Are you thinking of visiting Sardinia?

Here you will find all the information you need!!

Sardinia is the second-largest island in Italy and is located in the middle of the Mediterranean sea. 

The island’s 64.000 acres of forest plunge 1.850 km of coastline, making Sardinia the region with the largest coastal development in Italy. 

Sardinia has no high mountains due to the erosion caused by wind and rain. It is mainly hilly and characterized by plateaus as well as groups of smaller hills. The highest massif is the Supramonte del Gennargentu, whose peak is Punta La Marmora (1.834 m). 

The longest river in Sardinia is the Tirso, which joins into the Gulf of Oristano, meanwhile, the only navigable river is the river Temo, which runs through the romantic town of Bosa.

How to travel to Sardinia

There are two ways of getting to Sardinia: 

If you decided to travel to Sardinia by plane, there are three airports:
Cagliari, the capital, on the south of the island;
Alghero, in the northwest of Sardinia;
And Olbia, in the northeast (known as Costa Smeralda).

The ferry is another option to get to Sardinia. In this case, you can bring your car, it allows you to move around more easily when in Sardinia. Ferries to Sardinia are available from mainland Italy, Sicily, Spain and France.

Ferry Ports in the North are: Olbia, Porto Torres, and Golfo Aranci.

The ferry port on the east coast is Arbatax, which is connected to Civitavecchia.

Lastly, Cagliari is the arrival port in the south. And the last one is in Santa Teresa di Gallura which connects Sardinia to Corsica.

Ferries to Sardinia are available year-round but run most frequently during the tourist high season between June and September.

The best time to visit Sardinia

The best time to visit Sardinia, is from April to June when the flowers are in bloom, the sea waters are warm and the temperatures haven’t yet reached their July and August highs.

September and October offer travelers mild weather and fewer crowds, while the months between November and March constitute a low season with chilly temperatures and fewer tourists. Of course, it will depend on what you want to do on your trip.

Beach holidays!

If you want to spend your beach holidays in Sardinia: The best months are June, July, August, and September.  If you don’t depend on school holidays to spend your summer holidays, June or September are the best options. On these dates, the weather will continue to be perfect and warm for a beach vacation, but you will also have the advantage that they will not be so crowded. In addition, the flights and hotels will be cheaper and the sun will not burn you. The temperatures in these months are 27 and 28 degrees. 

Here you will find some of the most famous beaches you must visit:

• If you are staying in the city of Cagliari, you should absolutely visit:
  – Tuerredda, it is considered one of the most beautiful beaches. It lies beyond the coastline of Chia and it is set in a natural and unspoiled environment, offering unique spectacles of fine white sand and crystal seas.
  – Porto Giunco, it is a tropical beach in the middle of the Mediterranean, one of the most famous on the island. The size of the beach ensures that you can always find plenty of space to spread out. The shallow and sandy seabed is ideal for families with children. The position of the cove contributes to the enchanting scenery, being nestled between headlands that act as a natural defense from the winds, giving you the feeling of having reached a unique location in the world and creating the perfect atmosphere for enjoying relaxing swims.
  – Cala Sinzias is a small cove that opens its beauties beyond a thick eucalypt grove, protected by a promontory that offers a spectacular view of the turquoise horizon.
  

• The West Coast is equally beautiful as the other ones. Here you must visit:
  The Dunes of Piscinas are one of the few deserts in Europe. Their peaks reach a height of about 100 meters, slowly descending towards the sea along a vast coastline of about seven kilometers. 
  Mari Ermi, here the sand is colored grains of quartz, the result of a slow wear of millennia that between water, wind and sun have produced a sand that is unique in the world. The sea water is so transparent that it doesn’t seem real and mixes up there, with the blue of the sky.
  
• The East Coast is known to be the one with the best beaches, not only in Sardinia but also in the whole world. You should definitely see these beaches:
  -Cala Goloritzé, a true Italian National Monument since 1995. Cala Goloritzé can be reached by sea, or for the more active visitors, by a trekking route.
  –Cala Mariolu, ‘Mariolu’ is Sardinian for ‘thief’. It is the nickname that had been used by the fishermen of the area, as a monk seal used to steal the freshly caught fish from the nets in close proximity of this cove. Several grottos can be found here and the cove’s beauty results in slight crowdedness during the summer.
  –Cala Luna, is embraced by steep rock walls within the Gulf of Orosei between Banuei and Dorgali. It is famous for its clear water which reflects the green of the vegetation.
  – Cala Sisine, halfway between Grotta del Fico and Cala Luna, is considered one of the pearls of the Orosei Gulf, facing the Serra Ovra and overlooking the sea.
  – Cala Biriola, the seabed of white pebbles, which look like candied almonds, reflects the sunlight through the emerald green water, with a captivating background of cliffs: you are in one of the jewels of the Gulf of Orosei, on the central-eastern coast of Sardinia
  –Lido di Orrì is considered one of the most beautiful and cleanest beaches of Sardinia: a 16 km long coastline shows off fine, white sand, shallow waters that are ideal for children, a crystal clear sea and numerous creeks.
  – Berchidda, a half-moon stretch of five kilometers of soft dunes of pure white sand, bathed by a crystal clear sea and covered by ancient junipers, forming interesting natural huts
  
• The North Coast: It is probably the most famous one, especially because of numerous actors, stars and other VIPs who are known to spend their holidays here. Here you should visit:
  – La Pelosa, the absolute clarity of the water makes this beach one of the most beautiful beaches of Sardinia. But the picture also offers soft white sand, a perfect view of the islands in front of you and the green of the Mediterranean shrub behind you.
  – Tavolara, the granite formation rises out of the deep blue sea waters and reaches a height of 600 meters above sea level. Wild and untouched, the island is part of the Marine Protected Area of Tavolara and Capo Coda Cavallo, and provides nesting shelter for numerous species of seabirds. The 20,000-plus hectares of the protected territory of the park – spanning 180 kilometers of coastline – are entirely an unspoiled world to discover by boat, departing from the ports of La Maddalena, Palau, Porto Cervo and Santa Teresa Gallura.
  – Another highlight is Budelli, embellished by the inimitable Spiaggia Rosa (“Pink Beach”). – La Maddalena with wonderful beaches, including Bassa Trinita and Monti da Rena, is connected to the east by a bridge with Caprera, the second largest island. It is dotted with splendid coves, including Cala Coticcio, also called Tahiti and it is famous for the Garibaldi Compendium. , the last home of the “hero of two worlds”.

The reason for which this island is so famous is due to its beautiful pristine paradisiac beaches. 

Active holidays!

If you prefer an active holiday in Sardinia: The island, with its many coastlines, its lush vegetation, exotic animal species and the enchanting mountain scenery with the beauty of its rivers, offers some very highlights for nature lovers. Hikers and mountain bikers will be happy to explore routes along the coastal area and the hinterland, characterized by a mountainous territory. Spring and autumn are considered the ideal season for sporting activities. 

The steep paths and trails of the almost 2000 m high Gennargentu mountains are recommended for cyclists who want to test themselves. Adventurers wander the rugged cliff walls, a real hotspot when it comes to free climbing. 

On Sardinia’s east coast, hikers go to picturesque bays such as Cala Goritzè with its turquoise blue water and the surrounding bizarre limestone formations. 

The Gorropu Gorge in the Supramonte is one of the deepest gorges in Europe with its over 300 m high steep walls and thus an impressive natural spectacle. 

There are also attractive coastal walks around the former fishing village of Isola Rossa. On Monte Biancu, caves can still be discovered today, which once offered refuge for the Sardinian shepherds and their flocks.

The wind blows throughout the year in Sardinia, so it is an ideal destination to go sailing. You will find several harbors scattered around the island and a plethora of bays where you can stop to relax. The most popular places for sailing are Sardinian smaller islands the Maddalena Archipelago and Asinara Island in the north of Sardinia; Carloforte and Sant’Antioco, with their lovely fishing villages (Calasetta is a real gem); and the area around Cagliari that goes all the way to Cala Pira.

You can discover cities. The biggest one is Cagliari. Cagliari is divided into four historic districts – La Marina, Stampace, Castello, and Villanova – and in each, you will find an abundance of museums, archeological sites, beautiful churches, and a historical center that is pleasant to explore. It is also a fantastic destination for gourmets, as there are lots of excellent restaurants.

Cagliari is a great destination for birdwatching, as it’s a nesting place for pink flamingos and many other species.

Don’t skip Sassari, the second biggest city on the island and home to a fantastic civic museum and somes plendid churches, such as the Duomo. 

Smaller cities that you should visit are Nuoro, where you will find a great ethnographic museum that will give you plenty of insights into the history and culture of the island; and Alghero, a small Catalan enclave on the northwest of the island.

Scattered around Sardinia there are many interesting archaeological sites. This is the only place in the world where you will find nuraghe (Su Nuraxi), dating from between 1900 and 730 BC. C. and They used to be defensive constructions with villages built around them. The best-known Su Nuraxi is Barumini, located a 45-minute drive from Cagliari and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to combine a visit to Su Nuraxi with that of the Giara plateau, where you can see the famous “Cavallini della Giara”, small horses that only live in Sardinia.

You can also visit the Domus de Janas, known overseas as fairies’ houses, and Giants’ Tombs – funerary mausoleums that date back to around 7000 years ago – are found all over Sardinia. 

Sardinia is full of mines that are no longer in use, these are scattered in the Sulcis region, near the towns of Buggerru and Nebida. The most picturesque is Porto Flavia, which was built between 1923 and 1924 and served as a port for the nearby mines. Here, you can rent a kayak from Masua Pan di Zucchero beach and paddle to Pan di Zucchero Island, stopping to admire Porto Flavia from the sea on the way back.

You can not miss the incredible sunset in Sardinia, the best places to enjoy it are:

• Alghero Bastions – The view of Capo Caccia from the Bastions is simply stunning.
• Masua Pan Di Zucchero – You get to see the sun disappear behind the islet.
• S’Archittu – Located on the west coast of Sardinia, this massive rock arch is a locals’ favorite place to plunge in the clear waters, but also a fantastic sunset spot.

Before traveling, if you want to try the typical products of Sardinia, you can find them on aim.store