A Local's Perfect One Week Sardinia Itinerary
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Get off the beaten path and far away from the summer crowds with this guide to spending a week in one of Sardinia’s wildest and least-visited regions, the Southwest.
This area, the Southwest of the island, is where I’m from and it’s my favorite part of Sardinia (no surprise there!).
It is one of the least explored and most authentic parts of of the island. Its beaches are uncrowded and the small towns and cities that dot the countryside and coast carry on traditions and customs from centuries past. It also offers great wines and traditional food with slight hints of African influences that serve to remind you of Sardinia’s past as a center of trade between continents.
It is an unexpected exotic escape close to Cagliari and right at the heart of the Mediterranean.
To give you a great taste of Sardinia in a small amount of time, I’ve tried to include a nice balance of sightseeing, culture, urban exploring, and beach time.
For those with only 5 days and those with up to 10 days, at the bottom of the article I’ve also included a bunch of other itinerary ideas.
More Sardinia travel info:
If you could use some one-on-one help planning your itinerary, schedule a Sardinia travel consultation with me!
Table of contents
What to know when planning your trip
How long to spend in Sardinia
When to visit
How to get around
Itinerary overview
7-day itinerary
Day 1 - Cagliari
Day 2 - Sinis Peninsula
Day 3 - Bosa and the Montiferru
Day 4 - Costa Verde
Day 5 - Carloforte and Sant’Antioco
Day 6 - Teulada
Day 7 - Tuerredda, Chia, and Nora
More Sardinia itinerary ideas
Plan your itinerary with local help
If you’re planning a trip to Sardinia and could use some help figuring out a great plan, schedule a Sardinia travel consultation with me!
These are one-hour Zoom calls where we can chat about the trip you’re planning and I’ll share my tips and advice, answer your travel questions, and help you perfect your itinerary.
What to know when planning your trip
Before we get into the itinerary, I want to cover some of the basic questions you probably have. So, I’ve given quick answers below to the main things I think you should consider as you start planning your trip.
For more detailed information on all these topics, have a look at my Sardinia travel guide.
How long to spend
Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, so it’s not somewhere you can come see in 3 days.
For a first visit, I always recommend at least one week in Sardinia. This won’t let you see the entire island, but it’ll let you visit at least two parts of it and spend a lot of time at our fabulous beaches. A week gives you enough days to visit a major city like Cagliari or Alghero, see some countryside if you’re interested in that, and then spend various days lounging on the beach and boating off the coast.
If you have a week and want to see a lot, I usually recommend combining Southwest Sardinia with the Northwest (i.e. Cagliari to Alghero) or just visiting the northern Coast (Alghero to Olbia, with Cala Gonone). Often though, I recommend focusing on just a single area and enjoying it leisurely. A week in the southwest is a blast as is a week exploring the Northeastern beach areas of the Gulf of Orosei, the Costa Smeralda, and La Maddalena.
If you have 10 days, you can visit three regions, but you still absolutely cannot cover the entire island. A 10 day trip could start in Cagliari, cover the wild southwestern coast, visit Alghero and its nearby beaches, then shoot over to the northern Gallura coast before finishing up with La Maddalena archipelago, the Costa Smeralda, and Orosei/Cala Gonone in the northeast. That’s a busy trip, but a great one.
The reason why I caution against trying to cover tons of ground in limited time is because Sardinia isn’t the type of place you come to check off highlights and rush from one city to the next. Most people come here to relax and enjoy the beach, and with so many fantastic beaches everywhere, there’s just no reason to spend your entire vacation criss-crossing the island.
When to visit
The best time to visit Sardinia is the second half of September or the first half of October. This is the beginning of shoulder season, but the weather is still great so you get all the benefits of a summer visit, but with much better prices and far fewer people.
The weather in early fall is always warm enough for swimming in Sardinia (you can usually swim through the end of October), but it’s not the blistering heat of the summer. It’s the perfect time of year to swim, hike, cycle, sightsee, and just exist. Nights are still warm too, so the heaviest clothing you’ll need to pack is a light sweater.
Because the summer season is over (Italians and Europeans are all back to school or work by the September 15th), the vast majority of tourists are gone, and you’re also not competing with vacationing locals. Hotel prices drop steeply and car rentals can be found for absolute bargains. Tours, boat rides, and lots of other experiences also offer discounted prices.
Having said all this, late May and early June is also a really nice time to come. If you’re from somewhere cold, you’ll probably find it plenty pleasant for swimming already, and the crowds don’t start to arrive in force until mid-June, so the island will be pretty quiet.
Being a beach destination, summer is obviously the most popular time to visit, but it’s also the most crowded, the most expensive, and the hottest. Loads of people come here in summer and have a fabulous time (and you would too!), but if you have the flexibility to trade summer for early fall, you should.
This advice is true for Sardinia in general, but the beauty of southwestern Sardinia (which this itinerary covers) is that it’s not really busy any time of year. With the exception of some popular beaches near to Cagliari, you can visit this region even in the height of high season (the “Ferragosto” period) and still find empty beaches and uncrowded towns. That’s a big part of why I love it so much.
How to get around
For this itinerary, you absolutely need to have a car rental. This is true for pretty much any Sardinia itinerary as public transport is simply not good. If you want to see great beaches, get between cities and smaller towns, or just go anywhere not on a major road, you need a car.
Luckily, renting a car in Sardinia is easy, driving is mostly hassle free, and you’ll find many of the big international rental companies here as well as a host of local ones. This itinerary starts in Cagliari, so that’s where you should rent your car. For trips starting elsewhere, the cities of Olbia and Alghero both have many rental agencies to choose from.
To check rental prices and book, I recommend using DiscoverCars. It’s a car rental website that includes offerings from all the major international rental companies as well as lots of smaller local agencies, which often have much better pricing. You can often find great deals.
I use it myself and have always had good experiences.
Itinerary overview
Prepare yourself for a beautiful journey along the whole of Southwestern Sardinia.
But know that this is not a “highlights itinerary” nor do I try to cover the entire island in just a week. That can’t be done and it would be a total waste of your time to try.
Itineraries that go all over Sardinia in just 7 days make no sense; you spend all your time in the car and have no time to actually enjoy anywhere. That’s not why you should come here.
I’ve designed this itinerary with the goal of introducing you to Sardinia’s charms, but away from the more touristy destinations or just simple beach resorts. Here, you’ll get a feel for a truly local part of the island, and even in the height of summer you’ll almost never be surrounded by crowds.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the plan:
Day 1 - Explore Sardinia’s capital city of Cagliari.
Day 2 - Visit the island’s most famous Nuraghe of Su Nuraxi and then hike and beach hop on the Sinis Peninsula.
Day 3 - Enjoy the charming city of Bosa and experience Slow Food culture in the nearby countryside.
Day 4 - Road trip along the wild Costa Verde, stopping at fantastic deserted beaches all along your route.
Day 5 - See islands within an island on idyllic Carloforte and Sant’Antioco.
Day 6 - Take a boat trip to hidden beaches along the Teulada coast.
Day 7 - Drive one of Sardinia’s best coastal roads, stopping to enjoy beaches like Tuerredda and Chia, and the archaeological site of Nora.
The route begins in Cagliari, Sardinia’s lively capital surrounded by wetlands renowned for the elegant pink flamingos that make them home. Starting from the capital, you’ll head northwest to the center of western coast, where you’ll get to explore the shining white quartz beaches of the Sinins Peninsula, stopping to explore the famous Su Nuraxis nuraghe in Barumini. While in this area, you’ll also get to visit the charming town of Bosa. This covers your first 3 days.
From here, you’ll go south along the wild Costa Verde coast, passing by deserted beaches with huge sand dunes backed by mountains.
Back on the southern coast of the island, you’ll visit beautiful the beautiful island of Carloforte and then drive along the winding southwest coast, home to majestic scenery made up of Phoenician ruins, ancient Spanish watchtowers, and a seemingly endless array of sandy beaches and magical coves. The main towns you’ll visit here are Teulada, Chia, and Pula.
The itinerary ends where you started, in Cagliari.
Day 1: Arrival in Cagliari
Benvenuti to the lively capital of Sardinia!
Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia and the perfect starting point for your tour. This is a very lively town and an undiscovered Mediterranean gem. Its long history tracks the rise and fall of countless civilizations in the Mediterranean: Nuragic Sardinians, Phoenicians, Punics, Romans, Byzantines, Barbarians, Genoans, and even the Spanish! Its center is divided into four old districts dominated by the one called Castello (the Castle), overlooking the whole of town and its two bays.
Depending on the time of your arrival, you could start with a relaxing cycle around the promenade beginning in the center and continuing to Molentargius Park where you’ll pass along the ancient salt works.
These are now inhabited by thousands of Pink Flamingos and many other species of lagoon birds. Here flamingos, called Genti Arrubia by locals, (it means red people in the Sardinian language) have been nesting and living for more than 30 years and have become a real symbol of the city.
After snapping some pictures, keep cycling along the long sandy Poetto beach, stopping along the way to experience a super local ritual: having an aperitif while enjoying the view of the Sella del Diavolo cliff plunging into the sea.
Back in town you’ll dine in one of the historic districts, an experience that will let you discover a unique cooking style that has its roots more in Spanish culture than Italian.
Cagliari cooking is quintessentially Mediterranean; lots of fresh fish, seafood, sea urchins, handmade pastas, local olive oil, and many local ancient grapes. You’ll be sure to have an unforgettable meal, which will set the tone for your culinary journey of Sardinia.
Overnight in Cagliari
Day 2: Cagliari to Cabras
Hike along scenic cliffs, taste the local grey mullet fish, and try the best Bottarga.
Sardinia is at the center of the western Mediterranean and many civilizations cruised along its coasts. Very few were able to conquer its vast and fertile inland, inhabited by the still mysterious civilization of Nuragic people. Part of today is dedicated to learning about this civilization.
So, depart Cagliari heading north among the fertile Marmilla hills, a rolling and peaceful landscape. Your destination is the town of Barumini, home to the most important archaeological site of Sardinia; the Unesco heritage site of "Su Nuraxi.”
This solemn "Nuraghe" is the most representative of the more than 7,000 ancient castles that dot the island and were built over 3,500 years ago. Ancient inhabitants used massive stones and refined architectural techniques to create these unusual structures. Plan on visiting for an hour or two.
After your visit, continue driving up to Sinis Marine Park, a peninsula on the west coast famous for its shining and dotted with wetlands inhabited by pink flamingos. Its main village, Cabras, is a laid back place with a long tradition of lagoon fishing.
In the afternoon you can hike the scenic coast of Sinis Peninsula, walking along the cliffs of Su Tingiosu. This is a breathtaking, but easy hike from which you can admire the myriad shades of blue of the ocean at your feet.
You’ll reach the marvelous white quartz beaches of Mari Ermi and Is Aruttas, and then pass through the village of San Salvatore with its countryside church, which is the site of a fascinating ancient procession. Give yourself plenty of time as you’ll certainly want to take breaks to swim.
The Sinis hosts some of the most interesting heritage attractions of Sardinia: the fascinating Phoenician settlement of Tharros and the mysterious “Giganti di Monte Prama,” a giant sandstone statues representing nuragic warriors dating back to the 9th century BC. Tharros in particular I always think is worth visiting.
In the evening, head back to Cabras and enjoy a leisurely dinner.
Overnight in Cabras or Oristano
Day 3: Bosa and the Montiferru
Traditional Knives and Slow Food culture
Today you’ll drive north from Cabras along the slopes of Montiferru, a dormant volcano now covered in thick oak forests and thousand-year-old olive groves.
Your first destination is the town of Cuglieri where you can taste the village’s famous olive oil. Here, olives are single cold pressed to retain maximum flavor and health benefits.
From Cuglieri, continue north to the charming town of Bosa. Just off the sea and located on the banks of the Temo river, this is probably Sardinia’s prettiest town. There are no major sights, but you’ll find colorful houses spread on the slope of a hill dominated by an imposing medieval castle. It’s a very pleasant place to spend a few hours wandering, and a great place to have lunch.
While in Bosa, you should stop to have a local Malvasia wine tasting at Su Camasinu winery. This is the cantina of the Battista Columbu winemakers family; one of a few local producers that continue to preserve this precious wine. You can learn a bit about them in the movie “Mondovino”, from French director Nossiter.
After visiting Bosa, retrace your morning’s route, heading back up onto Montiferru and passing Cuglieri again. Your destination is the town of Santu Lussurgiu up in the hills.
The town itself is pleasant, but the real reason to make the trek here is to visit the handicraft “laboratory” of masters Vittorio Mura & Figli. They make the famous and incredibly beautiful handmade Sardinian knives as well as horse tacks and riding gear. A visit to their workshop and store is very interesting, and it’s the perfect place to pick up some authentic souvenirs.
Another reason to visit is to have a fantastic meal. The best dinner in town (and one of the best of Sardinia) is at the absolutely charming restaurant “Antica Dimora del Gruccione”. The restaurant is housed in the ancient mansion of Gabriella Belloni, a fascinating lady who restored her ancestors’ home and has a clear vision of incorporating the history and traditions of Slow Food and genuine Sardinian hospitality into her guests’ experience. It’s fabulous.
After dinner, it’s about a 30 minute drive back to Cabras or Oristano (although you could spend the night in Bosa if you wanted to).
Overnight in Cabras or Oristano
Connect with Simone, our Cagliari-based local expert, for help perfecting your itinerary, answers to all your travel questions, and fabulous local tips!
Day 4: Cabras to Nebida
Into the Sardinian wild
Another spectacular day starts by heading south from Cabras in the direction of the town of Nebida in Sardinia’s southwest.
Ignore your GPS, which will send you on a rather boring inland route, and instead head south on the SP49 road in the direction of “Torre dei Corsari” (a little town and impressive beach an hour south of Cabras).
As you leave Cabras, you can pass through the small city of Oristano. There’s nothing particular to see, but it’s the largest town in the area and fairly pleasant for a morning stroll. I recommend making a pitstop here for a coffee and a walk through the center. Figure that you’ll spend 30-60 minutes here.
Back in the car, you’ll continue south, passing through the Marceddi lagoon, a place that seems frozen in time. You’ll continue onto the SP49 until it becomes the SP69 and eventually the SP4 outside of Torre dei Corsari. Now your coastal route begins.
This is definitely one of the wildest areas of the island and the Mediterranean bush covers the hills like a thick carpet until you arrive at desert sands leading up to majestic dunes. The ocean itself looks wilder here, always mosso (moving and churning) thanks to the “mistral” wind blowing in from Africa.
This whole section of coast running down to the island of Sant’Antioco in Sardinia’s southwest corner is known as the Costa Verde (the Green Coast). It’s rather remote and very seldom visited by foreign tourists. The beaches here are wilder and longer than elsewhere in Sardinia, and their huge sand dunes are often backed by mountains. This area is rich in minerals, and you’ll find lots of old mining villages and abandoned mines, some of which, like Porto Flavia, can be visited.
A few stops I always recommend are the deserted beach of S’Aquedda, the somewhat famous Spiaggia di Piscinas, and lovely Spiaggia di Scivu. Even in the summer high season, you’ll rarely find any of these beaches overcrowded.
The road keeps winding south around old mines, long endless beaches, secluded coves, and fields of wildflowers until it finally opens up at the infinite gold sandy beach of Portixeddu - a surfer’s paradise. This is also a little town, and you have a few good options for lunch here, along with stunning views.
The next village is Buggerru, a little port nestled among the imposing limestone mountains. Here you can visit the absolutely scenic Porto Flavia, a mine that opens up in a cliff face towering above the sea. This is not just for looks - ships were loaded directly from this cliff before the mine was decommissioned.
Today is a day when it looks like beauty never ends and your final stop of the day is in the Nebida area, near to the fantastic beach of Masua, where you have a natural terrace that overlooks our famous “Pan di Zucchero” (Sugar Loaf) cliff. Try to get here for sunset.
What a day…
You should plan on spending the night in Nebida, but if you can’t find a hotel you like, the nearby town of Iglesias is much larger and has more options. It’s a nice enough town too.
Overnight in Nebida or Iglesias
Day 5: Nebida to Carloforte and Sant’Antioco
Genoan and Phoenician heritage on the southwest’s prettiest islands
Today you’re going to leave the main island of Sardinia behind, and head onto a smaller Sardinian island that lies just off its coast; Carloforte.
Carloforte is actually the name of the only town on San Pietro island, but most people just call the whole island Carloforte. Since 1783 it has hosted a community of Ligurian fishermen who arrived from the African island of Tabarka (Tunisia) because of a request by king Emanuele III of Sardinia. Liguria’s capital city is Genova, and the Genovese culture (and dialect) have persisted on Carloforte for centuries. Even the architecture here is somewhat similar to what you find in Liguria.
The population still today lives on sea-trade, fishing (especially lobsters and red tuna), and local handicrafts. The town itself is lovely and the island has some nice trails and fabulous unspoiled beaches. Most of them are rocky, though. The beauty of this place, together with an incredible mild climate, makes Carloforte one of the best places to visit in southwest Sardinia.
To get here, drive from Nebida to the town/port of Portoscuso, from where the ferry to Carloforte departs. Technically it departs from Portovesme, but these two towns are adjacent to each other. Ferries depart around once per hour and the ride takes 40 minutes.
Once aboard the ferry, as soon as it approaches Carloforte, you’ll notice a distinctive architecture, more similar to the villages of Cinque Terre than the Sardinian villages. Once on land, explore the town on foot and then the island (preferably with your car). There are lots of nice hidden beaches (rocky ones), some odd rock formations, an tuna cannery, and out the solitary lookout point of Capo Sandalo. There are also some nice hikes and you can take a boat trip around the island too.
You could stay the night here or, if you’ve had your fill, get a ferry Carloforte’s sister island of Sant’Antioco. Ferries arrive to Calasetta, one of two town’s on Sant’Antioco
On Sant’Antioco you’ll be amazed by the stubborn Carignano grapes growing in the sand and producing some of the best wines of the whole Sardinia. The landscape is also pretty and pristine with crystal clear waters. Sant’Antioco village is on the southern side of the Island, and has some high end fish restaurants right by the lagoon.
Overnight in Carloforte or Sant’Antioco
Day 6: Teulada boat trip
Your trip is winding down, but your last two days are pure coastal stunners. This stretch of land from Carloforte to Cagliari has a host of fabulous sandy beaches and a section of gorgeous coves that can only be reached by boat trip. That’s what we’re doing today.
Start your morning in Carloforte (or Sant’Antioco, depending on where you slept), and head back to the mainland.
Drive straight to the port of Teulada, where you can book a spot on a gommone (rubber dinghy) for a boat trip to the nearby beaches. Much of this area was once an active NATO base (and some of it still is), so there’s no land access to these outrageously beautiful beaches. Up until a few years ago, there was no access by any means, but they’ve recently allowed boats to enter the waters, so you can now swim there and even occasionally drop a towel onto the sand!
Because this area is so inaccessible, undeveloped, and mostly unknown (even to people in Cagliari only an hour away), the water is among the clearest I’ve seen anywhere. And it never gets full of boats like the beaches around Cala Gonone and La Maddalena do.
Figure that a boat tour will take around 4 hours, and some of them will include lunch or some sort of snack (though I’d still bring my own).
If you finish early enough in the day and have time to spare, you should either go for a nice drive on the winding coastal roads or relax at one of the excellent nearby beaches.
Overnight in/around Teulada
Day 7: Chia, Pula, and Nora
Spanish towers, glorious coastline, and the magnificent ruins of Nora
The last leg of this tour starts at the same Capo Teulada shores from yesterday. As I mentioned, this stretch of coastline is stunningly beautiful with calm bays and coves lapped by mindbogglingly clear seas.
From Teulada, you’ll take the winding SP71 road all along the amazing Costa del Sud coastline. Be sure to stop plenty to embrace this pristine landscape and soak it in. This a never ending succession of marvelous beaches patrolled by solitary Spanish watch towers, a remnant from the Spanish occupation of Sardinia.
I recommend spending the morning today stopping at beaches along your drive. There are too many good ones for me to even bother mentioned them, but I particularly love Tuerredda (in the photo above) for how the water’s turquoise and deep blue hues contrast with the green Mediterranean scrub and white sand.
From Tuerredda (or whatever beach you choose), continue on to Chia, another fantastic beach. Here, I recommend to stop and hike to the astonishing lighthouse of Capo Spartivento (in the photo below). For anyone with more energy, you can continue the hike to arrive at the ancient lookout point of Guardia Manna.
The nearby archeological site of Nora should be your next step. It was once Phoenician before being colonized by the Romans. The ruins sit directly on the sea and it is one of the most important archaeological sites of Sardinia. Even if you are not a fan of archaeology, you can’t help but marvel at its magical location, suspended between the sea and the lagoon.
This is also the perfect place to celebrate the end of the tour with a Michelin star dinner right at the heart of the Nora Lagoon at “Fradis Minoris” restaurant!
The day ends in Pula, a lively little village with a nice Piazza surrounded by restaurants and gelaterie.
Overnight in Pula.
5-day and 10-day itineraries
Below I’ve shared a bunch of potential itineraries to give you an idea of what you could do with different amounts of time (and in different parts of Sardinia).
Most of the 5-day itineraries are designed to let you have just one or two bases so that you can relax and take day trips, returning to the same place each night.
Once we get into longer itineraries that cover more of the island, you start to need to stay in a new place almost every night. Sardinia is big and everything is spread out along the coast, meaning that you’re always moving further away from where you started, so it doesn’t make sense to try to use the same base repeatedly.
5-day north Sardinia itinerary - Arrive to Alghero and depart from Olbia
Day 1 - Alghero (stay in Alghero)
Day 2 - Stintino and Castelsardo (stay in Alghero or Santa Teresa di Gallura)
Day 3 - Santa Teresa and the Gallura coast (stay in Santa Teresa di Gallura)
Day 4 - La Maddalena archipelago (stay in Santa Teresa di Gallura)
Day 5 - Costa Smeralda (stay in Santa Teresa di Gallura)
This itinerary covers Sardinia’s northern highlights, beginning in Alghero and cruising the coastline all the way to Olbia. This is an itinerary for beach lovers looking to spend as much time as possible by some of the island’s best beaches.
You begin with a day to explore Alghero, a charming city in its own right and somewhere worth spending at least a few hours walking around. Nearby, the Capo Caccia promontory has some walking/hiking trails, Neptune’s grotto, and good beaches like Le Bombarde.
Your next day is spent traversing the northern coast, from Alghero to Santa Teresa di Gallura. Along the way you’ll stop at the iconic beach of Stintino for a swim before heading to the medieval hilltop village of Castelsardo which is a pleasant place to wander and affords love views. The day ends on the beach in Santa Teresa.
Your third day is dedicated to relaxing on the beaches of the Gallura coast and your 4th will be spent beach hopping (and hopefully boating) on the stunning archipelago of La Maddalena. On your final day, you’ll get to enjoy the world famous beaches of the Costa Smeralda, all around Olbia, Porto Cervo, and Porto Rotondo.
5-day northwest Sardinia itinerary - Arrive and depart from Alghero
Day 1 - Alghero (stay in Alghero)
Day 2 - Mugoni beach, Capo Caccia promontory, and Grotta di Nettuno (stay in Alghero)
Day 3 - Stintino beach (stay in Alghero)
Day 4 - Bosa and the Montiferru (stay in Bosa)
Day 5 - Beaches of the Sinis Peninsula (stay in Bosa or Cabras)
Northwest Sardinia has a few pretty cities and plenty of good beaches, and the purpose of this itinerary is to combine some time in elegant towns with plenty of beach lounging. You’ll only have two bases and won’t have much driving to do.
Your first three days are spent in and around Alghero, enjoying the city and its nearby natural attractions, including the iconic beach of Stintino. By basing yourself in Alghero, you’re near to a number of good beaches, but you’re still in a real city, so there are plenty of bars, restaurants, and cafes to all around you. In the evenings, you’ll have everything you need nearby, so will never have to worry about getting in the car.
Your last two days use the charming town of Bosa as your a base to explore the Montiferru mountain and the lesser-visited beaches of the Sinis Peninsula.
*5-day northeast Sardinia itinerary - Arrive and depart from Olbia
Day 1 - Santa Teresa di Gallura beaches (stay in Santa Teresa)
Day 2 - La Maddalena archipelago (stay in Santa Teresa)
Day 3 - Costa Smeralda beaches (stay in Santa Teresa)
Day 4 - San Teodoro and Budoni (stay in Orosei)
Day 5 - Boat trip in the Gulf of Orosei from Cala Gonone (stay in Orosei)
This plan concentrates 5 days on Sardinia’s most famous coast, the Costa Smeralda. These are Sardinia’s most famous beaches; all small coves with red rocks, white and pinkish sand, and some of the calmest and clearest waters you’ve ever seen.
Use Santa Teresa as your base for your first three days to explore the far northeast, covering the Gallura coast, the La Maddalena Archipelago, and classic Costa Smeralda beaches like Cala del Principe and Cala Petra Ruja.
Moving south, your last two days are spent around the Gulf of Orosei, where the beaches get a bit bigger and wider, with crescent shaped bays of powdery white sand and lovely shallow waters. On your 5th day, you’ll have time to take a boat trip to see the outrageously beautiful beaches near to Cala Gonone (like Cala Gorotizé and Mariolu) on a boat trip.
*5-day south Sardinia itinerary - Arrive and depart from Cagliari
Day 1 - Cagliari (stay in Cagliari)
Day 2 - Chia beach, Nora archeological site, Tuerredda beach (stay in Teulada)
Day 3 - Boat trip around Porto Zafferano and Teulada beaches (stay in Teulada)
Day 4 - Carloforte (stay in Carloforte or Teulada)
Day 5 - Masua, Buggerru, and Portixeddu (stay in Buggeru)
This 5-day trip includes a host of beaches to west of the city of Cagliari. Although much less well known than the beaches of the Costa Smeralda, this section of the island also has some of the finest beaches you’ll ever see. Although extremely close to Cagliari, many of them are relatively unknown to tourists and not very busy even in high season.
Your first day is dedicated to enjoying the city of Cagliari, Sardinia’s capital. From here, you go west, spending a full day beach hopping and visiting the evocative Phoenician archeological site of Nora.
On your third day, take a boat trip from Teulada marina to see and swim at the incredible nearby protected beaches that are exclusively accessible by boat. Once within a NATO base, these have only recently become open to the public.
Your 4th day is spent on the island of Carloforte, once founded by Genoese fishermen, which has unique architecture reminiscent of the Ligurian coast as well as great beaches and walking trails.
Your final day is spent on the Costa Verde, a sparsely populated and seldom visited stretch of coast with big, wild beaches and high cliffs. It’s a world away from the tiny coves and bays that people generally associate with Sardinia.
5-day east Sardinia itinerary - Arrive to Olbia and depart from Cagliari
Day 1 - Costa Smeralda (stay in Baja Sardinia)
Day 2 - San Teodoro & Budoni (stay in Orosei)
Day 3 - Boat trip in the Gulf of Orosei from Cala Gonone (stay in Orosei)
Day 4 - Cala Gonone to Costa Rei (stay in Costa Rei)
Day 5 - Costa Rei and Villasimius (stay in Costa Rei)
*10-day Sardinia itinerary - Arrive to Alghero and depart from Cagliari
Day 1 - See Catalan architecture in elegant Alghero (stay in Alghero)
Day 2 - Spend the day swimming at iconic Stintino beach (stay in Alghero)
Day 3 - Depart Alghero for Castelsardo & Santa Teresa di Gallura (stay in Santa Teresa)
Day 4 - Visit the stunning La Maddalena archipelago (stay in Santa Teresa)
Day 5 - Explore the Costa Smeralda beaches around Porto Rotondo (stay in Santa Teresa)
Day 6 - Do a boat trip in the Gulf of Orosei (stay in Orosei)
Day 7 - Relax on the wide beaches of Costa Rei and Villasimius (stay in Villasimius)
Day 8 - Beach hop in Costa Rei and Villasimius (stay in Villasimius)
Day 9 - Experience cosmopolitan Sardinia in the island’s capital of Cagliari
Day 10 - One more day at the beach in Chia and Tueredda beach (stay in Cagliari)
10-day Sardinia itinerary - Arrive to Cagliari and depart from Olbia
Day 1 - Explore Cagliari (stay in Cagliari)
Day 2 - Chia, Nora archaeological site, and Tuerredda beach (stay in Teulada)
Day 3 - Road trip through the wild Costa Verde: Masua, Buggeru, and Portixeddu (stay in Portixeddu or Cabras)
Day 4 - Bosa and around (stay in Bosa or Alghero)
Day 5 - Alghero city and Lazzaretto beach (stay in Alghero)
Day 6 - Stintino beach, Castelsardo, and Gallura coast (stay in Santa Teresa di Gallura)
Day 7 - La Maddalena archipelago (stay in Santa Teresa di Gallura)
Day 8 - Costa Smeralda (stay in Santa Teresa di Gallura))
Day 9 - Costa Smeralda/Orosei (stay Orosei)
Day 10 - Cala Gonone boat trip (stay in Orosei)
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