Things to do & places to visit in Sardinia, Italy

The second-largest island in Mediterranean after Sicily, Sardinia serves up a lovely blend of sea, sand and history. Thousands of nuraghe (stone buildings) dot the landscape, proof that people have been enjoying the lovely climate here for millennia. From posh Costa Smerelda in the north to medieval Alghero in the northwest to the lively capital of Cagliari in the south, and with many picturesque towns and unspoiled sandy beaches in between, Sardinia’s got a little something for everyone.

Sardinia #10 destination in Italy 2023. The average rating score is 4.40 based on 153.8k traveler reviews, of 264 attractions. Timezone: Europe/Rome, current date and time: Tuesday, May 07, 2024, 3:13.

Top things to do (13)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena (2.810 reviews)
- Parco Nazionale surprise!
National Parks

La Maddalena Archipelago National Park is a geomarine protected area consisting of a group of islands situated in the north-east of the coast of Gallura, in the stretch of sea between Sardinia and Corsica known as Bocche di Bonifacio. These islands – except for La Maddalena Island housing the homonymous town and characterized by a significant human presence – are entirely deserted or scattered with small human settlements, like in Caprera and Santa Maria Islands. See more..
5.0 Cala Mariolu (2.023 reviews)
- Wow…
Beaches

Simply magical, this Cala… Definitely worth the boat trip! Never seen such a blue sea in my life. My advice would be to go there as early as possible in July/August. We were there at 9.00 AM, within an hour a whole fleet of tourists arrived and the beach got really crowded. See more..
4.5 La Pelosa Beach (10.8k reviews)
- Exceptional beach, but you need to think in advance
Beaches

La Pelosa is an excellent beach for swimming. Its clear, tranquil waters stay at knee height a far way out from shore. The waters are perfect for windsurfing and kite surfing, too, when the wind gets going. Either way, be sure to watch out for jellyfish and sharp rocks. Get to La Pelosa early in the day as it’s bound to get crowded. You’ll need to book ahead for ticketed access to the beach in the warmer months. Get the bus from Stintino village, or book a boat tour to soak in the views from out on the water. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.5 Spiaggia La Cinta (6.020 reviews)
- Love it, a classic fun family beach.
Beaches

Beautiful sand, gorgeous water and enough ‘beach’ to find some space even in August! There’s something for everyone here…it’s a great classic busy beach with stunning colors and soft powdery sand. It’s very long so even late comers can walk down and find spots to sit comfortably. La perso beach bar was great, I was surprised at how good the quality and food & prices were. The waves are fun and there’s sometimes the sand bars that create shallow pools for the younger ones. I recommend going early of course but you don’t have to race there like other beaches. Just walk down further. See more..
4.5 Porto Giunco (2.569 reviews)
- Beautiful Sprawling Beach to While the Day Away
Beaches

Click on Helpful vote & follow us as we discover more of the world ... Visited this beach for the first time under an overcast sky with intermittent sun shining through. It actually turned out to be ideal condition (read - not too hot) to explore the long stretch of the beach with its fine/clean sand, azure water & limestone rocks. Beach access is free and there are many areas to spread your towel to lay out to get a tan or you can also pay to get a chair/umbrella. Give yourself an hour or two if you just want to wander around & explore the nooks and crannies. Or you can spend the whole day laying out & enjoying drinks/snacks. There is a small parking lot which is free as well. An immensely enjoyable & satisfying day for me & my friends. See more..
4.5 Lu Impostu Beach (2.434 reviews)
- Peaceful
Beaches

Gorgeous beach, easy parking, sunday was a euro an hour. White sand turquoise sea, a small cafe at the far end but bring a picnic See more..
4.5 Spiaggia di Punta Molentis (2.337 reviews)
- Beautiful clear water and great beach bar
Beaches

Beautiful beach, with clear water and great snorkeling. €10 car parking and €1 per person on entry. But this limits the numbers so the beach wasn’t over crowded. Great beach bar with beer, ice cream and sandwhiches See more..
4.5 Spiaggia di Tuerredda (2.267 reviews)
- Excellent
Beaches

I really enjoyed my experience here. The sea was very clear and the sand was really nice. I suggest you arrive around 8:00 a.m so you still find open spots because it's very crowded. Other than that, only good words for this place. See more..
4.5 Oasi Biderosa (2.056 reviews)
- Great hike and beaches
Spent More than 3 hours Beaches • Nature & Wildlife Areas

Great place to spend a day. We arrived around 10:30 and we didn’t have a ticket for the car and they were all sold out by that time, so I would recommend buying the ticket in advance. In this case you can hike to the beaches(5 km to the first beach 7km to the last) go by shuttle bus(10eur/person-I am not sure how often it goes),you can rent a bike (18eur). We chose hiking, it is very pretty and not a hard route, but it takes around 1 hour to get to the beach. Beach is nice and sandy. See more..
4.5 Capo Testa (1.960 reviews)
- Nice experience
Nature & Wildlife Areas

Unfortunately the weather wasn't great on all of our 10 days but we have enjoyed the wonders of Capo Testa. Beautiful beaches, nice restaurants, great food. It was still out of season although we were there at the end of May so parking was free of charge everywhere, not soo crowded so we were able to explore the area. Pictures can describe this lovely area better than words. See more..
4.5 Spiaggia Mugoni (1.857 reviews)
- Mugoni Beach
Beaches

Sandy beach in front shady trees. Sea as is warm, Crystal clear in a large horse bay, easy for swimming. Plenty of cafe/restaurants but not over crowded. Good car parking but you do have pay, small price when you can relax. We came 4 days out of seven. See more..
4.5 Capo Caccia Vertical Cliffs (1.856 reviews)
- Awesome place
Caverns & Caves • Geologic Formations

The most amazing place which I have ever visited if you still think about it you should definitely try! Be ready for long stairs and better to book an appointment before you go to the place, as you had to wait. You can’t buy a ticket to cave without booking. One ticket costs 14€ See more..
4.5 Spiaggia di Is Arutas (1.826 reviews)
- Still beautiful, but ...
Beaches

This is considered the best beach of the peninsula of Sinis. Cristal clear water and white sand made by little quartz stones that make it, and the sister beach of Mari Ermi, unique (I cannot avoid to give it the highest score). Unfortunately it si not as white as it was used to be because (sounds unbelievable) in the last few years lots of sand was stolen by locals and tourists. Also, be prepared to run into a crowd of people if it is high season. It returns to be magical in low season. There is only one chiosco/bar. Paid parking. See more..
4.5 Cala Goloritze (1.750 reviews)
- Stunning beach and well worth the trek
Tuesday: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM Beaches

Incredible beach with sparkling blue water and beautiful vista. We trekked there in May so it wasn’t too busy (about 70 people?) and we didn’t need a ticket. It was a warm spring day and the swim was amazing after the trek there. The walk there is mainly downhill and easy going although you have to step carefully over lots of rocks and stones, there’s lots of lovely views on the way, plus goats and pigs wandering about. The way back is steep and uphill. Hard going, be prepared with water and good shoes and take it slow if you’re not a seasoned uphill walker. I have asthma so it was hard but completely worth it! Completely remote beach so take any food, drink etc you might be wanting while you’re there. Plenty of shade from the cliffs around you if you want to stay awhile, although I guess you don’t have that option in peak season. The Su Pordeddo bar and restaurant at the start of the trek (where you park) is great for before and after refreshment. See more..
4.5 Area Archeologica di Nora (1.637 reviews)
- Captivating experience given by Andrea!
Spent 1-2 hours Ancient Ruins

I received a tour by Andrea and I could not recommend more. He was polite, interesting and very funny. He made learning about the history of Nora very captivating and enjoyable. I was apart of a large group (30+) and he managed to gather everyone’s attention with his facts and knowledge. I really do recommend going on a guided tour, and even more, asking for Andrea, it’ll make your experience certainly worthwhile! Grazie, Andrea! See more..
4.5 Spiaggia Capo Coda Cavallo (1.561 reviews)
- Awesome beach
Beaches

It was really nice to swim and enjoy all day by the beach. They have big park there. Amazing beach the ocean is very clean and blue water. This place like paradise See more..
4.5 Grotta del Bue Marino (1.485 reviews)
- Definitely worth visiting
Caverns & Caves

This cave is truly beautiful, and the kilometer walk through it is magical. It has a nice selection of stalactites, but the main focus is on understanding how a river slowly carved out a system of over 70 kilometers of caves by the sea. The guide was very good and gladly answered all our questions. See more..
4.5 Spiaggia Capriccioli (1.459 reviews)
- Gorgeous beach with calm waters
Beaches

This is the most beautiful beach in Sardinia; in fact, it is my favorite beach in the Mediterranean. The water is crystal blue and clear. The water is very calm and smooth with a gentle tide. It was almost like a swimming pool. There are beautiful rock formations in the water that you can easily swim out to, climb on and jump off. In fact, that is exactly what kids were doing. There were a lot of fish in the water that you could see clearly swimming around your legs even without snorkel gear, although there were people snorkeling too. We arrived around 10 am and the beach was fairly empty. By the time we left a few hours later, it became more crowded, although I can't say that it really was "crowded." We rented a couple of beach chairs with umbrellas, which was nice because it gave us shade and a place to park our stuff. The parking was easy and a short walk to the beach. The staff was helpful. All in all, a very nice beach to go to with children. See more..
4.5 Porto Istana Beach (1.190 reviews)
- Beautiful beach
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM Beaches

Beautiful beach close to Olbia. Accessible by bus for those without a car. The water here is a gorgeous turquoise blue and very clear. The beach isn’t massive and we went in August so it was busy. There is a beach bar at one end with drinks and snacks available and a kiosk with boat hire/trips. I would certainly recommend a visit to this beach. See more..
4.5 Spiaggia di Cala Coticcio (1.190 reviews)
- Paradise is hard to reach...but worth it!
Spent More than 3 hours Beaches

We came prepared because we had read some reviews already. Reviews said it is a long walk, but I did not expect such difficult trail. At some point there were no stairs anymore, so you had to climb down some rocks. Don't get me wrong, I think it is doable for anyone with a decent physical condition. But I must say it is not easy! After the walk you reach this tiny beach surrounded by rocks. Beautiful water. Snorkel paradise. You can hop from this beach to Tahiti beach easily. The day we came, it was extremely windy in the whole island. This secluded beach was the exception. It was magnificent. We spent some hours here (make the walk worth it!) swimming and relaxing. We brought plenty of water and food for the day (sandwiches and fruit). Remember it is warm, and the walk is long (Same on the way back!!!), so make sure you have really a lot of water available, because there is absolutely nowhere to buy drinks either on the beach or on the way. Also, as other reviews mentioned, it is better to get early as the beach is not too big and it can get crowded very easily. We came in June and in the busiest moment there were like 8 couples, which made it already quite full. So come early to get a nice spot for your towel. See more..
4.5 Su Nuraxi (1.185 reviews)
- Well preserved nuraghic archeological site
Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins • Points of Interest & Landmarks

This defensive structure or "nuraghi," developed on the island of Sardinia during the late second-millennium BC, consisted of a series of defensive towers in the form of truncated cones and internal chambers, all built from stone. See more..
4.5 Centro Storico (1.173 reviews)
- One of the most picturesque towns in Sardinia
Historic Walking Areas

It was unplanned that I decided to visit Bosa on my way back to Alghero airport. What a surprise nice find! Unlike most towns along the resort coast line, Bosa is still quite alive during off season. The view of the town from the bridge at its edge is so memorable. The various colors and shapes lining up on the hill, underneath the big castle, high above the river, is certainly something only a true artist can capture. The atmosphere of the town also feels local, that one can truly see how locals live their daily lives. Its definitely one of my favorite spots in the whole of Sardinia See more..
4.5 Spiaggia Le Dune di Piscinas (1.171 reviews)
- Nice beach, not crowded
Nature & Wildlife Areas

It is a very nice a calm beach. The road to the beach is sandy and bumpy but the beach is worth it. The parking lot is 5 EUR a day, there is also a bar at the beach and you can rent an umbrella with 2 chairs for 10 EUR a day (which is a very good price for what we saw at other beaches). Its not the most beautiful beach but its big, calm, not crowded, so I would say worth visiting if you want to relax. See more..
4.5 Cala Luna (1.153 reviews)
- A M A Z I N G ! ! !
Beaches

One of the best beaches in Sardinia! Emerald water, white sand, wild bush, and huge caves. The beach can only be reached, by boat, from the Cala Gonone harbour (20 minutes, 20 Euros two ways ticket) or, if you're enough brave, by a long walk (approximately 3 hours) The big caves are good, to have a fresh rest on the hottest hours of the day. Behind the beach there's a small restaurant, with a large covered terrace, and some tables outside the facility. Usually the place is very busy on August. I absolutely recommend to visit. Must see!!! See more..
4.5 Parco nazionale dell`Asinara (1.121 reviews)
- Amazing
Spent More than 3 hours National Parks

We took the ferry from Porto Torres ( there and back for 15 euros for 1 person). We spent there about half a day. It was worth. It's an amazing place . The scenery is stunning. Watch out wild donkeys, some of them are white. Must visit old jail and beach named Cala Sabina. See more..
4.5 Cala Fuili Beach (1.102 reviews)
- Very Beautiful Place
Beaches

We loved this bay! The view from the top, the way down, the water, the colours... If you go there be prepared that there is no food/water to buy. Also, it is not a sandy beach, it is pretty rocky. On the other hand, that is the reason for the clear water. We stayed two hours and it was lovely. See more..
4.5 Simius Beach (1.071 reviews)
- Nearly white sand
Beaches

This is one of the beaches "to be": a very long beach with nearly white sand!!! Easy to find and also parking possibility. See more..
4.5 Catedrale di Santa Cecilia (971 reviews)
- Breathtaking
Tuesday: 7:30 AM - 8:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks • Churches & Cathedrals

The location is at one of the highest points of the city, so there may be quite a walk to it. However, it is worth it. The outside is already stunning and once you enter your breath gets taken away. If it is open, definitely visit the cript (below the altar on the left side). Worth the visit! See more..
4.5 Spiaggia di Mari Pintau (960 reviews)
- Just stunning
Beaches

We spent the whole day here today and it was absolutely amazing. This is the 4th beach we’ve been to during our 5 days so far in Sardinia and it is just beautiful! The setting of the beach is in lush green surroundings with the most crystal clear blue water - visibility was unreal! There is no real parking so it is all done on the side of the road around the main path to the beach. An easy but pebbly walk through the little bar/restaurant area and you are in paradise. You can rent sun loungers for €4 each and there are also some showed and toilets. Have some cash on you. The beach is mainly pebbles but the once in the sea is soft, white sand. It’s was a perfect day! Our other favourite beaches are Cala Usai (in the Villasimius area) which had the best snorkelling and is a stunning setting! Cala Sinzias and Cala Pira...all exceptional beaches. See more..
4.5 Spiaggia del Pevero (925 reviews)
- Beautiful Place, Crystal Waters
Beaches

Clearest water I've ever seen and a beautiful setting, really feels secluded. We went early everyday for a walk and a swim so there was never anyone there, heard from a few people it gets busy but we didnt see it. You can walk out 100 hundred yards and still only be waist to chest deep. Worth the walk See more..