One week in Sardinia: Ultimate 6, 7 or 8 days Itinerary + My Best Tips

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A week in Sardinia: which Itinerary for 6, 7 or 8 Days?

You want to go for a 1 week trip to Sardinia and you’re looking for the best Itinerary?

You’re at the right place!

In order to help you plan your stay, I have prepared for you 2 recommended Itineraries for a week in Sardinia.

Depending on where you will land (Cagliari or Olbia), these 7 days itineraries in the North or South of Sardinia will allow you to discover some of the best places to visit on the island.

If you prefer to visit the North, you will discover the Costa Smeralda and Maddalena islands whereas the south will allow you to enjoy the region around Cagliari and Sant’Antioco island.

For both itineraries, in addition to the best things to do and must-see attractions, I will also give you all my best tips as well as a list of the best accommodations depending on your budget.

So, what are the best places to visit during your one week trip to Sardinia? Where to stay?

Let’s find out!

Itinerary: one week in Northern Sardinia

1) Costa Smeralda / Porto Cervo (2 days)

You want to visit Northern Sardinia in one week? Then you should ideally take a flight to Olbia airport.

As Sardinia is a big island, you will need to rent a car to make the most of your stay.

In order to get the best price and not be scammed, you should book your car in advance on Rentalcars.com. I will tell you why I always use this website at the end of this article, in the “Renting a car in Sardinia: My best tips” section.

You will quickly notice that Olbia isn’t a very interesting city to visit, so just grab your car and head directly to the Costa Smeralda! It will be the perfect place to start your 1 week itinerary in Northern Sardinia.

The Costa Smeralda stretches from Porto Rotondo in the Gulf of Cugnana to Cannigione in the Gulf of Arzachena.

With its many luxury hotels, villas and shops, the Costa Smeralda is clearly the fanciest place in Sardinia. If you’re there during high-season, you might even spot a few celebrities during your trip!

For your first day, you should go to Porto Cervo, the “capital” of Costa Smeralda located just 40 min away by car from Olbia. Depending on your landing time in Sardinia, you may have time to make a few stops along the way.

If you do, you should definitely stop by one of the following beaches: Liscia Ruja beach, Capriccioli beach, Romazzino beach or Principe beach. They are all very beautiful!

Spend your first night on the Costa Smeralda.

Principe beach Costa Smeralda
Principe beach, on the Costa Smeralda

On the day after, start your day with a stroll at Porto Cervo Marina to admire the yachts and sailboats, and walk around the commercial streets. Don’t miss the “Stella Maris” church located next to the harbor!

In addition to the luxury, the Costa Smeralda is also famous for its archeological sites, including a few famous Sardinian nuraghes.

So let’s go around Arzachena town to visit the Nuraghe La Prisgiona and see Giant’s graves. The great thing is that it’s only 25 min away from Porto Cervo.

While you’re there, another must-see is the village of San Pantaleo. This charming and authentic village offers a beautiful scenic view over the mountains.

And at the end of the day, head to a beach close to Porto Cervo or to one of the other seaside resorts of Costa Smeralda such as Poltu Quatu, Cannigione or Baia Sardinia.

If you want more information about the Costa Smeralda, you should read my detailed article: The 10 best things to do in Costa Smeralda.

Where to stay on Costa Smeralda

You get it, the Costa Smeralda is the most touristic and expensive place of Sardinia. There are many luxury hotels, so it’s really perfect if you’re looking for an upscale experience!

However, the best hotels are fully booked months in advance, so you should really book your accommodation as early as possible.

  • Residenza Capriccioli: Located just 3min walking from Cappricioli beach and 8km away from Porto Cervo. Studio and apartment with kitchenette and balcony/terrace starting from 100€ per night. Considering the area, it’s one of the cheapest accommodations available so book ahead of time! Strong points: walking distance to the beach, the swimming pools, great location. The best choice on the Costa Smeralda if you’re traveling on a budget!
  • Grand Hôtel Poltu Quatu: Located in Poltu Quatu, 12min away from the beach. Very spacious and bright double room, with traditional Sardinian furniture, starting from 190€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: the location, excellent breakfast, friendly staff. It’s my favorite on the Costa Smeralda for its amazing value for money!
  • Cervo Hotel,Costa Smeralda Resort: Located in Porto Cervo, 15min walking from the beach. This 5* hotel offers comfortable and warm double rooms, starting from 280€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: exceptional setting, staff always available, calm, nicely decorated. It’s my recommendation for a romantic stay on the Costa Smeralda!
  • Cala Di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel: Located in a natural setting, only 6 min walking from the beach. This luxury hotel on Costa Smeralda offers splendid double rooms with a view on the gardens or on Cala di Volpe bay, starting from 400€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: 5 stars service, the private beach, stunning setting, friendly staff. It’s the best choice for a luxury stay on the Costa Smeralda!
Porto Cervo
Porto Cervo, the capital of Costa Smeralda, in Sardinia

 

2) The Maddalena archipelago ( 3 days )

The next stop of this week in Northern Sardinia is the Maddalena archipelago.

Made of 7 islands, the archipelago is a dream destination for beach lovers and hikers!

From Costa Smeralda, it takes about 40min by car to reach Palau, the departure point for the ferries to Maddalena island.

There is a departure every 30 min: the trip lasts 20 min and costs about 40€ for one car and two people. The ferry boats takes you to the main island of the archipelago: La Maddalena island.

For your first day in La Maddalena, you can drive around the island on the scenic road. It’s the best way to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and make stops along the way at the numerous beaches!

Bassa Trinita, Monte di Rena and Spalmatore beach are the most popular ones, but I personally prefer Capocchia du Purpu beach. With its big rocks and turquoise water, it looks just like the Seychelles!

Spend the night in one of the hotels recommended below.

Maddalena islands
Maddalena islands

Let’s continue this 6, 7 or 8 days itinerary in Sardinia with Caprera island, another island of the Maddalena archipelago. You can go there by car: simply cross the bridge linking La Maddalena to Caprera island.

Over there too, get ready for beautiful beaches. The only difference is that you’ll have to walk a bit to reach them.

Caprera island is wilder than its neighbor, making it a great spot to go hiking. Most of the hikes are very easy and reward you with a beautiful cove to take a dip. And during your walk, you may even see the famous Caprera wild goats!

In my opinion, the best beaches of Caprera are Cala Serena, Caprarese, Coticcio and Brigantina.

Between hiking and swimming, you can easily spend the entire day on the island. There are also nice viewpoints, the best ones being the Teialone lookout tower or the Batteria Poggio Rasu Superiore.

A the end of the day, go back to La Maddalena island to spend the night.

For your 3rd and last day, you should explore the other islands of the archipelago.

They are only accessible by boat, so the best way to visit them is to opt for a 1-day boat excursion. You should book it in advance here to make sure to have a seat!

All departures are from La Maddalena port. During the day, you will be able to enjoy the beaches on Budelli, Santa Maria, Spargi and Razzoli island. It costs around 40€ per person, lunch included. It’s really an amazing day trip!

Spend one last night on Maddalena island.

Find out all the best things to do in La Maddalena in my detailed article: How to visit La Maddalena?

Where to stay in Maddalena

  • AHR Residence Leonis La Maddalena: Located in the center of La Maddalena. Fully furnished spacious studio starting from 70€ per night. Strong points: the location (very close to the port and restaurants), fully equipped kitchen, high quality bedding.
  • Residenza Mordini: Located only 100 metes way from the Maddalena port. Comfortable and spacious double room starting from 110€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: warm welcome, quiet atmosphere, close to the city center, homemade breakfast. It’s my favorite place in Maddalena for its great value for money!
  • Residenza Marginetto: Located on the Northern part of the island, and just one minute walking from the beach. Holiday home with kitchen, living room, patio and barbecue starting from 110€ per night. Strong points: the very quiet location at the edge of the island, stunning surroundings, direct access to the beach. This is the best choice for relaxing holidays!
  • Grand Hotel Ma&Ma Resort: Located 100 meters away from the Punta Tegge beach. This luxury hotel, the only 5 stars of the island, offers splendid double rooms starting from 250€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: the pool, the spa, the very attentive staff, the proximity to the beach. It’s the best hotel for a luxury stay in the Maddalena archipelago!
Caprera island
Caprera island

3) Capo Testa / Santa Teresa di Gallura (1 day)

It’s already the 3rd part of your one week itinerary in Northern Sardinia! This morning, you will take the ferry back to Palau.

Once in Palau, head to Capo Testa, located not far from Santa Teresa di Gallura seaside town. It will take you around 35 min by car to get there.

Capo Testa is a former granite carry, full of giant rock formations with surprising shapes. Located on the sea side, it’s an amazing spot to take stunning pictures!

As the site is quite large, you can easily hike around for a few hours. You can also go to several beaches:

  • Cala Francese, left of the Capo Testa lighthouse when you arrive from the parking lot
  • Cala di l’ea, south of the lightouse, near the “Valle de la Luna”.

There’re a few more beaches around Capo Testa, so you can spend the afternoon at one of them. I recommend you “Spiaggia Zia Culumba“, with its big rocks and crystal clear water. On the left of this beach, you can also take a small path by the sea side to reach small hidden coves.

To be honest, Capo Testa was one of the best places I visited during my trip to Sardinia!

In the evening, you should sleep in Santa Tereas di Gallura, the closest city to Capo Testa. The city center is lovely, with lots of restaurants and café terraces.

Where to stay in Capo Testa / Santa Teresa di Gallura

  • La Reggia Di Nausicaa: Located 10 min walking from Santa Teresa port. One bedroom apartment with a kitchenette starting from 55€ per night. Strong points: the swimming pool and friendly staff.
  • Villa Gandamar: Located 2km from the city center. Big and comfortable double room starting from 80€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: great breakfast, lovely atmosphere, very quiet. It’s my favorite hotel for its amazing value for money!
  • Hotel Corallaro: Located in Santa Teresa’s historical center, 2min from the beach. Modern double room starting from 140€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: the swimming pool, close to the beach, very helpful staff. It’s the best choice for a romantic stay in Sardinia!
Capo Testa
Capo Testa, in Sardinia

4) Going back to Olbia (1 day)

If you’re doing a 7 days itinerary in Northern Sardinia, it will be time for you to head back to Olbia.

If your flight is at the end of the day or early the morning after, you can enjoy the beach one last time in the morning.

Then drive back to Olbia, 1h20 away from Santa Teresa di Gallura, to take your flight back home or spend one last night in Olbia (if your flight is early in the next morning).

This one week itinerary in Northern Sardinia is now over! Now you know what to do in Sardinia for 6, 7 or 8 days from Olbia.

Voyage Tips Advice

If you plan to spend 8 days in Northern Sardinia:

  • Spend one more day around Capo Testa. For example, you can go to Costa Paradiso (50 min away from Capo Testa) and enjoy the magnificent Li Cossi Beach.

If you’re in Northern Sardinia only for 6 days, you should spend less time on Costa Smeralda. This area is the most expensive one, and not really the most authentic.

Where to stay in Olbia

  • Residenze del Centro: Located in the heart of Olbia. New, clean and modern apartment starting from 65€ per night, with an additional breakfast 10€. What I loved: high quality accommodation, helpful staff, good location.
  • Jazz Hotel: Located 2km away from the city center and 500m from the airport, Comfortable and modern double room starting from 100€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: modern design, friendly staff, the swimming pool. It’s the perfect hotel to stay at the end of your trip to Sardinia as it’s so close to the airport (10min on foot), but you don’t hear any plane noise! It’s my recommendation in Olbia for its amazing value for money!
  • Maison et charme hotel boutique: Located 100m away from the city center and 3km away from the airport. New and well decorated luxury suite, starting from 120€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: the decoration, the room is very comfortable, the owner is always available.

Itinerary: one week in Southern Sardinia

1) Cagliari (1 day)

To visit Southern Sardinia in one week, you will need to land in Cagliari, the island’s capital.

As the island is quite big, you will also need to rent a car. In order to get the best price, you should really book it in advance!

I personally always use Rentalcars.com website, as it’s by far the most convenient. I will tell you everything you need to know a bit below, in the “Renting a car in Sardinia: My best tips” section.

Let’s now start this one week itinerary in Southern Sardinia with the visit of Cagliari.

Depending on your arrival time, you can visit:

  • Il Castello: the city’s ancient district, where all Cagliari’s must see attractions are located
  • The Cathedral of Santa Maria and the Sanctuary of the Martyrs
  • The Saint Remy Bastion and the Umberto I terrace, offering a beautiful view over the whole city
  • The Palazzo di Citta, housing a Sardinian paintings museum

And if you’re in the mood for some beach time, you should go to Poetto beach. It’s 7 km long, so you’ll be sure to find a free spot to enjoy your first day in Sardinia.

For more ideas about the best things to do in Cagliari, you should read my article: Visit Cagliari: the Definitive guide.

Where to stay in Cagliari

  • Birkin Castello: Located in the Castello district and 50 meters away from the Cathedral. A very cozy and comfortable double room from 60 € per night, breakfast included. Strong points: the location, the rich breakfast, the helpful staff.
  • Budget Rooms Cagliari: Located in the old town. A well decorated and warm double room from 85 € per night. Pros: the location to visit Cagliari on foot, the friendly staff.
  • Hotel Villa Fanny: Located 1 km from the centre of Cagliari, 15 minutes walk away from the harbour. A double room with refined and luxurious decoration from 130 € per night, breakfast included. Pros: the kindness of the staff, the calm, the perfect bedding, the excellent and varied breakfast. This is my recommendation for a luxury stay in Cagliari!
Cagliari
Cagliari, capital of Sardinia

2) Teulada (1 day)

On the day after, let’s continue this 6, 7, 8 days itinerary in Southern Sardinia on one of the most beautiful scenic roads of the island: the SP71.

The road begins in Chia, 1h away of Cagliari, and goes for 25km until Teulada. You’ll drive along the seaside the whole time and enjoy stunning views between the sea and mountains.

The best thing about the Strada Panoramica della Costa del Sud is that you can easily park your car on the side of the road and enjoy beautiful coves and beaches.

One of my favorites is Cala Cipolla, with its crystal clear water and big rocks.

While you’re there, you should also take the path on the right side of the beach. It leads you to Capo Spartivento lighthouse, located on the top of a hill. From there, the view over the whole coast is breathtaking!

Plan to picnic on one of the beaches and spend the day enjoying the wonderful Southeastern coast of Sardinia.

Spend the night in Teulada.

Where to stay in Teulada

  • B&B Su Tostainu: Located in Teulada. Clean and spacious double room starting from 60€, breakfast included. Strong points: lovely hotel, good breakfast.
  • Hotel Jasmine: Located 600m away from the city center of Teulada. Spacious double room with balcony starting from 70€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: friendly welcome, high quality bedding, good value for money.
  • Agriturismo S’Arxola: Located in Teulada. Comfortable double room starting from 95€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: its location between countryside and sea, excellent traditional homemade breakfast, friendly and helpful owner.
sp71 panoramic road Sardinia
The splendid SP71 road, in Sardinia

3) Sant’Antioco island (2 days)

Third stop of this one week itinerary in Southern Sardinia: Sant’Antioco island, 40 minutes away from Teulada.

No need to take a ferry, there’s a bridge to go there. You will directly arrive in the main city of the island: Sant’Antioco city.

Park your car close to the port and the tourist information office and go for a walk along the pier. Don’t hesitate to also stop by the Basilica di Sant’Antioco Martire and go visit the archeological museum.

Then, get back to your car and go explore the island’s best beaches.

The best options are: Maladroxia (small resort), Coa Quaddus (wilder), Cala Sapone and Cala Lunga.

The latter, with its transparent shallow water is in my opinion the most beautiful beach of Sant’Antioco. It’s quite wild and a bit hidden, as it’s located at the end of a cove.

Spend your first night in Sant’Antioco.

On the day after, you should go to San Pietro, the neighboring island.

To get there, you’ll have to take a ferry from Calasseta town (departure every hour). The trip lasts about 30min and costs 35€ for two people and a car, roundtrip.

In San Pietro, you’ll arrive in the city of Carloforte. There isn’t any specific place to visit there, so you can just take a walk along the seaside and maybe stop by one of the many coffee shops and restaurants.

After, it will be time to explore the island by car!

  • Pass by Spiaggia La bobba and walk along the path on the seaside until you reach the famous column shaped rocks.
  • Follow the coastline of La Conca to enjoy beautiful views over the cliffs
  • Take a beach break at Spiaggia Spalmatore, the most popular beach of San Pietro
  • Enjoy the stunning scenic view at Capo Sandalo!

Spend another night in Sant’Antioco.

Where to stay in Sant’Antioco

  • B&B LA VELA: Located in the city of Sant’Antioco. Double room with balcony and sea view starting from 60€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: Calm, great view, very friendly owner.
  • Complesso Residenziale Isola dei Mori: Located 10min walking from Cala Sapone. Fully equipped studio apartment with kitchenette starting from 85€ per night. What I loved: being able to cook your own food, calm, close to the beach.
  • Mercury Boutique Hotel: Located between Cala Sapone and Cala Lunga. Bright and spacious double room with balcony and sea view starting fro 100€ per night. Strong points: 2 swimming pools, very generous buffet style breakfast, good atmosphere and nice view. It’s simply the most beautiful hotel on Sant’Antioco island!
Sant Antioco cala Lunga
Scenic view over Cala Lunga on Sant’Antioco island

4) The Iglesiente coast (1 day)

Your one week tour in Sardinia will now take you to the Iglesiente coast.

First, you will head to Fontana Mare beach, offering a nice view over the surrounding mountains.

Then, you will reach Nebida and Masua. From these two locations you can see the famous Pan di Zucchero (“sugar loaf” in English). With 133 meters high, it’s the tallest faraglioni of Sardinia.

You may not know it, but in the past, Iglesiente was the mining region of Sardinia. So nowadays, a popular tourist attraction is to visit one of the former mines!

The most famous one is for sure Porto Flavia, dug 600 meters deep in the cliff. You will need to book your visit in advance at Iglesias tourist information office.

After your visit, you should spend some relaxing time at Cala Domestica. Located at the end of a cove, it’s really a great spot to take a dip. And if you want to have a drink or eat something, there’s also a small snack bar.

This beach is a must-see during your 7 days itinerary in Sardinia!

At the end of the day, head to Portixeddu area for the night. If you want to enjoy the beach again, there is a 3km long beach next to the town. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the sunset!

Where to stay on the Iglesiente coast

  • B&B Raggio di Sole: Located in Fluminimaggiore. Comfortable and bright double room starting from 60€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: very relaxing place, great welcome, stunning view. It’s my favorite accommodation for its great value for money!
  • Agriturismo Fighezia: Located in Fluminimaggiore. Double room with mountain and sea view starting from 85€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: the view from the rooms, extremely calm, high quality meals.
  • La Rosa Dei Venti: Located in Buggerru. Very spacious and warm double room starting from 115€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: the breakfast on the roof with a view, the calm, the friendly welcome.
porto Flavia Iglesiente Sardinia
Porto Flavia, along the Iglesiente coast, in Sardinia

5) Oristano / Cagliari (2 days)

Let’s continue this one week Sardinia itinerary and go to Oristano!

Oristano is located about 1h25 by car from the end of the Iglesiente coast. Don’t go directly to the city (you will have time to visit it later) and continue driving towards the Sinis Peninsula. There, you will find beautiful beaches such as San Giovanni di Sinis and the Spiaggia di Capo San Marco.

The peninsula is also home to a famous Sardinian archeological site: Tharros. It costs 5€ to visit the site, however, I prefer to warn you: there isn’t much to see. Even if you don’t want to visit the site, you should however definitely go for a walk around San Giovanni tower and the Capo San Marco lighthouse.

At the end of the day, go to Oristano and spend the night there.

In the evening, you can go on a stroll to see:

  • The piazza del duomo
  • The cathedral
  • The Chiesa di San Francesco
  • The piazza Eleonara d’Arborea
  • The piazza Roma.

Then, have dinner in one of the many restaurants in the area and don’t forget to stop for dessert at Barbagelato for a good ice cream. It’s simply the the best ice cream shop of all Sardinia!

Spend the night in Oristano.

If you’re visiting Southern Sardinia in 7 days, it will now be time to head back to Cagliari and fly back home. If your flight is at the end of the day, you can spend one last morning at the beach somewhere around Oristano, as it’s only 1h away from Cagliari.

Voyage Tips Advice

If you visit Southern Sardinia in 8 days:

  • On that extra day: in the morning, go visit Bosa (1h away from Oristano)
  • Spend the afternoon at the beach

If you’re in Southern Sardinia only for 6 days, you can either:

  • Not go on San Pietro island (and only go to Sant’Antioco)
  • Skip Oristano

Where to stay in Oristano

  • Sa Domu e Crakeras: Located in the center of Oristano. Basic but very clean double room starting from 45€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: free private parking, excellent service.
  • Hotel Il Duomo: Located in the heart of Oristano’s historical center. This hotel used to be a mansion and offers spacious, pleasant rooms in a very elegant style. Starting from 80€ per night, breakfast included. What I loved: great location in the center, calm, nice common spaces, great breakfasts with many different dishes. It’s my favorite hotel for its great value for money!
  • Hotel Raffael: Located in the Sinis peninsula, in Putzu Idu, 5min walking from the beach. Bright and spacious double rooms, most of them with their private fully equipped terrace and view on the garden. Starting from 140€ per night, breakfast included. Strong points: calm, big garden with a swimming pool, the terrace, excellent and generous breakfast, very friendly staff. It’s the best hotel for a romantic stay around Oristano!
Tharros Sinis peninsula
A nice walk on the Sinis Peninsula

Visit Sardinia in 1 week: North or South ?

As you have seen in this guide, to visit Sardinia in one week, you will need to choose between the North and the South of the island.

A Northern itinerary is great if you don’t mind going in quite crowded and touristy places. Northern Sardinia is really the fancy part of the island, with many luxury hotels and relatively high prices.

I won’t hide you that the Costa Smeralda and Maddalena islands are the most famous destination for 6-7 days trip to Sardinia.

With that in mind, it’s essential to book your accommodations in advance! Also, don’t worry, the beaches, even if a bit crowded, are absolutely stunning.

You should visit Southern Sardinia if you’re looking for a more authentic experience, less mass tourism-oriented.

In the South, Beaches are wilder and as beautiful as in the North! The South is also a better choice if you’re traveling with your family, as the region is more tranquil and laid back.

Anyway, no matter if you choose to go to the North or the South, you will for sure enjoy amazing beaches and relax under the sun during your 6, 7 or 8 days trip to Sardinia!

If you have any question to plan your itinerary in Sardinia, and don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments section below. Together, we will plan you a perfect week in Northern or Southern Sardinia.

Renting a car in Sardinia: My best tips

As I told you in the 2 itineraries, you will need to rent a car in order to make the most of your 1 week trip to Sardinia.

To rent it, I recommend you to use Rentalcars.com website. It’s the one I always use, no matter if I am traveling to Sicily, Spain, Malta, Thailand or even Canada! It’s really user friendly and it offers some really cool features:

  • You can easily compare prices between all the car rental agencies in 1 location
  • You can get the “full protection insurance”: you will get refunded in case of any damage, accident or if the car is stolen (tested and approved on many occasions! They refunded me more than 1300 euros to date)
  • Canceling or modifying your booking is free
  • They have the “Best Price Guarantee”: if you find cheaper elsewhere for a similar car, Rentalcars.com will refund you the difference!

Other activities for 1 week in Sardinia

You want to do more activities during your 1-week trip to Sardinia?

No problem!

I have created for you a list of the best activities you can do on the island.

Simply click on the links below for more information and to make your reservations:

1) Northern Sardinia

2) Southern Sardinia

Renting a boat in Sardinia

If you want to rent a boat for a nice day at sea during your itinerary in Sardinia, you should book it with Samboat.

Motorboats, sailboats, yachts, small boats without a license, with or without a skipper: they simply have the most complete offer for boat rental.

So, what are you waiting for to book your boat trip in Sardinia? 😊

Book your trip now and save money!

Sardinia travel Guides

You’re traveling in Sardinia? These articles will help you!

Discover all my articles about Sardinia: All Voyage Tips articles about Sardinia are listed here.

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Sardinia 7 days itinerary
Sardinia: 7 days itinerary – The best things to do and see
Anonymous

Creator of the Voyage Tips blog, travel and photography lover. I give you all my best tips to plan your next trip.

Discussion25 Comments

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Hello Doris,

      No problem to drive in La Maddalena, the roads are in good conditions.
      On the main scenic road, there are parking spots on the side allowing you to stop and enjoy the view or go to the beach.

      Same on Caprera island, the roads are pretty good.

      I did a 3 weeks road trip around Sardinia and overall, the roads are great Sardinian people drive carefully – The driving style is very different than the one in Sicily or south of Italy for example!

      Enjoy your trip to Sardinia!

  1. Grace Stewart

    Is it reasonable to arrive on the ferry from Corsica, rent a car in the north, then drive south to a rental house? Can having a central location, doing day trips, give a nice taste of the island?

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Hello Grace,

      If you want to drive from the north of Sardinia (the ferry arrival from Corsica is in Santa Teresa) to the south (for example, Cagliari), it’s a little over 3.5 hours.

      I wouldn’t advise you to take one accommodation in the centre of the island because it’s really lost in the mountains. And in the end, you will drive a lot every day.

      If you only have a week, it’s best to visit either the South or stay in the North.

      Enjoy your stay in Sardinia!

  2. Volkan Özenci

    Thanks for these wonderful tips.
    We will travel to Sardina and have one week. We will land in cagliari and were thinking combining South (3 days) and North (4 days) and leave the rental car in Olbia and fly to Nepal from there. The main goal of the trip is to relax and see and enjoy the best beaches and sea. I wonder if this is possible. Where are the best and most interesting beaches and scenary? Is it possible for you to suggest an itinary based mainly on seaside holiday with a number of different beaches? Thanks again!

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Hello Volkan,

      Thank you very much! I’m glad that my one-week itinerary in Sardinia is helping you to plan your stay.

      For the most beautiful beaches, you can already find all my recommendations in this article.

      If you arrive in Cagliari and want to spend 3 days in the South, you can stay in the surroundings and go to the beaches of the SP71 road and Sant’Antioco island.

      After that, you can go north, stopping at Cala Gonone to visit the coves of the Gulf of Orosei.

      Then the most beautiful beaches in the North are on the Costa Smeralda and the archipelago of La Maddalena.
      You can find detailed information about these places here: Destination Sardinia.

      Enjoy your week in Sardinia!

  3. Hoora

    Hi Vincent
    Thank you for your usefull itinarary of sardinia , i want go there by my housband for our honey moon and relaxing there.
    I come frome Iran
    And i go to austria and then italy
    I want to know for a week relaxation trip , and also swimming and sunning in the beach in middle of september which beach is your recomand ?
    I read your itinarary but you recomandad several beaches i want a sandy beach with warm water and also a hotel near that .
    Can you help me ?
    Thank you and
    Best Wishes
    Hoora

  4. Jamie

    Great site, thanks Vincent. We are planning a ladies trip mid September and I’m hoping we can all do 10 days. I truly can’t decide north or south!! We like the hike, bike, be in charming towns, enjoy the beach, etc. We will of course have a car possibly even have to do 2 unfortunately with luggage. Please let me know what you think of my itinerary? not sure of the order yet. Assuming mid September will still have availability and not be outrageous prices on Costa Smeralda but I could be wrong????

    Fly into Olbia and stay in Porto Certo or Rotunda (will try and do airbnb’s since we have 4 people) or if not stay at a 5 Star hotel for only a night then over to La Maddalena for 3 nights (is that too long?) we can hike on Caprera Island like you suggest.

    Santa Teresa *(looks lovely to me()

    Next would be Asinara National Park (should we base in Stintino?) also see Castelsardo?

    Alghero OR Bosa? Where to base? Friend said Bosa is a must see and it looks perfect to me.

    Orosei for a boast day?

    I just don’t see how we can see entire island in 10 days if we want to do airbnb’s and not change hotels constantly. Trying to figure out order of towns and where it’s best to base. We will do regional flight from Rome so assuming we can go in one city and out another? Might pay drop off fees with rental car. Please help if you don’t mind. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Thanks Jamie!

      Regarding your itinerary:
      – Ok for one night towards Porto Cervo
      – 3 nights in La Maddalena is perfect
      – Santa Teresa ok
      – You can pass by Castelsardo on the way between Santa Teresa and Asinara – For accommodation you can look between Porto Torres and Stintino.
      – Alghero is more lively than Bosa, there are more restaurants and things to do in the area. You can visit Bosa from Alghero, as it’s only 50 minutes by car. Bosa is just a photo opportunity, it’s a short visit.
      – I’m not sure if you have time to do the day trip to the Gulf of Orosei.
      For 10 days, the programme is already quite full.

      You can rent the car in Olbia and return it to Olbia, it will save you extra costs.

      Enjoy your trip to Sardinia!

  5. Rachael

    Hi Vincent, love your site, am finding it very helpful! I will be in Sardinia for 7 nights, flying into Olbia from Nice and then flying out of Cagliari to Bari. Am trying to work out the my travels from north to south, am currently thinking:
    – fly into Olbia in the morning and drive to to Orosei region (stay either in Orosei, Cala Gonone or Dalgari), spend 3 nights here for hiking and boat tour
    – drive west to Bosa, stay here 3 nights and explore north/south
    – drive Bosa to Cagliari, exploring Cagliari town on last day
    Would love your thoughts, thanks!

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Hi Rachael,

      Thank you so much!
      I’m glad my blog is helping you plan your one week itinerary to Sardinia.
      What you have planned is perfectly feasible, no problem.

      Enjoy your week in Sardinia!

  6. Rachael

    Excellent, thanks Vincent!
    One other question, do you think a small car (like a Fiat 500) is fine for this type of driving?

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      You’re welcome!

      Yes, a small car will be fine.
      I rented a fiat panda for my road trip in Sardinia and had no problems.

      Have a nice day,

  7. Janelle

    Hi Vincent
    Your website is fabulous and Sardinia looks beautiful!!

    I’m hoping you could give me your opinion as I’m not certain it is the right time for me to go there.

    I’m a 19 year old travelling by myself this September, mostly in London for a short uni program and after that am really wanting to do a mostly relaxing beach holiday.

    I am considering 5 days in Sardinia, 3 nights in La Maddalena and a night or 2 in Costa Smeralda.
    From reading your info and others it looks like you really need to have a car while in Sardinia.

    I won’t be driving and I am on a budget.
    So just not sure whether to do a trip to Sardinia now or leave it for another time.

    Would appreciate any thoughts or advice you may have.
    Thanks very much
    Janelle

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Hello Janelle,

      Thank you!
      Yes, Sardinia is really beautiful and has some superb beaches. Unfortunately, for me, you really need a car to visit it and get to the beaches.
      What’s more, this part of Sardinia (the whole Costa Smeralda) is reputed to be one of the most expensive on the island, so I think it would be complicated to find cheap accommodation in September.
      I think it would be better for you to go there next time when you can hire a car.

      If you want to enjoy the sun and beaches without hiring a car, maybe Malta could be for you. It’s possible to find cheap hotels in the St Paul’s Bay / Mellieha area (North of the island) or on Gozo (the other island of Malta). You can eat there very cheaply.
      There are also youth hostels in the south of the island.
      The Mellieha area has some of the most beautiful beaches in Malta, and Gozo also has some great swimming spots.
      You can get around by bus or use VTC apps like Uber. In Malta and Gozo, it’s best to use Bolt (which isn’t very expensive either).
      If you’re interested, you can find all my articles here: Destination Malta.

      Don’t hesitate if you have any questions!

  8. Janelle

    Thank you so much for your response Vincent.
    I really appreciate you taking the time to reply and for your honesty.

    I have had a quick look at Malta but will check it out more and save Sardinia for another time.

    Thanks again
    Janelle

  9. Kathy

    We will be visiting Sardegna for the first time and currently live on mainland Italy. Do you know if it’s possible to use your own kayak at any of the beaches or cove areas? We can’t seem to find any regulations or information about kayaking besides rental locations. Thanks so much!
    And thank you for this article, we will be doing your 1 week in the north recommendation 😊

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Hello,

      Thank you! I’m glad that my itinerary for a week in Sardinia is helping you organise your visits.

      As for kayaking, I’m honestly not sure but I don’t see why you shouldn’t be allowed to use your kayak.
      I would advise you to contact one of the companies that organise kayak tours in Sardinia and ask them whether or not there are any special regulations. They should know.

      Don’t hesitate to tell me the answer, it may be useful to other travellers.

      Enjoy your week in Sardinia!

  10. Naomi Saxton-Knight

    Hello Vincent,

    We are staying for 10 days in Sardinia flying into Cagliari and after 2 days we plan to drive straight up to Maddalena (is that too much?) Could you suggest which route is best to enjoy the views please and is there somewhere we could stop for a break about half way? We are planning 3or 4 days here and then driving south again spending the remainder of the holiday in Oristano before returning to Cagliari.

    • Vincent

      Hello Naomi,

      To get from Cagliari to Palau (where the ferry leaves for the island of La Maddalena), you need to allow about 3 hours 45 minutes by car.
      It’s the quickest route, but it passes through the interior of Sardinia, so there’s not much to see.

      You can also take the road along the entire east coast of Sardinia to enjoy the views.
      But the journey takes at least 5 hours by car.

      Enjoy your trip to Sardinia!

  11. Viv

    Vincent I don’t know you-but you place wonderful itineraries for free here, so we know you know your stuff! When folks ask you such detailed questions that would take your time to answer, consider setting up a link where they can hire you for a consult to help create a personalized itinerary! Why not?
    Regards,
    Viv

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Dear Viv,

      Thanks a lot of your kind comment and suggestion!
      To be honest, I am really happy to help people plan their trip for free by answering their questions in the comments section.
      I try to write as detailed articles as possible, sometimes suggesting variations or several options of visits when it’s possible and worth it.
      Most people are thus asking me for relatively small changes to the itinerary, so it’s not too complicated to answer, and I wouldn’t see myself charging a fee for this.
      However, creating tailor made itineraries for clients would be much more work, and I believe that would easily turn into a full time job if I start offering this service!
      That would mean I won’t have time anymore to write guides, translate them, travel, take care of the photos etc.. and that would be a bit sad, as it’s what I enjoy doing and what helps most people to plan their trip!
      Of course I could always subcontract the work to someone else, but I believe this is not really fair, as they wouldn’t really have visited the places I talk about.

      I actually have another blog about Mauritius with one of my friends who lives there, and she is offering this type of service. As it’s a small blog about 1 destination, it’s not a problem, as she has a few enquiries per month and can manage it along with the blog writing!

      Thanks again Viv, and if you have any question to plan your trip to Sardinia or anywhere else, don’t hesitate.

      Have a wonderful day!

  12. Mari Rivers

    Hi ! I love your iterinary wondering if you could help me? First time visit (anniversary trip) total of 7 nights in July . Wanted to know how I can squeeze in algehero , Porto cervo maddalena? Is this possible? We are mostly interested in beach, charters and relaxing.

    • Vincent
      Vincent

      Hello Mari,

      Thanks a lot!

      For your trip, you can follow my itinerary for a week in Northern Sardinia, as it already includes Porto Cervo and La Maddalena.

      As for Alghero, if you’re only staying for 7 nights, I think it’s too short to include it, as it’s about 2h30 by car from Palau.
      Plus, as you say you’re mainly interested in the beaches, it’s not worth going to Alghero for that.

      There are many more beautiful coves around the Costa Smeralda or towards Capo Testa, which I mention in this itinerary, or a little further towards Costa Paradiso.
      For a week, it’s best to concentrate on this area.

      Enjoy your stay in Sardinia!

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