Heere is our 10-day itinerary to discover one of the most beautiful islands in Italy: Sardinia!
When we think of the most beautiful beaches in Italy, one of the places that comes to mind is definitely Sardinia. With white sandy beaches and a sea that is nothing like the Caribbean, the coastline of this region is a real jewel to be discovered.
A tour of northern Sardinia will allow you to visit beautiful beaches, true paradises on earth, along the coast from San Teodoro to Stintino. Here is our “10 day Sardinia Itinerary” to spend 10 unforgettable days in Sardinia!
Sardinia is a unique island and region of Italy, with beaches so beautiful that they take your breath away. Every year many tourists visit Sardinia, attracted by the beauty of its coastline, with long stretches of white sand or coves hidden among the rocks and surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation.
If you are planning to go on a 10-day trip to Sardinia, we recommend that you focus on a specific area since this region is very vast.
In this article we present our 10-day itinerary in Sardinia, focused on the northern part of the island, particularly the stretch of coast between San Teodoro and Stintino, the northwestern tip of the island.
Following this itinerary you will get to visit some of the historical regions of northern Sardinia, such as the Baronie, Gallura, and Murra, while also including some wonderful small islands, such as La Maddalena and Spargi.
Sardinia is a region that lends itself to being visited by car, so if you do not arrive on the island with your own car, we recommend renting one locally.
For the first part of our trip we chose San Teodoro as our place of accommodation, after which we stayed in Santa Teresa di Gallura and finally in Stintino. Specifically, if you want to follow this itinerary exactly, here is how we arranged our accommodations:
As for the best time to visit Sardinia, this island enjoys an exceptional climate, which often guarantees it warm and sunny days.
The beautiful season starts in April and lasts until October, but in both spring and fall, you may have some problems with the wind, especially in the northernmost areas. The perfect months? June and the first part of September, when the days are still perfectly summery and the amount of tourists is less.
🪸 San Teodoro: MARE SOLE ⭐Trip To Try Choice
🦀 Palau: B&B Le Farfalle ⭐Trip To Try Choice
🐠 La Maddalena: cLELIA’S BOUTIQUE ROOMS & SUITES ⭐Trip To Try Choice
🦞 Santa Teresa di Gallura: La TORRE ELITE ⭐Trip To Try Choice
🐬 Stintino: B&B MARE DI FUORI ⭐Trip To Try Choice
Day one of our 10-day Sardinia itinerary starts in the coastal area near San Teodoro, one of the island’s tourist resorts.
There’s one of the most popular beaches in northern Sardinia near the town. Cala Brandinchi.
Cala Brandinchi is situated in a bay with a large, white, sandy beach and a gorgeous sea. The colors of Cala Brandinchi are truly exceptional, thanks to the shallow water depth that extends several meters from the shore.
We suggest getting there as early as you can, as it’s a very popular beach, especially on weekends and in July and August. You have to reserve an entrance to Cala Brandinchi beach because the number of accesses is limited. The beach is equipped and partly free, and it’s one of the most beautiful beaches on the northeast coast of Sardinia. It’s also one of the most crowded, and during high season it loses some of its charm because of the confusion and throng of tourists.
The second stop on this first day is La Cinta beach. As the name implies, this is a very long sand belt that divides the lagoon of San Teodoro from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The beach is white sand and the sea here is also very beautiful, although slightly rougher than Cala Brandinchi since this beach is less protected from the wind. For this reason it might be a good destination if you are a fan of water sports, such as kitesurfing.
Since it is a very large beach, you will have no problem finding a place for you in the free stretches of beach or, if you prefer, in the bathing establishments but, in the latter case, we recommend that you reserve your place early!
This first day of our 10-day trip to Sardinia ends in San Teodoro, with dinner and a stroll through the beautiful white stone paved alleys, past stalls and local craft stores.
⭐ Trip To Try Choice: Mare Sole
🦞 Other hotels in San Teodoro
Cala Brandinchi
San Teodoro
On day two of our 10-day Sardinia itinerary, we visited the northern coastline area overlooking Tavolara and Molara islands.
The first stop is Porto Taverna beach, which is located in a large bay that offers a great view of Tavolara island.
There are several parking lots where you can leave your car and then take a walk along the wooden walkways to the beach. You’ll also pass through an area where a kind of inland lagoon has been created, where you can spot flamingos. Porto Taverna beach is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches on this part of the coast of Sardinia. It’s a place you should definitely not miss during your trip to Sardinia.
From Porto Taverna beach you will descend back down the coast to the second stop: Capo Coda Cavallo.
Capo Coda Cavallo beach is located in a protected cove that will give you a unique view of Molara Island and has darker sand than Porto Taverna beach and a wild atmosphere. If you have a way, we recommend that you rent a kayak on the beach and go scouting the coast of Capo Coda Cavallo.
On the third day of our 10-day voyage of discovery of northern Sardinia, we set off to discover the famous Costa Smeralda. The first stop on this day is Capriccioli, where there are some very beautiful small beaches with golden sand and a truly wonderful sea. From these small beaches surrounded by vegetation, there is a wonderful view of the Costa Smeralda.
This bay, where Cala di Volpe is also located, is one of the most visited and popular with luxury super yachts.
From Capriccioli beach, we move on to reach the second stop, Poltu Di Li Cogghi beach, also known as Prince’s beach. To reach this beach you will have to find a parking lot on high ground and from here reach the beach by walking down a path through the vegetation.
Poltu Di Li Cogghi beach is very small and secluded, with white sand surrounded by rocks and water so blue and clear that, when the tide is low and the water is not rough, you have the impression of being in a swimming pool.
The third beach to visit on this day is the Grande Pevero beach, which is located in a bay and is also one of the most popular beaches on the Emerald Coast, near which there are also various beach clubs and bars. The Grande Pevero beach is very beautiful and light sandy and is completely surrounded by the cliff covered with vegetation. The beach is quite large, so you should be able to find a spot without difficulty. Near this beach is its smaller sister, Piccolo Pevero beach.
The beaches of the Emerald Coast are beautiful and are must-visit places during a 10-day trip to Sardinia.
We end this day of our tour of northern Sardinia with a visit and dinner in Porto Cervo. Porto Cervo is one of the most famous towns on the Costa Smeralda and where luxury is the watchword. The town is incredibly well-kept and the entire pedestrian area surrounding the port is made up of elegant streets overlooked by boutiques of fashion brands.
If you are a lover of organized tours or simply feel like exploring alternative activities to those we have suggested in this itinerary, AT THIS LINK you will find a great number of activities to do in this magnificent and renowned area of Sardinia!
⭐ Trip To Try Choice: B&B Le Farfalle
🐙 Altri hotel a B&B Le Farfalle
Capriccioli beach
Poltu Di Li Cogghj beach
Porto Cervo
⭐ Trip To Try Choice: cLELIA’S BOUTIQUE ROOMS & SUITES
🪼 Other hotels in la Maddalena
The fourth day of our 10-day itinerary in Sardinia was dedicated to the beautiful island La Maddalena. To go to La Maddalena, the quickest way is to take a ferry from Palau that will take you to La Maddalena in about 15 minutes, possibly carrying your car as well. From the port, we recommend heading to the north coast of the island where there are several very beautiful coves, such as Bassa Trinita beach and Cala Lunga beach.
We recommend that you take advantage of the early hours of the day to visit these beaches since, being small, they tend to get crowded from about mid-morning, especially in the high summer season.
In addition to the beaches located to the north, we recommend visiting the town of La Maddalena, walking through its alleys until you come alongside the marina. The alleys in the center of La Maddalena are very picturesque and full of souvenir stores and typical restaurants. If you have 10 days in Sardinia, we recommend that you dedicate one of them to this beautiful island and sleep on the island to enjoy the afternoon and especially the evening hours without the daily tourists.
A great alternative to visit the Maddalena archipelago and nearby islands, such as Budelli and Spargi, is to go on a full-day boat tour!
10 day Sardinia Itinerary: La Maddalena
Day seven of our 10-day itinerary in Sardinia is dedicated to two islands that are located near the island of La Maddalena: Spargi and Santa Maria. To get to these two islands we recommend taking a ferry from La Maddalena or Palau, depending on where you are staying.
Santa Maria Island has no tourist accommodations, so you cannot stay on this island (unless you are lucky and know one of the very few people who has a home here).
The beach on Santa Maria Island is wonderful: it is a crescent-shaped cove with a fine, off-white beach and a sea that is nothing like the Maldivian atolls. Since there are no tourist facilities, you can enjoy some tranquility at this beach, away from the chaos typical of other beaches in Sardinia.
After staying on Santa Maria Island, we head to Spargi, passing near the coast of Budelli Island, where the famous pink beach is located and which you can see from the boat.
In our opinion, the island of Spargi is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia and is one of the places to absolutely visit on a 10-day vacation in Sardinia.
There are many coves scattered along the south coast, and if you have some time on your hands and feel like taking a walk, you can reach some of them a little further away from where most tourists stay, such as Cala Soraya or Cala d’Alga.
The beaches have fine white sand and the sea is so clear that it seems to be made of crystal. Spargi Island is definitely a must-see destination on a voyage of discovery in Sardinia.
Santa Maria island
Spargi island
Spargi island
Day 6 of our 10-day itinerary in Sardinia involves a move to the Gallura area. In this case, we recommend sleeping in the town of Santa Teresa di Gallura, because it is very lively in the evening and full of stores and clubs.
The Gallura area was the one we preferred, as it is less crowded than the San Teodoro area and has very wild beaches, especially in the Capo Testa area.
The first stop for this day is the Rena di Levante beach, also known as Due Mari beach, which is located on a strip of land that connects Capo Testa to Sardinia. This stretch of land consists of the road, on either side of which are two beaches: the Rena di Levante and the Rena di Ponente.
The Rena di Levante beach has white sand and the sea is very beautiful. The beach is long but narrow and is partly free and partly equipped.
From Rena di Levante beach we went toward the far end of Capo Testa to Cala Spinosa. Cala Spinosa is a wonderful place, with two beaches sandwiched between the rocks of the cliff rising sheer from the sea. Cala Spinosa is definitely a place that cannot be missed on the list of places to visit on a 10-day trip to Sardinia.
In the evening we indulged in a pleasant stroll through the center of Santa Teresa di Gallura and dinner in one of the several small restaurants that are found in the alleys surrounded by small white houses. In the evening, the center of Santa Teresa di Gallura is very lively but not chaotic; you will find various little souvenir and craft stores open, as well as restaurants and places to have a drink.
⭐ Trip To Try Choice: La tORRE ELITE
🐠 Other hotels in Santa Teresa di Gallura
Cala Spinosa
Santa Teresa di Gallura
Day seven of our 10-day itinerary in Sardinia includes a morning stop at Rena Bianca beach, which is located near the town of Santa Teresa di Gallura. As the name implies, this beach has very white sand and the sea is clear. The proximity to the town is both a plus point for this beach, as it is easily accessible on foot, but, at the same time, it fills up with crowds during the middle hours of the day.
If you are looking for some typical products, you will find several street vendors here who will offer some delicacies such as Sardinian pecorino cheese!
After a stop at Rena Bianca beach, we headed back to Capo Testa to explore its west coast and, in particular Cala Francese beach and Cala della Luna beach.
Both of these beaches will give you a unique view as the rocks of Capo Testa have been shaped by the wind over the years in such a way as to create a “lunar” landscape, as the name Cala della Luna implies.
To reach these two beaches you have to walk for a while from the main road (roughly 20 minutes for Cala Francese and 30 minutes for Cala della Luna). The road that reaches these beaches, and in general the Valley of the Moon, is immersed in wild scenery and not really suitable.
Both beaches are not equipped and have no facilities, so bring along everything you need, such as water and food. A peculiarity of Cala della Luna is that a hippy community resides here (or resided, it is a constant “tug and pull” between the municipality that periodically evicts people and these people return after a while).
Day eight of this 10-day journey of discovery of northern Sardinia involves a move to the tip located in the far northwest of Sardinia: Stintino.
Coming from Gallura, we drive all the way along the coastal road and make a stop at the Isola Rossa resort.
This stretch of coast is very exposed to the wind and the beaches have a much wilder look than other more touristy areas, so much so that you will not find chaos and large crowds in these areas, even during high season months such as August.
We recommend that you explore the Isola Rossa peninsula by getting as far as the cliffs, from which you can enjoy breathtaking views of the sea and the large waves that create perfect tubes for surfers.
We recommend going down to La Marinedda beach, which, on sunny days and flat seas has beautiful waters, while on windier days it is the perfect place to admire surfers frolicking in the waves.
After visiting Isola Rossa you continue your journey to the Saline di Stintino, a place where a very long tongue of white sand separates the sea from the salt pans and is so long that you will have no trouble finding a place to lie down. On the sea of this beach stands the Torre delle Saline, a now unused stone building, and you can see the towers of the former Stintino tuna fishery, now long since renovated and used as a resort.
In the evening, we recommend you take a walk and stop for dinner in the tiny village of Stintino, whose area with clubs develops around the small port.
⭐ Trip To Try Choice: B&B MARE DI FUORI
🦪 Other hotels in Stintino
Isola Rossa
Stintino salt pans beach
On the ninth day of our 10 day Sardinia travel itinerary, we visited the Punta Negra area, where there are several secluded and quiet coves, such as Punta Negra beach, Cala Lupo and Il Gufo beach. This area can be explored entirely on foot, following the path that runs along the entire coastline of Punta Negra.
As the name suggests, this stretch of coastline is made up of dark-coloured sand, but we can assure you that the sea is very beautiful and, above all, it is an area that is not overrun by tourists who prefer the white Caribbean sand that is typical of Sardinia. For this reason, if you want to spend a quiet day, this is the place to go.
Punta Negra
The last day of our 10-day itinerary in Sardinia was dedicated to the, in our opinion, most beautiful beach in northern Sardinia: La Pelosa.
The beach of La Pelosa is incredibly beautiful, with its fine white sand that looks like flour and a sea that remains shallow for a long stretch of coastline and is so clear that it looks like crystal.
The view around it is also beautiful, with the Pelosa Tower rising above the island of Pelosa and Piana Island and Asinara in the background.
In order to visit this beach you absolutely have to book through the official app or website and you pay for access, otherwise it will be very difficult to access the beach as it is always very crowded, even during periods outside the high season.
A viable alternative may be to relax aboard a catamaran and choose the half-day tour to La Pelosa, enjoying the crystal clear water without the worry of crowding and finding parking.
As for finding a spot on the beach, be prepared to be mooooong tight. Our advice: put your things down where you can find space and jump into the water!
We are not fans of crowds, but La Pelosa beach is so beautiful that it is worth a visit and should definitely be on the list of beaches to see on North Sardinia tours.
After a half day spent in the waters of La Pelosa beach, we head to Ezzi Mannu beach to get away from the hustle and bustle. Ezzi Mannu beach is located near the Saline di Stintino and is a long strip of white sand where you can stretch out in peace and enjoy a nice swim in the beautiful Sardinian sea.
With our 10-day Sardinia itinerary we have tried to visit as many places as possible along the north coast of Sardinia, from San Teodoro to Stintino, and we hope it will help you plan your 10 day Sardinia travel itinerary!
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