By air
Olbia (OLB) or Cagliari (CAG), north and south of the island
Europe · Italy
Sardinia, Italy
Emerald coves and ancient stone towers
Getting there
Best time to visit
June to September — the beach season
Don't miss
The Costa Smeralda
Cala Goloritzé
La Maddalena
The Nuraghe Su Nuraxi
Things to do
Beach-hopping on the Costa Smeralda
Boat trips in the Gulf of Orosei
Hiking
Where to eat
What to pack
Swimwear, snorkel gear
A quieter corner
Bosa, a painted river town
Questions travellers ask
What's the best time of year for Sardinia?
June to September, the beach season. Pack swimwear and snorkel gear.
What are Sardinia's highlights?
The Costa Smeralda, Cala Goloritzé, La Maddalena and the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi. Take a boat trip in the Gulf of Orosei, and visit Bosa, a painted river town.
What food should I try in Sardinia?
Porceddu, a roast suckling pig, and culurgiones.
Should I fly into Olbia or Cagliari for Sardinia?
Olbia (OLB) is in the north of the island and Cagliari (CAG) in the south, so pick the one nearer your plans.
About Sardinia
- Island
Where it is
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean, after Sicily, and an autonomous region of Italy, lying west of the Italian mainland and just south of the French island of Corsica; Cagliari is its capital.
History
From the 18th century BC the Nuragic civilisation built stone towers called nuraghi, some 7,000 of which still dot the island. Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans followed, then four medieval kingdoms known as judicates, about four centuries of Aragonese and Spanish rule, and from 1720 the House of Savoy, whose Kingdom of Sardinia went on to unify Italy.
People
Sardinians speak Italian and Sardinian, a Romance language of its own, with Sassarese and Gallurese in the north. Shepherding and cheese-making run deep, the polyphonic cantu a tenore singing is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list, and every 1 May Cagliari holds its great procession of Sant'Efisio.
Known for
- The Costa Smeralda
- Nuraghi such as Su Nuraxi at Barumini
- The Gulf of Orosei and Cala Goloritzé
- Pecorino sardo and pane carasau flatbread
- Cannonau wine
Did you know?
In the port of Alghero on the north-west coast, people still speak a form of Catalan, a legacy of the settlers who arrived under the Crown of Aragon in the 14th century.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.