Sardinia
Covers 18 European islands, from Crete and the Cyclades to Sicily, Sardinia, Mallorca, the Canaries, Madeira and the Azores, with euro prices converted to dollars on a dated rate.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices, schedules or seasonal facts checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
Sardinia is the beach island. The sand at La Pelosa near Stintino, the coves of the Gulf of Orosei, the granite bays of the Costa Smeralda and the dunes at Chia in the south are why most visitors come. Between them is a big, quiet interior of mountains, cork oaks and some 7,000 nuraghi, the stone towers of the island's Bronze Age.
Its success has brought rules. Several famous beaches now cap numbers and charge a small fee, and taking sand or shells can cost you $561–$3,368 (€500–€3,000). Visitor numbers are rising fast: the regional tourism observatory counted 5,170,093 arrivals in 2025, up 16.4% on 2024, and arrivals from the US rose 30.8% to 122,231.
At a glance
- Best for
- Families and couples who want the best sand in the Mediterranean and are happy to drive between beaches
- Skip it if
- You travel between November and April, or you do not want to rent a car
- Getting there
- Cagliari (CAG) in the south, Olbia (OLB) for the Costa Smeralda. No US nonstop in 2026; United starts Newark-Olbia on May 27, 2027
- Hotel, mid-January
- $73 a night, the cheapest 3-star-plus hotel in Cagliari on Booking.com for January 13, 2027, taxes in
- Hotel, mid-July
- $112 in Cagliari; $290 near Porto Cervo on the Costa Smeralda, Booking.com, July 14, 2027
- Island size
- 9,247 square miles (23,949 km²), second only to Sicily in the Mediterranean
In this guide
How Sardinia scores
Six factors, scored 0 to 10 the same way for all 64 islands. Our verdict on this island is “it depends”, which takes 0.4 off the weighted average. How we score
- WeatherData · 20%8.1
- Beaches & seaEditors · 25%9.0
- Things to doEditors · 25%7.0
- Getting there from the USData · 10%4.2
- ValueData · 10%8.3
- Room to breatheData · 10%8.7
Weather month by month
Best months by our weather score: June, August, September. Daytime highs, rain and sunshine are 2016–2025 averages at Cagliari Elmas Airport (Open-Meteo historical weather archive); sea temperatures are 2022–2025 averages for the nearest sea area (Open-Meteo marine archive).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 59 | 61 | 63 | 68 | 74 | 84 | 90 | 90 | 83 | 76 | 67 | 62 |
| Sea °F | 58 | 58 | 60 | 62 | 68 | 75 | 80 | 81 | 78 | 74 | 67 | 62 |
| Rain (in) | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 1.8 |
| Weather score | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 6.7 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 9.9 | 7.9 | 4.3 | 3.8 |
The numbers behind the score
- Gateway airport
- Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG)
- US nonstops
- None. No US nonstop to Cagliari; connect via Rome or Milan. United starts seasonal Newark-Olbia (OLB) on May 27, 2027, 3 weekly, 767-300ER.
- Distance
- 6,367 mi from Los Angeles, 4,212 mi from New York
- Passport
- Needed for US citizens
- Hotel, one night
- $73 on Jan 13, 2027 · $112 on Jul 14, 2027 (Cagliari)
- Visitors a year
- 5,170,093 overnight visitors (2025)
- Bringing a dog
- Easy: No quarantine: ISO microchip before the rabies shot, wait 21 days after a first rabies vaccination, and an EU health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet endorsed by USDA APHIS within 10 days of arrival; note dogs are banned at La Pelosa and some managed beaches.
Hotel prices: Cheapest 3-star-or-better hotel double, 1 night, 2 adults, taxes and fees in, Booking.com in USD (Kayak showed a security check), checked 2026-10-20. January: Albergo Diffuso Birkin Castello, 3 stars, $66 + $7 taxes. July: Hotel Quadrifoglio, 3 stars, 4 km from center, $112 including taxes. For reference, Porto Cervo area on July 14, 2027: $290 (Hotel Airone, 4 stars, 8.2 km out).. Visitor figures: Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, Osservatorio del Turismo, Artigianato e Commercio, Annual Report 2025 (SIRED-Ross1000 data, extracted June 18, 2026).
Where Sardinia ranks
Who Sardinia is for, and who should skip it
Sardinia suits families with young children, because many of its best beaches are shallow, sandy and calm, and couples who want a slow summer week of coves, seafood and drives along the coast. Mixed-age groups do well in villas and agriturismi inland.
Skip it if you will not drive: public transport does not reach most beaches. Skip it in winter, when it is a quiet, mild island of cities and archaeology, not a beach trip. If you want more history and food per day, Sicily wins. If you want an easier, nonstop-from-Newark beach trip with a city attached, Mallorca is simpler.
Where to stay: Costa Smeralda, the south or the west
- Costa Smeralda and Gallura (northeast). Porto Cervo, San Teodoro and the La Maddalena islands. The most visited area, with 1,624,729 arrivals in 2025, and the most expensive: the cheapest 3-star-plus hotel near Porto Cervo on Booking.com for July 14, 2027 was $290, about 5 miles (8 km) out of town.
- Cagliari and the south. The capital, open all year, near Poetto beach and the Chia and Villasimius coasts. Our prices on Booking.com: $73 at Albergo Diffuso Birkin Castello (3 stars) in the old Castello quarter for January 13, 2027, and $112 at Hotel Quadrifoglio (3 stars), 2.5 miles from the center, for July 14, 2027, taxes in.
- Alghero and the northwest. A walled Catalan-built port town, close to La Pelosa and Neptune's Grotto.
- The Gulf of Orosei (east). Cala Gonone and Baunei for boat trips and hikes to the coves.
Beaches, and the new rules
The water is the draw: pale, shallow and clear over white sand on much of the coast. The catch is access, which is now managed at the famous spots:
- La Pelosa (Stintino): shallow, calm water good for small children. Booking is required from May 15 to October 15, 2026, capped at 1,500 people a day, for $3.93 (€3.50) per person; under-12s do not need a booking. You must lay a mat under your towel, and smoking and dogs are banned.
- Cala Goloritzé (Baunei): reached on foot, capped at 250 people, $7.86 (€7) including parking, bookable up to 72 hours ahead.
- Cala Mariolu, Cala Luna and Cala Sisine (Gulf of Orosei): mostly reached by boat; small per-person fees apply.
- Cala Brandinchi (San Teodoro): shallow and sandy, $2.25 (€2) with a time-slot booking up to 48 hours ahead, through September 30.
- Chia and Tuerredda (south): dunes and a sheltered bay; Tuerredda charges $3.37 (€3), free under 12.
- Poetto (Cagliari): the long city beach, free and easy.
Do not take sand, pebbles or shells home. A 2017 regional rule classes them as protected, and fines run from $561 to $3,368 (€500 to €3,000).
Things to do beyond the beach
- Su Nuraxi di Barumini, the best-known nuraghe complex, inland from Cagliari.
- Boat trips in the Gulf of Orosei to coves you cannot drive to, from Cala Gonone or Santa Maria Navarrese.
- La Maddalena archipelago, one of Sardinia's three national parks, by boat from Palau.
- Cagliari's Castello quarter and Alghero's walls for an evening walk.
- Neptune's Grotto at Capo Caccia, by boat from Alghero or down the cliff stairs.
- Hiking the Supramonte, including the Gola di Gorropu gorge.
That is several good days beyond the beach, but less than Sicily packs in. Most people come for the sea.
When to go
June and September are the best months: warm sea, open beach towns and fewer people than July and August, when Italian holidays fill the coast. May and October are good for hiking and quieter beaches, with cooler water. From November to April most coastal hotels close; Cagliari and Alghero stay lively. The table on this page shows the monthly weather.
There is no hurricane season. Rare Mediterranean cyclones peak from September to January; Medicane Cornelia passed over southern Sardinia in October 1996, and Blas moved over Sardinia in November 2021. See our storm seasons guide.
Getting there from the US
In 2026 no airline flies nonstop from the US to Sardinia. Most Americans connect in Rome or Milan to Cagliari (CAG) in the south, or to Olbia (OLB) for the Costa Smeralda. That changes in 2027: United starts Newark-Olbia on May 27, 2027, three times a week on a Boeing 767-300ER. Cagliari will still have no US nonstop.
US citizens need a passport valid at least 3 months beyond departure from the Schengen area, with two blank pages, and no visa for stays under 90 days. The EU Entry/Exit System registers fingerprints and a photo at your first Schengen border; ETIAS is not yet in operation and has no start date. Our passport rules guide has more.
What a trip costs
Cagliari is good value: $73 in mid-January and $112 in mid-July for the cheapest 3-star-or-better hotels. The Costa Smeralda is not: $290 was the floor near Porto Cervo on July 14, 2027. Add the town tourist tax that Italian hotels collect per night, a rental car, ferry or boat-trip fares, and beach fees of $2.25–$7.86 (€2–€7) per person at the managed beaches.
For comparison, on the same July night our cheapest Cagliari hotel ($112) undercut Palma ($135) and Taormina ($140), and cost about a third of Ibiza Town ($315). If you want the northeast beaches for less than Porto Cervo prices, San Teodoro and the Olbia area are the usual alternatives; we did not price them, so check before you book.
Tickets and tours you can book
From Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Catamaran Tour w/ Lunch
Park access, lunch, wine and snorkel gear are included; no hotel pickup. Sold at a large discount on our check date, so the regular price is higher.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Cala Gonone: Dinghy Excursion to C. Mariolu and C. Goloritzè
Skipper, fuel and an umbrella are included; lunch, the Bue Marino cave ticket and a 5.50 EUR environmental fee (cash) are not. Sea conditions decide the route.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Cagliari: A Full Meal Sardinian Food Tour with Do Eat Better
Food, water and at least one drink are included. Do Eat Better runs similar tours across Italy.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need to book La Pelosa beach?
Yes, from May 15 to October 15. Book on the official La Pelosa site; the cap is 1,500 people a day and the fee is $3.93 (€3.50) per person. Children under 12 do not need a booking.
Is it illegal to take sand from Sardinia?
Yes. Since 2017 sand, pebbles and shells are classed as protected, and fines run from $561 to $3,368 (€500 to €3,000).
Are there direct flights from the US to Sardinia?
Not in 2026. United starts Newark to Olbia on May 27, 2027, three times a week. Cagliari has no US nonstop; connect in Rome or Milan.
Is Sardinia good for families?
Very. La Pelosa, Cala Brandinchi, Chia and Poetto have shallow, calm sand. You will need a car, and booking rules at a few beaches.
Which part of Sardinia is best?
The northeast (Costa Smeralda, San Teodoro, La Maddalena) for famous beaches and Olbia flights; the south around Cagliari for value and city life; the east for boat trips to the Orosei coves. Compare on our Mediterranean ranking.
Further reading
Official sources
- Regione Sardegna, Osservatorio del Turismo, Annual Report 2025 – 5,170,093 arrivals in 2025 (+16.39%), US 122,231 (+30.8%), Gallura 1,624,729; extracted June 18, 2026; checked October 20, 2026
- Spiaggia La Pelosa, official booking site – 2026 booking May 15 to October 15, 1,500 a day, $3.93 (€3.50), under-12s exempt, mat and no-smoking rules; checked October 20, 2026
- Sky TG24, limited-access beaches in Sardinia (July 2, 2026) – Cala Goloritzé cap 250, $7.86 (€7); Cala Brandinchi $2.25 (€2) to September 30; Tuerredda $3.37 (€3); checked October 20, 2026
- The Local Italy, fines for taking sand from Sardinia – Protected since 2017, fines $561–$3,368 (€500–€3,000); dollar figures at $1.1225 per euro, ECB rate of October 19, 2026; checked October 20, 2026
- Aeroroutes, United NS27 European network expansion – Newark-Olbia from May 27, 2027, 3 weekly, 767-300ER; checked October 20, 2026
- Wikipedia, Cagliari Elmas Airport, airlines and destinations – No US destinations listed; checked October 20, 2026
- US Department of State, Italy country information – Passport and visa rules for US citizens; checked October 20, 2026
- European Commission, ETIAS and Entry/Exit System – ETIAS not in operation, no start date; checked October 20, 2026
- Booking.com hotel searches, Cagliari and Porto Cervo – Cheapest 3-star-plus hotels with taxes: Cagliari $73 (January 13, 2027) and $112 (July 14, 2027); Porto Cervo area $290 (July 14, 2027); Kayak showed a security check; checked October 20, 2026
- Wikipedia, Sardinia and Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone – Medicanes Cornelia (1996) and Blas (2021) over Sardinia; about 7,000 nuraghi and three national parks per the Sardinia article; checked October 20, 2026
