Sardinia holidays

Offering sweeping white beaches, kaleidoscopic history and a unique recipe collection, holidays to Sardinia add their own colour to the green, white and red of the Italian flag.

Italy with a twist

If you’ve never been to Sardinia before, you might expect the island to be a condensed carbon copy of the Italian mainland. But you’d be wrong. The differences start with the language. Sardinian or Sardo is as commonly spoken as Italian here.

Melting-pot architecture

Sardinia’s architectural offerings are different to the rest of Italy, too. This is because the island was once the natural pit stop for empires journeying through the Mediterranean Sea. The Phoenicians, Vandals and Byzantines all left their mark on the place. But the influence that’s most obvious is the Spanish one. Alghero was colonised by the Spanish Catalans for hundreds of years. The town’s street signs are still written in Catalan and the design of the cathedral shouts about its Catalan roots.

Sandy coves

Another thing that really sets Sardinia apart from the boot is its beaches. The island’s north coast alone is scalloped with 80 coves. And from Olbia, you can easily reach the seductive Emerald Coast. The Caribbean-like beaches here are some of the best-looking in Europe. Meanwhile, across to the west, the fishing village of Isola Rossa lays claim to its own standout arc of sand. The water here is gin-clear, too, which makes it a great place to snorkel.

Gastronomy

What Sardinia does have in common with its Italian neighbours is its passion for food and wine. The island’s cookbook-worthy dishes include roast suckling pig and myrtle-stuffed wild boar.

Popular hotels in Sardinia

Top things to see and do in Sardinia

Beaches

Beaches in a different league

When it comes to beaches, Sardinia’s offerings stick out like a sore thumb in comparison to those on the Italian mainland. For starters, the sweeps of sand here tend to be bigger – some of them notch up a couple of kilometres. Plus, the sand is softer and whiter.

The big beach

Maria Pia beach, near Alghero, has a big fan base. Its popularity stems from the fact it’s got 2 kilometres of powdery white sand to its name. It also scores brownie points for the trees that back the sand, providing shade for sunbathers and picnickers.

The secret beach

Tinnari isn’t the easiest beach to get to in Sardinia, so most people write it off. Those who persist with the 15-minute drive from Isola Rossa and the kilometre walk to the sand, though, are rewarded with two almost-empty moon-shaped bays. Natural eye-candy comes in the form of massive granite boulders that spike out of the water a few feet from the coast.

Shopping

Bargain buys

If you don’t want souvenir shopping to eat into your beach time, you'll be chuffed that lots of the hotels in Isola Rossa have their own gift shops, which sell wine and souvenirs.

Mid-range buys

Sardinians have been weaving baskets since ancient times. In those days, they produced the woven containers for practical purposes, like fishing. Since then, the craft has morphed into an art form. The old town in Alghero is full of shops selling traditionally-made baskets. You’ll find a few in and around Via Genova.

Designer buys

Porto Cervo – AKA Millionaire’s Playground – is one of the island’s most opulent options when it comes to shopping trips. Versace, Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana all join forces on this place’s high-end shopping scene.

Nightlife

Laid-back evenings

The old town in Alghero is the epicentre of laidback evenings on Sardinia’s north-west coast. Work up an appetite with a walk around the ramparts, then settle down at a table in one of the gourmet restaurants – Piazza Civica has lots of dining options

Lively evenings

Nightlife is pretty laidback all over Sardinia. The understated clubbing scene on Sardinia’s north-west coast revolves around a couple of venues on the outskirts of Alghero. Alternatively, a few bars in Alghero’s old town put on live music. If you head over to the north-east corner, Porto Cervo's harbour is buzzing with swish bars.

Food & drink

Porcheddu

Roast suckling pig is Sardinia’s signature dish. The pork is slowly roasted over flames for several hours before being served with the likes of rosemary potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Porcheddu is usually served at big family feasts and parties, and it’s on the menu at the best traditional restaurants.

Buttariga

Made from grey mullet roe, which has been salted, pressed and dried, buttariga is Sardinia’s answer to caviar. It tends to be served as an appetiser, but sometimes it’s added to pasta or salad to give dishes a boost on the flavour front.

Seada

Decades ago, a seada was a staple ingredient of a Sardinian shepherd’s packed lunch. These days, though, restaurants feature these fritters on the dessert menus. Shaped like a Cornish pasty, they’re filled with pecorino cheese and served with drizzled honey.

Pane carasau

Sardinians have been making pane carasau since 1000 BC. This traditional flatbread is baked twice in a wood-burning oven to make it extra crispy. Toasted pane carasau can be eaten with olive oil and salt, or combined with tomato sauce and egg to make a pane frattau.

Mirto

The best way to serve this after-dinner liqueur is ice cold. It’s made from the myrtle plant, which grows wild all over Sardinia. There are two types of mirto – the white version is made from the plant’s leaves and the red is created from the berries.

Facts about Sardinia

Currency
Euro
(EUR)
Language
Italian
Time zone
GMT +1
Flight duration
2 hours 45 minutes from Gatwick

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