Sardinia is undoubtedly Italy’s Mediterranean paradise. You’ll find some of Europe’s top beaches on this island, even if the locals don’t want you to know about them. But Sardinia is somehow even more than just its gorgeous waters – its coastal towns and national parks are treasures, with amazing landscapes, hearty cuisine, and lots of wildlife. The challenge? Figuring out how to see it all! Keep reading and save this ultimate Sardinia itinerary for an unforgettable getaway.
This itinerary focuses primarily on northern Sardinia, with a bit of the eastern coast. To explore the whole island, you would need at least two weeks, and that’s if you make quick stops in each place. You’ll just have to make another trip!
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The Best Time to Visit Sardinia
The key to an amazing Sardinia trip is visiting during the shoulder season. I recommend early June. During the first week of June, kids are still in school, so fewer vacationers and locals are at the beaches. The water may still be chilly to jump into, but once you get in and get acclimated, it’s absolutely no problem to swim and enjoy.
Prices for everything shoot up in July and August, and so does the number of visitors to the island.
September is also a good month to visit to still enjoy the nice weather and a refreshing swim.
How to Reach Sardinia
The first element of a strong Sardinia itinerary is choosing how you’ll arrive and travel around the island. These are your options:
Ferry
There are ferries to Sardinia from Barcelona, Corsica, Marseilles and, of course, Italy – from Civitavecchia (near Rome), Piombino, Livorno, Genoa, Naples and more, depending on the company you travel with.
The length of the ferry depends on where you travel from. Many are overnight ferries because the travel time is around or exceeds 10 hours.
If you’re traveling from Italy, some of the ferry companies with daily departures are Grimaldi Lines and Corsica Ferries.
Airports
Sardinia has three main airports: Alghero and Olbia to the north of the island and Cagliari to the south.
I personally flew in and out of Alghero and found that positioning perfect for this itinerary. But because the itinerary is basically a loop, you could also do it by flying in and out of Olbia, starting the loop there, and following the stops in order.
Typically, if you play around with dates and look far in advance enough, you can find some really cheap flights with low-cost airlines like RyanAir and Volotea.
Getting Around Sardinia
There’s not much to say here besides it would be really hard to get around Sardinia without renting a car.
If you travel by ferry, you can bring your vehicle with you, which may be cheaper than flying and renting a car.
Driving in Sardinia is pretty straightforward. The only thing to look out for is that sometimes Google Maps or Apple Maps will take you on the fastest routes and those may include some country roads where the street is wide enough for just one car – so travel slow on these roads to notice oncoming traffic.
One Week in Sardinia Itinerary
Day 1: Alghero
Alghero is one of the main towns in northern Sardinia. The Old Town is a fortified city, and the scenery of the waves clashing into the walls that surround the white-washed and colorful houses is beautiful.
Take a stroll along the port and through the city center without missing Via Ferret and its cute boutiques and the colorful rooftop of the Church of St. Michael.
And for some traditional Sardinian sweets, stop by Bon Bons Pasticceria Dolci Sardi Alghero.
Where to stay: After a day in Alghero, make you way towards the northern coast and stay in port town Porto Torres. It’s affordable and has ferry connections for an amazing day trip the next day! I recommend the B&B I Colori dell’Isola, which was in a quiet part of the town but still a close walk to restaurants and the port.
Day 2: Asinara National Park
I have an entire guide on how to plan the perfect day trip to Asinara National Park, so check that out if you want the details on organizing your trip.
Visiting the Asinara National Park is hands-down one of the most unique and incredible experiences you can have in Sardinia. This island, located at the very tip of northern Sardinia, used to be a high-security prison and is now all but abandoned – except for the wild animals that call it home.
Among these animals are donkeys – and lots of them, including the albino donkey, which is native to this island.
You’ll also find some of the clearest waters you’ve ever seen and may even have some beach coves to yourself.
I recommend taking the ferry from Porto Torres for a full day on the island and renting a golf cart to explore autonomously, but you can also find organized day tours and other group excursions.
Day 3: La Pelosa Beach & Castelsardo
On the first half of day three on your Sardinia itinerary, you’re hitting one of Sardinia’s best beaches.
La Pelosa in Stintino is famous for its long stretch of shallow, crystal-clear waters. In fact, the beach is getting so famous that attendance is now limited during high season, so you have to reserve your spot ahead of time to go to the beach.
There’s another thing to know before you go: the kind of towel you use on the beach. Regular towels are not allowed unless you have a mat under them, which are sold at the beach). Or you can use a microfiber towel. This is because regular towels trap too much sand and the town is trying to preserve the beach with the increased traffic.
Swim all morning and enjoy lunch with a view at the nearby beach bar I Ginepri.
Then start moving east and visit the beautiful coastal town of Castelsardo where you’ll spend the night. Visit the Museo dell’Intreccio Mediterraneo, Museum of the Crossroads of the Mediterranean, and if you’re up for another beach, head to Spiaggia Lu Bagnu.
Where to stay: Go just outside Castelsardo for an agiturismo with incredible views, foods and lodging – New Suites Sea View at Agriturismo Bedda Ista. If you can elongate your stay anywhere, it should be in these adorable little villas.
Day 4: Li Cossi Beach & Santa Teresa Gallura
Day 4 starts at another one of Sardinia’s most beautiful beaches – but it doesn’t look how you think it would. Sardinia is known for crystal-clear, blue water beaches. But Li Cossi Beach is completely unique.
Arriving in the town of Costa Paradiso, you notice how the landscape changes to a rocky (almost Palm Springs-esque) Mediterranean paradise. The town is luxe with stylized shops and signage, and all the villas are designed to blend in with the rocky landscape.
To get to the beach, you’ll park at the end of town near the shore. There is a pathway along the picturesque cliffs that you’ll walk for about 10 minutes to reach the beach.
Once you eventually turn the corner towards the end of the path, you finally see the mindblowing beauty of Li Cossi Beach – a stretch of sand between the end of a canyon river and the turquoise green waters of the Mediterranean, all surrounded by red rocky cliffs.
Get here early because by midday, the beach completely fills up.
After your beach day, go out in Santa Teresa Gallura for the evening. This was one of my favorite towns we visited in Sardinia. I loved the beach vibes and the warmth of the people.
We were here for two nights, and we ended up going to the same restaurant both nights because it blew us away.
You must go to Ristorante Marinaro for the most unique and tasty dishes in town that highlight local and traditional recipes of the Gallurese. I tried both of the pastas, the ravioli with lemon and orange and the gnochetti with pesto and almond shavings and I’ve never had pastas so light and tasty. The service was also impeccable. And don’t get me started on dessert. I think it’s clear, I absolutely loved this place.
Where to stay: Using Santa Teresa Gallura as a home base for the next couple days, stay at the Le 25 Tartarughe B&B. Our host Pier was so accommodating and had amazing recommendations for where to explore.
Day 5: La Maddalena Archipelago
Time for another excursion! Make a day trip to the iconic La Maddalena Archipelago on Sardinia’s northeastern coast.
La Maddalena is a collection of 7 islands between Sardinia and Corsica. The best way to reach them is to book a boat excursion that will take you to multiple islands in a day. Keep in mind that which islands you visit on excursions may depend on the weather/winds that day.
We visited the islands of Budelli and Spargi. On Budelli, we sailed past the pink beach (which isn’t really pink anymore because people historically have taken the sand, so now you can’t go on the beach) and the Budelli “pools.”
Spargi was my favorite. We visited Cala Corsara and Cala Soraya. Cala Soraya is a beautiful small beach with literally the finest sand I’ve ever felt. Cala Corsara, instead, is this vast cove with huge rock formations and, of course, amazingly clear water.
Day 6: Capo Testa & Spiaggia del Principe
Explore another area near Santa Teresa Gallura before heading towards the Porto Cervo/Porto Rotondo area – Capo Testa.
Capo Testa is small peninsula with a famous lighthouse. It’s really remote and rocky with gorgeous views towards Corsica.
You’ll also find a beautiful hidden beach – Cala Spinosa. This is the perfect place for a quiet swim!
During the second half of the day, make your way east towards Costa Smeralda. Porto Cervo is one of the main towns of this area, a very “VIP” zone of Sardinia, with lots of expensive villas, shopping and partying.
Costo Smeralda beaches are some of the best in Sardinia, and Spiaggia del Prinicipe should be at the top of your list.
Below you can see that the waters of Spiaggia del Principe are unreal. Surrounded by nature, you have to walk a woodsy path before arriving to the sandy inlet.
Where to stay: I recommend staying anywhere between Olbia and the San Teodoro area for this portion of your itinerary. You’ll want to pick a home base for the next few days as you travel around the northeast and east coast. We stayed at the amazing Agriturismo Irghitula high above the historic town of Posada with unbeatable views.
Day 7: Cala Brandinchi & Capo Coda Cavallo
If you thought the other beach days were epic, then welcome to Day 7 of your Sardinia itinerary. Today you’re hitting two of the best beaches on the island.
Cala Brandinchi is known as “Little Tahiti” – and it’s clear why. This beach is similar to La Pelosa in that there’s a huge stretch of shallow water, creating this bright turquoise and a gradient of blues out to the sea.
You also get an amazing view of the Tavolara Island in the distance.
Cala Brandinchi is a very famous beach, so in summer you have to reserve your spot. Arrive early to get good parking and a good spot on the beach. The beach is long but not very wide, so it gets crowded quick.
You can rent equipment for water activities and there’s a beach bar here, so it’s great for amenities and very family-friendly.
If you’re craving something a bit calmer, or are up for doing two beaches in one day, head to nearby Capo Coda Cavallo for the afternoon. This beach is right across from the Tavolara Island, so the views are incredible.
Just like all the other beaches, the water is super clear and we found that this was a great place for snorkeling, with lots of flounders!
10-Day Sardinia Itinerary
Day 8: Baunei Coast/Golf of Orosei
Truly no trip to Sardinia is complete without visiting the coast of Baunei. It is more south than the other places on this Saridnia itinerary, which is why you need slightly over a week to be able to fit it in.
You can only explore this stretch of wild, uninhabited coast by boat. It’s easiest to book an excursion, but you can also rent your own boat.
For excursions, I recommend a small group tour on a speed boat, which takes you into various caves along the coast and feels more intimate and special, although a bit less comfortable since there’s not a ton of space. The bigger cruises are good for families or travelers who prefer the comfort of space, but feels much less intimate.
Since you’re coming from the north of Sardinia, you’ll set off from Cala Ganone to explore Cala Luna, Cala Biriola, Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritze.
I have hundreds of pictures from this amazing place but unfortunately I can’t put them all in this article! But it means some things won’t be spoiled ahead of time!
Day 9: Orgosolo & Bosa
I know this itinerary covers many Sardinia beaches, but there are gems of inland Sardinia as well! One of these is the mountain town of Orgosolo.
This village is known for its murals, which touch all kinds of themes including social and political views. You can explore on your own, but if you’re really into art and history, it may be worth it to get an audio guide (which they sell in town) to know the background behind the some 150 murals you’ll see on the buildings.
Continue traveling west until you reach the town of Bosa. This was probably my favorite town that we visited in Sardinia!
Located on the western coast, Bosa has two areas: the main town/historic center and the marina, right on the sea.
One of the first things you’ll notice about Bosa as you drive to it is the wonderfully colored houses, and because the historic center is set on a hill, the houses are all terraced so you see their facades creating a rainbow of a picture beneath the town’s medieval castle.
The historic center of Bosa is so charming, with lots of cute restaurants and a river to stroll along.
Day 10: Neptune’s Grotto (Return to Alghero)
You’ve made it back to Alghero! And on your last day you have one more special stop.
Neptune’s Grotto is one of the largest marine caves in Italy, formed around two million years ago. Getting to the grotto is an adventure in itself.
You’ll walk down around 600 steps along the cliffs of the Capo Caccia coast to reach the sea level. I found the walk very manageable, as the steps and path were well-kept. It’s a lot of stairs going up, but you can take your time returning and soak up the views.
You can also access the cave by boat.
The cave is amazing not only for the stalactites and stalagmites, but for its beautiful entrance with the waves crashing into the cave entrance and the stunning underground lake.
Each visit is a 30-minute guided tour. To book your visit, there’s two things you need to do.
- For stairs: If you decide to do the stairs, you have to make a reservation here and then buy your tickets here. You should arrive 30-40 minutes early so that you have ample time to get down the stairs before the time of your guided tour.
- For boat: The boat to the cave is operated by private companies, so you’ll buy a boat ticket from a private operator and then buy a ticket to the grotto.
The SGTD Take
The biggest challenge to putting together a Sardinia itinerary is figuring out how to see it all – and accepting that you just can’t! Sardinia has beautiful beaches along every corner of its coast that you could spend weeks if not months trying to visit them all.
And while the beaches are Sardinia’s biggest attraction, there’s also so many charming villages near the sea and in the more remote inland to be discovered.
This Sardinia itinerary is truly the perfect first-timer’s trip who want to see the best of Sardinia. Then you’ll just have to make another trip to start discovering all of its hidden gems!
Questions about your Sardinia itinerary? Ask me in the comments!
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Safe travels,
Michela
Michela is a travel writer and photographer living in northern Italy. She is passionate about helping people make the most of their travels by sharing advice gained from her personal experiences, off-the-beaten-path destinations and memorable itineraries. Browse her top articles or have her help you plan your itinerary to your dream destination!
