas, you don’t mind driving a lot to get from one place to the other and enjoying the ride as well?).

       So I always find it difficult to give specific advice, unless you have a very clear idea on what you DON’T like (that would help me more than knowing what you like as everyone likes nice beaches, lovely villages and so on..how to blame them, right)? 🙂

       So if I confused you more (probably!!), let me know what you ABSOLUTELY dont’ like or don’t want to experience during your stay, and how many days left do you have, so that I might help you better.

       All these feedback it’s very important for me, as I’m putting together the guides and i want to write what people like you actually need 🙂

       Cheers!
       Cle

       1. 7 June, 2016 Reply

          Burcu & Mehmet

          Hi Clelia,

          Thanks a lot for this incredible summary of Sardines. Me and my fiance is planning to head to Sardines for honeymoon. We thought that it would be interesting to rent a sailing boat and travel all around the island with the boat and enjoy the beaches. Do you have any suggestions for the route of the sailing boat? Where do you think we should start our sailing journey? Do you have any suggestions for a romantic honeymoon stay at a hotel? It does not matter which part it is, as long as it is worth staying.

          Thanks a lot in advance.

          1. Author

             20 June, 2016 Reply

             Clelia Mattana

             Hi there! Congratulations on your honeymoon 🙂 Your question is rather unusual for me as, unfortunately, I don’t own a boat and I’m not super familiar with the routes (I just know the ones for the daily boat trips). As for the hotels, I have 2 in mind that are super great for honeymooners: Hotel Pitrizza (I LOVE IT), or a lot less expensive but still a great place is Colonna Resort.
             They are both in Porto Cervo, fabulous views, infinity pools, great restaurants and a great base to wander around!

             I hope this helps and that you’ll have a great stay in Sardinia!