Things to do in Sardinia
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Sardinia
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months: warm sea, open sites, sane prices.
Hot, packed and expensive, especially the Smeralda; book everything.
Quiet and still warm early on; many coast hotels close.
Very quiet; Cagliari and Alghero work as city breaks.
Wildflowers and Easter; the season waking up.
What's on
- Festa di Sant'Efisio 1-4 May
Cagliari's great religious procession.
- Time in Jazz August
The jazz festival in Berchidda, in the interior.
Best things to do in Sardinia
Spiaggia del Principe
The postcard Smeralda cove; go early before it fills.
La Maddalena Archipelago
Pink-granite islands by day boat from Palau; swim stops included.
Alghero
Catalan old town on sea walls; the island's most walkable base.
Neptune's Grotto
Sea cave under the cliffs; the 656 steps are the experience.
Bastione di Saint Remy
Cagliari's terrace at sunset over the city and the sea.
San Benedetto Market
The great covered food market; mornings only, closed Sundays.
Nora
Roman theatre and mosaics by the sea; the south's archaeology.
Su Nuraxi
The great Bronze Age fortress; guided tours only.
Where to stay in Sardinia
Costa Smeralda
beaches and polish
Turquoise coves and the grandest hotels; the priciest corner, especially Porto Cervo.
Alghero
a walkable town base
Old quarter, sea walls and restaurants; works without a car better than anywhere else.
Cagliari
city and the south
Culture, markets, Poetto beach; the only base with real public transport.
Baunei coast
wild scenery
Boat-only coves on the doorstep and the Supramonte behind; for walkers and boaters.
La Maddalena
couples and island-hopping
The archipelago town, slower than the Smeralda.
Think twice about
- Olbia as a holiday base
It is the airport town, not the destination. Sleep in the Smeralda or Cannigione; Olbia is for arrival night.
- A Costa Smeralda hotel in October without checking
The coast shuts hard outside summer; confirm what is actually open.
- The interior without a plan
Magnificent but empty; base there only if hiking is the trip.
Best restaurants in Sardinia
Dal Corsaro
The Deidda family's starred Sardinian cooking; book well ahead.
Josto
Modern Sardinian tasting menus in the Marina quarter.
Sa Domu Sarda
Rustic Campidanese cooking; honest prices near the station.
Luigi Pomata
The tuna specialist; the seafood education dinner.
Sa Mandra
The renowned farm dinner outside Alghero; book ahead.
I Frati Rossi
Traditional Sardinian cooking on the Smeralda.
Somu
The coast's fine-dining room with the views.
Il Ghiottone
Harbour-town seafood before the Maddalena boats.
Outdoor things to do in Sardinia
Cala Goloritzé
Stone arch over a boat-only cove; the Baunei coast image.
La Pelosa Beach
Flour-sand shallows; managed entry, book the slot.
Gorropu Gorge
One of Europe's deepest canyons; guided trek, most of a day.
Asinara
Prison island turned park; albino donkeys, no cars, capped numbers.
Chia
The dune beaches of the south; easier than the Costa Smeralda.
Porto Giunco
Great southern beach with flamingos in the lagoon behind.
Best hotels in Sardinia
Hotel Cala di Volpe
The Smeralda icon on its own bay.
Romazzino
Belmond polish on the Smeralda coast.
Petra Segreta Resort & Spa
Design retreat in the Smeralda countryside.
Villa Las Tronas Hotel & Spa
Sea-view historic hotel on the Alghero point.
Villa Mosca Charming House
Art-nouveau villa with pool by the seafront.
Gran Hotel Alghero
Seafront grand hotel on the Maria Pia side.
Hotel Regina Margherita
The Cagliari grand hotel by the harbour.
T Hotel
Design tower in the city centre.
Is Sardinia expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €70 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €160 a person |
| Splurge | €350 a person |
| No limits | €750 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- La Maddalena Archipelago: a few days ahead
- Cala Goloritzé: a few days ahead
- La Pelosa Beach: a few days ahead
- Gorropu Gorge: a few days ahead
- Asinara: a few days ahead
- Hotel Cala di Volpe: weeks ahead
- Romazzino: weeks ahead
- Petra Segreta Resort & Spa: weeks ahead
- Dal Corsaro and the Smeralda fine-dining rooms: book with your dates.
- La Maddalena and Baunei boats in July and August: book ahead.
- Smeralda hotels in August sell out months ahead.
Is Sardinia safe?
- Car break-ins at beach car parks and trailheads; never leave bags visible. Emergency number 112.
Sardinia travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Porto Cervo piazzetta prices; have the aperitivo, eat in Cannigione.
- Hotel dinner shows; the agriturismi are the real version.
- Seadas from souvenir shops; eat them fresh at a restaurant.
Getting around Sardinia: public transport and more
- A car is close to essential; rent at the airport and book automatics early.
- Olbia to Cagliari is over 4 hours; do not plan to cross the island daily.
- Ferries run Palau-La Maddalena and Santa Teresa-Bonifacio (Corsica).
- La Pelosa and Asinara need booked slots; reserve before the trip.
Who Sardinia suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Sardinia your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
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