5 reasons to visit Sardinia

Debating whether or not Sardinia is worth visiting? Well you’re definitely in the right place, if you’re looking for reasons why you should visit this stunning island of the west coast of mainland Italy!

This guest post by Mike Jensen of TheAdvenTourist covers the best places to visit and best things to do in Sardinia.

Why visit sardinia?

Sardinia is known for its mesmerising beaches, crystal clear sea, extraordinary nature and delicious foods. 

The island has so much to offer to different types of people, from miles of sandy beaches to extremely demanding trekking trails and excellent surfing spots. 

Still not convinced? Check out all of our reasons to visit Sardinia, and you’ll be booking a flight before you get to the end!

The most popular tours and activities in Sardinia

1. visit sardinia’s outstanding beaches

The miles of white sandy beaches are reason enough to plan a trip to Sardinia. 

The island is famous for some of the most stunning beaches in the world, with otherworldly scenery.

what’s the best beach in sardinia?

There’s a beach that’s perfect for you, no matter what you prefer. 

If it’s seclusion and privacy that you seek, head to one of the many hidden coves. 

Places like Cala Bernardu are pretty hard to reach, and most people just don’t make the effort. Which means that they are quite deserted – this is actually true for most of the secluded coves that you can only reach by a boat or a difficult hiking trail. 

Yes, it takes a lot of effort to get there, but once you finally reach your destination you will be rewarded with mesmerising nature, crystal clear water and solitude. 

And if you’re not someone who avoids people at all costs, you’ll be able to enjoy Sardinia even more. 

With hundreds of incredible public beaches like Poltu Biancu, La Pelosa, Punta Negra, Rena Bianca and many others, you will never get rid of the sand between your toes. 

Just bear in mind that the public beaches tend to get really crowded during peak season, so expect crowds. 

2. great outdoor activities in sardinia

Sardinia is a popular travel destination for active people. 

There are so many different adventures you can embark upon that you really need to pick and choose which parts of the island you want to explore. 

Capo caccia

One of the most popular spots in Sardinia is Capo Caccia.

It’s a rocky promontory that offers vast views of the horizon, and it’s definitely one of the most beautiful places in entire Sardinia. 

The area near Capo Caccia is also popular for cliff diving and snorkelling. 

Neptune’s grotto

And then there’s Neptune’s Grotto, which is probably the most visited attraction in this area. 

The stalactite cave features an entrance one meter above sea level, and it’s only possible to enter the cave when the tide is low.

You can explore both Capo Caccia and Neptune’s Grotto on a day trip from Cagliari.

Nereo cave

Nereo Cave is a very popular spot here, since it is the largest marine cave in the Mediterranean Sea. 

Gennargentu national park

Gennargentu National Park is another place on the island that is extremely popular with adventurers.

It extends over a vast area, so it’s home to quite a lot of thrilling hiking trails. 

The national park is also popular with trekkers and climbers; it is actually home to Sardinia’s highest peak, which offers mesmerising views of the island from the top. 

Cycling is also a cool activity you could do on the island. It’s a great way of exploring Sardinia in an environmentally friendly way, while also getting in some exercise.

Definitely rent a bike, and go off the beaten paths to see the true beauty of this wonderful island. 

3. the best towns & cities to visit in sardinia

When you’re ready to swap out sandy beaches for concrete streets, head to one of Sardinia’s larger cities. 

Cagliari – sardinia’s capital city

Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia, and it is the most populated city in the island. 

With iconic landmarks like Bastione Saint Remy and Cagliari Cathedral, it is a great place to just walk around and admire the beauty of your surroundings. 

And with many different museums, Cagliari is also the best place on the island to learn more about Sardinia’s history. 

Or, you could just head to the city centre and explore the many different shops. Swiping your credit card is a form of exercise – don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

What we particularly love about this city is the abundance of vegan restaurants near the main promenade.

It’s easy to find a place that serves delicious vegan meals, with a side of some enchanting sea views. 

Find things to do in Cagliari

Sassari 

Cagliari is not the only city on the island worth visiting.

Sassari is on the northern part of the island, and it is one of the oldest cities in Sardinia. 

It’s particularly popular for the vast art collection, which includes works by some of the most prominent Sardinian artists like Antionio Ballero and Giuseppe Biasi. 

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Cala gonone

And, we can’t forget about Cala Gonone. The small town in eastern Sardinia is an extremely popular vacation spot, due to many gorgeous, sandy beaches. 

It’s worth it just to visit the town for a day, because you get to experience extravagantly beautiful nature. 

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4. the rich history of sardinia

Sardinia is probably one of the best places in the world for history buffs.

The island is full of ancient archaeological spots that are thousands of years old. 

Actually, Sardinia is known for ancient edifices called nuraghes, which are scattered throughout the island. 

These are the remains of settlements that were developed during the Bronze age. 

They are symbols of the Nuragic civilisation, and there are more than 7000 nuraghes all around Sardinia. 

And that’s just the beginning…

The island is home to many different archaeological museums, that hold remains of artefacts and objects that are hundreds and thousands of years old. 

If you’re keen to learn a lot about Sardinia’s rich history when you visit Sardinia, there’s an abundance of opportunities for that throughout the island. 

One very prominent archaeological site in Sardinia is Tomba dei Giganti, also known as the Giant’s tomb.

It is on the island’s northern tip, close to the town of Santa Teresa Gallura. Giant’s tomb is a megalithic grave gallery; its name comes from old folk tales that said giants used to roam that particular area. 

In reality, Tomba dei Giganti is just a collective grave of a nearby village, but it is nonetheless a fascinating sight. 

5. fine dining in sardinia

Even though it’s a separate island, Sardinia is still part of Italy. And Italians are known for their love of fine foods. 

What we love about Sardinia is that it has an abundance of vegan friendly restaurants. 

Cagliari in particular has a lot of different restaurants where you can have vegan versions of some of the best known Italian dishes. I’m talking about pasta, pizza, risottos and pretty much anything your heart desires. 

Gintilla Cagliari is one of the best vegan restaurants in the city, and the go-to spot for most vegans and vegetarians that stay in Cagliari. 

Not only do they have a lot of different options, but they also serve some of the most delicious meals you will ever have in your life. 

This is also one of the few restaurants that focuses only on plant-based meals; most of the other prominent restaurants in the city only offer vegan-friendly options, instead of entire vegan menus. 

And another reason why we really love this place is that they even have vegan wine options, which are very hard to find in Italy. 

If you want to try Italian vegan pizza, the best spot in Cagliari is Grains Pizzeria.

Their menu has quite a lot of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options, and all of them are finger-licking delicious!

Sardinia practical travel tips

When to visit Sardinia

Sardinia is a wonderful place to visit all year round, but it is especially charming from May to September.

The summer season, which offers delightful warm weather and clear waters, is the busiest time for tourists. If you enjoy beach activities, then this is the perfect time to visit.

However, if you prefer to steer clear of crowds, then visiting during the off-season is a great option. It’s worth noting that some places of interest, such as beach clubs and restaurants, may be closed during the off-season.

How to get to sardinia

If you want to reach Sardinia, you can choose between a plane and a boat.

Flights to sardinia

You can fly to Sardinia from big cities in Italy, as well as from many different countries, including Austria, France, Belgium , Germany, Spain, Denmark, UK, Switzerland, Norway and The Netherlands.

The airport for Sardinia is either Cagliari-Elmas Airport, Olbia Airport or Alghero-Fertilia Airport.

I use Omio to search for flights in Europe. They’ll give you a discount your first booking just for signing up 🙂

Find out more about how to find cheap flights.

Getting to sardinia by ferry

The ferry from Corsica (France) to Sardinia runs on a daily basis.

There are ferry services from Barcelona and from Sicily, Genoa, Naples and other places in Italy as well.

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about the author

Mike is addicted to both adventure and travel, so decided to combine the two to form TheAdvenTourist. There he shares his journey from one adrenaline rush to another, always exploring new places as he goes. You can find him sharing his travels on Facebook.