SARDINIA TRAVEL TIPS - 6 DAY ROAD TRIP AVOIDING LUXURY VILLAS

In addition to crystal clear water, heavenly beaches and delicious Italian food, Sardinia is often associated with an expensive beach holiday. I also thought the dream beaches and breathtaking landscapes can only be enjoyed if you have a certain travel budget. But it really doesn't have to be the case.

At the end of this article you will find a detailed breakdown of costs and you will see that there are a few tips and tricks that can save you a lot of money. I paid less than 500 € for 6 days in Sardinia including flight and you can do that too! ;)

Planning Sardinia road trip

Now some more information about the Sardinia road trip. With a friend (Sveta) I flew to Sardinia for 6 days from the end of September to the beginning of October. We made a conscious decision to stay in the off-season to save money and because we didn't want to be crowded on the beach.

We booked the flight and rental car online about six weeks before the start of the trip. Here we compared the different offers and avoid luxury villas Sardinia and picked out the cheapest offer in the Hotel. Since I was supposed to drive (I haven't driven longer distances for three years), a particularly small car with fully comprehensive insurance was needed. ;)

Then we looked for the most beautiful corners of the island. After browsing Facebook groups, blogs and travel guides, we came to the conclusion that Sardinia is very big and that 6 days are by no means enough to see the whole island. Therefore we decided to only discover the north (from Olbia to Alghero and across the island back again) of Sardinia. Extensive and stress-free.

In order to avoid stress (in every respect) on site, we also booked the accommodations in the first two places we wanted to visit. Then we always looked for accommodation in the next town one day in advance. So we didn't have to stress ourselves during the day to see everything we had on our to-do list in order to finally arrive at the booked accommodation. This strategy turned out to be extremely easy. We never had a problem finding vacant accommodation and the prices were phenomenal. Thanks off season!

The biggest advantage of traveling to Sardinia in the off-season is the empty beaches and cities when the weather is nice. On some beaches we were even completely alone. A dream!

Night 1: Olbia City Hotel

We arrived at Olbia airport relatively late and went straight to the meeting point for the car rental company to be taken to the car rental office by shuttle bus. After about 30 minutes we sat in our little Fiat 500 and were on the way to our first hotel.

The Olbia City Hotel is very easy to find and of a good standard. For € 20 per person per night (including breakfast) you can't expect much and that's why we were very surprised when we saw our room. It was clean and cozy. The breakfast buffet couldn't convince me as a vegan, but my friend was very happy with her prosciutto cheese bread. Thumbs up for the espresso and the nice staff. ;)

Day 1: Spiaggia Bianca, Spiaggia Capriccioli & Spiaggia del Piccolo Pevero

Excited about the island, we woke up very early the next day to be on our way to our first stop, the Spiaggia Bianca beach not far from Olbia. Alone on the way there our mouths were open with amazement most of the time. The landscape is incredibly beautiful. We drove along the coast and were surrounded by green hills and turquoise seas. The sun shone above us in the light blue sky. Pure holiday feeling.

The Spiaggia Bianca beach finally brought us to paradise. We shared the white sandy beach with about 20 other people, which is definitely packed in midsummer. After each of us had done a few laps in the large bathtub and I had shot a few video clips for the associated YouTube video , we went on to the Spiaggia Capriccioli beach.

When we arrived we had to pay a few euros for a parking space and the restaurant near the beach was totally overpriced. We paid more than € 30 for a plate of french fries, 2 mixed salads and two drinks. The beach itself is super nice, but due to its size it was also very crowded. I would recommend it as a stop for snorkeling.

On the way to Palau, where we spent the night and wanted to take the ferry to La Maddalena the next morning, we took a short break at the Spiaggia del Piccolo Pevero beach. A really nice beach with a small beach bar where we ordered a beer. Watch out! Always ask for the price. We paid € 12 for two Corona and were a bit shocked. From that moment on we always asked for the price. ;)

Night 2: Palau City Hotel & Essen at the harbor

When we arrived in Palau, we first checked into the Palau City Hotel, which belongs to the same chain as the Olbia City Hotel. Strangely, we only noticed that on site. Although it is a 4 star hotel, our room was a bit dirty and the hotel in general not as nice as we had hoped it would be. It will be all ok in Sardinia Villas but we decide to make it cheaper as much is possible in budget. If you are looking for a hotel in Palau, choose a different one.

After checking in, we went to the port to look for a restaurant that would still serve us food around 10 p.m. Thanks to TripAdvisor we found the Ristorante Pasta e Vino. A rustic restaurant with a lot of people. The prices seemed ok too. Sveta and I ordered spaghetti al pomodoro. As a vegan you can't go wrong with that, I thought. When the pasta came and I had the first spoonful of pasta in my mouth, I wasn't so sure about it anymore. I could swear the spaghetti was made with butter. The taste was very greasy and somehow not as tomato as I had hoped it would be. All in all, I can recommend this restaurant to you. There are great wines here.

Day 2: Ferry to La Maddalena & Caprera - Cala Portese, Cala Andriani & Porto Palma

On day 3 we were finally smart enough to go shopping in a supermarket and get some provisions for the day before we started our trip. Then we went by car to the ferry to the neighboring island of La Maddalena.

Gosh, I was nervous days beforehand. I am really not a talented driver and I am definitely not good at parking. These two facts, combined with the fact that I haven't been behind the wheel for ages, made Sveti a bit jittery next to me. Everything went (of course) flawlessly and this experience boosted my self-confidence in traffic immeasurably. ;)

When we arrived on the island of La Maddalena, we didn't really have a plan, so we first went to the tourist information office to get us a map. After taking a quick look at the map, we decided to go straight to the even smaller neighboring island of La Caprera. There were some beaches there that we had read about before. This decision, which, like so many on this trip, was made spontaneously, has once again proven to be fantastic.

We drove over a long, narrow bridge from La Maddalena to La Caprera. To the left and right of us the sea. When we arrived we first visited Cala Portese. Here we were completely alone on the beach for a good hour. Then came another car with people. At this point, however, we were already on our way to the car to go to Cala Andriani. A fantastically beautiful beach, which is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches I have seen so far. An absolute must-do when you are on the island.

Because we still had some time before we had to take the ferry, we visited Porto Palma. It's a small, sleepy port that is not so easy to get to. We followed a local who was on his way to work and kindly offered to show us there. Our little Fiat 500 struggled hard with the road situation, but it was all worth it. Once again we were the only ones far and wide. There is also a small beach. This is a great place to snorkel. Seagrass grows quite close to the shore and there are all kinds of fish. In addition, the sand is golden brown and a bit coarser than on the powdered sugar beaches that we had visited before.

From Cala Andriani it went back over the haughty way and the bridge to La Maddalena and from there with the ferry back to Palau. From here we made our way further west, because that night we had booked a hotel in Santa Teresa Gallura.

Night 3: Santa Teresa Gallura (Hotel Sandalion) & the best spaghetti al Pomodoro in Sardinia

After the not so pleasant night in Palau, we were again very positive when we checked into the Hotel Sandalion in the small coastal town of Santa Teresa Gallura that evening.

We had a huge double room with a large bathroom and even a balcony where we could finally dry our bikinis and beach towels properly. :)

Again, we had breakfast included again and all for the price of € 20 per night per person. You really can't complain about that. Sure, the hotel doesn't have a stark design or a pool, but it has good WiFi and is very clean. What more do you need when you stay one night?

After a short break in the hotel room, our stomachs growled and we started looking for a good and inexpensive restaurant. In the meantime we had already learned that you don't eat so late in the evening in Sardinia as in Spain, for example. That's why we made our way to the market square around 8 p.m. There should be a lot of good restaurants and bars there, we were told at the hotel. The hotel manager even recommended a very specific restaurant, the Girasole. There should be particularly good pasta dishes. Already on the 3rd day I was addicted to Pasta al Pomodoro (pasta with tomato sauce). Later more.

As we strolled through the dark streets and talked about the day, I had no idea that I should eat the best spaghetti al pomodoro in my whole life that evening.

So we took a seat on the terrace of the Girasole restaurant and ordered. Sveta ravioli with ricotta and tomato cream sauce (specialty in Sardinia) and me, well you know now. Pasta al pomodoro. ;)

It was without a lie by far one of the best pasta dishes I have eaten so far, even though the dish is really not difficult to prepare. Anyways. Go on.

Day 3: Spiaggia Rena Bianca, finally Gelato & more breathtaking landscapes

After we were fully fed and fell asleep happily, we woke up almost as happy again. Every day was so different and had its own highlights, so we were excited to see what the day would bring.

First we left the car at the hotel and walked to the Spiaggia Rena Bianca beach. Thanks to Alex from the travel blog Meine detours for the tip.
Again one of the most beautiful beaches we saw on this trip. By the way, there are quite a few of them in this article. Every time we came to a new beach, we thought that it was unbeatable and then the next one came back and so on.

If you are in Santa Teresa Gallura in the off-season, I can only recommend you to drive to the beach. The path is super steep and especially on the way back to the city you train your bum a lot. Tired of exercising? Then take the car. ;)

Before we went on to the Capo Testa, we treated ourselves to a gelato in Gelateria 15 Sottozero. Very tasty and the small street in which the ice cream shop is located is absolutely beautiful with the many colorful facades of the houses.

If you are looking for tips for the north of Sardinia, then you should be careful now. Don't miss out on the Capo Testa. It is only a few kilometers away from the northernmost point of Sardinia and offers you a lighthouse and a great view as well as an incredibly beautiful rocky landscape. Many of the granite rocks formed by the weather and wind look like animals or have other funny shapes. It's a really beautiful landscape that you shouldn't miss out on.

From gray rocks below us it goes to golden rocks on which we climbed to the next beach. The beach Spiaggia Li Cossi on the Costa Paradiso is not as easy to reach as the beaches I have told you about so far. Especially not at 30 degrees. A narrow path (approx. 750m) leads through the red granite rock landscape. For that alone, the drive to this beach was worth it. When you arrive you will be rewarded with a wonderful view of the beach and the lake behind.

Unfortunately, the beach was littered with bees that day and so we had to go straight back on arrival. Sveta is allergic to bee stings and we didn't want to take that risk. Maybe we were just unlucky and next year it will be different. If you've been there before, feel free to write in the comments how the situation was with you.

After the very short stay, we looked for an alternative beach at short notice to end the afternoon and found the Spiaggia Lunga Isola Rossa. Again a wonderful, long sandy beach where we were almost alone again. Here you can enjoy the sunset, because the sun disappears into the sea.

Night 4: Castelsardo (Bed & Breakfast Ajo di Ziette) & party in the Mediterraneum Café restaurant

After a beautiful sunset, we made our way to the small town of Castelsardo, almost in the north-west of Sardinia. As we drove along the coastal road, we already got a foretaste of what to expect. On a small island tip, many small houses sat close to one another and the castle was enthroned above them.

The way to our accommodation for that night was a bit exhausting for an inexperienced driver like me. Some of the streets are very steep and I think we chose the steepest one to get to Bed & Breakfast Ajo di Ziette.

The B&B was our nicest and most modern place to stay on this trip. We had the entire apartment with a huge bathroom, kitchen and living room to ourselves because the room next door was not occupied that night. The location, apart from the steep streets, is perfect.

After checking in, we went looking for something to eat again. On TripAdvisor we found the Mediterraneum Café restaurant right next door (2 min. Walk). It was not that late yet and still only one other table on the terrace was occupied. All the better for us, we thought, and looked for a table from which we had a breathtaking view of the illuminated old town and the Castello.

After we had ordered (pasta al Pomodoro, of course) the restaurant owner came straight to our table with two glasses of white wine. They went on the house. We immediately felt good. The food was great too.

A few white wines later, we started talking to our table neighbors and also to the owner. It turned out that he runs the restaurant with his brother and that the restaurant should be closed the next day. Because of this, they have been celebrating the whole evening with after-work wine. ;)

That evening Sveta and I sat with the two brothers on the terrace for a very long time, drank cava (sparkling wine) and talked about God and the world in a mix of English, Italian and Spanish. About how difficult it was to find a suitable woman in a village, the meaning of life, about the fact that family and friends should always come first and much more. All in all a very nice evening.

Day 4: Castelsardo, Stintino - Spiaggia La Pelosa & Alghero

The next morning, of course, started slowly after that evening. At some point we got up and made our way to the old town of Castelsardo. After all, we didn't just want to see the Castello from a distance.

Funnily enough, our path crossed with that of the guys from the next table the night before. Together we trotted along the steep streets so that we could climb them up again later. After a good half an hour we arrived at the Castello. Even if you might discover Castelsardo without a hangover, I can tell you that the climb is definitely worth it. The view from up there is incredibly beautiful.

You can also go to the Castello for € 3. You can save yourself that, however. There is a viewing platform from which you have almost the same view and you also get access to a small studio where you can find a few pictures and sculptures, but no information about the history of the castle or the like.

We then fought the hangover with a gelato and then we went to Stintino to the Spiaggia La Pelosa beach. As we drove out of town, we met Mauro again, one of the brothers from the Mediterraneum Café restaurant. What a nice end.

Oh my god, the Spiaggia La Pelosa is so incredibly beautiful! You cannot miss this when you are in Sardinia. Btw, there was enough parking space like white powdered sugar sand on the beach.

The water is crystal clear and only deepens very slowly. You can run a good 50m and still only stand up to your waist in the sea. Once again one of the most beautiful beaches I've seen so far (like every other beach on this road trip).

We continued to our last stop on the west coast of Sardinia with it's wonderful Sardinia villas , Alghero. A beautiful little coastal town with an interesting history. In the middle of the 14th century, Alghero was conquered by the Catalans and then repopulated by colonists from Barcelona. Part of the population still speaks Catalan today. We immediately felt a little more at home. ;)

As for food, we always bought something in the supermarket during the day. In the evening we always treated ourselves to a warm meal in a restaurant. So also on our fifth evening.

One of the greatest culinary experiences was the Al Vecchio Mulino restaurant in Alghero. The restaurant is not particularly noticeable from the outside and we would probably have walked past it had we not looked for it directly. If you walk through the old glass door, you will be surprised by a warm, rustic ambience. You almost feel like you are in a wine cellar. The prices are amazing and we sat between locals and tourists. A really great and almost too romantic restaurant if you are out with a friend. Sveta ordered a pizza and I ordered Penne al Pomodoro. Naturally. Did you expect something else? : P

Then we took a digestive walk on the promenade and stopped for an Aperol Spritz at the Orange Lounge Bar. I don't know if it's customary there, but that evening a very good Italian live band played, which ended the day perfectly.

Night 5 BnB

We spent the night at B&B Monti. The modern apartments are located above a shopping center just a few minutes from the promenade. There is a private bathroom in the room and there is a small communal kitchen. We also had a large balcony, but that was just a coincidence and does not apply to all apartments.

Day 5: Alghero, Grotte di Nettuno & Oktoberfest in San Teodoro

On the morning of the sixth day of our road trip, we woke up to an overcast sky and rain. Originally we wanted to go back to the east coast to San Teodoro to take a boat trip to deserted beaches and bays. Unfortunately, we had to quickly discard this plan. Instead we decided to visit the Grotte di Nettuno.

At the port of Alghero you can choose between different providers. They all have more or less the same prices. We decided on the boat that would leave the fastest.

Unfortunately it started to rain shortly before the grotto and we had seats on deck. But we're not made of sugar. ;)

When we arrived at the grotto, we had to find out that we were probably not the only ones who had this great anti-bad weather idea. The entrance to the grotto was so incredibly full that we were initially sure that there would not be enough time to visit the grotto because we had to queue so long for the tickets. Finally in the grotto I was no longer so annoyed by the crowds, but rather speechless how beautiful the stalactite cave is.

The cave can also be reached by land, because it is located exactly under the 168m high rock Capo Caccia. But you have to accept 652 steps for this.

Would I recommend a visit? I dont know. Read our blog . The cave is super beautiful and all in one it was a great experience. However, it is really very crowded and after a few days on lonely beaches with only a few people around you, this experience could be very stressful for you. It's best for you to decide for yourself.;)

On our way from Alghero to our last stop, San Teodoro, it only really started to rain. But really. At 30km / h we crept over the autobahn. Otherwise it was not possible to see anything from the road. Yes, that is probably a disadvantage if you travel to Sardinia in the off-season.

When we arrived in San Teodoro, it suddenly stopped raining and we were able to end our last evening in Sardinia with a last spaghetti al pomodoro. For this we were in the restaurant Alba Chiara. A very nice and again very romantic restaurant with a green terrace.

Afterwards we strolled a bit through the small town when we suddenly heard German folk music. At the beginning of October we landed at the first Oktoberfest in Sardinia. To our astonishment, a lot of people were dressed in dirndls and lederhosen. After two beers, we had enough of the yodelling and headed home.

Night 6: San Teodoro (Hotel Sandalyon)

We spent the last night in the 3-star Hotel Sandalyon, which I can only recommend. Our double room was super large and very nicely decorated. Again, breakfast was included. For € 20 per person per night you really can't complain.

Day 6: Spiaggia La Cinta & Airport

On the day of departure, we set the alarm a little earlier so that we could drive to La Cinta beach before we returned our rental car. And it was really worth it. Sardinia said goodbye to us with an incredibly beautiful sunrise on another beautiful beach to which we would like to return next year to explore the south of Sardinia from there. Let's see! ;)

Next time we will write about how to book a nice villa over business directory :)