If you are a regular reader of the blog, you know that I rarely go on a relaxed kind of holiday. However, when an opportunity arose to visit North Sardinia with a group of friends, I obviously had to go!
Although I still stayed a few days on this Italian island, I ended up only visiting the northern part of the island 😊 It was a trip at a much slower pace, but, even so, I have some tips for you. Therefore, I invite you to read my kind of travel diary hoping I can inspire you to visit this beautiful Italian island.
The northern part of Sardinia is known for having the least extensive beaches, but also the most beautiful ones. There are so many beach options, that the hard part will be to pick just a few. But I promise to give you some tips on that 😉 Get ready for crystal blue water that will make you say as soon as you come back “I want to go back to the island”!
Because this is the part of the island that is considered the most beautiful, it is also the one with the most tourism and where prices are the most inflated. The popularity of this part of the island among many international celebrities certainly also helps to contribute to this phenomenon.
What is the best time of year to visit Sardinia?
The ex-libris of Sardinia are its beaches with incredibly clear water. This way, the best months to visit Sardinia are during the European bathing season: June, July or August. May and September are two other good options to escape the summer crowds. The weather won’t be as hot, but this will probably help you to save a lot of money!!!
However, summer also means inflated prices in restaurants, accommodation and activities. Most likely, this shouldn’t be exactly news to you. But let’s face it… even I (not a great beach lover) have to admit that going to Sardinia and not visiting its beaches would be almost a crime. So, if you can, try to visit the island in the warmer months of the year.
How many days do you need to visit Sardinia?
Although Sardinia doesn’t seem to be very big when you look at the map, the truth is that the island is still of considerable size. Counting 25,000 km2 in area, getting from one end of the island to the other can sometimes take 3 hours or more. Although the island has motorways, many of the roads are narrow and winding, which increases the travel time between the various locations on the island.
So, the number of days needed to visit the island depends a lot on what you want to visit in Sardinia. If you intend to visit several scattered parts of the island, I would say that 1 week is a good starting point. However, this will imply a more demanding itinerary in terms of travel distances and travel time.
To get to know the island well, I recommend 10 to 15 days. This will be the appropriate travel time to assure the necessary time to marvel at the main Sardinian cities and still take a few memorable dips in the sea.
On the other hand, if you want a more relaxed trip, then keep reading this post to find out what to visit in North Sardinia, where we find some of the most beautiful beaches on the island. I spent 5 days in this part of Sardinia and I came back from there just wanting to visit more of this paradise in Europe 🥰
Which is the best airport to visit North Sardinia?
Sardinia has 3 airports in different parts of the island:
- Alghero in the north-western part of the island
- Cagliari in the South of the island
- Olbia in the north-eastern part of the island
The airports are quite far away from each other so I strongly recommend that you plan your itinerary first with the places you want to visit on the island and only then book your flight.
In my case, I ended up flying to Olbia as I was going to focus mainly on the northeastern part of the island. This is the part of the island with the most beautiful beaches and where the famous Costa Smeralda is located. However, this airport has no direct connections with Portugal so I flew there via Barcelona (Vueling) and returned via Geneva (Easyjet).
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Accommodation in North Sardinia
Visiting Sardinia in high season can be expensive. So I recommend you try to opt for flats, as they tend to be slightly cheaper. Flats in Sardinia are quite modest in most cases, but they end up being equipped with the basics for a good rest at the end of the day.
As I was travelling in a group (we were 4 people!), we easily decided to opt for a flat located in Tiriddò, about 20 minutes from Olbia. We booked the flat directly on Airbnb for 5 nights. In total, we paid 1.085€ (54€ per person per night). It’s not very cheap, but considering the location, the month I visited (August) and the base prices in Sardinia, it seemed like good value for money!
The flat had 2 bedrooms with double beds, 1 relatively large living room and also a small kitchen to cook some meals. Additionally, it also had a very nice outdoor space for summer days and a barbecue area 😊 You can see the flat I stayed in by clicking here.
Anyway, for those looking for accommodation in this part of the island, I would say to focus your search on these locations:
What is the best way to get around Sardinia?
Without a doubt, the best way to visit Sardinia is by car! Without a car, we can hardly reach the various points of interest on the island.
Although there isn’t always a motorway available, the roads are in good condition and are relatively easy to drive. It is true that Italians have a bad reputation when it comes to driving, but we did not experience any difficulty on the road at any time.
What to visit in North Sardinia?
Ready to get to know what you can visit in North Sardinia? If so, I’ll begin with my 5-days travel diary through the island of Sardinia. But before that, I also want to share with you a map version of the places I visited on this trip:
Day 1 (day of arrival): soaking in one of the crystal-clear beaches
We set off early from Barcelona towards Olbia so it was a little after 9 am when we arrived in Olbia. We decided to go to the supermarket to stock up for the next days and went straight to the beach 😊
The first beach we decided to visit was Spiaggia di Lu Impostu. The beach is not very wide, but it is still relatively long, forming a bay. It is necessary to book your visit to the beach at least 1 day in advance. The reservation costs 2€ per person and can be made here.
When you arrive at the beach and after parking, you have to check in at a stall at the entrance of the beach. All you have to do is show your booking and they put a wristband on your wrist.
Like most beaches in Sardinia, parking is paid (1€/hour). Although it is necessary to pay for parking and book the beach, the beach was quite crowded on a weekday.
However, there is no denying it! The beach is absolutely beautiful and the water was so warm, with almost no swell.
💡 EXTRA TIP: This beach also has a bar service and sun loungers.
Day 2: Boat trip along the coast of Sardinia
Day 2 of this itinerary through Northeast Sardinia would clearly be one of the most eventful, but also one of the most incredible. We decided to hire a boat to spend the day swimming along the coast of Sardinia. This is a great way to get to know beaches that would otherwise be inaccessible.
We rented the boat about 2 months in advance with the company DayMar, directly on their website. We woke up very early that day because we left at 7:30 am towards Cala Gonone, where we would pick up the boat.
We were 6 people (from the initial group of 4, 2 more friends joined us) and we paid 350€ for the boat rental, plus 45€ for petrol. The rental price depends on the size of the boat rented and the time of year. As for the petrol, we receive the boat with a full tank and, in the end, they help us to fill it up until it is full again.
💡 EXTRA TIP: Although we hired the boat for the whole day, we opted to return early to avoid the queues at refuelling time. There are only two pumps to fill up hundreds of boats. So, if all the boats decide to arrive at the same time, it is very likely that you can wait 1 or even 2 hours in a queue to refuel the boat. In our case, we arrived around 5-5:30 pm and waited less than 30 minutes.
Starting our boat ride at Cala Gonone, we can only drive towards Punta Goloritzè, which is also the farthest point we could go (1h by boat from the starting point). We stopped right there for the first dive! The boats can’t get closer than 200 meters from the shore, so if you intend to swim to the nearest beach, take that into consideration.
💡 EXTRA TIP: After 1 hour of a fantastic boat trip, as soon as we stopped, I was very seasick due to the boat rocking. Such was the motion sickness that it was absolutely impossible to stay inside the boat while we weren’t driving. So my biggest tip is to take a seasick pill before you start your boat trip.
After a good time floating in the sea, we set off for the second stop of the day. And the wonder of this kind of activity is exactly this… I don’t even know the name of the beach where we stopped. I only know that we swam to the beach with our lunches and stayed there for an endless time admiring the landscape while we had lunch.
We were already on the boat looking for another beach when, suddenly, it started to rain. The rain finally passed and we chose, then, our third and last stop: Cala Luna. This is a more crowded stop as the beach also has pedestrian access and is one of the closest beaches for those departing from Cala Gonone.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The company where we rented the boat does not require a boat licence for the rental. In our case, one of the group elements had some experience in driving boats, so the process was relatively simple.
Day 3: a short hiking trail to another paradise beach and a stroll through Porto Cervo
The third day through Northern Sardinia started with a very small trail to Spiaggia del Principe. This beach, despite its small size, was surprisingly not too crowded 😊
After parking the car in the beach car park (2.5€/hour or 18€ for the whole day), you have to walk a short trail to the beach. The trail is well-signposted and takes about 10 minutes to the beach. I recommend that you bring trainers as the path is quite irregular.
This beach should be a must-visit in North Sardinia with its calm and warm water!
After a few dips and some sunbathing, we headed to Porto Cervo – one of the most emblematic areas of Sardinia. Porto Cervo is the capital of Costa Smeralda and it is the favourite spot for most celebrities visiting Sardinia. Prepare yourselves for a place full of extravagance, with many high-end shops.
The colourful small houses make Porto Cervo a really lovely village. However, and to be very honest, I found it a place of excessive ostentation, with the most expensive brands. I felt that if all those shops were local shops, the village would be much more interesting.
Day 4: ferry to La Maddalena island
Apart from the main island, Sardinia also has other smaller islands, and if you’re not sure which one to visit, visit La Maddalena.
To visit this island you have to take a ferry, which leaves from the city of Palau. The ferries are quite frequent and can be bought on the day of your trip (which is exactly what we did in the middle of August and we had no problems!) at the ticket office near the port.
📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: We paid 23€ per person round trip with the car included (we were 4 in total). The price varies depending on the time of day and also on the type of vehicle. However, there are also some tours available from the main island to visit La Maddalena:
The trip lasts only 20 minutes and it is on those more stable ferries since the boat also carries cars. In fact, my recommendation is that you take your car with you to make it easier to visit La Maddalena island.
As soon as we arrived on the island, we took the opportunity to take a leisurely stroll around the small historic centre of La Maddalena, right by the harbour. Truly lovely 🥰
From there we drove to the start of the trail to Cala Napoletana – considered one of the most beautiful beaches in La Maddalena. This beach is actually on another island (La Caprera island), which is connected to La Maddalena island by a bridge.
The trail takes about 45 minutes and the terrain is uneven, so I recommend appropriate footwear. The trail starts at the place where the road ends and it is not possible to continue by car. In that place, you will find two signs, but the trail follows to the left (see photo above). Although it is not always flat and regular, the trail is relatively easy. The worst part is the lack of shade that, in the middle of August, was a shame 😔
Although the beach is quite small and difficult to access, we found it full! Even so, we managed to find a space to put our things and enjoy the day. The water looked like a lagoon because, once again, this beach has a kind of a bay.
After a few hours of savouring that heavenly beach and a few good dips in the sea, we made our way back to the car. We also took the opportunity to go around La Maddalena island through the panoramic road that surrounds the island! You’ll definitely want to make a lot of stops along the way 😉
Finally, and just before we boarded the ferry back to the main island, we decided to try the ice cream at the ice cream shop right near the harbour (pictured below). I tried the tiramisu and peach flavours and the ice cream was really divine!!!
Day 5: Farewell to Sardinia in Porto Taverna and a privileged view of Tavolara island
After a few days of driving quite some kilometres to visit the best sites in the northern part of Sardinia, we opted for a quieter last day near the place where we were staying.
We went to Porto Taverna beach, one of the longest beaches I visited in these 5 days. Although there is a paid parking area (and even then it was full!), many cars park on the side of the roads near the beach. Since access to this beach is easy and free, this was undoubtedly the most crowded beach of all those we visited.
Although it rained a lot while we were on the beach, which scared the vast majority of people away, the sun eventually came out and only then did I realise the beautiful colour of that water 😊 And the best part of all? The beach has a privileged view over the rocky Tavolara island.
And, just finishing the trip, we decided to go to the centre of Olbia. We went after dinner, but we were able to walk around the historic centre, admire the colourful Ferris wheel and wander around the craft fair that was taking place that day.
Restaurants in Sardinia
- Su Gologone (€€€): Apart from being an accommodation, this space also has an incredible restaurant where the products are locally produced. The food was delicious and above all, the space was truly charming.
- Foodie Pizzeria-Ristorante (€€): Very friendly prices and very tasty Neapolitan pizzas. Also, very good service.
- Ristorante Congusto (€€€): relatively close to the centre of Olbia, I tried the pasta, which was tasty.
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