Sardinia doesn't get the press that Sicily or the Amalfi Coast does. Which is honestly fine with those of us who've been going back for years. More empty beach for us.
But if you need convincing, here are 12 reasons to book that flight to Cagliari or Olbia. No filler, no fluff — just the stuff that actually makes this island one of the Mediterranean's best.
Let's start with the beach that regularly tops "best in the Mediterranean" lists. Cala Luna is backed by dramatic limestone cliffs with cave arches — the kind of scenery that makes you check your phone to confirm you're still in Europe and not the Philippines.
Get there by boat from Cala Gonone (15-20 EUR round trip, 30 minutes) or via a challenging 3-hour coastal hike from Cala Fuili. I'd recommend the boat out, hike back — that way the uphill sections happen when you're not already exhausted from swimming.
Pro tip: bring food and water. There's almost nothing there. That's the point.
Forget restaurants. The best meal you'll eat in Sardinia is at an agriturismo — a working farm that serves dinner. Porceddu (suckling pig roasted over aromatic wood) is the signature dish, and it's served as part of a multi-course feast with local wine for 25-35 EUR per person.
I ate at one near Barumini where the owner raised the pigs, grew the vegetables, and made the wine himself. He also refused to let me pay because "you came from far away." I left 40 EUR on the table anyway. Best 40 EUR I've ever spent.
Book through sardegnaturismo.it or agriturismo.it. Many are inland in gorgeous countryside.
Sardinia has over 7,000 nuraghi — Bronze Age stone towers built between 1900 and 730 BC. Nobody's entirely sure what they were for. Defensive towers? Religious sites? Status symbols? The mystery is part of the appeal.
Su Nuraxi di Barumini is the UNESCO-listed star: a central tower surrounded by a village complex dating to 1500 BC. Entry is 14 EUR with a mandatory guided tour (45 minutes, available in English). Open 9AM-7PM in summer. It's 60 km north of Cagliari — easy half-day trip.
Yes, Porto Cervo has superyachts and designer boutiques where a handbag costs more than a car. But the beaches along the Costa Smeralda's 20-km stretch are public and free. Spiaggia del Principe and Capriccioli have turquoise water over pink granite that looks photoshopped. It isn't.
The trick: visit in June or September. July-August is packed and prices at even modest hotels triple. A room that's 80 EUR in June is 250 EUR in August.
Seven islands with crystal-clear water sitting between Sardinia and Corsica. The ferry from Palau takes 20 minutes (about 5 EUR per person) and drops you on La Maddalena island.
Full-day boat tours visit Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli and Spargi island for 35-50 EUR. Swimming in the translucent shallows is genuinely unforgettable — I've done it three times and the water color still shocks me each time. Best May through September.
Neptune's Grotto near Alghero is a dramatic sea cave with stalactites, stalagmites, and an underground lake. You can reach it by boat from Alghero port (16 EUR return, 40 minutes) or — if your knees are up for it — descend the Escala del Cabirol, a 654-step staircase carved into the cliff.
The staircase is free to walk (cave entry is 14 EUR once you're there). Going down is fine. Coming back up while questioning every life decision that brought you to this cliff? That's the challenge. Open March through October.
Alghero was a Catalan colony for 400 years, and it shows. Street signs are bilingual (Italian and Catalan), the old town has coral-colored buildings within fortress walls, and the local lobster dish (aragosta alla catalana) is served everywhere.
Walk the sea walls at sunset. Eat at a restaurant in the old town for about 20-30 EUR for a full meal with wine. The coral jewelry shops are tempting — Alghero is famous for red coral, though prices start around 50 EUR for anything genuine.
Most people treat Cagliari as an airport stop. Don't. The hilltop old quarter (Castello) has panoramic bastions overlooking the harbor. The National Archaeological Museum (5 EUR) has those tiny, mysterious Bronze Age figurines that are Sardinia's archaeological icon.
Poetto Beach stretches 8 km from the city center — urban beach life that rivals Barcelona. And the Mercato di San Benedetto is Sardinia's largest covered market with seafood that makes you wonder why any restaurant exists.
Cannonau is Sardinia's indigenous red grape (it's actually Grenache, but don't tell the Sardinians that). Rich, earthy, and supposedly linked to the island's remarkable longevity — Sardinia is one of the world's "Blue Zones" where people routinely live past 100.
Visit the Cannonau heartland around Jerzu and Mamoiada in the interior. Small producers offer tastings for 5-10 EUR. The wine pairs perfectly with pecorino sardo, Sardinia's iconic sheep cheese. Buy both directly from producers and save 50% over shop prices.
Italy's toughest multi-day trek runs along Sardinia's east coast through limestone canyons, wild beaches, and shepherd's trails. Seven days, self-sufficient, with abseiling sections and scrambling. This isn't a casual walk — you need experience, gear, and either a guide (from 800 EUR for the week) or excellent navigation skills.
Not up for the full thing? Day hikes in the same area from Cala Gonone are spectacular and far more accessible.
The Molentargius-Saline Regional Park on the edge of Cagliari has a resident population of pink flamingos. Thousands of them. In a city lagoon. It's bizarre and wonderful.
Free to visit on foot or by bike. The best viewing is early morning or late afternoon from the eastern paths. Binoculars help. From April through August, you can see nesting flamingos. The park is a 10-minute drive or 20-minute bus from the city center.
I'm ending with this because it's important. Taking sand, shells, or pebbles from Sardinian beaches is illegal. Fines range from 500 to 3,000 EUR, and police actively enforce this — including checking bags at airports.
La Pelosa beach in Stintino now requires advance reservations in summer and limits daily visitors. The regulations exist because tourists were literally eroding the beaches. Respect them.
For more on how Sardinia stacks up against its island neighbor, check our Sicily vs. Sardinia comparison.
Sardinia rewards the people who bother to go. And it punishes the ones who only stay in Porto Cervo. Don't be that person.
