Cala Goloritze

10 Day Northern Sardinia Itinerary

Sardinia was beautiful and relaxing.

If you’ve just starting planning for your holiday in Sardinia, check out our Sardinia planning and resources post.

Sardinia Map with Points of Interest

This Sardinia map was created as a planning tool for our Sardinia holiday. The map highlights various points of interest and has a description and/or link associated with most points. Visualizing the location of these points of interest assisted us in deciding upon our final northern Sardinia loop itinerary based on our allotted time and our arrival/departure city.

TIP: However, you can use this Sardinia map to plan other itineraries too!

10 Day Northern Sardinia Itinerary Details

Our return flight from Olbia Costa Smeralda International Airport pushed us towards an itinerary consisting of a loop around Northern Sardinia. Ideally you might fly into one airport and out of another to maximize the area you can cover and minimize drive time. However, this northern loop worked great! We had multiple nights in each location and this provided ample variety as well as enough time to explore and relax.

TIP: Unfortunately, we saw a bit of rain during our Sardinia holiday (very uncommon!). Our Sardinia map contains additional activities that we didn’t have the opportunity to partake in!

Olbia area

I arrived prior to my friend and selected accommodation close to the Olbia airport but near a beach. I laid on the beach for a day eagerly anticipating her arrival and the start of our Sardinia holiday.

Activities

  • Porto Istana beach

Accommodation

  • Hotel Daniel, Olbia: Hotel Daniel was great. It’s a small hotel with friendly staff, free breakfast, and a pool! It is located close to the airport and close to the beach. I walked to the beach but shuttle service is available.
  • other Olbia accommodation options

Cala Gonone area

After picking my friend up from the airport we headed straight to the Cala Gonone area for beaches and relaxation.

Activities

  • Wander around the town of Cala Gonone and the beach
  • Take a boat trip around Golfo di Orosei and visit Grotte del Bue Marino
  • View sea life at Cala Gonone aquarium (not recommended but a rainy day activity)
  • Explore the cave and see stalagmites and stalactites at Grotta di Ispinigoli
  • Hike the canyon trails
  • Visit archaeological ruins

Accommodation

TIP: The experience and food at Italian agriturismos are highly recommended. Often booking options exist for half board (breakfast) or full board (breakfast and dinner). Even if you opt for a hotel stay be sure to visit one of these properties for dinner. Reservations will likely be required. Meals often include: wine, meat and cheese course, pasta course, main entree course, and a dessert course.

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Ogliastra area

Our next stop was the Ogliastra area for mountains and hiking.

Activities

  • Partake in coastal walks and hikes, such as from Santa Maria de Navarra to Pedra Longa
  • Hike the steep path to the beach at Cala Goloritze
  • Soak in the sun at Spiaggia del Lido di Orrì
  • Adventure sports such as rock climbing

Accommodation

Orgosolo

Definitely plan to make a stop in Orgosolo to view the street murals. This was a highlight of the trip!

Activities

  • View street murals

Alghero/Bosa area

Next up was ‘city’ living in Bosa.

Activities

  • Wander the cobblestone streets
  • Explore the castle on the hill (Castello Malaspina)
  • Visit the Bosa Marina

Accommodation

  • B&B Torre di Alice: B&B Torre di Alice is a delightful bed and breakfast in an old stone tower in the historic city of Bosa.
  • other Bosa accommodation options

Santa Teresa Gallura area

Our last stay was in Santa Teresa Gallura. We wanted to end our itinerary in a beach-town with a laid-back vibe.

Activities

  • Explore the Arcipelago di La Maddalena National Park (drive to Palau and take the ferry to Isola La Maddalena)
  • Alternate hiking and laying on the beach at nearby Capo Testa
  • Enjoy the local restaurant scene (be sure to try mirto – sweet myrtle wine)

Accommodation

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Sardinia Summary

As our Sardinia Map with Points of Interest illustrates, there’s so much more to explore! Let us know your favorite Sardinian experiences!

TIP: AirBnB is growing in popularity in Sardinia. Use this link to get a $20 credit towards your first booking!

TIP:  We use World Nomads for travel insurance when we travel internationally long-term. We believe they offer the best coverage for the money and they are super easy to work with! You can get a quote using the widget on our Resources page.

September 17 – 29, 2018

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