Sardinia itinerary, day by day

From Alghero round to the Gulf of Orosei by car, cove by cove: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.

🗓️ 4 or 7 days📍 3 stops☀️ Best time: May to June and September

Cala Goloritzé · Photo Hub JACQU / Pexels

Route map (numbers = order of the stops).

Sardinia in 4 days

2 stops · 6 things to do · ≈ 160 km

1Alghero and La Pelosa

Days 1-2

A walled port settled by Catalans in the fourteenth century, where a form of Catalan is still spoken. At the north-west tip of the island, La Pelosa beach and its shallow lagoon.

🎟️ Worth booking

Boat trip to Neptune's Grotto2h30 · from €30
Along the cliffs of Capo Caccia to a sea cave of stalactites with a salt lake inside. The other way in is 654 steps down the cliff.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Alghero's old town and ramparts · Capo Caccia

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel San Francesco (€75 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Catalunya (€120 a night) · Luxury: Hotel Dei Pini (€215 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Ristorante Da Musciora Danilo Delrio ★ 4.9 · 697 reviews · €€
Licchita Pizzeria Moderna ★ 4.9 · 381 reviews
S'Istria Food ★ 4.9 · 149 reviews
Prosciutteria Sant Miquel ★ 4.8 · 1054 reviews · €€
Renacer - Grill&Drinks ★ 4.8 · 114 reviews

Photo Pexels

🚗 Car · 2h30 · 160 km

2Costa Smeralda

Days 3-4

The granite north-east coast, turned into a resort by the Aga Khan in the 1960s: clear coves, yachts in the harbours and the La Maddalena islands offshore.

🎟️ Worth booking

Boat day in the La Maddalena archipelagoFull day · from €55
A day among the granite islands of the national park, with swimming stops in coves such as those of Spargi.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The Costa Smeralda beaches · Porto Cervo

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel Nibaru (€110 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Pulicinu (€135 a night) · Luxury: L'Ea Bianca Luxury Resort (€420 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

The View Sardinia ★ 4.8 · 213 reviews
Aruanà Churrascaria Poltu Quatu Porto Cervo ★ 4.7 · 1412 reviews · €€€
Crazy Pizza Porto Cervo ★ 4.6 · 1665 reviews
Ristorante La Rocca da Chiara ★ 4.6 · 1570 reviews · €€
Ristorante Gastronomia Belvedere - Belvedere Lounge Porto Cervo ★ 4.6 · 931 reviews · €€

Photo Pexels

Sardinia in 7 days

3 stops · 8 things to do · ≈ 400 km

1Alghero and La Pelosa

Days 1-2

A walled port settled by Catalans in the fourteenth century, where a form of Catalan is still spoken. At the north-west tip of the island, La Pelosa beach and its shallow lagoon.

🎟️ Worth booking

Boat trip to Neptune's Grotto2h30 · from €30
Along the cliffs of Capo Caccia to a sea cave of stalactites with a salt lake inside. The other way in is 654 steps down the cliff.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Alghero's old town and ramparts · Capo Caccia

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel San Francesco (€75 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Catalunya (€120 a night) · Luxury: Hotel Dei Pini (€215 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Pexels

🚗 Car · 2h30 · 160 km

2Costa Smeralda

Days 3-4

The granite north-east coast, turned into a resort by the Aga Khan in the 1960s: clear coves, yachts in the harbours and the La Maddalena islands offshore.

🎟️ Worth booking

Boat day in the La Maddalena archipelagoFull day · from €55
A day among the granite islands of the national park, with swimming stops in coves such as those of Spargi.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The Costa Smeralda beaches · Porto Cervo

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel Nibaru (€110 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Pulicinu (€135 a night) · Luxury: L'Ea Bianca Luxury Resort (€420 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Pexels

🚗 Car · 2h · 150 km

3The Gulf of Orosei

Days 5-6

Limestone cliffs dropping into the sea on the east coast, with coves reached on foot or by boat, Cala Goloritzé among them.

🎟️ Worth booking

Boat along the coves (Mariolu, Goloritzé)Full day · from €45
A day down the coast by boat, landing at coves like Cala Mariolu. Cala Goloritzé is closed to boats: it is reached on foot, with a booked ticket.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Cala Luna

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel La Playa (€80 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Bue Marino (€130 a night) · Luxury: Hotel Villa Gustui Maris (€180 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Shango Restaurant ★ 4.9 · 276 reviews
Agriturismo Gollei ★ 4.8 · 489 reviews
Pub ristorante GastroGarage ★ 4.8 · 346 reviews
Ristorante Ispinigoli Ss 125 ★ 4.7 · 665 reviews · €€
Ristorante tipico S'Ortale ★ 4.6 · 273 reviews

Photo Pixabay / Pexels

Hotel prices are per room per night, activity prices per person, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide): we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

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The free printable Sardinia guide: map, stops day by day, hotels by budget. Works offline.

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Good to know before you go

🍽️ What to eat

Porceddu: suckling pig roasted slowly over myrtle and juniper wood.
Culurgiones: pasta parcels of potato, pecorino and mint, pinched shut like an ear of wheat.
Malloreddus: small ridged gnocchi of durum wheat, served with a sausage and tomato sauce.
Pane carasau: a paper-thin, crisp flatbread first baked for shepherds on the move.
Seadas: a fried pastry filled with fresh cheese and covered in honey.
Mirto: a myrtle-berry liqueur poured at the end of the meal.

⚠️ What to avoid

Taking sand, pebbles or shells from the beaches: it is against the law, with fines running into thousands of euros.
Turning up at La Pelosa or Cala Goloritzé in summer without a booking: numbers are capped and you will be turned away.
Tipping before checking the bill for the coperto, the cover charge.
Entering churches with bare shoulders or knees.
Travelling in August if you can avoid it: the whole of Italy is on holiday, and the coast is at its most crowded and expensive.

Plan this trip

📒 The free printable Sardinia guide→ 🗓️ Best time to visit Sardinia, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book before you go→

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