ONE: South of Olbia & Tavolara
It’s hard to pick a number one sight in a realm that already has the most beautiful sea ever; but if you must, there can only be one with Tavolara in it. With Tavolara guarding the surreal beauty of the shores of Costa Dorata like an immense, white-scaled fantastic creature, the views are showstopping.
Sardinia’s typical beauty, the marriage between lush vegetation, sculpted rocks and epic beaches, is at its best here. From Capo Cerato to Capo Coda Cavallo, absolutely every inch of Costa Dorata is a postcard, with the fantastic creature as a backdrop. Explore the beaches and go on top of Capo Coda Cavallo to take in the panoramic vista. Then head south of the cape for the heavenly (accessible) beaches: Cala Brandinchi, La Cinta, and my favorite, Lu Impostu.
TWO: Golfo di Orosei
If Costa Dorata is a poem, then this is an epic saga. Here, the majestic Supramonte mountains meet the crystalline Mediterranean, creating a landscape that goes beyond beautiful, into the wild. As soaring limestone cliffs plunge dramatically into an impossibly turquoise sea, you discover the hidden calas that top the best beaches in the world: Mariolu, Goloritzé, and Luna, each only accessible by boat or a medium-difficulty hike.
But that’s not all. While crazed, famous-beach-hunting tourists stay in Cala Gonone and plan their 8-hour trips to these top-prize beaches, the happy few will find the extraordinary pine forest and immense beaches of Osalla, Su Barone and Oasi Bidderosa all to themselves. And that is a haven it truly hurts to leave.
THREE: Costa Smeralda, Palau and La Maddalena
A little over 20 km of coastline and the most expensive real-estate in Europe, Costa Smeralda is famous for its white sand beaches, its scenic route, its hidden coves and bays and known as the VIPs playground ever since the 60’s. Porto Cervo, the celebs hotspot, has one of the most beautiful luxury brands open-air shopping mall in the world, while Romazzino is that ideal real estate project dreamt of by Prince Karim Aga Khan and sought after by Clooney and co.
Normally, this kind of labels are something the happy few thoroughly avoid, but in this case we make an exception. The mixture of spectacular scenery, ideal urban planning and discreet luxury is one-of-a-kind, and makes The Emerald Coast a must experience. Just don’t make it your mission of staying there, thinking you deserve a splurge. In Sardinia, true luxury is furthest from luxury as possible. So have your drinks in the Piazzetta, buy your swimsuit in Porto Cervo and run.
The north east is blessed with evocative mountains and probably the most beautiful coastal scene in the world. San Pantaleo and Arzachena entertain the fairytale, but, as you wind your way down from the mountains, the panorama doesn’t just open up, it explodes before you: a spectacular coastline dotted with shimmering smaller islands, stretching from the distant shores of Corsica to our beloved Tavolara. Repeat after me, piously: OMG. Just take your time to explore Palau and Cannigione, and make sure you go on Maddalena and her sister, Caprera, either by car (ferry from Palau to Maddalena, then Caprera is connected through a narrow bridge) or by renting a boat. Sailing around Sardinia is a godly experience, no matter the size of your boat.
FOUR: Alghero and Capo Caccia
A charming, heart-warming sea town with that live-like-a-local feel that we love so much. Alghero has it all: history, bohemian atmosphere, a gorgeous seaside promenade and some of the greatest beaches at a 10-20 min drive. Sardinia is a big island and distances are larger than it may appear on map; a car is essential to explore its beauties, but if so happens that you are here for just a short getaway without a car, Alghero is Sardinia on a smaller scale. The effortless charm, the traditions, the beautiful gastronomy, the all-locally sourced produce and the incredible Maria Pia pine grove and beaches “in the neighbourhood” create a perfect Sardinian experience. Sunset is all about Capo Caccia. You’re either sipping an Aperol on Alghero’s bastions during the golden hour, watching the sun dip dramatically behind the cape, or you’ll find yourself on that rocky promontory, an Ichnusa in hand, never failing to be amazed as the sun turns the sea to flames over the Foradada rock.
FOUR: Chia
Coastal paradise meets lagoon bliss in Chia. Imagine soft dunes meeting a sea so impossibly transparent and shallow it’s almost hypnotic, with hundreds of flamingos dancing in the nearby lagoons. The grand, golden stretches of Sa Colonia and Porto Campana unfold right next to the heart stopper Su Giudeu, while the little, hidden gem Cala Cipolla delivers the final, stunning blow.
FIVE: Villasimius and Capo Carbonara
Fly to Cagliari, rent a car, go east 🙂 The route is increasingly scenic, and one stop at Mari Pintu is a postcard in itself. The villages of Villasimius are a great base for one of Sardinia’s greatest treasures: flamingo beaches. Giunco, Punta Molentis, Capo Carbonara on repeat.
