A two-week loop from Olbia: the Costa Smeralda and the La Maddalena archipelago, the granite of Gallura, Catalan Alghero, the Bosa coast road, the Sinis peninsula, Cagliari, the south-east coast and the Gulf of Orosei. The island has no toll motorways, but its most famous beaches now have to be booked online.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Olbia | Start |
| Days 2 to 3 | Palau | 65 km · 1h25 |
| Day 4 | Castelsardo | 105 km · 2h10 |
| Days 5 to 6 | Alghero | 120 km · 2h05 |
| Day 7 | Bosa | 45 km · 55 min |
| Day 8 | Oristano | 62 km · 1h05 |
| Days 9 to 10 | Cagliari | 134 km · 2h05 |
| Day 11 | Costa Rei | 78 km · 1h35 |
| Days 12 to 14 | Cala Gonone | 158 km · 2h30 |
| Day 15 | Back to Olbia | 106 km · 1h40 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
May-June and September: the sea is warm enough to swim, traffic flows, and places at La Pelosa and Goloritzé are easier to get. In July-August, car hire rises to €51 a day in Olbia; in winter it drops to €10 in January, for an island of villages and trails rather than beaches.
🚗 65 km · 1h25 of driving from Olbia
SS125 then SP59 along the Costa Smeralda via Porto Cervo: a narrow, winding road, busy in August.
🚗 105 km · 2h10 of driving from Palau
SS133 and SS133bis to Santa Teresa Gallura, then the coastal SP90 via Isola Rossa.
🚗 120 km · 2h05 of driving from Castelsardo
SS200 towards Stintino and La Pelosa, booked in advance, then the SP34 and SP42 through the Nurra.
🚗 45 km · 55 min of driving from Alghero
The coastal SP105, a corniche road high above the sea: tight bends, viewpoints, few villages.
🚗 62 km · 1h05 of driving from Bosa
SS292 via Cuglieri and Santa Caterina di Pittinuri, then across the plain to Oristano and the Sinis peninsula.
🚗 134 km · 2h05 of driving from Oristano
The free SS131 Carlo Felice, then a detour via Barumini and the SS197.
🚗 78 km · 1h35 of driving from Cagliari
The coastal SP17 corniche via Solanas and Villasimius, then shore roads to Costa Rei.
🚗 158 km · 2h30 of driving from Costa Rei
SS125var then the SS125 Orientale Sarda via Baunei and the Genna Silana pass (1,002 m): a very winding road.
🚗 106 km · 1h40 of driving from Cala Gonone
Do the north on its own: Palau (2 nights) for the Costa Smeralda and La Maddalena, Castelsardo (1), Alghero (3) with La Pelosa, then back to Olbia via Sassari. Or the east: Cala Gonone (3 nights) and Costa Rei (2) from Olbia.
| Car hire only, July | ≈ €51 a day |
|---|---|
| Car hire only, January | ≈ €10 a day |
| Small car, annual average | ≈ €38 a day (Kayak, Olbia, Sept. 2026) |
| SUV, annual average | ≈ €40 a day |
| Vehicle | A small city car: narrow lanes in Bosa and Castelsardo, hairpins on the SS125, tight beach car parks. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Olbia Costa Smeralda airport, where almost every rental company has a desk. It is a loop, so no one-way fee. |
| Insurance | Damage (CDW) and theft cover are included by default in Italy, with an excess of €500 to €2,000; excess waiver optional. |
| Age and card | Usually 21 minimum, with a surcharge under 25. A physical credit card in the driver's name. |
| Ferry | For La Maddalena, check that the contract allows the car to be taken on a ferry. |
| Fines | The rental company passes on every ZTL or speed camera fine and charges an extra €40 to €60 admin fee. |
⚠️ July costs five times as much as January in Olbia (€51 against €10 a day): book the car at the same time as your flight.
Any valid European Union licence is enough, with no International Driving Permit. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
As in mainland Europe. Dipped headlights compulsory outside built-up areas, day and night.
50 in towns. In rain: 90 on the SS131. Licence held under 3 years: 90 outside towns.
Zero for under-21s and licences held for less than 3 years.
The island has no motorway: the SS131 Carlo Felice, dual carriageway for much of its length, is free.
La Pelosa, Goloritzé, Rena Bianca, Cala Brandinchi: QR code checked at the entrance in season.
Historic centres under camera surveillance ("Varco attivo"): park outside the old towns.
Phone in hand: a fine and a licence suspension of 15 days to 2 months from the first offence.
Forest fires are frequent in the warm season: follow the alerts and instructions of the local authorities.
≈ €2.15 a litre of petrol, €2.34 for diesel (self-service)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Today's price: Osservaprezzi carburanti (Italian ministry) →
⛽ 873 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €130 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
MIMIT national average of 24 September 2026, excluding motorways (the island has none). "Fai da te" (self-service) costs less than "servito".
| Motorways | None in Sardinia: the SS131 and roads are free |
|---|---|
| Palau-La Maddalena ferry (Delcomar), June-September | €20 return for a car up to 4 m long, €8.70 per adult |
| La Maddalena landing contribution | €2.50 per ticket from April to October, €0.50 in winter |
| La Pelosa (Stintino) | €3.50 per person, free under 12 |
| Cala Goloritzé | €7 per person, Su Porteddu car park included |
| Rena Bianca (Santa Teresa Gallura) | €3.50 per person |
| Cala Brandinchi (San Teodoro) | €2 per person |
| Punta Molentis (Villasimius) | €3 on foot, €15 per car for the day |
| Cala Coticcio (Caprera) | Authorised guide compulsory, plus a €3 park contribution |
| La Pelosa | Booking from 15 May to 15 October 2026, 08:00-18:00 |
|---|---|
| Cala Goloritzé | Ticket from 24 March to 15 November 2026, 07:30-17:00 |
| Cala Goloritzé by sea | Landing prohibited, motorboats kept more than 200 m away |
| Rena Bianca and Cala Brandinchi | Booking from 1 June to 30 September 2026 |
| Cala Coticcio and Cala Brigantina | With a guide only, 60 people a day per site |
| Historic centres in ZTLs | Entry filmed, prohibited without authorisation |
Allow two weeks for this loop of 9 stages and 14 nights from Olbia, via La Maddalena, Alghero, Bosa, the Sinis, Cagliari and the Gulf of Orosei. In 7 days, pick one half: the north (Costa Smeralda, La Maddalena, Alghero) or the east (Cala Gonone, Costa Rei). With less than a week, stay on a single coast.
Car hire: about €700 in July (€51 a day in Olbia, Kayak average), €10 a day in January. For about 1,000 km, allow €130 of petrol at September 2026 prices, with no tolls. Add the La Maddalena ferry (€20 per car, €8.70 per adult) and the quota beaches (€2 to €7).
Yes, in season. La Pelosa: €3.50 per person, 1,500 places a day, from 15 May to 15 October, free under 12. Cala Goloritzé: €7, 250 people at a time, from 24 March to 15 November; places open three days ahead, at midnight. The QR code is checked at the entrance.
No. The island has no motorway: the SS131 Carlo Felice, which links Cagliari to the north and is dual carriageway for much of its length, is free, with a 110 km/h limit. You only pay for ferries (La Maddalena), some car parks and access to the quota beaches.
Yes, by ferry. Corsica Ferries links Toulon to Porto Torres; you can also cross Corsica and take one of the daily sailings from Bonifacio to Santa Teresa Gallura. Compare the ferry fare with hiring on the spot: €38 a day on average for a small car in Olbia.
The SS125 Orientale Sarda between Baunei and Dorgali, over the Genna Silana pass (1,002 m), famous for its countless bends. On the west coast, the SP105 between Alghero and Bosa runs along the sea as a corniche road. Drive in daylight with a full tank: the bends make journeys take longer.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/sardinia · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
