Italy

Sardinia

An island of impossibly clear water and white-sand coves, mysterious Bronze Age nuraghe and the glamorous Costa Smeralda.

Best time: May – Jun, Sep – Oct
Type: Island

Discover

About Sardinia

Sardinia is Italy's most beautiful island secret. The Costa Smeralda's Caribbean-clear water attracts the superyacht set to Porto Cervo; but the island's real treasures are less glossy: the Cala Goloritzé sea arch and beach accessible only by boat or two-hour hike, the mysterious nuraghi Bronze Age towers scattered across the interior, and a cuisine of wild herbs, lamb and bottarga (cured fish roe) unlike anything elsewhere in Italy.

Highlights

Costa Smeralda — emerald sea and white sand
Cala Goloritzé — hike down to a protected natural monument
Nuraghi stone towers — Bronze Age mystery
Orgosolo murales village art
Culurgiones pasta and pecorino cheese
Carloforte tuna fishing town

Photos

Sardinia in photos

Showing 9 of 20

Where you'll stay

Where you'll stay in Sardinia

Live map of hotels and villas around Sardinia — powered by Stay22. Pan, zoom and compare live prices to pick your base.

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Hotels & rentals around Sardinia

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Best beaches

By the sea

Best beaches in Sardinia

The 7 shores actually worth the trip on Sardinia — ranked, with the vibe of each and where to stay nearby. Tap a card to fly the map to it.

Dramatic © Unukorno, CC BY 4.0

Cala Goloritzé

A 143m limestone spire and stone arch soar over a pale-pebble cove of startlingly clear water.

Best for dramatic scenery and hiking

Stays near this beach →
Swimming © Tommie Hansen, CC BY 2.0

La Pelosa

Waist-deep turquoise water runs far offshore past a 16th-century watchtower over powder-white sand.

Best for calm shallow swimming

Stays near this beach →
Snorkelling © Daniela M., CC BY-SA 4.0

Cala Mariolu

White pebbles and deep-blue shallows drop to a snorkeller's wall beneath sheer limestone cliffs.

Best for snorkelling clear water

Stays near this beach →
Secluded © Oekologix, CC0

Spiaggia del Principe

The Aga Khan's reputed favourite: a curving, dune-backed Costa Smeralda cove off a short scrub path.

Best for quiet scenic cove

Stays near this beach →
Long sandy © trolvag, CC BY-SA 3.0

Spiaggia La Cinta

A 3km ribbon of fine white sand between a flamingo lagoon and warm, shallow, kite-friendly sea.

Best for long beach walks

Stays near this beach →
Family © Gaspar Torriero, CC BY-SA 2.0

Cala Brandinchi

Warm, waist-shallow 'Little Tahiti' water and soft sand facing the hulking Tavolara island.

Best for families with toddlers

Stays near this beach →
Sunset © Vid Pogacnik, CC BY-SA 4.0

Spiaggia di Su Giudeu

Big dunes, a wade-out rock islet and a flamingo lagoon on Chia's golden south-west coast.

Best for sunsets and dunes

Stays near this beach →