Sardinia round trip 7 days – route, highlights & travel tips

The island of Sardinia is one of Italy’s most popular travel destinations, recording around 10 million overnight stays per year. Many followers followed our Sardinia tour live on our social media channels and sent us countless questions. In the following post, we’ll answer all these questions and show you our 16-day itinerary in Sardinia.

Awaiting you are gorgeously beautiful beaches and bays, charming towns and villages, delicious food, and plenty of natural highlights. Are you ready for a varied and unforgettable Sardinia tour? Let’s go! What are you waiting for?

What else you should know

What else you should know
Sardinia round trip: Our 16-day route
Who is this Sardinia round trip suitable for?
Day 1: Arrival, rental car & accommodation
Day 2: Dream beaches & panoramic views
Day 3: Costa Smeralda & Porto Cervo
Day 4: La Maddalena & Caprera
Day 5: Capo Testa & Castelsardo
Day 6: Relaxing on the beach
Day 7: La Pelosa & Alghero
Day 8: Off to the west to Bosa & Oristano
Day 9: The unique Sinis peninsula
Day 10: Exploring the west coast
Day 11: Exploring the south coast
Day 12: Villasimius and the Costa Rei
Day 13: Hike up Monte Ferru
Day 14: Drive to Pedra Longa & Baunei
Day 15: Boat trip along the east coast
Day 16: Return to Olbia & Departure
Arrival by plane
By ferry to Sardinia
When is the best time to travel to Sardinia?
Which accommodations do you recommend?
Where is the best place to book a rental car?
Driving on the island
How much does a Sardinia tour cost?
Sardinia packing list
Which travel guide should I use for my Sardinia tour?

Sardinia tour: Our 16-day itinerary

Is there actually THE perfect route for Sardinia? You have various options for exploring the island on your own. We drove around the island from Olbia counterclockwise and found this route really beautiful. You can also go the other way and start from Cagliari or Alghero. This, of course, depends on where you arrive on the island by plane or ferry.

Our Sardinia route largely followed the coast; we deliberately skipped the island’s interior on this trip, because 16 days go by quicker than you’d like. We were very lucky with the weather and had 16 days of brilliant sunshine, blue skies, and no clouds at all. This meant we were able to implement our route as planned and didn’t have to change our plans at short notice due to storms and/or rain.

2 nights in Olbia
2 nights in Santa Teresa Gallura
2 nights in Porto Torres
1 night in Alghero
2 nights in Oristano
2 nights in Carbonia
2 nights in San Vito
2 nights in Santa Maria Navarrese

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Who is this Sardinia tour suitable for?

Our Sardinia tour is particularly suitable for travelers who don’t just want to lie by the pool or on the beach, but above all want to see a lot of the island and enjoy traveling by car. On this trip you will see stunningly beautiful beaches, diverse cities, charming villages, secluded bays and countless natural highlights.

We always spent two nights in our accommodations so that you didn’t have to pack up every day. Besides, you don’t really get much out of having nice accommodation if you only end up spending a few hours there.

Do you only have 7 or 10 days?

Day 1: Arrival, rental car & accommodation

In the early evening, we landed in Olbia full of anticipation, picked up our luggage from the conveyor belt and our pre-booked rental car*. With it, we drove to our first accommodation, which was only 10 minutes from the city center. After a shower and a short break, we strolled through the charming old town of Olbia, got something to eat, and ended the evening with a beautiful sunset at the harbor.

Cool tours & excursions from Olbia:

Dolphin watching & Snorkeling boat tour near Figarolo*
From Olbia: Full-day boat tour to the La Maddalena archipelago*
Olbia sightseeing tour by tuk-tuk*
Sardinia: Food and wine tour by tuk-tuk*

Sardinia-Sights-Olbia-Harbor

Day 2: Dream beaches & panoramic views

On the second day, we explored the area south of Olbia. We first drove to the beautiful beach of Budoni and then to the charming village of San Teodoro. There, we enjoyed a delicious ice cream and then took a leisurely stroll to La Cinta beach. From there, we drove to Porto Taverna, where we had a magnificent view of the nearby island of Tavolara and even spotted flamingos in the lagoons off the beach. The tour concluded with a hike to the viewpoint at Capo Ceraso. Simply stunning and highly recommended!

Day 3: Costa Smeralda & Porto Cervo

We left Olbia early in the morning, drove along the coast of Golfo Aranci, and then explored the beautiful Costa Smeralda. We drove first to the spacious Spiaggia Bianca and then to the idyllic Cala Petra Ruja, which is surrounded by small and large rocks.

After cooling off in the sea, we explored Porto Cervo, the town of the “rich and beautiful.” We were lucky and were able to stroll leisurely through the alleys. It’s said to be really crowded there during peak season! From Porto Cervo, we drove to our beautiful accommodation in Santa Teresa Gallura.

Day 4: La Maddalena & Caprera

Our exciting Sardinia tour continued. From our accommodation, we drove to the port of Palau in the morning to take the next ferry to La Maddalena. We were able to buy the tickets on site and hop on the next ferry. We left the car in Palau and rented two e-bikes on La Maddalena, which we used to explore both islands that day.

First, we drove around the island of La Maddalena for almost two hours and then to the smaller island of Caprera, where we also visited the dream beach of Cala Cotoccio. Crystal-clear water meets fine sand and jagged rock formations. WOW! We took one of the last ferries back to Palau in the early evening and drove back to our accommodation.

Great tours to La Maddalena in Sardinia:

Adventure dives in La Maddalena National Park*
From Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago – Full-day boat tour*
From Palau: Catamaran tour of the La Maddalena Archipelago*

Day 5: Capo Testa & Castelsardo

On the fifth day of our Sardinia tour, we explored Capo Testa with its lighthouse and the Valle della Luna. This cape at the northern tip of Sardinia, with its many impressive granite cliffs, is definitely one of the top sights in northern Sardinia.

We spent the night in a great accommodation in Santa Teresa di Gallura. The next morning, we drove along the north coast and discovered countless beautiful beaches, such as the Spiaggia Rena Majori, the Spiaggia Monti Russu, and the lovely bay of Cala Sarraina.

In Castelsardo, we took a longer break and strolled through the beautiful hilltop village with its medieval old town. Our day trip ended in Porto Torres, where we had booked a room in a great B&B for two nights.

Day 6: Relaxing on the Beach

Porto Torres was a great starting point for us to explore some corners of the north. We also treated ourselves to a day’s break in the industrial and port city and relaxed on the beautiful beach outside of town. Porto Torres itself isn’t a particular highlight in our opinion, but it is conveniently located.

It is only 30 minutes to Stintino (La Pelosa), and just 40 minutes to Castelsardo or Alghero. In Porto Torres, we had a lovely room in a B&B for two nights. You can find all the information here: Our lovely accommodations in Sardinia.

Day 7: La Pelosa & Alghero

Our tour continued to the Stintino peninsula, where a beautiful beach awaited us. We parked our car, strolled down to La Pelosa Beach, and couldn’t get enough of the view. The bay is truly beautiful, with fine sand and a brilliant blue water. You can walk into the water for countless meters without it getting too deep.

The beach is therefore particularly suitable for children. Afterwards, we visited the Ledà d’Ittiri Wine Resort and enjoyed a small wine tasting in the property’s idyllic garden. You can book the wine tasting here*. A stroll through the pretty town of Alghero with its winding streets was, of course, a must. You can enjoy numerous adventures around Capo Caccia.

Maristella: Porto Conte Park Snorkeling Boat Tour*
Cooking Class and Four-Course Menu: Sardinian Cuisine in Alghero*
SUP Excursion in the North of Sardinia*
Alghero: Snorkeling and Tour to the Cliffs of Capo Caccia*

Day 8: Off to the west to Bosa & Oristano

After about a week, we left the north and headed for the west of the island. From Alghero, we drove along a beautiful panoramic road along the sea to Bosa. We definitely consider this town to be one of the most beautiful on the entire island. You’ll find beautiful, colorful houses, winding alleys, and plenty of lovely details. Be sure to allow 2 to 3 hours to explore this place. From there, we drove to Oristano, where we found another great place to stay. The town is very authentic and is a great starting point for tours of the Sinis Peninsula.

Day 9: The unique Sinis Peninsula

Early in the morning, we set off from Oristano on our day trip to the Sinis Peninsula. For us, this area is definitely one of the absolute highlights of Sardinia. Here, you can expect stunningly beautiful beaches, flamingo colonies, fantastic viewpoints, and other highlights.

Early in the morning, we hiked to the Spanish Tower of San Giovanni di Sinis and enjoyed the view. Afterwards, we explored the famous rice grain beach, Is Arutas, and enjoyed a snack at the beach restaurant Lido Bar Trattoria.

Day 10: Exploring the West Coast

We checked out, packed our bags in the car, and set off. On this day, we explored the west coast and first drove to the Bay of Masua, where we admired, among other things, the striking rock “Pan di Zucchero”. This 132-meter-high rock is clearly visible even from a distance.

In Nebida, we strolled along the panoramic path (on Google Maps: Giardino belvedere di Nebida) and enjoyed stunning views of the sea and the rocky coast. We took a break at the Mitza Beach Club Bar and treated ourselves to a snack. Afterwards, we continued on to Carbonia, where we booked our room at a wonderful bed and breakfast. Breakfast served.

Masua: Porto Flavia Canal Dry Canyoning*
Boat Tour – West Coast of Sardinia and its Mines*
Private Guided Jeep Tour from Iglesias with Aperitif, Sardinia*

Day 11: Exploring the South Coast

After a few exciting days in the west of the island, we headed towards the south coast. We left our accommodation early in the morning and drove to Porto Pino, where we took a short walk on the beach. We then took the SS71, which led us along the sea. We highly recommend this panoramic road; it’s truly picturesque!

We passed the natural beach of Piscinnì and continued to the beautiful Tuerredda beach. Be sure to include a swim! We treated ourselves to a lunch break at Su Giudeu Beach before exploring the charming little town of Pula. There, winding streets and the colorful facades of the venerable patrician houses awaited us. Highly recommended!

Day 12: Villasimius and the Costa Rei

On the twelfth day of our trip, we continued exploring the south of Sardinia. From Carbonia, we drove past Cagliari and continued to the Strada Provinciale 17 panoramic road, which ran for almost 30 kilometers along the sea, winding its way to Villasimius. A truly beautiful route with numerous fantastic views!

Later, we strolled through Villasimius, grabbed some delicious wraps from My Piadina, and then walked along the harbor. A hike to Capo Carbonara was also a must on this day. Afterwards, we explored some beaches in the area (Spiaggia di Porto Giunco, Spiaggia di Punta Molentis) as well as the 10 km long Costa Rei.

Popular tours around Villasimius:

From Cagliari: Villasimius Beach Tour*
Try Scuba Diving without a License in Villasimius*
Villasimius: Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area Guided Kayak Tour*

Day 13: Hiking on Monte Ferru

We should have actually been relaxing on a beach that day, as it was getting quite warm. But something drove us to Monte Ferru, a mountain on the Costa Rei. After about a 1.5-hour hike, we reached the Torre di Monte Ferru (old watchtower), which was supposed to warn against pirate attacks during the Spanish occupation. The 300-meter-high Monte Ferru offered us a fantastic view of the entire southeast coast of Sardinia. You can also see Capo Ferrato and the seemingly endless Feraxi Beach from up there. We took a short break and then hiked down the other side to Spiaggia di Portu de S’Ilixi, where we cooled off in the sea after the strenuous hike (see tour details). After this tour, we returned to our accommodation in San Vito and rounded off the evening with pizza and beer.

Day 14: Drive to Pedra Longa & Baunei

On day 14, we left our beautiful accommodation in San Vito and made our way to Santa Maria Navarrese (approx. 75 km), where we moved into our last accommodation of the Sardinia tour. Since check-in wasn’t possible in the morning, we first made a detour to the striking rock needle “Pedra Longa” and the mountain village of Baunei. Only then were we able to move into our beautiful room and explore the small town of Santa Maria Navarrese. For the following day, we organized a motorboat at the harbor so we could explore the east coast on our own.

Day 15: Boat tour along the east coast

Now we come to the grand finale of our Sardinia tour. On the penultimate day, we took a small boat along the east coast and discovered stunningly beautiful bays and beaches. Of course, a detour to Cala Goloritze was a must. You can reserve your own boat here*.

Other highlights included the Pedra Longa rock needle, the small Cala Mariolu, Piscine di Venere, Cala Sisine, and Cala Luna. We started our tour on our own at 9:30 a.m. and were back in the port of Santa Maria Navaresse around 5:30 p.m. You can find all information about the tour here: Our Sardinia Highlights in the East.

Would you prefer a guided tour?

Starts from Santa Maria Navarrese
7-hour boat trip along the coast from Baunei to Cala Goloritzé
Discover historic shipwrecks and sea creatures, beaches and much more!
Tour ratings: 4.7 out of 5 points from 122 reviews
Price: from 69 € pp | Book tickets online in advance here*

Day 16: Return to Olbia & Departure

Now more than 2 weeks were behind us, and we still couldn’t believe everything we had experienced. With a suitcase bulging with memories and experiences, we set off from Santa Maria Navaresse back to Olbia in the morning.

On the way back to Olbia, we drove along the SS 125 Orientale Sarda, one of the longest and most important roads on the island. It leads from Cagliari along the coast via Baunei, Dorgali, Orosei, and Olbia to Palau in the north of the island. We returned the rental car at the airport and waited for our return flight to Berlin.

Arriving by Plane

These days, you can easily reach the Italian island by plane every day. You can fly to Alghero (northwest), Olbia (northeast), or Cagliari (south). For our return flight in May 2022 from Berlin-Brandenburg with Easyjet, we paid €238.66 (€119.33 per person). We booked the flights about five weeks before departure. Flights to Sardinia are generally quite inexpensive. However, it’s still worth booking in advance. You can always save a few euros this way.

Olbia is served by various airlines (Lufthansa, EasyJet, Volotea, Eurowings, etc.), for example from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, and Hanover. Direct flights to Alghero are currently only available from Memmingen with the budget airline Ryanair. You can currently reach Cagliari in the south from Baden-Baden, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Nuremberg, Munich, Frankfurt, or Berlin. We always use the flight search engine Skyscanner.de* for an initial overview.

By ferry to Sardinia

Many vacationers actually come to the island with their own car or camper/car. This naturally means that you have to take one of the ferries to the island. There are three major providers for crossings to Sardinia. These include SardiniaFerries, Mobylines, DirectFerries, and Tirrenia. You can depart from Genoa, Marseille, Livorno, Piombino, Naples, Civitavecchia, or Sicily.

The costs vary, just as with airline tickets. It’s best to compareCheck the providers and prices below. There are also special offers from time to time. Depending on the departure port and travel period, prices range from at least €150 to €300 for a round trip. With Mobylines, the crossing in October from Civitavecchia to Olbia for two people with a car costs around €150 (€75 per person). Without a vehicle, the ferries are of course much cheaper (from €35 each way).

When is the best time to travel to Sardinia?

We are absolute fans of the off-season! For us, May was simply perfect, as the temperatures were already summery warm, but the costs were still relatively low (free parking, etc.). There weren’t that many tourists on the island yet, which made our trip super relaxing.

Locals told us that you should especially avoid the months of July and August, as the Italians themselves are on vacation during these months, and the island is said to be completely overcrowded. The many beautiful beaches are full then, the hotspots are overcrowded, and rental car and hotel prices are significantly higher.

The best time to travel to Sardinia is in May, early June, or from late September to October. It’s much more relaxed on the island then. In May, we had temperatures between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius almost every day, hardly any clouds in the sky, and flowers were blooming everywhere. We also went swimming on many of the beaches, as the water temperatures in May were already very pleasant.

What accommodations can you recommend?

In general, you’ll find countless hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, and guest rooms in Sardinia. Before our trip, we did a lot of research because we wanted to stay in nice accommodations. It was important to us that they were small, cozy accommodations rather than large hotel complexes. In our separate article, we’ve listed all the accommodations, presented them in more detail, and also provided links. Be sure to check it out:

Where is the best place to book a rental car?

Rental cars are currently very expensive throughout Europe, including in Sardinia. During peak season, you can expect to pay between €90 and €110 per day. We were lucky and spent a long time comparing prices, repeatedly canceling our booking. While we would have had to pay €899 (€59 per day) for two weeks with the first booking, after the fourth booking it was “only” €582 (€39 per day). So, it’s worth keeping an eye on prices even after booking.

Driving on the Island

Driving in Sardinia is easy; the road network is very well developed. You can get quickly from north to south, especially via the toll-free SS131 expressway. On Autobahns (A) you can drive 130 km/h (observe the signs), on the SS roads (Strada Statale) a maximum of 90 km/h, and on the SP roads (Strada Provinciale) a maximum of 70 km/h. In built-up areas, you are permitted to drive a maximum of 50 km/h, and in traffic-calmed zones only 30 km/h. Always look out for the relevant signs. Sometimes it’s not easy to interpret the many signs correctly.

The roads to the beaches and the coast are often poorly maintained and unpaved. You should drive more carefully here and, if necessary, park your car beforehand if the potholes become too deep. However, we generally had few problems driving in these areas. Gas stations can be found in every corner of the island, although they are usually only open until 8 p.m. However, you can often still fill up on site and pay at a machine.

When parking, you should note the following: White parking spaces are free, yellow ones are for private taxis and public transport, and blue ones are subject to a fee. You should not park in black parking spaces, as these are reserved exclusively for municipal services. Fines for illegal parking are not insignificant and can cost you up to €80. During the season, many parking spaces are generally subject to a fee (at the beaches, etc.), where you can expect to pay €0.50–€3 per hour. There are often half-day or full-day tickets available, which are, of course, relatively cheaper.

How much does a round trip in Sardinia cost?

We diligently kept a budget and noted all expenses during our trip. Prices vary, of course, and depend on the time of travel, the type of rental car, your own needs, and the choice of accommodation. Especially in July and August, you can expect significantly higher costs. We spent approximately €1,400 per person for 16 days in Sardinia (including flights, rental car, gas, accommodation, excursions, food, etc.).

We were on the island from mid-May to the end of May and were able to enjoy the benefits of the off-season several times. And we don’t just mean the financial advantages, but also the empty streets and beaches, the few tourists, the lush landscapes, and the wonderful climate. For us, this month was simply perfect, and our trip couldn’t have been more beautiful. You can find a detailed list of all costs here:

Sardinia Packing List

You don’t really need anything special for your Sardinia tour. If you’re traveling to the island in summer, be sure to pack sunscreen, sunglasses, a beach towel, and a snorkeling set. A small daypack for excursions, sturdy shoes for bike rides or hikes, and a waterproof dry bag are also recommended.

Everyone’s clothing is different anyway, so we don’t want to give you any specific tips. In May, we wore almost exclusively light and short clothing because it was very warm. We only wore a sweater occasionally in the evenings, simply because it was more comfortable.

What we packed for our Sardinia tour:

Which travel guide for my Sardinia tour?

Are you still looking for a suitable travel guide for your trip to Sardinia? We can recommend the travel guide from DuMont Verlag* and the travel guide from Marco Polo*. We used both guides on the island and consulted them frequently, especially on longer car journeys.

If you prefer more detailed information, you should get the travel guide from Michael Müller Verlag*. However, we also like to use Google Maps to plan our trip and mark interesting places in advance that we might want to visit while we’re there.