Eastern Sardinia
Sardinia's most spectacular gorge is flanked by limestone walls towering up to 500m in height. The endemic (and endangered) Aquilegia nuragica plant grows…
Must-see attractions in Sardinia
Santuario & Basilica di Nostra Signora di Bonaria
Cagliari
Crowning the Bonaria hill, around 1km southeast of Via Roma, this religious complex is a hugely popular pilgrimage site. Devotees come from all over the…
Southwestern Sardinia
In the heart of the voluptuous green countryside near Barumini, the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi is Sardinia’s sole World Heritage Site and the island’s most visited…
Alghero
Alghero's golden sea walls, built around the centro storico by the Aragonese in the 16th century, are a highlight of the town's historic cityscape…
Cagliari
Cagliari’s graceful 13th-century cathedral stands proudly on Piazza Palazzo. Except for the square-based bell tower, little remains of the original Gothic…
Northwestern Sardinia
Named after its resident asini bianchi (albino donkeys), the Isola dell'Asinara encompasses 51 sq km of macchia (Mediterranean scrub), rocky coastline and…
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Western Sardinia
The choppy blue waters of the Golfo di Oristano provide a magnificent backdrop to the ruins of ancient Tharros. Founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th…
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Cagliari
Of the four museums at the Cittadella dei Musei, this is the undoubted star. Sardinia’s premier archaeological museum showcases artefacts spanning…
Southwestern Sardinia
Rising above the rolling green landscape, La Giara di Gesturi is a high basalt plateau famous for its wild horses and uncontaminated natural beauty. The…
Southwestern Sardinia
A marvel of early-20th-century engineering, Porto Flavia is a port dug into cliffs 50m above the sea. Consisting of two 600m tunnels and an ingenious…
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Western Sardinia
Just off the SS131 north of Oristano, the sanctuary at Santa Cristina is an important nuraghic complex. The nuraghic village's extraordinary Bronze Age…
Northeastern Sardinia
Rising from the sapphire sea like some kind of giant sea creature, this rocky island is a sight to behold. The main draw is splashing about in the…
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Sassari
Sassari's premier museum, housed in a grand Palladian villa, has a comprehensive archaeological collection and an ethnographical section dedicated to…
Bosa
Commanding huge views, this hilltop castle was built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Tuscan Malaspina family. Little remains of the original…
Alghero
Alghero's finest church is a model of architectural harmony. Originally built to a Catalan Gothic design in the 14th century, it was later given a…
Southeastern Sardinia
Clad in thick forest, the mountain massif known as the Monte dei Sette Fratelli dominates the remote Sarrabus area. Its granite peaks and woodlands…
Golfo di Orosei
The last beachette of the gulf, Cala Goloritzè rivals the best. At the southern end, bizarre limestone formations soar away from the cliffside. Among them…
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Northeastern Sardinia
Giuseppe Garibaldi, professional revolutionary and all-round Italian hero, bought half of Caprera in 1855 (he got the rest 10 years later). He made it his…
Southwestern Sardinia
A sensational sandy beach wedged into a natural inlet between craggy rocks, Cala Domestica is a heavenly spot. Its shallow blue waters are ideal for…
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Eastern Sardinia
Tucked beneath sheer limestone cliffs, this gorgeous mountain spring is the final outflow point for Italy's largest underground river system. Water…
Cagliari
An easy bus ride from the centre, Cagliari's fabulous Poetto beach extends for 7km beyond the green Promontorio di Sant'Elia, nicknamed the Sella del…
Alghero
Rising above the historic centre, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria's 16th-century campanile is one of Alghero's signature landmarks. The tower, accessible…
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Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena
Northeastern Sardinia
Established in 1996, Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena consists of seven main islands and several smaller granite islets off Sardinia's…
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Northwestern Sardinia
Capo Caccia's principal crowd-puller is the Grotta di Nettuno, a haunting fairyland of stalactites and stalagmites. The easiest way to get to the caves is…
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Southwestern Sardinia
An impressive Roman temple set in bucolic scenery 9km south of Fluminimaggiore, the Tempio di Antas has stood in isolation since the 3rd century AD. Built…
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Eastern Sardinia
Hidden in a mountaintop cave deep in the Valle di Lanaittu, the mysterious nuraghic village of Tiscali is one of Sardinia’s must-see archaeological…
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Eastern Sardinia
Beautifully renovated in 2016, this museum zooms in on Sardinian folklore, harbouring a peerless collection of filigree jewellery, carpets, tapestries,…
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Northwestern Sardinia
About 2.5km north of Stintino, the Spiaggia della Pelosa is a dreamy image of beach perfection: a salt-white strip of sand lapped by shallow, turquoise…
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Northwestern Sardinia
This reserve, just west of Porto Conte at the base of Monte Timidone (361m), is a beautiful pocket of uncontaminated nature. Encompassing 12 sq km of…
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Cagliari
This hilltop citadel is Cagliari’s most iconic image, its domes, towers and palazzi, once home to the city’s aristocracy, rising above the sturdy ramparts…
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Southwestern Sardinia
This magnificent beach is a picture of unspoilt beauty. A broad band of golden sand, it's sandwiched between a big-wave sea and a vast expanse of dunes…
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Northwestern Sardinia
Signposted off the SS131 between Sassari and Porto Torres, Monte d’Accoddi is a unique Neolithic temple. Unlike anything else in the Mediterranean basin …
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Sassari
Sassari’s largest piazza is one of Sardinia’s most impressive public spaces. Covering about a hectare, it is surrounded by imposing 19th-century buildings…
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Oristano
Oristano’s elegant outdoor salon sits at the southern end of pedestrianised Corso Umberto I. An impressive, rectangular space, it comes to life on summer…
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Bosa
Housed in an elegant 19th-century townhouse, Bosa's main museum showcases local arts and artisanal crafts. Each of the three floors has a different theme…
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Cagliari
This vast neoclassical structure, comprising a gallery space, monumental stairway and panoramic terrace, was built into the city's medieval walls between…
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Western Sardinia
This landmark Romanesque church is one of Sardinia's architectural jewels. Dating to the early 12th century, it sports a severe sandstone exterior…
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Southeastern Sardinia
If you embark on just one excursion from Villasimius, make it the 15-minute drive south to Capo Carbonara, a protected marine park. The promontory dips…
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Museo delle Maschere Mediterranee
Eastern Sardinia
Get a firsthand feel for Mamoiada's carnival at this small but engaging museum. The three-part exhibit starts with a film that allows you to vicariously…
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Western Sardinia
Cabras' cultural highlight is the Museo Civico, and the real superstars here are the so-called Giants of Monte Prama, a series of towering nuraghic…
