Sardinia Holidays - Compare Prices & Departure Dates

Sardinia, or Sardegna as it is known locally, is the second largest island in the Meditteranen, sitting south of the island of Corsica between the Balearic islands and the Italian mainland.

Sardinia is a holidaymaker’s paradise, with the whole island steeped in history, strong traditional culture, local food and drink, with great beaches and warm waters too.

Sardinia enjoys an unpretentious and laidback atmosphere, all on an island which boasts an unspoilt terrain with natural inlets, rugged cliffs and stunning vistas – the perfect choice for anyone looking for a relaxed, sunny destination with great food and things to see and do.

Main cities on the island include Cagliari, Sassari, medieval Alghero, Bosa, Nuoro, Olbia, Oristand and Porto Torres, all of which offer a certain charm and personality well worth exploring, along with hundreds of other villages inland, in the mountains and on the coastline.

The official language on Sardinia is Italian, with various Sardinian dialects such as Sardo being spoken as well as Catalan in the Alghero area. The currency used is the Euro and Sardinia is one hour ahead of the UK.

Sardinia has two regional and three international airports – Alghero, Olbia and Cagliari, all three of which offer flights directly to and from the UK on various lowcost and charter airlines.

Alghero (Fertilia) Airport (IATA code AHO) is five miles north of Alghero in northern Sardinia. Olbia-Costa Smeralda Airport (IATA code OLB) is in the north east area of the island offering easy access to the Emerald Coast resorts, whilst Cagliari-Elmas Airport (IATA code CAG) is in the south of the island.

Flight times from the UK on airlines such as Jet2, easyJet and Ryanair take around two hours and UK nationals do not need a visa to visit Sardinia.

Sardinia isn’t really a mass package holiday destination, so if you book a package deal to Sardinia you are most likely to be transfered by taxi or minibus to your resort.

More often than not holidaymakers have hire cars included in their package and if you’re travelling independently a hire car is highly recommended as it is much easier to explore the coastline and the remotest parts of the island by car.

Public transport options include the trains which link the main cities such as Sassari, Olbia, Alghero and Cagliari, as well local buses which operate between cities and many towns. Macomer is the main hub for both trains and buses and you may find yourself having to change there.

During the summer season, there is a train which runs from Sassari to Tempio and back, which is well worth taking for the scenery alone.

There really is so much to see and do on Sardinia we don’t know where to start! If you just want to relax on one of the hundreds of small bays, beaches and coves you can do. If you want to try some watersports you can do. If you want to explore Megalithic, Panaeolithic and Roman ruins you can do. If you want to eat fabulously wholesome and fresh food you can. If you want to head into the mountains for panoramic views you can do. Sardinia has lots going on, it’s up to you how much you want to do.

Starting with history, Sardinina is one of the most ancient lands in Europe, dating back to 6000BC in Neolithic times and even further back to Palaeolithic times. Then there are endless Roman remains and ruins to explore (especially at Nora and Tharros), as well as medieval towns such as Alghero and Bosa. Must-sees include the Su Nuraxi di Barumini UNESCO World Heritage site and the ‘nuraghe’ which are Neolithic structures dotted around all over Sardinia.

Sardinia is still an agricultural land, so visiting the mountain areas of the Gennargentu mountain range you’ll cross paths with shepherds and their herds. Down on the coast, you’ll discover traditional fishing villages like Stintino, which also boasts a magnificent beach, La Pelosa.

Talking of beaches, Sardinia is famous for the Costa Smeralda or Emerald Coast, which is an enchanting length of north eastern coastline that stretches 55km, an area which has been carefully developed into a luxury resort with sailing regattas that attract royalty.

In the south west of Sardinia the Porto Pino area has superb beaches and coves, as well as sand dunes and reef, offering diving and watersports such as kite surfing and windsurfing. Other popular areas for the watersports types include Porto Pollo and Isola dei Gabbiani.

If you’re looking for a more wild and rugged coastline head to Barbagia and Ogliastra areas and don’t miss the views at Budoni. For a glimpse of a more traditional seaside resort Sardinian style, visit San Teodoro.

For walking and hiking, Sardinia has three National Parks – Asinaram, the archipelago of La Maddalena and Gennargentu. There are also 10 regional parks, no less than 60 wildlife reserves and 25 natural monuments.

Another great way to see some of the island is to go on a boat trip or even charter a boat for a few days.

You’ll find all the international hotel chains in Sardinia and the island has lots of holiday residences around the main coastal areas.

On the Emerald Coast you’ll find the most opulent hotels and luxurious villas with prices to match.

A wide range of accommodation options are available though, from small apartments in the heart of the Medieval old town in Alghero, to more modern beachfront hotels and apartments.

If you want something more traditional and less costly, head inland a little for smaller lodges and family-run hotels.

Shopping is a relaxed affair in Sardinia, with most towns having weekly markets which are always worth a wander round, even if you don’t buy anything.

In the more touristy areas there is a good choice of craft shops to buy your souvenirs from your Sardinian holiday. Good buys included locally hand-woven baskets and ceramics which are often blue and white.

As for what you can look forward to eating and drinking on the island, of course the food if very Italian and there are indeed some fantastic wines.

Although the island offers lots of pesce azzurro (Meditteranean fish), the islanders are still passionate about meat and one of the main local specialities is Porcheddu – or spit-roasted suckling pig.

You will also see dishes such as Stufato di Capretto, which is a goat and artichoke casserole and Culurgiones, a local ravioli with pecorino cheese, mint and garlic.

Breads and pastries are a speciality of the island too, with literally hundreds of different types of bread. Try Pane Carasu, which is a thin, cripsy bread almost like a poppadom, or Spaniata which is not unlike a pitta.

Desserts include Seada, which is a sweet type of ravioli and there are lots of mouth-watering pastry and almond-based dishes too.

As well as pecorino romano cheese, there is another local speciality cheese Casa Marzu, which is a real test of an iron stomach, as it’s riddled with cheese fly larvae, deliberately introduced to ferment the cheese to the maximum. Apparently, some locals choose to pick them out before eating, others just go the whole way and swallow them up! We’ll let you decide…

Don’t forget meal times are very traditional in Sardinia, so you won’t find any ‘fast food’ style pizzas available during the day – food in the evening starts at 19:00 and can be a long, relaxed affair amongst friends and family. In fact, you won’t find many places serving food between 16:00 and 19:00, save for the most touristy areas.

As for drink, the island does indeed have some interesting wines, such as Cannonan which is a fortified local red wine and Mirto, a wine and mirto (local bush fruit) mix. You’ll also see Limoncello on the digestif menu and there are even some locally produced beers such as Dreher and Lahnusa.

In terms of nightlife, eating out and people-watching at a beachside or pavement cafe is the nightlife for many. If you head to the likes of Alghero or Cagliari you’ll find more going on with music and dancing. Jazz music has a long tradition in Sardinia and Alghero hosts the Festival Algher msuic festival every year.

Sardinia’s climate means summer last six months, from May to October. Of course, the whole island gets very busy in the peak summer holidays of July and August, but with many airlines flying year round to Sardinia, there is plenty of opportunity to visit at any time of year.

As for the weather, Sardinia has a typical Meditteranean climate, with an average of 300 sunny days per year. It can be rainy in winter and autumn and there is often snow on the mountain peaks in winter, but the mistral means the island is dry and cold in winter.

Average temperatures in the summer months are 28.5 degrees and you can usually swim in comfortably warm waters between May and October.

• Safe, relaxed holidays for all the family
• Holidaymakers wanting a mix of great food, activities, things to see and top beaches
• Independent travellers who want to explore

• Holidaymakers who want theme parks, leisure complexes and big shopping centres
• Full on party animals hoping for all night parties and drinking

• Officially Sardinia – the official website for what’s on and what to see in Sardinia
• Sardinia What’s On – 360 panoramic views of Sardinia and a what’s on and where to stay guide

An Italian island in the Mediterranean, with stunning beaches, luxury resorts and a wealth of ancient history, Sardinia makes for a active or relaxing European holiday destination.