Sardinia, Italy

I didn't know much about Sardinia other than what I read online. When I told most of my American friends I was going there, they had never heard of or been to the island. Those who knew were from Europe or lived there for a while. Everyone who knew raved about it. 

It seems you either go to the northern part of the island (Costa Smeralda) or the southern part. We opted for the northern part and flew into the Olbia airport. We stayed in the Superior Suite Seaview with a Private Pool at Villa Del Golfo Lifestyle Resort (Room 703) in Cannigione, a few miles north of Costa Smeralda/Porto Cervo. Cannigione is an old fishing village that now relies on tourism. It’s much quieter than Costa Smeralda with the beaches just as turquoise beautiful.  

I cannot say enough about Villa Del Golfo! Our suite had a pool overlooking the ocean. Breakfast was included (with panoramic ocean views) and the pool area was a dream. The staff is impeccable – always ready to serve you and ensure your stay is just perfect.  We visited in the middle of May which ended up being a great time as tourist season hadn’t started yet, but the weather was still glorious – high 70s and an abundance of sunshine.  

Here’s our 3-day itinerary for Sardinia, Italy including some of the top things to do in Sardinia, Italy:

Day 1 – Arrive & settle into your hotel, explore the town, grab dinner at a local pub (we opted for Bar Clilo although the drinks were better than the food), stop for gelato on our way home. 

Day 2 – We started our day with breakfast, which included a buffet, fresh squeezed orange juice,  and sweeping ocean views, at the Mira Luna restaurant. We made our way to Canningione Boat Pier, meeting BonAria, the sailboat we rented for the day. This was no doubt, the highlight of our trip. Heading north, we admired breathtaking islands and beaches including Maddalena Island on our route. The water is crystal clear and you can see the fish and sea creatures enjoying life down under. We anchored and swam to shore. Be careful of sea urchins – there were a ton and we had to make sure we didn’t step on any! We enjoyed an appertivo of Buffalo mozzarella and drinks on board before we devoured lunch! The boat docked back at the harbor around 5 pm. 

For dinner we walked to Pizzeria de Serafino e Giovanni. This is a MUST when in Sardinia. Hands down, the best food we had in Sardinia. 

Day 3 – Couldn’t resist another breakfast at MiraLuna before walking to a bike rental shop in town. Our goal was to ride from Cannigione to Porto Cervo (about 11 miles). We were warned a few times about the windy roads, hills, and fast drivers but we attempted it any way. About 5 miles in, we turned around mainly due to the fast drivers. On our way back, we stopped at Caffe Del Sol, situated on the main road, right before town. This was our favorite lunch place in Cannigione! The staff were welcoming, atmosphere was relaxing and of course the food was delicious! They also had the cutest little dog to keep you company while you enjoyed your meal.  

We continued biking towards Palau (which is still pretty windy/hilly but less cars), stopping at some hidden beaches along the way. We caved and enjoyed more gelato before returning our bikes. Exhausted, we spent the rest of the day enjoying our private pool. Dinner tonight was at Cutter, a lovely restaurant, across the Mediterranean will romantic vibes and classic food. 

Day 4 – We enjoyed breakfast one last time, said goodbye to our dream suite, and headed for the airport with full bellies and hearts.  

A few other things to note about Sardinia:   

1. There were lots of off leash or stray dogs in the area. 
2. Tipping is not common here so although it seems odd, you can just tip your change or a little extra and it goes a long way. 
3. Cars don’t seem to yield to pedestrians as much as the US so be aware when crossing streets.