A Travel Guide to Sardinia, Italy
For those of you that don’t know me, I have been addicted to travel since 2004 when I did a two month Euro trip with my friends. Since then, I have traveled to over 30 countries and recently ended a six plus year career at the world’s largest adventure travel company. I am so grateful to have been able to continue to travel internationally regularly in addition to the big trips David and I take every other year.
David proposed to me in 2015 in Sardinia, Italy. It’s an island in the Mediterranean near Corsica which is part of France. We went back to Sardinia in 2017 because we seriously considered buying a home there. We love the slow pace of life, the proximity to the bluest sea we have ever seen, the incredibly fresh food and delicious wine. You may have also heard about the 7 Blue Zones where residents outlive the rest of us in the world? Sardinia is one of them.
Beach we hiked to in Cala Gonone
WHEN TO GO?
Our Italian friends advised us to go during shoulder season so our first trip was in late May and our second trip was in October. We definitely preferred May over Oct because:
Weather was better, rain is more likely in October
More shops/restaurants were open at the start of the season rather than the end when much of the island was closed to tourism - including boat rentals which for us was very important.
WHERE TO GO?
Our first trip was 5 days and we stayed in the North Eastern section of the island which is super swanky. Our second trip was two weeks long and we drove around the entire island. If you have the time I completely recommend seeing it all but if time is short and Sardinia is just a piece of your trip to Italy, here is what I’d suggest you do in a week:
Day 1-2: Fly into Olbia - Drive ~20 minutes North to Porto Rotondo and stay at S’Astore Hotel for a night or two. Explore the many nearby beaches, I personally tried to visit as many as I could and the hotel was kind enough to give a map of all the Sardinia beaches which was very helpful.
Day 3-4: Drive 1h 40m South to Cala Gonone and stay at Hotel Bue Marino - make sure you stop at Tessil Sarda in Olbia for some amazing warehouse shopping of local Sardinian tapestries. There are rows and rows of products/colors and they make truly gorgeous product. We also highly recommend this restaurant for its fresh and authentic Sardinian food in Olbia proper.
Cala Gonone was probably our favorite part of the trip because we loved renting a boat and exploring the beaches that are only accessible by boat because of the steep cliffs. There is also plenty of hiking and rock climbing if that’s your cup of tea.
Nearby excursions:
Cantina Dorgali and the different terroir of their wine
Stop in the town of Dorgali for a bit of traditional ceramics shopping at Ceramica Loddo, this artist’s work is sold in many stores in Cala Gonone but you can bypass the retailers and go direct to the artist’s studio.
Wine taste at Cantina Dorgali where you can taste their award winning Cannonau (a grape exclusive to Sardinia). They have various tasting packages available all which are very reasonably priced by US standards.
Serra Orrios Nuragic Village - Nuraghe huts from the Bronze Age can be found all over the island but this spot is special as it was a village. There are over 100 stone units including 49 huts, temples and tombs which you are free to explore. There is a small entrance fee (6 euro at the time of our visit).
Dine at the Michelin rated Su Gologone restaurant which is truly in the middle of nowhere. It’s in an incredible hotel which if you have the time and money I would recommend a stay. The restaurant boasts traditional Sardinian fare which is what attracted us to go. As you enter you feel like you’re going back in time, photos are not allowed inside. The hotel offers a bottega (shop) which sells local artisan crafts/jewelry and is the highest quality I saw on the island (also very pricey). Worth going early to explore the property and shop.
Day 5-6: Drive 2h 30m from Cala Gonone to Cantina Argiolas, one of the most famous Sardinian wineries and the best tasting experience we had. If you wish, you can fill up your canteen via a wine pump through a device that looks like you’re at a gas station. We did the wine and cheese pairing and inquired where the cheese was from. After tasting we then went to the nearby cheese shop and bought enough for the rest of the trip and to take home with us. The shop is called Formaggi Aresu and is worth the 7 min detour from the winery. This winery also offers cooking classes and a full lunch experience for 8+ people. When we were there they were building a villa for guests to rent but I don’t see anything about it on their website. Might be worth calling/emailing and asking about it. There is a shop where you can buy the wine and other local artisan crafts/food.
Cantina Argiolas
Formaggi Aresu
Continue to drive another 1h South past Cagliare to Chia. Stay at Faro Capo Spartivento and explore the nearby beaches. Make sure you eat dinner at the lighthouse, it was extraordinary! Take in the sunset from the top of the lighthouse and enjoy the solitude of the area.
Sunset at the Lighthouse Hotel - Faro Capo Spartivento
Day 7: Drive 54m North to Cagliari and spend a final day/night in Sardinia at the Hotel Villa Fanny. You can visit the Botanical Gardens, explore the downtown area, visit nearby beaches or the ancient colosseum (all within walking distance). You can then catch your flight at the Cagliari airport, one of two major airports on the island.
ACCOMMODATION WE LOVED:
Villa Las Tronas Hotel & Spa - 5 Stars, Alghero
This hotel was once a residence of the royal family of Italy and is decorated as if it still is. The outdoor pool overlooks the ocean and there is an incredible indoor swimming pool/spa.
Hotel S’Astore - 4 Stars, Porto Rotondo
This hotel is so peaceful and is small enough to feel like you’re away from the crowds. There is a beautiful pool with cabanas and a view of the water. The decor is traditional Sardinian which I found beautiful and the restaurant and wine is all made by the owner’s family which run the place. It was some of the best food I had on the island!
The hotel is within minutes (driving) to a handful of beaches, I enjoyed going to as many beaches as possible each day and bringing a cooler full of cured meats, cheese and sparkling vermentino (you can find a good bottle for 3 euros at most markets).
Hotel Bue Marino - 3 Stars, Cala Gonone
The proximity of this hotel couldn’t get any better. It is literally on the water and walking distance to all of the town. While Cala Gonone is a town built into a very steep mountain it’s critical to stay near the water. The rooms are nothing fancy but have everything you need and are clean. They are across the street from the boat rental kiosks as well as the ferry to tour the cove.
Hotel Villa Fanny - 4 Stars, Cagliare
This stunning property was and old nuns convent and has been impeccably restored. The proximity to town is great and the grounds is just gorgeous. It’s next to the botanical gardens and the coliseum. The only downside for me was there was no pool.
Faro Capo Spartivento - 5 Stars, Chia
This was by far the most unique accommodation we had on this trip. I can’t say enough great things, if you do go to Sardinia please make sure you visit. As you drive the private driveway to the renovated lighthouse you will notice that you have complete privacy for as far as the eye can see. The only person we came across was a sheep herder with his animals which was also a surreal experience. Some highlights for me was the infinity pool overlooking the vast Sea, the impeccable service from the concierge and the chefs, the restaurant serves incredible local meals, there’s a small nearby beach without many people (especially not tourists) and watching the sun set from the lighthouse tower.
Agriturismo Rocche Biance - Stars (NA), Arbus
The drive from Chia to Arbus was one of the most windy and arduous that we experienced on the trip. At this point we were ready to experience an Agriturismo which there are many on the island. An agriturismo is a working farm of some sort where they have built cabins/cottages for guests to experience. This accommodation is more budget friendly and typically family friendly. There is plenty of opportunity to connect with the families that own the properties and hear their stories/family history. Usually you can experience a local dinner for the guests which isn’t so much fine dining but more authentic Sardinian cuisine.
The best part of visiting Arbus was the drive to Dunas Piscinas, Europe’s steepest sand dunes, where you curve through ghost towns and abandoned mines until you arrive at the dunes and expansive beach.
Ghost town mining village