Sardinia (24,100 km², the Mediterranean's second-largest island after Sicily) has 1,848km of coastline — more than the entire Italian peninsula. The sea is turquoise and transparent like the Maldives, the beaches are white sand and pink granite, and the interior is rugged mountain (the Gennargentu, 1,834m) with villages where Sardinian is still spoken, Nuragic festivals are celebrated and roast suckling pig with myrtle is eaten. The nuraghi (stone towers from the 2nd millennium BC, 7,000 across the island) exist nowhere else in the world. A car is essential — inhabited centres are far apart and the most beautiful places are only reachable by road. Airports: Cagliari-Elmas (CAG), Olbia-Costa Smeralda (OLB, closest to the Costa Smeralda), Alghero-Fertilia (AHO).
Costa Smeralda and La Maddalena Archipelago
Costa Smeralda (Arzachena, Porto Cervo, Baja Sardinia) is Italy's most exclusive riviera — founded by the Aga Khan IV in 1962 as a private luxury resort, today it is the destination of superyachts, Berlusconi villas and international summer parties. The best public beaches (free) around Costa Smeralda: Capriccioli, Romazzino, Liscia Ruja, Cala Granu — among Europe's 50 most beautiful beaches. The La Maddalena Archipelago (7 islands, National Park, ferry from Palau €5.50 return, 15 min) has protected crystal waters — Cala Corsara on Spargi island and Cala Granara on Spargi island are reachable by boat. In July-August Costa Smeralda is very expensive and crowded — June and September are the ideal months.
Gulf of Orosei and Nuraghi
The Gulf of Orosei (eastern coast, Nuoro) is Sardinia's wildest area — the beaches of Cala Luna, Cala Mariolu, Cala Biriola and Cala Goloritzè are accessible only by boat (from Cala Gonone, €15-25 return) or on foot via trails in the Gulf of Orosei and Gennargentu National Park. Cala Goloritzè (UNESCO natural heritage) has the 143m limestone monolith descending directly into the sea — eastern Sardinia's most photographed spot. Nuraghe Su Nuraxi di Barumini (UNESCO Heritage, 50km from Cagliari, €15 with guided tour) is the island's most imposing and best-preserved nuraghe — built around 1500 BC, the nuragic village around the main nuraghe is Europe's most extensive. The Barbagia (the island's mountainous heart, Orgosolo with murals, Oliena with Cannonau) is Sardinia's most authentic hinterland.
Alghero and Sardinian Cuisine
Alghero (north-west, AHO airport 12km) is Sardinia's most beautiful medieval village — 15th-century Catalan walls on the sea, historic centre with Gothic palaces, the Algherese language (a Catalan dialect still spoken by 20,000 people). Neptune's Grotto (reachable from Alghero harbour by boat €15 or from Capo Caccia with 654 steps, €14) is Sardinia's most beautiful sea cave — stalactites, stalagmites and the underground lake. Cagliari (regional capital, CAG airport) has the Castello (the medieval neighbourhood on top of the hill), the National Archaeological Museum (€5, the world's most important nuragic collection) and the Poetto beaches (10km of white sand 5 min from the centre). Sardinian cuisine: porcetto (milk-fed piglet roasted with myrtle, festival dish), pane carasau (very thin crispy semolina bread), bottarga di muggine (dried mullet roe — the 'Sardinian caviar'), Cannonau di Sardegna DOC (indigenous grape, powerful red, among the world's highest resveratrol content).
Practical tips
Cala Goloritzè (Gulf of Orosei) is only accessible by boat or on foot — the boat from Cala Gonone is the most convenient way
Costa Smeralda in June or September costs half as much as August and has fewer crowds — the right choice
Nuraghe Su Nuraxi di Barumini (UNESCO) is only visited with a guide — book online
Bottarga di muggine is bought at the San Benedetto market in Cagliari — Italy's largest covered market
A car is essential in Sardinia — rent one at the airport and don't think about it again
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