Sardinia
Sardinia suits travelers who want clear sea water, Bronze Age stone towers and hill country inland, away from the coast.
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Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean, lying west of the Italian mainland and south of Corsica. Visitors come for the sea and the coves, where granite rocks meet clear water and sand beaches appear in several places along the coast. Inland, the hills are thinly populated, and the nuraghi, stone towers built during the Bronze Age, stand across the island long before Roman times.
Build the trip around a car. Public transport between towns is limited, so a rental car makes most routes practical. Cagliari in the south and Alghero in the northwest are common starting points, and seven days is enough to split time between two bases. Late spring and early autumn suit swimming and driving best, since summer brings heat and the largest crowds.
Sardinia in five
- Rent a car and choose two bases at mostPublic transport is thin outside Cagliari, Sassari and the main resorts, and the island is large. Pick two bases and keep a spare day for the drive between them.Sardinia in 7 days
- Pick your gateway: Cagliari, Olbia or AlgheroEach airport serves a different part of the island, and flying in and out of different ones saves a long drive. Check one-way rental fees before you book.Where to stay in Sardinia
- Book the ferry early if you bring a carGenoa and Civitavecchia are the main mainland ports for Olbia and Porto Torres; other routes depend on operator and season. Car spaces and cabins can sell out in summer, so check each operator.
- Reserve capped beaches and take nothing homeLa Pelosa near Stintino needs an online reservation from mid-May to mid-October, and Cala Goloritzé from April to October. Never take sand, shells or pebbles: it is prohibited and fined.Sardinia in 7 days
- Compare it with Sicily before you commitBoth are large islands with beaches and ruins, but Sardinia is more car-led and beach-focused, while Sicily has more cities and food culture.Sardinia vs Sicily
Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Sardinia, the full guide
Cagliari
- Best for: First trips, flights, no-car days
- To airport: About 20 to 30 min by train or bus from Cagliari airport
- Price band: $$
- A walkable old quarter with food and views
- The city beach of Poetto is a bus ride away
- Southern coves are a drive from the city
Skip if you want a small beach village with no city traffic.
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Alghero
- Best for: Couples, old town evenings, wine
- To airport: About 20 to 30 min by taxi or bus from Alghero airport
- Price band: $$
- Walled old town and a harbor promenade
- Capo Caccia and beaches within a short drive
- Bosa and Stintino a day-trip drive away
Skip if you want the Costa Smeralda resort scene.
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Sassari
Sardinia's second-largest city, with old-town palazzi, the Fountain of the Rosello and the 14 August Candelieri procession.
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Olbia
Olbia is the port and airport city for Sardinia's northeast coast, with the Costa Smeralda less than 30 km away.
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Things to do in Sardinia
See all attractions in Sardinia
Need to know
- Airport
- Cagliari (CAG), Olbia (OLB) and Alghero (AHO)
- Getting there
- Flights, or ferries from Genoa and Civitavecchia to Olbia and Porto Torres
- Getting around
- Car for beaches and villages; slow trains and regional buses
- Best base
- Cagliari for the south; Alghero or Olbia for the north
- Time needed
- 7 to 10 days; one region per week
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh9°Low2°Quiet, closedJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 110 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, closed
- FebruaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh11°Low3°Almond blossomFebruaryPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Almond blossom
- MarchRain14 rainy daysHigh12°Low3°Spring startsMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 95 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring starts
- AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh16°Low6°Green, EasterAprilRain
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Green, Easter
- MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh19°Low9°Warm, wildflowersMayPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 102 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, wildflowers
- JuneClear7 rainy daysHigh27°Low15°SwimmingJuneClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 40 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Swimming
- JulyClear2 rainy daysHigh30°Low18°Hot, crowdedJulyClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 9 mm
- Rainy days
- 2
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, crowded
- AugustClear6 rainy daysHigh30°Low18°Peak, FerragostoAugustClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 35 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak, Ferragosto
- SeptemberClear8 rainy daysHigh24°Low14°Warm sea, calmerSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 66 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea, calmer
- OctoberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh20°Low11°Mild, closingOctoberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 71 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, closing
- NovemberRain15 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh14°Low7°Rain, closedNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 126 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Rain, closed
- DecemberPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh10°Low4°Quiet, closedDecemberPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 104 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, closed
Average daily high and low in Cagliari, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jan Carnival of Mamoiada · Feb Carnival of Mamoiada
Right now in Sardinia
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
7
- Feels like
- 4°
- Humidity
- 75%
- Wind
- 13 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Sardinia
09:37 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today17°7°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue19°5°3%Tuesday: Fog. High 19°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Wed20°7°3%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Thu19°12°24%Thursday: Rain. High 19°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 24%.
- Fri20°9°13%Friday: Fog. High 20°, Low 9°. Chance of rain 13%.
- Sat19°10°14%Saturday: Fog. High 19°, Low 10°. Chance of rain 14%.
- Sun21°7°15%Sunday: Cloudy. High 21°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 15%.
Updated 06:01 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Every year
- Jan–FebCarnival of MamoiadaSardinia
Day trips by train
- Bosaabout 1 hour by car from AlgheroA pastel river town with a castle and a quiet beach.Read the guide
- Palau and La Maddalenaabout 1 hour by car from Olbia, plus a ferryGranite islands and clear water; ferries run from Palau.Read the guide
- Cala Gononeabout 2 hours by car from OlbiaBoats to the Gulf of Orosei coves.Read the guide
Before you go to Sardinia
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Rules for Sardinia, checked
- La Pelosa needs an online reservation from 15 May to 15 October (2026): 1,500 visitors a day, €3.50 each, children under 12 exempt.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
- Cala Goloritzé needs a reservation from April to October: 250 visitors a day and a €7 fee, booked up to 72 hours ahead.Checked Oct 1, 2026 · Source
Plan around Sardinia
Regions, cities and the rules every visitor needs
Read the guideCagliariThe island's capital and southern gateway
Read the guideAlgheroA walled Catalan-flavored port in the northwest
Read the guideCala GononeThe gateway to the Orosei Gulf coves
Read the guideSassariThe northwest's university city and a base for Stintino and Alghero
Read the guideSchengen 90/180 ruleHow long you can stay across Italy and its neighbors
Read the guideSardinia FAQ
How many days do you need in Sardinia?
Seven days works for one region, such as the south or the Costa Smeralda, with time for beaches and a few villages. Ten days lets you link two regions, and two weeks lets you cross the island without rushing.
Do you need a car in Sardinia?
Yes, for almost any trip outside Cagliari. Trains and buses are slow and thin, and beaches, nuraghi and villages are often far from stations. Cagliari and Alghero work for a car-free city stay.
What is the best time to visit Sardinia?
June and September for warm water with fewer crowds. May suits walking and wildflowers, while July and August are hot, busy and pricey, and many places close from late October.
Which airport should you fly into for Sardinia?
Cagliari for the south, Olbia for the Costa Smeralda and northeast, and Alghero for the northwest. Compare fares, and check one-way car rental fees if you fly into one and out of another.
Is Sardinia worth visiting over the mainland?
Yes, if you want beaches, nuraghi and a road trip with fewer cities. It has fewer museums and rail links than the mainland, so choose it for sea and space rather than for sights.