Currency – Euros €
Climate – May/June – Hot & sunny with a gentle sea breeze
Sardinia is an Italian island completely separate from the mainland, it’s isolation from ‘the boot’ is exactly what gives it such a unique charm. It’s so peaceful and the natural beauty along the coastline is breathtaking. We visited in 2017 with the intention of driving around to visit several different regions of the island to find our favourite remote little piece of paradise.
Having flown to Alghero airport and making the four hour drive across to the East of the Island we stayed in a hotel in the town of Arbatax. Each day we drove to visit different beautiful locations – from the South of the Island around Cagliari, over to the South West where we also spent a few nights staying with a friend enabling us to explore that area more with less miles to cover – Sardinia is much bigger than people tend to think.
After a couple of days we returned to our original hotel in Arbatax to relax by the pool and beach, then the following day made the four-hour drive up to the North of the Island beyond Olbia airport to visit Costa Smeralda – the Emerald Coast. This area is where the rich and famous go to relax and party, so as you can imagine this part of the island tends to come with a higher price tag. It is beautiful and along with the rest of the islands coastline it has long stretches of white sandy beaches coupled with crystal-clear azure seas – the truth is whichever part of the Sardinian coastline you choose, you cannot go wrong as its all stunning – we can vouch for that from experience having driven around the edge of the majority of the island.
We fell in love with the dramatic cliff edge coastline of Masua in the South-west of the Island and we spent Craig’s Birthday on the beautiful little cove that is Masua Beach and took a boat trip out to do some snorkelling. The rustic little restaurant on the beach is so well run and has such a laid-back atmosphere whilst providing a great choice of food with beautiful calm music playing as you look out over the clear blue sea. The winding drive down to this beach is stunning but not a drive for the feint hearted as it is cliff edge for about 30 minutes, which provides some stunning photo opportunities.
For a less intense coastline drive, head to the South Eastern corner of Sardinia in the Villasimius area. Here we came across the beach we had been looking for in tiny village called Cala Sinzias – it was here that we really fell in love with not only the beach but a beautiful family run hotel called Hotel Garden Beach. It was exactly that, vast green gardens with a gorgeously picturesque swimming pool in amongst the beauty and then just stepping straight from garden to beach. We loved it so much in fact that we returned in May 2018 with 70 of our closest friends and family to celebrate our Wedding on Spiaggia di Cala Sinzias – an incredible day full of love that we’ll never forget.
Tide Knot Travellers Tips & Facts
– Don’t try to visit too many places in a one or two-week trip, the island is so much bigger & spread out than people think. It’s too beautiful to rush through, instead pick just one or two places & soak it up– There are 3 international airports in Sardinia: Alghero, Olbia & Cagliari