The best places to visit in Sardinia

From the capital Cagliari to Sardinia’s ancient archaeological sites, the Roman ruins at Nora and Tharros, and the medieval heart of Alghero, you’ll stroll through the centuries – and, of course, with 2,000km of coastline, you’ll find countless beaches, boat trips and views of the blue Tyrrhenian Sea along the way as you plan where to go in Sardinia.

So we’ve picked out some of the best places to visit in Sardinia, many included in our Hidden Treasures of Sardinia tour to help make your Italian island adventure one to remember.

Most trips to Sardinia start in the capital Cagliari, but even if you weren’t flying in to this golden-hued city, a visit should always top your list of Sardinia things to do.

Wander Cagliari’s historic heart and you can discover Roman ruins, elegant palazzi, medieval churches and museums. The National Archaeological Museum has displays sharing more of the city’s fascinating past, from Bronze Age origins to the Phoenicians, Romans, Normans and beyond.

Bastión de Saint Remy, Cagliari

In the Castello Quarter, the 13th century cathedral of Santa Maria is a mix of Romanesque and Baroque decoration, with fabulous frescoes adorning the ceiling and only a few hints at its Gothic origins. Drink in the views of the narrow winding alleyways from one of the 14th century watchtowers, then stop at San Benedetto Market to try some of the island’s famous food, including some of Sardinia’s cheeses, and ice cream from one of the gelaterias

Sardinia has some extraordinary archaeological sites created by an ancient Megalithic civilisation, known as the Nuragic people. Much of this ancient culture is still shrouded in mystery, but you can see some of the many thousands of Bronze Age structures that they built around 3,500 years ago, known as nuraghe.

These towering conical structures look a little like a stone beehive and are thought to have been high status homes or strongholds in case of attack. Some of the best and largest are found at the Su Nuraxi complex in Barumini, the island’s only UNESCO-listed monument, although you can also see them at Arzachena, at the Nuraghe La Prisgiona.

Set on the Sinis Peninsula, overlooking the Gulf of Oristano, Tharros was originally built by the Phoenicians back in the 8th century BCE. Later used by the Carthaginians and the Romans, its strategic location meant it was a vital centre on the island, flourishing as a trading post and key city on Sardinia.

Today, the peninsula is a marine protected area, with a chance to see flamingos, herons and kingfishers in the lagoons and salt marshes, as well as the archaeological site itself. Occupied until the 11th century, much of what remains is from the Roman period, including temples and bath-houses, some dating back around two millennia.

The Roman city of Nora is another of Sardinia’s most important archaeological sites, built on the site of earlier Nuragic and Carthaginian settlements. At the opposite end of the island to Tharros, the thriving city had nearly 10,000 inhabitants at its peak, crammed into the thin sliver of land stretching into the sea.

Wander through the ruins and you can make out private villas plus a theatre which could seat more than 1,000 spectators, temples and baths. You can often spot colonies of flamingos around Nora too.

Even more unusually, those who can dive or snorkel can find more of the ancient city preserved under the waves, where at some point, the land slipped off the coast to lie on the sea bed.

One of the island’s most beautiful medieval cities, a visit to Alghero is among the many unmissable things to do in Sardinia, with stylish piazzas and cobbled streets leading you down towards the harbour and the bay.

Alghero

The old town is still surrounded by its golden sea walls; inside, explore the Santa Maria cathedral, the San Francesco church and the Porta Terra tower, remnants of its time as a colony of Catalonia – sail due west of here and you’ll hit the Spanish coast, just south of Barcelona.

Save some time for a boat trip to the Grotto di Nettuno, or Neptune’s cave, one of the largest sea caves in Italy, which can only be reached by boat of 654 steps cut into the rock.

Right in the heart of the island, little Laconi is famous for its truffles and for a few unusual attractions. The Menhir Museum houses an unexpectedly large collection of prehistoric Sardinian statues, as well as 40 menhirs taken from sites around the region.

But gardeners and plant-lovers shouldn’t miss a visit to Aymerich Park when they’re planning where to go in Sardinia, with exotic and rare species aplenty in this wonderful 22-hectare park.

Amid the ruins of medieval buildings, you can find Sardinia’s widest variety of native orchids, along with trees, such as a huge cedar of Lebanon, the cedar of the Himalayas, eucalyptus trees and yews known as the tree of death, not to mention other botanical wonders along the way.

Even if you don’t have green fingers, it’s a lovely place to stroll, passing the remains of 11th century Castello Aymerich, and some great views back over to Laconi

When it comes to the best places to visit in Sardinia, the island isn’t short of picturesque towns – but Bosa outshines some stiff competition to be named one of the most beautiful. The rainbow of pastel-coloured houses cling to the steep hillside, with the River Temo flowing past the town, and the ruins of Castle Serravalle (also known as Castello Malaspina) above for the best views down onto Bosa.

It’s easy to believe you’ve been transported to similarly colourful spots like Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast, but you won’t find anywhere near the same numbers of visitors enjoying the vibrant buildings

While you’re in Bosa, it’s also easy to visit the tiny village of Tinnura, now something of an open-air museum, famous for its weaving and Malvasia wine, as well as for the colourful murals painted on the houses to depict traditional life.

The pretty village of Castelsardo is another contender for the title of one of Italy’s most beautiful villages. Another Aragonese stronghold, it’s famous for its medieval citadel with steep winding streets leading up to the 17 watchtowers and fortifications.

Castelsardo

But it’s also known for its basket weaving, with women sitting by the doorways practising the intricate traditional skills passed down through the generations. You can also see some more examples in the Museo dell’Intreccio Mediterraneo, set inside the old castle.

Further north, there’s some unusual history to discover in the village of Aggius – and one of the quirkiest things to do in Sardinia, with a chance to visit the Bandit Museum.

The little village has a history as something of a hotbed of banditry over the centuries, almost until the end of the 20th century, with police reports and details of some of the most wanted outlaws on display in the museum.

There’s more to find than law-breakers though, including the ethnographic museum, which focuses on the local tradition of weaving. You can also see weavers in the village using centuries-old handlooms and buy some of their creations.

The brilliant blue-green waters that give the Costa Smeralda – or Emerald Coast – its name, also make it one of the best places to visit in Sardinia. Porto Cervo is a jetset paradise, with mega yachts in the marina and the rich and famous relaxing on the beaches.

Costa Smeralda

But you can also find quieter spots with the same clear waters away from the glitz and glamour, such as Golfo di Marinello. Or head to San Pantaleo and Olbia, a village beloved of artists, with enticing shops and cafes set around the central piazza.

There are multiple little islands dotted around the coast of Sardinia, but nowhere has a history quite like Asinara island, famous as Italy’s Alcatraz.

Once a penal colony used to detain soldiers captured during the Second World War, it was later a maximum security prison used to hold some of Italy’s most infamous criminals. But since 1997, the island has been transformed into a national park that’s home to free-roaming albino donkeys, as well as some wild horses and goats.

No cars are allowed on this uninhabited island, but you can hike and cycle to tiny coves, spotting ancient watchtowers and some abandoned prison buildings along the way.

While Sardinia isn’t short of idyllic coast, the archipelago and national park of La Maddalena should feature on all lists of where to go in Sardinia for its sheer beauty, not to mention some of the best hiking, diving and beaches.

There are seven islands in total, including Isola Maddalena where ferries dock, not to mention a scattering of smaller islets in the sparkling turquoise water. Take a boat trip to some of the smaller isles, such as tiny Budelli with its fabulous pink sand beach, Spiaggia Rosa (you can look but not visit), and remote Spargi for its wilder landscape.

And Caprera is where revolutionary and Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi was exiled, joined by a long bridge to the main island, with more hiking trails and some beautiful beaches including Cala Serena and Cala Coticcio. There’s a museum in Garibaldi’s house, with some of his possessions on display.

There may be much more to the island than its coast and coves, but one of the best things to do in Sardinia is always going to be discovering its beaches – travelling here without setting one toe on the sand would be a missed opportunity.

In fact, with hundreds of beaches around the coast, it would be hard not to visit a few. Cala Brandinchi is known as ‘Little Tahiti’ for its glass-clear water, with soft sand under the pine trees, while Cala dei Gabbiani could have come straight from the Caribbean, with sheltered shallow waters off beach.

On the Costa Smeralda, Liscia Ruja boasts it has the softest sand on the island – it certainly has sapphire blue water and some attractive places to eat. Close to Alghero, La Speranza Beach is as good for those who love watersports as those who simply want to relax in the sun, while the beach draws as many people to Nora as the ruins at its archaeological site.

But you’ll also fine beaches which are perfect for snorkelling, beaches which can only be reached by small boats, and countless little rocky coves dotted around the island.

While you’ll struggle to find a bad meal in Italy, Sardinia has its own specialities to tempt anyone who loves good food. Local liqueur mirto is made from the fruit and leaves of the myrtle bush, including a sweet mirto rosso using black berries, and mirto bianca, using the white variety.

You’ll also find honey made on the island, and cheese galore thanks to the three million sheep which live in Sardinia’s rugger interior. Pecorino sardo is one of the island’s big exports, available to taste and buy at farms across Sardinia. For a less tempting alternative, casu marzu was famous for those who like some danger in their dish, with maggots hatching in the cracks of the cheese resulting in a creamy finish – but these days, buying and selling it is illegal.

There’s fresh fish and seafood to be found all along the coast, including the more unusual bottarga, a salted, cured fish roe pouch, while in the north-west, zuppa gallurese is something like a combination of lasagne and bread and butter pudding.

Visit sunny and sophisticated Sardinia for yourself on our Hidden Treasures of Sardinia tour, or explore our full range of holidays to Italy