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 they take your breath away. Every year many tourists visit Sardinia, attracted by the beauty of its coastline, which offers long stretches of white sand or coves hidden between rocks and surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation.
If you are planning a 10 day Sardinia Itinerary, we advise you to focus on a specific area, as this region is very vast. In this article we present our ’10 day Sardinia itinerary’, which focuses on the northern part of the island, in particular the stretch of coast between San Teodoro and Stintino, the north-western tip of Sardinia. Following this Northern Sardinia itinerary, you will be able to visit some of the historical regions of Northern Sardinia, such as the Baronie, Gallura and Murra, including some wonderful smaller islands, such as La Maddalena. For the first part of our trip we chose to stay in San Teodoro, then in Santa Teresa di Gallura and finally in Stintino. Let’s begin our 10 day itinerary Sardinia!
The first day of our 10 day Sardinia itinerary starts on the coast near San Teodoro, one of Sardinia’s most popular resorts. Close to San Teodoro is Cala Brandinchi, a bay with white sand and crystal clear water. We recommend arriving early in the morning as the beach is very crowded, especially at weekends and in July and August. To get to Cala Brandinchi beach, you need to buy a ticket, as the number of places is limited. The beach is both equipped and partly free and is one of the most beautiful beaches on the north-east coast of Sardinia. On the other hand, it is one of the most crowded and during the high season it can lose some of its charm due to the confusion and the crowd of tourists.
The second stop on this tour of northern Sardinia is the beach of La Cinta, which, as its name suggests, is a very long strip of sand that separates the lagoon of San Teodoro from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The beach has white sand and the sea is crystal clear, although it is a little rougher than Cala Brandinchi because it is less sheltered from the wind. For this reason it could be a good destination if you like water sports such as kitesurfing.
As it is a very large beach, you will have no problem finding a place for you on the free stretches of beach or, if you prefer, in the bathing establishments but, in the latter case, we advise you to book your place early!
The first day of our ’10 day Sardinia travel itinerary’ ends in San Teodoro, with dinner and a stroll through the beautiful white stone-paved alleys and local handicraft stalls and shops.
Sardinia Itinerary 10 days: Cala Brandinchi
Sardinia Itinerary 10 days: San Teodoro
On the second day of our ’10 day Itinerary Sardinia’, we visited the coastal area north of San Teodoro, facing the islands of Tavolara and Molara. The first stop is the beach of Porto Taverna, which is situated in a large bay with a wonderful view of the island of Tavolara. Wooden walkways connect the car parks to the beach, passing through an area where a kind of inland lagoon has been created and where it is possible to see flamingos. The beach of Porto Taverna is certainly one of the most beautiful on this part of the Sardinian coast and one of the places to include in a 10-day Itinerary Sardinia.
From the beach of Porto Taverna we go back down the coast to the second stop: Capo Coda Cavallo. The beach of Capo Coda Cavallo is located in a sheltered bay that offers a unique view of the island of Molara and has darker sand than the beach of Porto Taverna, crystal clear water and a wild atmosphere. If you have the chance, rent a kayak on the beach and explore the coastline of Capo Coda Cavallo.
On the third day of our 10 day Sardinia travel itinerary, we set off to explore the famous Costa Smeralda. The first stop on this day is Capriccioli, where there are some very beautiful small beaches with golden sand and crystal clear water. From these small beaches, surrounded by vegetation, there is a wonderful view of the Costa Smeralda. This bay, where you will also find Cala di Volpe, is one of the most visited by luxury superyachts.
From the beach of Capriccioli we move on to the second stop, the beach of Poltu di Li Cogghi, also known as the beach of Principe. To reach this beach, you have to find a car park on a hill and from here you can reach the beach along a path that goes down through the vegetation. The beach of Poltu Di Li Cogghi is very small and secluded, with white sand surrounded by rocks and water so clear and blue that, when the tide is low and the water is not rough, it gives the impression of being in a swimming pool.
The third beach to visit on this day is Grande Pevero beach, which is located in a bay and is also one of the most popular beaches on the Costa Smeralda, with several beach clubs and bars nearby. The Grande Pevero beach is very beautiful, with light-coloured sand and is completely surrounded by cliffs covered with vegetation. The beach is quite large, so it should be easy to find a spot.
The beaches of the Costa Smeralda are beautiful and an absolute must on a 10 day trip to Sardinia.
We end this day of our Sardinia Itinerary 10 days with a visit and dinner in Porto Cervo. Porto Cervo is one of the most famous villages on the Costa Smeralda, where luxury is the name of the game. The town is incredibly well maintained and the entire pedestrian area around the harbour is made up of elegant streets lined with boutiques of fashion brands.
10 day Sardinia Itinerary: Capriccioli beach
10 day Sardinia Itinerary: Poltu Di Li Cogghj beach
10 day Sardinia Itinerary: Porto Cervo
The fourth day of our ’10 day Sardinia itinerary’ was dedicated to a visit to the island of La Maddalena. The quickest way to get to La Maddalena is to take the ferry from Palau, which will take you to La Maddalena in about 15 minutes. From the port, we advise you to head towards the north coast of the island, where there are some very beautiful coves, such as the beach of Bassa Trinita and the beach of Cala Lunga. We recommend that you visit these beaches in the early hours of the day, as they are small and tend to be crowded from around mid-morning, especially during the high summer season.
In addition to the beaches to the north, we recommend a visit to the village of La Maddalena and a stroll through its narrow streets to the marina. The alleys in the centre of La Maddalena are very picturesque and full of souvenir shops and typical restaurants. If you have 10 days in Sardinia, we recommend that you devote one of them to this beautiful island.
On the way back, we suggest you stop for a stroll and an aperitif in Palau, a small coastal town from whose harbour you can enjoy a beautiful view of the island of Santo Stefano.
10 day Sardinia Itinerary: La Maddalena
The seventh day of our ’10 day Sardinia itinerary’ is dedicated to two islands near the island of La Maddalena: Spargi and Santa Maria. To get to these two islands, we recommend taking the ferry from La Maddalena or Palau, depending on where you are staying.
There is no tourist accommodation on Santa Maria Island, so it is not possible to stay there (unless you are lucky enough to know one of the few people who have a home there).
The beach on Santa Maria Island is beautiful: a crescent-shaped bay with fine, white sand and a sea that is not to be envied by the Maldivian atolls. As there are no tourist facilities here, you can enjoy some peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of other beaches.
After spending some time on Santa Maria Island, head towards Spargi, passing close to the coast of Budelli Island, which is home to the famous pink beach you can see from the boat.
In our opinion, the island of Spargi has some of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia and is one of the places you must visit on a 10 day holiday in Sardinia.
In our opinion, the island of Spargi is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia and is one of the places you absolutely must visit on a 10 day Sardinia travel itinerary.
There are many coves scattered along the south coast and, if you have some time to spare 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 are of fine white sand and the sea is so clear that it seems to be made of crystal. Spargi Island is definitely a destination to include in a 10 day Itinerary Sardinia.
10 day Sardinia Itinerary: Santa Maria island
10 day Sardinia Itinerary: Spargi island
10 day Sardinia Itinerary: Spargi island
On the sixth day of our ’10 day Sardinia itinerary’, we move to the Gallura region. In this case, we recommend staying in the town of Santa Teresa di Gallura. 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 the day was Rena di Levante beach, also known as Due Mari beach, which is located on a stretch of land that connects Capo Testa to Sardinia. This stretch consists of a road with two beaches on either side: Rena di Levante and Rena di Ponente.
The Rena di Levante beach has white sand and the sea is blue and clear. The beach is long but narrow, partly free and partly equipped.
From the Rena di Levante beach we went towards the end of Capo Testa, to Cala Spinosa. Cala Spinosa is a beautiful place, with two beaches set in the cliffs of rounded rocks that rise steeply from the sea. Cala Spinosa is definitely a place that cannot be left off the list of places to visit on a 10 day trip to Sardinia.
In the evening we treated ourselves to a pleasant stroll through the centre of Santa Teresa di Gallura and a dinner in one of the various small restaurants in the alleys surrounded by small white houses. In the evening, the centre of Santa Teresa di Gallura is very lively but not chaotic, you will find various souvenir and craft shops open, as well as restaurants and places to have a drink.
10 day Itinerary Sardinia: Cala Spinosa
10 day Itinerary Sardinia: Santa Teresa di Gallura
On the seventh day of our ’10 day Itinerary Sardinia’, we will spend the morning at the Rena Bianca beach, near the town of Santa Teresa di Gallura. As the name suggests, this beach has very white sand and the sea is crystal clear. Its proximity to the town is an advantage, as it is easy to reach on foot, but at the same time it gets very crowded in the middle of the day.
After a stop at Rena Bianca beach, we headed back to Capo Testa to explore its west coast, in particular Cala Francese and Cala della Luna.
Both beaches offer a unique panorama, as the rocks of Capo Testa have been sculpted by the wind over the years, creating a ‘lunar’ landscape, as the name Cala della Luna suggests. To reach these two beaches you have to walk for a while from the main road (about 20 minutes for Cala Francese and 30 minutes for Cala della Luna).
Both beaches are not equipped and have no facilities, so bring everything you need, such as water and food. A peculiarity of Cala della Luna is that it is home to a hippy community (or used to be, there is a constant ‘tug and pull’ between the municipality, which periodically evicts people, and those who return after a while).
The eighth day of this Sardinia Itinerary 10 days involves a trip to the tip of the island, in the far northwest of Sardinia: Stintino. Coming from Gallura, we drive along the entire coast and stop at Isola Rossa.
This stretch of coast is very exposed to the wind and the beaches have a much wilder aspect than in other more touristy areas, so you will not find chaos and large crowds in these areas, even in high season months such as August.
We recommend that you explore the Isola Rossa peninsula as far as the cliffs, from where you can enjoy breathtaking views of the sea and the big waves that create perfect tubes for surfers and breakers on the beach.
We recommend going down to the beach of La Marinedda, which has beautiful waters on sunny days when the sea is calm, while on windy days it is the perfect place to admire surfers playing in the waves.
After a visit to Isola Rossa, continue to Saline di Stintino, a place where a long tongue of white sand separates the sea from the salt pans, so long that you will have no difficulty finding a place to lie down. On the sea of this beach stands the Torre delle Saline, a stone building that is no longer in use, and you can see the towers of the old Stintino tuna fishery, long since restored and used as a holiday resort.
In the evening we recommend you take a walk and stop for dinner in the very small town of Stintino, whose area with restaurants and pubs develops around the small port.
10 day Itinerary Sardinia: Isola Rossa
10 day Itinerary Sardinia: 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.
10 day Itinerary Sardinia: Punta Negra
The last day of our ’10 day Sardinia itinerary’ was dedicated to what we consider to be the most beautiful beach in northern Sardinia: La Pelosa. The beach at La Pelosa is incredibly beautiful, with fine white sand that looks like flour and a sea that remains shallow for a long stretch of the coastline and is so clear that it looks like crystal.
The view is also beautiful, with the Pelosa Tower overlooking the island of Pelosa and the islands of Piana and Asinara in the background.
To visit this beach, it is essential to book and pay for access through the official app or website, otherwise it is very difficult to get to the beach as it is always crowded, even in the off-season.
As far as finding a place on the beach is concerned, be prepared to be very cramped. Our advice: put your things where you can find space and jump into the water!
We are not fans of chaos, but the beach at La Pelosa is so beautiful that it is well worth a visit and should definitely be on the list of beaches to visit on a tour of northern Sardinia.
After a half-day spent in the waters of La Pelosa beach, head to Ezzi Mannu beach to escape the hustle and bustle. The Ezzi Mannu beach is located near the Saline di Stintino and is a long strip of white sand where you can stretch out in tranquillity 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! If you have any questions or need further information please do not hesitate to contact us, stay connected with us via the newsletter and social channels and, as always…trip to try!
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