One thing I wish I knew earlier while I was living in Italy is just how easy it is to get to Sardinia. And also just how beautiful it is. It is easily my favorite part of Italy, closely followed by the Dolomites. Whatever you do, don’t wait as long as I did to plan a visit, especially if you love the beach. Here’s my guide on how to spend a weekend in northern Sardinia to prepare you for your trip. It’s got you covered with tips on how to get there, where to stay, and of course where to find the best beaches.
Your Complete Guide On How To Spend A Weekend In Northern Sardinia
A complete guide on how to spend a weekend in northern Sardinia with where to stay, how to get there, and where to find the best beaches.
Disclaimer
There are affiliate links included in this post. This means at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission if you book through the link.
Currency
The currency used in Sardinia is the Euro. You’ll want a little cash on you for smaller purchases.
How to get there using the ferry
If you’re already living in Italy or traveling mainland Italy and will already have rented a car, then it’s super convenient to use the ferry.
This way you can drive on with your car, and have it with you on the island.
In my opinion, it’s best to have a car for Sardinia unless you just want to sit at a resort and chill out. If you want to go beach hopping and see as much as possible, then a car is best as public transport is limited.
I used Moby to get there from Livorno to Olbia. Livorno is only about 3 hours drive from Vicenza.
They run day and overnight ferries – I think it’s best to get the overnight ferry to maximize your adventure days.
If you take an overnight ferry, I recommend getting a cabin. You have to spend a little more but I think it’s worth it to get a good night’s sleep and some privacy, so you’re all set to make the most of your holiday time. The cabins have a shower, toilet, and bunk beds.
Olbia is about 45 minutes drive to Palau.
Cabin on the ferry to Sardinia.
How to get there by plane
If you will be flying to Sardinia, the airports you’ll probably fly into are Cagliari or Alghero.
Ryanair has flights to Cagliari from Venice Treviso and Milan Bergamo as well as flights to Alghero from Milan Bergamo.
Cagliari is about 3 and a half hours drive from Palau in the north. Alghero is about 2 hours drive to Palau.
Where to stay in north Sardinia
Palau is a great base for visiting northern Sardinia because it’s easy to get to the islands of La Maddalena from there. This is where you can find some mind-blowingly beautiful beaches.
I stayed at the chic Grand Hotel Palau and recommend it. The location is perfect because it’s close to cafes, restaurants, beaches, and best of all, the ferry port.
It’s also super chic with gorgeous breakfast views of the water and comfortable rooms.
If you prefer somewhere else, I recommend doing a search on Booking.com. This is what I use to book accommodation when I travel and I’ve always been able to find a good deal through their site.
View from the hotel
Things to do in northern Sardinia
Take the ferry to La Maddalena
This is where you can find some amazing beaches! Personally, I liked these the best because they were less touristy and commercialized.
Here are my guides for Cala Coticcio and Cala Napoletana which are my top two favorites. These guides also have tips for getting the ferry over to the islands.
Cala Serena was also a nice spot on Caprera.
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Cala Napoletana
Celvia Beach
This is a gorgeous bright blue beach in Capriccioli.
It’s not only beautiful though, it’s got beach umbrellas and things like kayaks and pedal boats available for rent. The calm water here is great for kids.
You can find parking lots on the main road, then walk down to the beach (41°05’01.0″N 9°32’56.5″E).
View of Celvia Beach from sitting in the rocks (to get some shade!)
Elefanti Beach
This is right next to Celvia, but unless you get a pedal boat or kayak, it’s not kid-friendly.
To get here you have to sneak over there because there’s no public access. So you can either go by water or you have to climb over a stretch of rocks. The rocks are large and not easy to climb.
I snorkeled over to see the Elephant rock and it was a cool little spot that I had all to myself!
Here is my full guide on how to get to Elefanti Beach.
Elefanti Beach
Spiaggia Cala Granu
This one is another beautiful, bright blue beach and it’s another one that’s great for kids.
There are umbrellas to rent and the water is nice and calm.
Parking is in a lot ‘Parcheggio Cala Granu‘ on Google Maps or on the side of the road here 41.146328, 9.521510.
Cala Granu
Spiaggia La Pelosa
I didn’t get over to this one but it looks great and was on my list so I wanted to add it here.
It’s just over 2 hours from Palau.
When I planned to visit, I planned to drive over early and spend the day hopping around beaches here so that could be an idea for a day trip.
Eat all the seafood pasta
Seriously.
My favorite was the seafood with mussels at the Bar Ristorante Pizzeria on Via Capo D’Orso only a couple of minutes walk from the hotel.
Delicious!
Find the best Pistachio gelato
Again, seriously.
Try as many as you can to find the best one.
My favorite was a random hole in the wall spot called Gelateria Bosisio in Arzachena. (Check the Google Maps address because there’s more than one with the same name.
Can never get enough pistachio gelato
Look around Olbia
On your way back, spend a little time in Olbia.
It’s a great place to stop for a meal, stroll the streets to look in the cute stores or ride the Ferris Wheel.
There are a lot of parking areas around town and I used ‘parcheggio gratuito porto turistico.’
Sunset in Olbia
Don’t travel there without these
Underwater camera
If you’re going to be hitting the beaches, especially if you’ll be snorkeling, definitely bring an underwater camera.
I use this one for photos and videos and one million percent recommend it!
I use mine with this floaty selfie stick
when I am in the water too.
Lightweight towel
I definitely recommend investing in a lightweight towel
to have with you because they’re so much easier to carry around than a chunky hotel towel.
Some of the beaches involve hikes to get there, so it just makes it easier for you to have less stuff filling up your bag.
I also used mine to wrap around my shoulders for extra sun protection on one of the hikes because the sun is pretty strong in summer.
Hiking shoes
If you’re hiking to any beaches, it’s best to have a good pair of hiking shoes because the hikes are rocky and not the best for doing in flip flops.
I recommend the New Balance Minimus
if you’re in the market for a new pair of shoes. These were my beginner hiking shoes and I loved that they are lightweight and have great grip for any slippery sections.
Otherwise, just a pair of sneakers will do you fine.
Other Italy travel guides:
- All The Details About How To Visit The Saturnia Hot Springs In Tuscany
- Cinque Terre Itinerary And How To Plan A Weekend Visit
- Hikes In The Dolomites – 17 Day Trips You Don’t Want To Miss
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