Sardinia

Is 7 days enough for Sardinia?

Honestly, no. Not to see everything. But 7 days is perfect for a focused loop: three days on the northeast coast, two days inland in the mountains, and two days in the south around Cagliari. You will see wild beaches, taste real pecorino, and feel the island’s rhythm. Do not try to add Alghero or the west coast, that is a separate trip.

Day 1: Arrive in Olbia, drive to Costa Smeralda

Morning: Land at Olbia Costa Smeralda airport (OLB). Pick up your rental car, book it by March 2026 or pay double. Drive 30 minutes to Porto Cervo. Park at the free lot near Piazza del Principe (10 EUR for 3 hours). Walk the promenade, peek at the superyachts, drink a cappuccino at Caffè Lloret (3.50 EUR). Do not buy anything in the designer shops, prices are 30% higher than Milan.

Afternoon: Drive 15 minutes to Capriccioli Beach (free entry, arrive before 11 AM or you will queue 20 minutes for a parking spot). Swim, rent a kayak (30 EUR per hour). Skip the private lidos, bring a towel and sit on the public sand.

Evening: Dinner at Ristorante La Lanterna in Porto Rotondo (book 3 days ahead). Grilled fish for two: 70 EUR with wine. Walk along the dock after sunset.

Costs: Car rental 90 EUR/day, fuel 20 EUR, meals 35 EUR per person.

Day 2: Maddalena Archipelago by boat

Morning: Drive 20 minutes to Palau. Catch a 9 AM ferry to La Maddalena island (round trip 15 EUR per person, book online by July 1). From the port, take a local bus (2 EUR) or walk 30 minutes to Spiaggia di Cala Gavetta. Swim in the clear water.

Afternoon: Join a 3-hour island tour by small motorboat (60 EUR per person, departs at 11 AM). You will stop at Cala Corsara and Spargi, turquoise water, no facilities, bring water and snacks. Skip the packed tour boats that stop at Budelli, the beach is closed for erosion restoration in 2026.

Evening: Return to Palau around 5 PM. Drive 10 minutes to Liscia Ruja beach for a sunset swim. Dinner at Trattoria La Briciola in Baja Sardinia (pasta with bottarga, 15 EUR a plate).

Costs: Boat tour 60 EUR, ferry 15 EUR, dinner 20 EUR.

Day 3: Drive to the Supramonte, Cala Gonone

Morning: Check out, drive 2 hours west to Cala Gonone. The road (SS125) is winding, allow 2.5 hours with stops. Park at the free lot near the port. Walk to the tourist office (open 9 AM, 1 PM) and book a boat trip for tomorrow (cash only, 25 EUR per person for 4 hours).

Afternoon: Take the 20-minute hike along the Sentiero di Cala Fuili (easy, shade free, bring a hat). Swim at the pebble beach. Then drive 10 minutes to the Grotta del Bue Marino (cave tours every hour, 12 EUR, lasts 45 minutes).

Evening: Dinner at Ristorante La Giara on the main square. Order the roasted suckling pig (porceddu) with myrtle sauce, 25 EUR. Reserve by 4 PM.

Costs: Cave 12 EUR, dinner 25 EUR, parking free.

Day 4: Gulf of Orosei by boat

Morning: Board the 9 AM boat (booked yesterday). You will cruise south to Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzè, two of the finest beaches in Europe. The boat drops you for 90 minutes at each. Bring snorkel gear (rent for 10 EUR on the boat). Do not miss the hole in the rock at Goloritzè.

Afternoon: Return to Cala Gonone at 1 PM. Drive 30 minutes to the Grotta di Ispinigoli (guided tour every 30 minutes, 10 EUR, 20 minutes). See the 40-meter stalagmite. Then drive 45 minutes to Orosei town for a late lunch at Pizzeria da Lino (pizza margherita 6 EUR).

Evening: Return to your hotel in Cala Gonone. Or push onward to Dorgali (20 minutes) for the nightly passeggiata, good gelato at Gelateria d’Estate (2.50 EUR).

Costs: Boat 25 EUR, cave 10 EUR, lunch 6 EUR.

Day 5: Canyoning or hiking in the Supramonte

Morning: At 8 AM, meet a guide at the Gorropu canyon parking lot (drive 40 minutes from Cala Gonone). Book a 3-hour canyoning trip (70 EUR per person, includes helmet and wetsuit). You will climb, slide, and swim through Europe’s deepest canyon. Skip if you are afraid of heights, alternative: hike the easy Sentiero del Golgo loop (2 hours, free).

Afternoon: Drive 1.5 hours to Cagliari via the SS125. Stop at the Nuraghe Arrubiu near Orroli (8 EUR, 30-minute self-guided tour). The red stone fortress is 3,500 years old and rarely crowded.

Evening: Arrive in Cagliari around 5 PM. Check into your hotel in the Marina district. Walk the Via Roma and have an aperitivo at Caffè del Porto (spritz 5 EUR with free olives). Dinner at Sa Piola, fried calamari, 12 EUR.

Costs: Canyon 70 EUR, nuraghe 8 EUR, dinner 12 EUR.

Day 6: Cagliari, history and food

Morning: Walk up to the Castello district (15 minutes uphill from Piazza Yenne). Visit the Cattedrale di Santa Maria (free, 20 minutes) and the Bastione di Saint Remy (free viewpoint). The Museo Archeologico Nazionale is closed for renovation until July 2027, skip it.

Afternoon: Take bus line 9 from Piazza Matteotti (1.30 EUR) to Poetto Beach. Rent a lounger at the Lido Poetto (20 EUR for a pair, includes umbrella). Swim for 2 hours. Lunch at Su Forti on the beach: spaghetti alle vongole, 14 EUR.

Evening: Book a 7 PM food tour with “Cagliari Eats” (65 EUR, 3 hours, guided by a local). You will taste malloreddus pasta, pane carasau, and seadas (a fried pastry). She shows you the San Benedetto market (closed Sundays, today is Saturday, it is open until 2 PM, but the tour visits it prepared). Book by July 1.

Costs: bus 1.30 EUR, beach 20 EUR, tour 65 EUR.

Day 7: Nora ruins and departure

Morning: Drive 40 minutes south to Nora. Roman ruins half in the water, entry 8 EUR. Spend 1.5 hours walking the mosaics and the theater. The site opens at 9 AM, arrive by 9:30 AM to beat the heat. Watch for the ancient fish tanks carved into the rock.

Afternoon: Drive 10 minutes to the beach at Porto Columbu. Free, windier, less crowded. Swim until 1 PM. Then drive 30 minutes back to Cagliari airport (CAG). Drop the car. Flight? Aim for one after 3 PM to have time.

Evening: At the airport, buy a bag of torrone (almond nougat, 7 EUR) at the gift shop. Faster than a last-minute souvenir run.

Costs: Nora 8 EUR, lunch at the beach bar 10 EUR, fuel 10 EUR.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Porto Cervo (3 nights), Base for Costa Smeralda. Cala di Volpe area. 200, 350 EUR per night in July. Book by April.

Cala Gonone (2 nights), For the Gulf of Orosei. Hotel Cala Mariula, 120 EUR with sea view. Reserve 2 months ahead.

Cagliari Marina (2 nights), Walk to everything. Hotel La Villa del Sol, 90 EUR a night. Good for late arrivals.

Practical tips

Rent a small car, Fiat Panda or similar, 80, 100 EUR per day in high season. Book by March 2026. Roads are narrow, skip the SUV. Ferry to La Maddalena: book through Delcomar online, not a third party. Avoid the restaurant “Ristorante del Porto” in Palau, tourist trap with frozen fish. For beach parking, carry 5, 15 EUR in coins for metered lots. July 2026 is hot (35°C by noon), so swim before 10 AM and after 5 PM. Do not wear valuables to the beach, car break-ins happen at popular spots like Liscia Ruja. Leave your passport in the hotel safe.

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