Sardinia, Italy
Sardinia, Italy is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea after Sicily. It's spelled Sardegna in Italian. Renowned for its old-world charm, incredible food and wine, stunning landscapes and crystal-clear waters, this is the best vacation destination if you want to combine relaxing beaches with authentic culture and outstanding hospitality. The northern part of the island includes the must-visit regions of Costa Smeralda, La Maddalena Archipelago, and Santa Teresa Gallura. This is the area we are going to explore further with you. You will want to stay for at least a week to see most of what the Northern region of Sardinia has to offer. Make sure to rent a car as you will need one to visit all of the different towns. Uber is not currently available in Sardinia so that's not an option.
Costa Smeralda is famous for its luxurious resorts, vibrant nightlife, and beautiful beaches. Porto Cervo is the main town and it's where many of the Super Yachts dock their boats. This area attracts celebrities and travelers seeking both relaxation and upscale experiences. Joe Montana was at the table next to us when we were visiting. Rolex also had its yacht racing parties here. We absolutely loved our vacation here, but you have to venture to the towns outside of Porto Cervo to get the authentic Sardinian experience.
La Maddalena is a town and an archipelago of seven islands, small inlets, and pristine beaches where you will experience unspoiled nature. Accessible by ferry or private boat, the main island offers charming towns, picturesque coves, and the stunning Spiaggia Rosa, known for its unique pink sand but be aware, it's forbidden to touch this sand. If you want to experience small island life this is where you want to stay. We anchored here and spent a few hours having lunch and shopping throughout its charming streets. You can only reach La Maddalena by boat.
Santa Teresa Gallura is located at the northern tip of Sardinia, it's actually Sardinia's northernmost town, where you will experience dramatic cliffs and breathtaking views of the Strait of Bonifacio. The town features quaint streets, vibrant markets with friendly locals eager to help in each shop, and the beautiful, but crowded, Rena Bianca beach. Making this area of Sardinia a perfect destination for those looking to explore both culture and nature. The Torre di Longonsardo medieval watchtower is a must-visit for the history of the area and stunning views of the Sardinian coastline and Corsica. It's also the area you need to depart from if you plan to take the one-hour ferry ride to visit Corsica. Visiting Bonifacio, Corsica can be done as a day trip if you want to work a visit to the French island into your vacation.
Working your way from Olbia airport to Santa Teresa Gallura will allow you to take in the incredible culture of the different regions and towns of northern Sardinia. We also suggest you make stops in Porto Rotondo, Palau (more about a boat tour that departs from here under Must Do Moments), San Pantaleo, Poltu Quatu.
12 Must Do Moments (→)
Where to Stay
Packing List
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Getting There
To visit the northern region of Sardinia you will fly into Olbia Costa Smeralda airport (OLB) the main internation airport. If you are flying from the United States you will need a gateway city as there aren't any direct flights. We use this as an opportunity to explore different cities. For example, the couple of times we've vacationed in Sardinia we spent two to three days on either end of our visit in Geneva, Venice, Berlin, and Nice/Cannes/Monte Carlo. It's easy to get in and out of Olbia as it's a small one-terminal airport. The flights are short and relatively inexpensive. You will need to walk down a set of stairs with your luggage onto the tarmac.
Olbia airport is small but it has everything you will need including Wi-Fi, ATMs and a currency exchange. There is a tiny cafe before you enter the airport that has sandwiches, great coffee, and a few other items. Nobody spoke English in this cafe even though it was located at the airport. Once inside, there is a bit of shopping and a few small places to grab a bite a snack, a glass of wine and coffee. Warning, these places are crowded and often have long lines. I'd suggest eating before you get to the airport if possible.
It's about a 10 minute drive to downtown Olbia and a 35-minute drive to Costa Smeralda region. Renting a car at the airport is easy as it's a pretty small operation -- again except long lines and have patience.
The countries that have the best direct flights from multiple cities to Sardinia are:
Italy
Switzerland
France
Germany
England
The cities of Amsterdam and Brussels.
Some People fly into port cities on the mainland and take the ferry to Sardinia. There are routes out of France, Spain and Italy. If you are coming by ferry (we didn't experience this so basing this information on feedback from locals) you have to be patient as boarding cars sometimes means waiting in line for up to 2 hours. They recommend packing water and snacks to enjoy while you wait. They also suggested locking your oversized luggage in the car out of sight and taking any carry-on luggage with you.
Must Know Before You Go
This is an Italian Island. Tourism plays a significant role in Sardinia's economy.
Official Language: Italian but Sardo is still spoken in some areas
Local Currency: Euro
Outlets: Type L and F outlets with 230v.
U.S. Plugs will need a travel adaptor/converter for some devices
Road Rules: Driving in Sardinia requires navigating tiny streets, loads of curves and very little, if any, street lighting. There are wild boars so you need to keep your eyes peeled. We lost navigation multiple times while in the center of the island so you may want to purchase an old-school map. They are sold everywhere. You need to be 18 years old and if you are coming from outside of Europe, you will need an International Driving Permit. You can obtain this online and must do it ahead of time. Insurance is also required. Traffic drives on the right side of the road (same as in the United States). Sardinia has a low population density so it's not like driving in Milan but there are a lot of roundabouts and Italian drivers don't seem to slow down much for these so be ready, however, the law requires you to give the right of way to anyone coming from your left. Parking isn't easy to find and isn't always clearly marked. Blood Alcohol limit in Sardinia is .05% It's best not to be drinking and driving. The number to call for emergencies is 112
Passport & Visa requirements: Passports 3-month validity are required upon entry and exit. U.S. citizens can visit Visa free for 90 days. This is offered to many other countries as well. The info can be found on their official website.
Time Zone: Sardinia is in the same time zone as Rome, Italy
Weather: June through September are the best months if you want to enjoy boating and the beaches. This is also the peak travel season for the island. I've been there in both June and September and the weather was absolutely perfect. The ocean water is warmer in August and September than June. I've heard, but haven't experienced myself, that you can also swim in October which is shoulder season and much less expensive to visit. Note that it's colder and the rainiest November through February.
Safety & Crime: Sardinia's crime is much lower than other Italian cities. It's a safe, happy place with a tightnit community and very low levels of violent crime being reported. A local did tell us to never leave our luggage in the car in Italy. Italy overall has a Level 2 safety warning according to U.S. State Department (at time of writing). More info can be found here: Italy Travel Advisory