Sardinia holidays

Whether you’re dipping your toes in the warm waters of the Gulf of Orosei or padding along the soft sand at Costa Rei, the first thing you’ll notice is the beaches. The stark contrast of white sand against impossibly turquoise waters, Sardinia even gives Caribbean a run for its money.

Beyond the beaches, holidays to Sardinia offer a fascinating window into history. The cities of Alghero in the north and Cagliari in the south have storied pasts that stretch back almost 3,000 years to the Phoenicians.

Remains from this era, as well as earlier prehistoric settlements, and Carthaginian, Roman and Byzantine civilisations, are very well preserved. Some 7,000 round tower-fortresses called nuraghi date from around 1,500BC, and at sites such as Mont’e Prama in the west coast’s Sinis area, giant stone heads attest to the skills of Sardinia’s ancient civilisations.

There’s plenty for wildlife lovers too. The San Teodoro lagoon south of Olbia is home to many beautiful birds and a large population of flamingos. Near Alghero, the 50,000 hectares of the Porto Conte regional park house 35 identified species of mammals, as well as 150 birds, and spectacular spots such as the Grotta di Nettuno offer coastal caves featuring a lake and enormous stalactites.

Inland, the Giara di Gesturi plateau in central Sardinia is the natural habitat for the rare wild horses that were first recorded here 10,000 years ago.

Sardinia’s dry climate ensures that rainfall is scarce, even in winter months, with the weather following that of the southern Mediterranean. Trips between May and September are ideal for holidaymakers, but the resorts are much quieter during the fringe season months. And with balmy temperatures in to October – along with cheaper holiday deals generally available – these months are regarded by many as the best time to visit Sardinia.

Easter is another lovely time to visit. With celebrations and festivals held in most villages and towns there’s always something to do, and outdoor activities like walking among spring flowers along the island’s numerous trails, as well as cycling and mountain hiking, can be enjoyed without the heat of the summer sun. It’s worth noting that the eastern half of the island is drier, with the driest part of the island being the coast of Cagliari gulf, but rainstorms on this side of Sardinia are more frequent.

You could spend months just trying to visit all the incredible beaches Sardinia has to offer and still not have explored every stretch of sand – and that’s before you even think about the island’s many tourist attractions. In a nutshell, there’s plenty to keep you busy.

Gulf of Orosei

You can’t talk about activities in Sardinia without mentioning the beaches. The range, abundance, and beauty of the island’s often-empty beaches remains a marvel in a modern, heavily populated and well-travelled continent like Europe.

Sardinia’s largest national park, National Park of the Gulf of Orosei and Gennargentu, is home to some of the most breathtakingly gorgeous among them. Try Cala Goloritzé and Cala Luna for pure paradise.

Orgosolo

When deciding what to do in Sardinia, a lot will depend on whether you yearn for relaxation or adventure. If it’s the latter you seek, a drive up the hairpin roads to Orgosolo might well be the remedy.

This small former bandit town of 4,500 people is covered in political murals depicting the struggles of life in Sardinia. It also claims a sizeable chunk of the Supramonte mountain range, where you can once again take on the turns up to the Su Suercone sinkhole, about 40 minutes’ drive away.

San Teodoro Lagoon

As far as tourist attractions in Sardinia go, this one’s for the nature lovers.

A saline inlet protected by a sand bar, San Teodoro Lagoon is the ideal habitat for the hundreds of flamingos, wading birds and migrating birds that stop off in Sardinia, just like the tourists, for a well-deserved break.

Discover it for yourself on a stroll along the trails, or book a boat trip on the lagoon and learn about the ecosystem from a knowledgeable guide.

Cagliari Citadel

It’s not a fun hike to this hillside citadel on a hot day, but the views, the collection of historic buildings and the rambling streets and alleys are well worth the effort. The Royal Palace is the dominant feature, and there are a good number of cafes offering perhaps the best urban views in Sardinia.

Activities like this are best followed with a cool beer under the shade of an umbrella – you’ll need one after the slog up there.

Costa Verde

Costa Verde delights visitors with its wild, windswept beaches. Many have decent surf for boarders, and the unbroken views of sand and sea are a joy to behold.

Scivu, Cala Domestica and Piscinas are among the most beautiful along this delightfully underdeveloped stretch of coastline.

For families

The northeast coast around Olbia is the most developed, while the Costa Smeralda offers family-friendly spots at the higher end of the market. On the north-west coast, the beaches and towns in-and-around Alghero offer plenty of choice – in between here and Olbia, there are lots of water parks, too.

The southern part of the island is less crowded, particularly around the southwest’s Costa Verde. Heading east towards Cagliari and past it onto Villasimius and Costa Rei, the coast is characterised by its spectacular beaches, all of which are great for families.

For travellers on a budget

While Sardinia isn’t exactly known as a budget destination, it’s still possible to find some decent budget accommodation on the island. Between them, northern towns of Alghero and Olbia probably have the widest range of resorts on Sardinia – they’re a good place to start if you’re after a cheaper holiday to Sardinia.

Island capital Cagliari covers most budgets and had a nice beach of its own in Spiaggia del Poetto. It’s by no means Sardinia’s best beach, but it makes for a good compromise on price.

Give the Costa Smeralda a wide berth. Its beauty might be undeniable, but it’s renowned for its upscale hotels and luxury resorts.

For food and drink

Cagliari offers up the wide range of quality food that you’d expect from any Italian city. From classic pasta and pizza to Sardinian specialities such as Pecorino Sardo cheese and su porcheddu (roast suckling pig).

For sea urchin – an acquired taste, it must be said – Alghero should be your destination. The self-proclaimed “sea urchin city” holds an annual festival to celebrate the dish in February and March.

Elsewhere, Sassari is the region to choose if you’re after traditional local dishes: the humble snail, collected locally in the Sassari region, is boiled up and stuffed back into its shell with sheep’s cheese, garlic and parsley to make lumache. Yum.

For nightlife

Olbia is best known for up-tempo revelry, whereas nights out in Sardinia’s capital, Cagliari, usually involve leisurely drinks at one of the pavement-side cafés along Via Roma, the main drag.

San Teodoro, just 60 kilometres (37 miles) south of Olbia, is also pretty lively thanks to the popularity of the beaches close by. Costa Smeralda isn’t short of chic seaside bars for a ‘sundowner’ but be aware – the nightlife comes at a premium here.

For culture

It’s hard to look over capital Cagliari for its clutch of cultural highlights. Museum collections range from the ancient to the ultra-modern, there’s a string of lovely churches and the hilltop Castello district is worth half a day in itself. In May, the city also hosts the four-day Sant’Efisio festival, where you can expect traditional costumes and folk music played on launeddas pipes.

You’ll find a different side to Sardinia a further inland at Nuoro. A breeding ground for renowned artists and home to the rarest pasta in the world su filindeu, this mountain city celebrates creativity and tradition. Check out the ethnographical museum, Museo del Costume Nuoro, and Man, a museum of modern and contemporary art.