Sardinia travel guide

Sardinia is a heady mix of colourful ingredients. There are superb walking trails, thrilling diving spots and a host of historic highlights, as well as some of the most memorable cuisine in southern Europe. Come for a visit and you can promenade the sea wall in medieval Alghero, admire Bronze Age, Phoenician and Roman ruins, or seek out wild horses in Barbagia’s herb-scented mountain wilderness.

Home\Europe\Italy\Sardinia

Sardinia travel guide

Moored in the bright blue waters of the Mediterranean, Sardinia is as close to North Africa as it is to mainland Europe and its wild landscape has played host to numerous peoples, from mysterious Nuragic tribes, members of one of Europe’s oldest civilizations, to Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Spanish. All of them have left their mark – in the buildings, the food and the proud, distinctive culture that is markedly different from that of the Italian motherland.

Sardinia may be small but you can embark on a different adventure every day, from mountain scrambles to underwater exploration and strolls through ancient history.

Sardinia is an island that’s ripe for adventure; where a fertile interior bursts with forests and herb scented mountain wilderness, and coastal paths skim the cliffs, winding past bright blue bays, ruined coastal cities and nature reserves. The mighty Su Gorrupu Canyon attracts climbers and walkers from across the world, and windsurfers and divers come to get their kicks both above and below water.

See all our Sardinia Vacations

Give us a call

Sardinia is…

a whole other world to the rest of Italy, with North African and Spanish influences, a distinct dialect and an interesting take on cheese.

Sardinia isn’t…

all about the beach. Its mountains, ruins and national reserves offer equal eye popping splendour.

Things to do in Sardinia…

There’s no better way to get a feel for the island than on foot or on a bike, and luckily Sardinia has more than its fair share of excellent hiking and cycling routes. Highlights include Su Gorrupu Gorge, the mountains of the Dorgali region and the many paths that skim the island’s stunning coastline. While some paths can be rough underfoot and there are plenty of options if you want to push yourself, anyone who’s moderately fit can tackle the island’s offerings. Sardinia has some of the best beaches in Europe but heading below the surface can be just as rewarding. The Gulf of Oresei has plentiful dive sites, including mysterious undersea caverns and WWII wrecks. Weave your way around vibrant reefs and spot octopus, giant groupers and moray eels. If you prefer to stay above the water, the north of the island has fantastic conditions for windsurfing. Skip Costa Smeralda. It’s crowded, glitzy and far removed from the island’s true heart. Sure, the beaches are lovely, but the designer shops, golf courses and partying jet set make it feel like any other upmarket resort in southern Europe. There are equally lovely beaches elsewhere: Nora with its Roman amphitheatre; northeastern beauty La Pelosa; the 30m high white dunes of Baia Chia; and the entire Orosei coast.

Contact Us

Call us for a chat about our vacations. We are happy to discuss your vacation and help in any way we can. No bots, queues or awful hold music.

1-866-821-6866 1-866-821-6866

Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Things not to do in Sardinia...

The infamous casu marzu cheese – a sheep’s milk cheese containing live maggots – has been banned by EU health laws, so it’s probably best to skip it, even though it’s still available on the black market courtesy of local shepherds. Sardinian cuisine has plenty of other distinct tastes to excite your taste buds, including salty botarga (dried roe), sea urchin, fregula (handmade, dried pasta, similar to couscous) and porceddu, spit roasted suckling pig wrapped in myrtle and bay leaves. Not to mention the many local wines to wash it all down with. Yes, you could choose to wrap yourself up in the comfort of an all inclusive resort, with food, drink and sun loungers on tap, but that would be a shame on an island where’s there’s so much distinct culture, history and landscape to explore, not to mention excellent, locally owned hotels and restaurants. Leave out the resorts and you’ll learn about Sardinia and its culture, plus your money will go into the pockets of local people. While you’re exploring all those beaches, mountains and walking trails make sure you don’t skip the history. Fascinating remnants of the island’s past are scattered throughout, including Bronze Age settlements and ruined Roman outposts. Then there are the cities such as medieval Alghero, which bursts with cobbled lanes and Gothic palazzo and the mountain town of Orgosolo, whose colourful and political street murals date back to the late 1960s.