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The Ultimate 7-day Sardinia, Italy Itinerary

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Wild, natural coastlines, hidden coves, white sand and sea in shades of turquoise you didn’t even know existed. Soak up the sun and the warm Mediterranean breeze, learn about ancient cultures, explore hilltop villages and exciting towns, hike in nature to find your own secret beach, and try Italian food that’s not quite Italian. Welcome to the ultimate 7-day Sardinia, Italy Itinerary!

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, after Sicily (there, saves you Googling it!). It’s a stunning island, that’s windswept and rugged, but well-developed at the same time. You won’t have any trouble finding a great restaurant, a convenient grocery store, or a beautiful beach nearby at any time. The roads are great too, which makes this the perfect destination for a fly & drive.

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cala luna sardinia italy itinerary
Cala Luna is one of the most stunning places in Sardinia.

7-day Sardinia, Italy Itinerary FAQ

I’ve created the perfect 7-day itinerary for you, so you can experience the beauty of Sardinia yourself. Here are some things you should know before going.

Where should I fly in and out of?

Being the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (just a bit larger than Vermont), Sardinia has three international airports. Olbia Airport is in the northeast, Alghero Airport in the northwest and Cagliari Airport in the south. Low-cost airlines fly to all three airports from larger European and Italian cities.

This itinerary starts and ends in Olbia, but sort of goes around the whole island, passing the other two cities with airports. So if flying to Cagliari or Alghero is more convenient, you can start and end your trip there.

How to get around Sardinia?

Forget about public transport in Sardinia. It exists, but it’s not very frequent, more expensive, and takes much longer to get to places. Just pretend it’s not there!

Driving is by far the best way to explore the island. Distances between places are very manageable – often with stunning views – and you have the freedom to go anywhere you like. Sardinia is perfectly catered for this with the numerous rental car companies at the airports.

If you don’t mind spending money on a rental car, I would go with one of the bigger companies, like Hertz, Europcar or Sixt (we recommend using Kayak to price-compare deals). A car for a week can cost as much as $450 to $500 for a small Fiat 500…in low season. The smaller local companies rent that same car out for $150 to $200. That’s a big difference, but they often get awful reviews where people got charged for existing damage, no availability etc.

I noticed those people almost never paid the extra for the damage waiver. I decided to see for myself on a recent trip to Sardinia. I booked a car with VitaRent via booking.com for about $150 including damage waiver. You don’t even need a creditcard to rent here. 

Even if you have the damage waiver and full insurance, always make sure you take 10 minutes to go around the car, check it from every angle and take photos and videos. The time stamp can be proof if it ever came to a dispute.

Luckily, there was no need for that at all. VitaRent was great! Returning the car was as easy as picking it up, and I got my deposit back in seconds. I’ve had a similar great experience with Noleggiare on an earlier trip.

Travel Tip: Booked your flight and rental car yet? We recommend using Kayak to price-compare deals and dates to save money… so you can spend more on food during your trip (#letsbehonest).

spaghetti sardinia italy itinerary
Spaghetti. Need I say more? (Photo Credit: David Breeker)

What is the best time of year to visit Sardinia?

Italians leave their incredibly beautiful country for vacations in Sardinia, so that says a lot! The beauty of this island makes it a popular destination for tourists from all over the world, and it seems like they all arrive at the same time in summer. It starts in July and gets completely overcrowded by August. Avoid it if you can!

Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit. Travel in April/May or September/October and you can explore the island as if you are there by yourself, while the weather is still great for a day on the beach and a refreshing swim.

Do I need to speak the language?

The local language is Sardinian, but everybody speaks Italian too. You will be fine with English in most situations, but I’ve noticed it’s appreciated when you know a few words in Italian.

Some useful words in Sardinia:

  • Good morning – Buongiorno
  • Good afternoon – Buon pomeriggio
  • Good evening – Buonasera
  • Hello/Bye – Ciao!
  • Please – Per favore
  • Thank you – Grazie mille
  • Yes – Si
  • No – No
  • Where is the beach? – Dov’è la spiaggia?
  • Could I have the bill, please? – Posso avere il conto, per favore?
  • Your sheep are blocking the road – Le tue pecore stanno bloccando la strada

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Orosei beach sardinia italy itinerary
The sweeping shores of Orosei beach.

The perfect 7-day Sardinia, Italy itinerary

You know everything you need to know for your trip now, so here’s my perfect 7-day Sardinia itinerary. It’s hard to see the whole island in one week, but this itinerary will take you around the island past some amazing highlights and lesser known places of Sardinia.

Day 1: Arrival in Olbia – Drive to Orosei

  • Today you’ll pick up your car and drive 90 minutes to your first stop: Orosei.

Arriving at Olbia Airport couldn’t be easier. It’s a small airport, so getting out and picking up your rental car shouldn’t take much time at all.

Drive to Orosei on the east coast, which takes about 90 minutes. If you arrive in the evening, you might want to drive straight to Orosei. If you arrive earlier, you are in luck, as there are many places that deserve a quick stop on the way.

Need a quick break? These options are great for a quick stop:

  • San Teodoro: A lively town full of restaurants and bars. Mind the thousands of swallows flying around, nesting in the roofs of houses, or at least covering your coffee or ice-cream. (Extra cream anyone?) The town has three amazing beaches (you’ll hear this a lot).
  • Spiaggia dei Pini: In Tanaunella, a district of the town of Budoni, you’ll find Pine Beach. You can park your car here and walk straight onto Budoni Beach. Even better is to walk through the small pine forest to the more secluded and (in my opinion) even more beautiful beaches Spiaggia Sant’Anna and Spiaggia di Porto Ainu. It’s stunning to see the blue sea through the pines. A five-minute walk is all it takes to get to them. There’s a great Italian restaurant called Shardana here, just in case you need lunch. Or head a bit further south to Posada for more traditional food. More traditional than Italian food? Yes, Sardinian food!
  • Posada: This village just south of Budoni is built on a hill, so if you’d like to see the town, prepare to play the Italian game of Does my car fit through here? You can also park at the bottom and walk up. Painful calves are guaranteed the next day, but it’s worth it for the sea views. If it’s lunch you’re here for, head to Marco & Caterina Trattoria Locanda (which is at the bottom of the hill!). This is a lovely trattoria where you can try authentic Sardinian food. It’s the closest thing to being invited for lunch at someone’s house. I recommend the culurgiones, Sardinia’s version of ravioli, filled with mashed potato, mint and pecorino, served with mushrooms and bacon. It’s bliss!
culurgiones sardinia italy itinerary
Culurgiones, Sardinia’s version of ravioli, filled with mashed potato, mint and pecorino, served with mushrooms and bacon. (Photo Credit: David Breeker)

Back on the road, Orosei is not too far away now. This town on the gulf of the same name, will be your base for the next two nights to explore this area of natural beauty. With hundreds of picture-perfect white-sand-turquoise-sea beaches on this island, it’s not an easy job to stand out, but the beaches on this gulf are something else!

Check in to your hotel and go for a relaxed stroll around the town. Just explore to see what’s around. Orosei will be your base for two nights, so don’t worry about any sightseeing. Not that you have to in the city itself, as most of the sightseeing happens in the area around it. Orosei is full of great streets, shops and restaurants.

Speaking of restaurants…”If it’s pizza you want for dinner in Orosei, you go to Orion La Veranda!” This is how the restaurant was recommended to me by the local patissier, and he wasn’t wrong! At Orion La Veranda, my favorite pizza is the Piacere Fico. It’s a white pizza (no tomato sauce) with Parma ham and lots of local ingredients, like fig jam, Sardinian honey and a ball of sheep’s ricotta from the island. It’s food heaven!

Where to stay?

I recommend staying at Albergo Diffuso Mannois. This inn offers different rooms throughout the old part of the city. Some are more rustic and others are more modern, but all are absolutely beautiful inside. The accommodation has a main building, where you can find reception and a delicious breakfast every morning, just a few minutes’ walk from the rooms. There’s a private beach for you to visit too. You can borrow electric bikes to cycle the mile and a half to get there. Quirky setup, but it totally works!

Day 1 Summary

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cala goloritze sardinia italy itinerary
The craggy coast of Cala Goloritzè.

Day 2: Golfo di Orosei

  • Today you’ll be cruising the stunning coastline of the Gulf of Orosei.

The town of Orosei is beautiful, but it’s the stunning coastline that really steals the show. Today you will go on a full day excursion to explore one of most beautiful coastlines of Sardinia, and that’s no mean feat on an island with such amazing beaches.

But first, time for breakfast first. The hotel serves a great breakfast in the main building. Whether savory or sweet is what gets you going in the morning, this buffet has it all. Lots of local produce too!

After breakfast, drive to Cala Gonone, a beautiful bay about 40 minutes away. This is where the boat cruise along the coast departs. You can leave at 9am, 10am, 11am or 12pm, but I would aim for 9 or 10 o’clock, so you can make most of the excursion and your time on the beaches.

Today you’ll cruise along the coastline of the Gulf of Orosei, where you’ll visit the absolute best of the best this area has to offer. You’ll visit the beaches and coves of Cala Gonone, Cala Luna, Cala Mariolu, Cala dei Sisine and Cala Goloritzè. I found it hard to pick my favorite, but Cala Luna and Goloritzè are absolutely awesome!

There is a bar on board and the excursion includes an aperitif. It doesn’t include lunch, but there are opportunities to eat somewhere along the way, or bring a sandwich (read: focaccia). Otherwise, beach restaurant Su Coile in Cala dei Sisine will get you a decent lunch!

After some amazing photo opportunities and refreshing swims, enjoy an aperitif while the boat slowly heads back to where you started, to arrive back at around 5.30pm. Back in Cala Gonone, you can either chill on the beach (you probably have sand everywhere by now, so you might as well!), or head into the small town of Cala Gonone to explore. 

If you’re ready for dinner, check out Sa Cuchina in Cala Gonone. This restaurant has some great classic pasta and typical Sardinian dishes on the menu. Great with a good glass of wine (always!). If you’re not hungry yet, which I can imagine after the aperitif, you can always drive back to Orosei for Italian dinnertime. 

Back in Orosei, Agriturismo Gollei is a great restaurant where it really feels like you’re eating at home with an Italian family. You know, where nonna is rolling meatballs in the kitchen. The dishes here are great, but if you can’t choose, go for the menu completo to watch plate after plate of delicious starters and mains arrive at the table. Hope you’re hungry!

Day 2 Summary

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cagliari sardinia italy itinerary
Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia and an absolute gem.

Day 3: Orosei – Cagliari

  • Watch the sunrise and drive 2.5 hours to the capital.

When I’m on the east coast of Sardinia I love to get up early to watch the sunrise (when I’m anywhere else, I don’t like to get up early). This side of the island is most spectacular for sunrises, so set that alarm and head out. 

You can go to the beach in Orosei, or choose any of the bays nearby. My favorite is Cala Gonone (you were here yesterday), but that involves a drive and an even earlier start. It’s beautiful to witness the sun come up from the beach, before most Sardinians wake up.

On your way back to your room, head to Pasticceria Saint Honore in Orosei to take out a selection of fresh handmade pastries for your breakfast. The friendly owner will explain what they all are. It’s hard to choose, as they all look delicious!

If you’re still hungry (impossible!), you can always have a second breakfast at the hotel, before you check out and set your maps app to the capital of Sardinia: Cagliari.

I know it’s only Day 3, but you’ve probably figured out that I’ve been avoiding sending you to the bigger cities of Sardinia. You drove straight out of Olbia after all. For a first taste of Sardinia, it’s better to avoid them, especially when you’re here for seven days. Don’t get me wrong, they are very nice places, but they don’t really show how beautiful, natural and unspoiled this island is…

…And then I go ahead and make you drive to Cagliari, the capital and largest city on Sardinia, for two and a half hours! But Cagliari is worth a visit and an abosolute gem!

This city’s history goes back for thousands of years and has been the capital of Sardinia for centuries. Just imagine the civilisations that lived here! The Nuragic Sards in the Bronze Age, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Catalans and Italians, to name a few. The city is an eclectic mix of historic cultures, architecture and food.

fregola with seafood sardinia italy itinerary
Fregola with seafood (Photo Credit: David Breeker)

By the time you arrive, it’s lunchtime, so you get to experience that delicious food. If you’re into seafood, you should definitely try the fregola. This is a type of pasta made from semolina, round-shaped, not unlike giant couscous. Fregola means breadcrumbs, so I guess that makes sense. It’s normally served with seafood in a thin tomato and chili sauce. I had delicious fregola in restaurant Otium in Cagliari.

After lunch, go to your bed & breakfast to check in. It’s in the marina of Cagliari, so you’re very close to the sea, whilst still near the city center.

In the afternoon, meet at the bike shop in Via Sant’Eulalia at 2:30. You only have one night in Cagliari, so what better way to explore a new city than with a guided tour? It’s nice to get moving after lunch, so a bike tour it is…E-bike that is, so you don’t have to work too hard!

This two-hour E-bike tour of Cagliari is a great way to see the city from a different angle. It’s much more relaxed than I expected. You cycle through the streets and alleys of the old town, some full of flowers, while stopping at interesting places. You;ll go to the medieval Elephant tower and will also visit the Santa Maria Cathedral. You stop for coffee on the way. (The Italian way: a quick shot of coffee at the bar and go!)

After the tour, I recommend going for an aperitivo and a glass of wine. Italians do this at the end of the afternoon. It’s kind of like a pre-dinner, with some typical light bites and a good glass of local wine. Libarium is a cocktail bar in the Castello district, not far from your B&B. They do a great aperitivo and the bar offers splendid sunset views of the city.

Want to have another drink, with some accompanying snacks? Locanda Caddeo is a family company with three restaurants in the city center. Walk to the one in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, near the Elephant Tower. They do a great Aperol Spritz with locally sourced cold and hot snacks.

Before dinner, stroll around the city as the evening falls. It is great to see Cagliari in the evening, with the street lights casting a yellow glow on the cobbled streets. It makes the otherwise colorful city look elegant and full of atmosphere. Take your time! Dinner in Italy starts sometime between 8:30 and 10:30pm. 

Fogo is a churrascaria – a restaurant that specializes in barbecue and grilled meat. The restaurant serves a fusion of Sardinian and Brazilian food. Random? Yes, but the food to die for. The menu is as easy as it gets. You order a Fogo Rodizio, the only item on the menu and just watch enormous skewers of grilled steaks and both Sardinian and Brazilian sides appear on the table. Amazing!

Where to stay?

Il Cagliarese B&B is a comfortable bed & breakfast with cozy rooms in a perfect location, close to the marina of Cagliari and at a stone’s throw of the old city center, but far enough to be quiet and calm. The buffet breakfast is very good, with plenty of sweet and savory options. There’s a car park a few hundred yards away.

Day 3 Summary

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nuraghi sardinia italy itinerary
Nuraghe Losa dates back between 1500 and 2000 BC and a cool place to ponder history. (Photo Credit)

Day 4: Cagliari – Oristano

  • Drive 90 minutes to the farming province of Oristano and explore the area for two nights.

Enjoy breakfast at your B&B, before checking out. Back on the road after a short visit to Cagliari, you’re heading to Oristano. This province is pretty undiscovered in terms of tourism. Farming is the main industry here, especially olives and vineyards. The Vernaccia grape only grows in this region. (Don’t worry, you will get to taste the local wine. I’ve got you!)

Off to the west coast! Your destination is Cabras, a town on the shores of a backland lake, close to the beach and the small city of Oristano, the capital of the province of Oristano. During your two-night stay, you’ll have time for beach visits, flamingo watching, cycling and a trip to Oristano.

The drive to Cabras is about an hour and a half from Cagliari. You can probably not check in yet, so why not visit a nuraghi and have some lunch? A what? Well, they are megalithic structures from the bronze age that can only be found in Sardinia.

Most nuraghi are built using big stones and have the shape of thick-walled towers. Sometimes they are a single tower, but you’ll also find entire complexes with towers and dwellings. There are more than 7,000 on the island! Not much is known about them, because their origins go so far back in history. They may have been used as watch towers, as homes or defensive buildings. Either way, it is very impressive to visit and get into these buildings that are over 3,000 years old.

You’re lucky, because one of the best preserved nuraghi, Nuraghe Losa, is very close to the village of Abbasanta. Nuraghe Losa dates back between 1500 and 2000 BC. They don’t know the exact year, but I’d say it’s pretty damn old either way. The cool thing about this site is that it has the tower shaped structure like most nuraghi, but it also boasts a few houses from that period next to it and on the edge of the ancient village.

Nuraghe Losa opens from 9 am till about an hour before sunset (I love vague opening times like that!). Entrance is just over $6, which includes a guided tour! Great value for visiting an Nuragic site that’s 3500 years old!

You’ll stay in a hotel in Cabras, which is a municipality of the city of Oristano. In Cabras you’ll be close to beautiful beaches, and only a 10-minute drive away from Oristano. The beaches of Oristano are good too, but the industrial port behind it makes me choose Cabras anytime. 

Check-in is only from 2 pm, so you have plenty of time for lunch at Trattoria Portixedda in Oristano. Now this is not a beautiful restaurant. It is one of those places that looks simple and basic, but where the food does all the talking. Deliciously cooked local Sardinian food is what makes this restaurant so special!

Drive to your hotel to check in. It’s a great little oasis where you can relax, or use it as a base to explore Cabras lake (flamingo watching, anyone?), the beaches of Cabras, or the city of Oristano. Whatever you decide to do this afternoon, you won’t regret it!

Dinner is not just amazing food tonight…it’s an experience. Have a meal at Agriturismo Pinucciaor I should say THE meal – and you’ll see what I mean. The concept is that you pay around $35 for a fish or meat meal, and Signora Pinuccia and her son will tingle your tastebuds with several courses. There is no fixed menu. You will be served whatever they feel like cooking that night. This is home-cooked, true Sardinian food at its best. There, I said it!

Enjoy a good glass of wine or homemade liquors and by the end of the evening you will feel like you’ve just had the most amazing Italian meal with family you never knew before tonight. That’s because of the food and the atmosphere, not the alcohol of course.

Where to stay?

Hotel Villa Canu is a historic countryside house that offers comfortable rooms set in a beautiful garden with a small swimming pool. The garden is perfect for relaxing and breakfast is served here too! The staff is super friendly and it really feels like a welcoming home rather than a hotel.

Day 4 Summary

  • Enjoy breakfast at your bed & well…breakfast
  • Drive to Cabras (Oristano)
  • Visit 3000 year old Nuraghe Losa including a guided tour
  • Typical Sardinian lunch at Trattoria Portixedda
  • Check into Hotel Villa Canu
  • Watch flamingos, go to the beach or explore the town of Oristano (or do it all!)
  • Have an incredible dining experience at Agriturismo Pinuccia

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Sinis peninsula with tower in sardinia italy
On the Sinis peninsula, you get some amazing panoramic views.

Day 5: Oristano

  • Meet the giants of Mont’e Prama and explore the city center of Oristano.

Start the day with breakfast (and a swim!) in your hotel’s garden. It’s such a peaceful place to slowly wake up and enjoy breakfast and a cappuccino. Then make sure you’re ready by 9am for your e-scooter adventure to visit the Giants of Mont’e Prama.

This tour is great, because you get to see the stunning scenery as well as having fun riding an electric scooter. Somehow you get to experience your surroundings better, because you feel, see, hear and smell more than would in a car (unless you’ve got a smelly car). 

And the Giants? They are nuragic statues (from the same people that lived in the nuraghi) that were found in Mont’e Prama. Today you will see them at the Civic Museum in Cabras. To me it was mind-blowing to look at statues that were sculpted more than 3000 years ago. The way they look is unlike anything I’ve seen before!

Soak up the sun and fresh air on a short scooter ride to your next stop. In the medieval village of San Salvatore di Sinis you can admire the hypogeum, a sanctuary for pagans. This sacred place is half dug out the rocks, half built with sandstone. You can just feel the history here, and all the different people that have worshiped here throughout the millennia…yes, millennia

Get on your seats and race (well, slowly enjoying the surroundings) to your final stop. The ancient city of Tharros was one of my highlights. Being in an ancient city, full of ruins and half intact temples is pretty awesome anyway, but this one is a stunning location. The city used to be an important Phoenician-Roman port, so it’s right at the point of the Sinis peninsula. You get some amazing panoramic views of the peninsula and the coastline from here.

Getting back to your starting point doesn’t mean the tour has finished yet. You’ll find a delicious aperitivo with local food and wines waiting for you. Good thing you don’t have to get back on a scooter after this!

Being in Oristano is a great opportunity to explore the city this afternoon. The historic city center has a pleasant main square, a large cathedral and old churches to see. Throughout the center you can see remnants of the original medieval city walls and there are a couple of medieval towers too.

I recommend going to the Antiquarium Arborense, which is a great museum full of archaeological finds from the area (Not fish! You didn’t read “Aquarium Arborense”, did you?). I can also totally understand you had your fill of old stuff today and you just want to go shopping for souvenirs at Porto Nuova.

Go for dinner at Trattoria Da Gabriele, right in the historic city center, and you won’t be disappointed. I like non-pretentious restaurants where you can eat great local food, especially here in Sardinia, and Da Gabrielle is exactly that. A good plate of food (try the grilled shrimp!), a glass of local wine, and friendly people. That’s all you need! 

Summary Day 5

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Spiaggia La Pelosa
Spiaggia La Pelosa may be the best beach in the entirety of Sardinia. (Photo Credit)

Day 6: Oristano – La Pelosa

  • Make your way back two hours north to a breathtaking beach.

And I mean noooorth, as in the most northern tip of the island! First things first, enjoy another breakfast and a swim in the garden. I love waking up with a swim, and if you can do it here, why not do the same as yesterday morning?

Check out after breakfast and drive from Oristano to La Pelosa. If you get in the car, hit the gas and don’t stop until you get there, it will take you around two hours. You won’t though. I’m sure after almost a week here, you’ve learned that it’s almost impossible to go somewhere without stopping in Sardinia. Two reasons: Flocks of sheep crossing the road and scenic viewpoints. Take it slowly. Piano, piano, as they say in Italian.

If you want to go somewhere for lunch, I suggest having a break in Porto Torres, about half an hour from La Pelosa. There’s a lovely pizzeria called San Gavino. The interior is…classic, but the pizzas and pastas are delicious!

Arriving in La Pelosa, check in to your hotel and get ready for some time on the beach. Swimsuit, snorkel, a good book, towel, bucket and spade. You know the drill!

Spiaggia La Pelosa is one of my favorite beaches in Sardinia. And I’m not the only one! This one is always featured on “best beaches of Sardinia” lists. I love Pelosa Beach because it’s different to the tranquil coves nestled in rugged cliffs you’ve seen this week. This beach is long, and wide. It feels spacious! 

The sea is very shallow here too, so you can walk into the sea really far. Combine that with the stunning backdrop of Isola Piana and the smaller island with the iconic tower in between, and it makes for great photos! 

You had a busy day yesterday, you have a flight back tomorrow. Just be in the moment and relax. Read a book, laze in the sun, go for a refreshing swim. You don’t need to do anything today! Although, do you think you can swim to that island? The one with the tower on? It’s not that far, is it?

I have to admit, it’s something that crossed my mind a few times. I’m a decent swimmer and it doesn’t look that far. A quick research showed me that people do it, either swimming or walking along the seabed, but said it’s farther than it looks, the rocks are sharp and there’s a current. It put me off swimming there. I would hire a water bicycle instead to cross (no not a pedalo…it literally looks like a bicycle mounted on a canoe). It’s great fun!

Head to Stintino in the evening. This is the main town on this northern tip of the island, and is only a 10-minute drive away. It’s a great place to have dinner and to go for a walk and a drink after. 

Trattoria Gastronomica da Antonio e Margherita is not only a super long name for a restaurant, it’s also a very popular place to eat in Stintino. Su Porceddu, roasted suckling pig, is delicious here. You should try this typical Sardinian food if you’re not too squeamish, as it’s exactly what you’ll see on the plate! Don’t worry if that’s not your thing: they also have great seafood, barbecue and pasta dishes on the menu.

On your way back to the hotel, why not have a last drink right by the beach? Chiosco Bar La Torre has a great drinks menu with crafty cocktails and local wines. The terrace with views of Pelosa Beach is the perfect place to end your Sardinia trip!

Where to stay?

La Villa Del Paradiso offers beautiful and comfortable accommodations set in a lush garden, at walking distance from the Spiaggia La Pelosa, the famous beach on the northern tip of the island. It’s a lovely place to just sit outside your villa in the evening with a glass of wine, listening to the soothing sounds of the island around you.

Day 6 Summary

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white sand beaches of Golfo Aranci sardinia italy
The White sand beaches of Golfo Aranci. (Photo Credit)

Day 7: La Pelosi – Olbia Airport

  • Drive two hours back to the airport for your flight back.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and check out. Today you’re flying back, so it’s time to head two hours to the airport and return the car.

If your flight is in the evening, you could stop in Sassari on the way. This is Sardinia’s second largest city and there are some cool things to see and do here. If you have three hours to spare, this walking tour of Sassari is a great activity. A local tour guide will show you his favorite places and tell you interesting anecdotes about the city he grew up in. 

You could also stop in Olbia, so you’ll already be near the airport. Explore the city, or go to the beaches in Golfo Aranci. This stunning coastline is easy to explore and only a 20 minute drive from the airport. I discovered Spiaggia Bianca there last time I went, which is a calm, white-sandy beach. It has a little beach restaurant where they serve food and drinks. 

Summary Day 7

  • Breakfast at your hotel in La Pelosa
  • Drive from La Pelosa to Olbia Airport
  • If time allows, stop in Sassari for a walking tour, or explore the Golfo Aranci near Olbia

Come back for more

I hope you like the sound of this 7-day itinerary! Seven days is not long to see the whole of Sardinia, but this takes you around the island so you’ll see as much as you can, often to off-the-beaten-track destinations. You just have to come back to see the rest next time. There are even islands off Sardinia…yeah, you definitely should come back!

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About Our Guest Poster: David Breeker loves visiting Italy. The mix of culture, history, food and stunning beaches makes Sardinia one of his favorite islands that he keeps coming back to. 


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Wild, natural coastlines, hidden coves, white sand and sea in shades of turquoise you didn’t even know existed. Soak up the sun and the warm Mediterranean breeze, learn about ancient cultures, explore hilltop villages and exciting towns, hike in nature to find your own secret beach, and try Italian food that’s not quite Italian. Welcome to the ultimate 7-day Sardinia, Italy Itinerary!

Our Top Travel Tips & Resources

Here are our favorite travel tips & resources for saving money and planning travel logistics! For more tips, check out our travel tips resource page or our guide to planning a trip.

  • Booking Flights: To score flight deals, search on Google Flights or Kayak. Money-saving tips: fly mid-week or on the weekend; fly carry-on only on a budget airline; and take red-eyes or early morning flights.
  • Accommodations: We usually stay in budget-friendly vacation rentals, boutique hotels or private rooms in hostels. We use Booking.com to book hotels (we love their flexible cancellation policy) and Hostelworld to book hostels (low deposit, easy change/cancellation, and excellent reviews). For vacation rentals, we prefer to book using VRBO because they’ve got lower fees and better support than Airbnb, and we’re not fans of Airbnb’s unethical track record. You can also book vacation rentals on Expedia and Hotels.com. We also use TrustedHousesitters as both hosts (for our home and our fur-child) and travelers!
  • Travel Insurance: We always, always, ALWAYS buy travel insurance for international trips, and we STRONGLY suggest it – visit our Travel Insurance Guide to find out why. We recommend either World Nomads or SafetyWing for international travel insurance. SafetyWing is one of the few policies that covers Covid-19, and they have excellent monthly policies that are perfect for Digital Nomads and long term travelers!
  • Travel Credit Card: We book all of our trips on our favorite travel credit card. Not only do we earn cash back that we can spend on more travel, but the card offers fantastic travel perks like travel insurance, trip delay and cancellation coverage, lost baggage reimbursement, and rental car coverage, which helps protect us on our travels. Learn more here.
  • Vaccines & Meds: We use the travel guides on the CDC website to research recommended medications and vaccines for international trips. We always recommend getting every vaccine recommended by the CDC! You can get them at your primary care doctor’s office or a walk-in pharmacy.
  • Tours: We love booking guided tours, especially food tours and walking tours, to get a local’s perspective and a history lesson while sight-seeing! We book our tours using Viator and GetYourGuide.
  • Transportation: We use Rome2Rio to figure out how to get from place to place, and book local transportation online using Bookaway wherever we can. When we book a rental car, we use DiscoverCars to compare rental companies and find the best deal.
  • Luggage Storage: Whenever we’re checking out early or taking advantage of a long layover, we use LuggageHero to safely store our luggage while we’re running around. Use the code PRACTICALW for 2 hours of free luggage storage on us.
  • VPN Service: A VPN keeps your digital information (like website login details, bank info, etc) safe, even when you’re connected to an unsecured network while traveling. Plus, it lets you use Netflix & other streaming sites abroad! We use NordVPN. Use the code WANDERLUSTPROMO when you sign up!
  • What to Pack: Here are the travel essentials that we bring on every trip. We also have packing lists for hot weather, cold weather, and many more. Take a look at all of our packing guides!



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