Join AFAR’s video editor, Claudia Cardia, as she shows us the perfect 4-day road trip itinerary around the Italian island she grew up on, Sardinia, starting from Cagliari. Stops include beautiful beaches, an agrotourism restaurant, and a hike to a secluded cove on the island, as well as other ideas on what to do on your next trip to Sardinia, Italy.
Transcript
Bonjourno!
In this episode of Destination Insider, we are on the Italian island of Sardinia, which is a very special place to me because I grew up here.
Today, I’ve decided to bring you on a road trip around my island, Sardinia. Sardinia is one of the biggest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and as you have probably noticed from Instagram, Sardinia is becoming more popular. But you can avoid crowds and heat if you visit at the end of September or in October or go a little off the beaten path. The island has such a wide variety of ecosystems and landscapes that I had a hard time deciding the itinerary I wanted to show you. But finally, I’ve decided to bring you along the southeast coast. We’re starting in Cagliari, the capital of the island.
The Sardinian name of the city is Casteddu, which means castle, named after the high part of the city, the fortress that protected the city from attacks from the sea. I might be biased, but Cagliari is one of the prettiest cities in Sardinia. You can visit the charming historic center, eat some amazing seafood. And it also has its own beach, Poetto. It stretches from this cliff called Diavolo de Vil Saddle until the city of Quartu Sant’Elena. We’re going to go for a swim and then enjoy a nice aperitivo with our feet in the sand.
So this is day two, and we’re going to one of my favorite places on the island, a place where I spend every single summer of my life. And it’s Villa Simius. Villa Simius is maybe one of the most popular destinations in Sardinia, and for a good reason. Tourism is growing steadily and it is becoming more expensive each year, but it’s still a wonderful place to visit. My advice is to come here in June or at the end of September. We only have one day here, so we decided to rent a dinghy boat and tour the beaches and small islands of the bay. Tonight we’re going to enjoy some fresh fish and pasta, of course, at the restaurant Su Giganti.
Good morning. So this is day number three and we are driving along the eastern side of the island. We are driving up north, and our destination is the town of Barisardo. But first, we’re gonna need some coffee and yum. We’re in Barisardo and we’re gonna camp here at Marina, a campsite right on the beach of Buca Strombu. This region where Barisardo is located is called Ogliastra, and it’s very famous for its dramatic landscapes and food. Tonight we’re going to eat in a typical agriturismo ogliastrino called Sa Figamoro, which is a countryside farm that provides a unique dining experience where you get to taste the products they grow in local dishes such as their cured meats, culurgiones, the Sardinian version of ravioli filled with potatoes, pecorino cheese, and mint, and of course their goat and suckling pig meat.
So today we were supposed to keep going north and go to Calagonone for day kayaking around the bay. But it got super windy and so we had a slight change of plans. We keep driving north along the eastern coast and we are going towards Baunei. From Baunei, we’re going to start the hike down to Cala Goloritzè. Sardinia is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea and as you can imagine it can get extremely windy. Make sure you always double-check weather conditions before you plan a boat trip or any weather activities. We’ve decided to hike instead and our hike starts in the town of Baunei. It will be a 1 hour and a half trek to Cala Goloritzè. Cala Goloritzè is one of the most dramatic coves in Sardinia because it is surrounded by high cliffs.
You can reach it by boat or you can hike down here and enjoy the beautiful nature. It’s important to know that only 300 people per day are allowed due to COVID so you need to reserve your spot and pay a €6 ticket. The hike down was pretty easy, but the way back is all uphill and it can get pretty intense, especially if you’re visiting in summer. I recommend it only if you’re moderately trained or you hike often. Bring lots of water and fruits.
Sadly, it’s our last day and we’re driving back to Cagliari. We kept seeing these fig trees along the road so we had to stop to pick a few. They were delicious. We also realized we haven’t had pizza yet, so our last night in Cagliari we’re going to eat pizza at Il Fantasma del Forno in the city center. I hope you enjoyed exploring some of my favorite spots in Sardinia with me. If you’ve been here, let me know in the comments below. What was your favorite place? As always, remember to like and subscribe on your way out.
