Sardinia

Late spring and early autumn are the best times. The days are warm, the sea is pleasant and the crowds are smaller. July and August are hot and very busy. Prices are highest then, and popular beaches and ferries fill up early. Winter is mild on the coast, but many beach resorts close. The high inland mountains can get snow.

The best-known event is the Sant'Efisio festival in Cagliari. It starts on 1 May with a long religious procession in traditional costume.

• Su Nuraxi is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the south. It is the best-preserved example of a nuraghe, the stone tower-fortresses of the Bronze Age.
• Grotte di Nettuno is a sea cave near Alghero, at the foot of high cliffs. You can arrive by boat from Alghero in calm weather, or walk down a long cliff staircase.
• La Pelosa is a shallow sandy bay near Stintino in the north-west, with a small old tower just offshore. The water is very clear, so the beach is crowded in summer. In summer you must book a place in advance and pay a small fee.
• Parco Nazionale Asinara is a former prison island and now a national park. Wild nature and white donkeys are the main attractions. Private cars are not allowed, so you explore on an organized tour.
• Gorropu Canyon is a limestone canyon in the Supramonte mountains in the east. It is a demanding walk, so wear proper shoes and carry water.
• Cala Goloritze is a small pebble cove below steep cliffs, in the east. You reach it on foot by a trail, and entry needs a reservation.
• Area archeologica di Tharros is a ruined Phoenician and Roman port on a headland on the Sinis peninsula, with the sea on both sides.
• Dune di Piscinas are very large sand dunes on the wild south-west coast, far from any town.

Sardinia is best enjoyed outdoors and on the water.

• Take a boat tour of the La Maddalena archipelago or the Gulf of Orosei, with swim stops in small bays.
• Hike to a beach, for example to Cala Goloritze or Cala Mariolu. The trails are long and have little shade.
• Join the Sant'Efisio procession in Cagliari in early May, or one of the many village festivals in summer, with costumes, horses and singing.
• Visit a farm stay (agriturismo) for a long meal of home-made food.
• Watch the sunset from the cliffs at Capo Testa in the far north.
• Hear a performance of canto a tenore, the traditional polyphonic singing of the central mountains. It is on the UNESCO list of intangible heritage.

Sardinia has several islands nearby that you can visit in a day. Most are reached by a short ferry or a boat tour.

• La Maddalena archipelago: a short ferry from Palau, in the north-east, takes you to La Maddalena town. Boat tours stop at pink-sand and turquoise bays. Caprera, linked to La Maddalena by a road, was the home of the Italian hero Giuseppe Garibaldi.
• Corsica: Bonifacio is a short ferry ride from Santa Teresa Gallura, at the northern tip. Take your passport or ID card.
• Asinara: a national park island, reached by ferry from Stintino or Porto Torres.
• San Pietro and Sant'Antioco: two islands off the south-west coast. Carloforte, on San Pietro, is a colorful harbor town with its own Ligurian dialect and tuna dishes. Sant'Antioco is joined to the mainland by a road, so you can drive there.
• Orgosolo: a mountain village in the Barbagia region, about 30 minutes by car from Nuoro. It is known for its political wall murals.

These are the main bases and gateways on the island.

• North-west: Alghero has a walled old town on the sea and a strong Catalan heritage. It is the base for Capo Caccia and the north-west coast.
• North-east: Olbia is the main arrival port and airport for the north-east. Porto Cervo is the marina resort of the Costa Smeralda, developed from the 1960s.
• South: Cagliari is the capital, with a hilltop old town and a city beach. It is the best base for Nora and the south coast.
• Center and east: Nuoro is the gateway to the mountains of the Barbagia and the Supramonte.

• By air: the main airports are Cagliari (Elmas), Olbia (Costa Smeralda) and Alghero (Fertilia). Many flights are seasonal, so check which airport has a flight from your city. Choose the airport closest to your base, because transfers between the north and south take several hours. Official sites: Cagliari Airport and Olbia Airport.
• By ferry: the main ports are Olbia, Golfo Aranci, Porto Torres and Cagliari, with smaller ports at Arbatax and Santa Teresa Gallura. Routes go to Genoa, Livorno, Piombino, Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples and Palermo. Seasonal routes also go to Corsica, southern France and Spain. A ferry is useful if you bring a car. Book early for July and August.

• Car: a car is the best way to see the island. Public transport is thin outside the main towns, and beaches and archaeological sites are often far from stations. Rent at an airport and book early for summer.
• Bus and train: regional buses link most towns, and trains serve the main towns in the south and north. They are slow and infrequent, especially on Sundays. Buy tickets at stations or tobacco shops. Some narrow-gauge tourist trains run in summer.
• Boat: boats are needed for Asinara, La Maddalena and many coves in the east. Book a day tour or a ferry.
• On foot: city centers such as Cagliari and Alghero are walkable. Between towns, you need a vehicle.

Official regional information is at Sardegna Turismo. Trains in Sardinia are run by Trenitalia.

• Is a car worth it? Yes, for almost any trip outside Cagliari or Alghero. Without one you will miss most beaches, ruins and mountain villages.
• Roads: the main road between Cagliari and the north, the SS131, is a fast, free highway. Mountain and coastal roads are narrow and winding, so plan more time than the map suggests.
• Fuel: stations in the interior can be far apart. Fill up before a long drive.
• Beach parking: many popular beaches have paid parking in summer and fill up by mid-morning. Some have limited access in peak season.
• Restrictions: historic centers have restricted traffic zones. Park outside them.
• Ferries: if you arrive with a car, book your crossing early for summer.

Sardinian food is based on the sea, the shepherd's table and good bread. Look for roast suckling pig (porceddu), ravioli-like culurgiones, small pasta called malloreddus, and fregola with clams. Thin crisp flatbread (pane carasau) and sheep cheese (pecorino sardo) are on most tables. Try seadas, a fried cheese pastry with honey, for dessert. Local drinks include Cannonau red wine, Vermentino white wine and the herbal liqueur mirto.

For eating, go to the harbor streets of Alghero and Cagliari for seafood. Go to a farm stay (agriturismo) in the hills for a set meal of local meat and cheese. The old covered market in Cagliari is good for a quick lunch. Many restaurants close between lunch and dinner.

Sardinia is a safe destination. Violent crime is rare.

• Petty theft: items are sometimes stolen from parked cars and unattended beach bags. Do not leave valuables visible in a car, especially at beach car parks.
• Heat and sun: summer heat is strong. Use sun protection, drink water and avoid long hikes in the middle of the day.
• Wildfires: summer fires are common in dry weather. Never light a fire outdoors, and follow local fire warnings.
• Sea: obey beach flags. Currents can be strong on exposed west-coast beaches.
• Beach rules: taking sand, shells or pebbles from beaches is illegal, and fines are high.

Sardinia has a very long human history. Between the Bronze Age and the first millennium BC, the Nuragic people built thousands of stone towers across the island. Su Nuraxi is the best known, and Nuraghe Santu Antine is a large nuraghe in the north. Sito archeologico di Mont'e Prama is where stone statues of warriors were found, made in the Iron Age.

The Phoenicians then built ports, and Carthage controlled much of the coast. Area archeologica di Tharros and Nora show this layer. Rome took the island in 238 BC.

In the Middle Ages local rulers, then Pisa and Genoa, held parts of the island. Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia is a fine Romanesque church from this period. In the 1320s the Aragonese took control, and Spanish influence lasted for centuries. In the early 18th century the island passed to the House of Savoy, which later led the unification of Italy. Sardinia became an autonomous region of Italy in 1948.

Mining also shaped the south-west. At Porto Flavia, ore was loaded straight from a tunnel onto ships.

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