Sardinia is a beautiful island just off the Italian mainland, which means your Sardinia Holiday serves up non stop coast (1800+km of it) clear water, 7,000-year-old stone towers and long Italian lunches alongside 300 days of sunshine a year.
✨ Holidays to Sardinia Highlights
So. Much. Coast. (1,850km, to be exact)
Peace and quiet vibes (no motorways, and it's one of the least populated regions in Italy!)
A sweet tooth's paradise - did someone say gelato and cannolis?!
Bangin' street art - hit up Orgosolo for cool murals at every turn
Genuinely affordable food. We're talking pizza for 5 Eur. You wanna get a pizza this? (yes please)
🎉 3 Fun Facts About Sardinia You Didn’t Know
Home of the Blue Zone – Sardinia’s got a secret to long life. It’s one of the world’s Blue Zones, where people live longer, thanks to fresh air, good food, and probably lots of vino.
Ancient stone structures galore – Sardinia is home to over 7,000 nuraghi (those cool prehistoric towers). Move over, Stonehenge!
Pink sand – Yep, you read that right. Budelli Island has beaches with pink sand because everything is better in pink - but no pocketing it as a souvenir or you’ll be in big trouble!
Sardinia is perfect for you if...
You want Caribbean-looking water (and blazing sun) without the long-haul flight
You would rather drive twenty minutes to a cove than walk downstairs to a sunbed
You are travelling with people who want a beach and people who want a mountain, and this is one island with both
You like the idea of eating in a village where the pasta is made that morning, is very affordable, and nobody speaks good English
You have children who will happily spend a week in water that stays shallow for a very long way out
Good to Know for your Sardinia Holidays 2026/2027
☀️ Weather and season - July and August hit 31°C to 32°C and September is still 28°C, with the sea at its warmest of the whole year that month. Sardinia is a summer island in the fullest sense: nearly every flight from the UK & Ireland is seasonal and most coastal resorts run May to October, so that is the window to plan around.
💶 Money - It's a very affordable destination. A coffee is €1.50, a pizza €5 to €8, a beer €4 to €5, and three courses with wine at a mid-range trattoria €25 to €30. Thankyou very much we'll have some.
🏖 Bookable Beaches - Several of the best beaches now cap how many people can be on them. La Pelosa takes 1,500 a day and Cala Goloritzé just 250, both bookable online in advance, which is the single most useful thing to know before you come (we love our beaches so much we book them before we fly!)
🗣️ Local Lingo – Talk Like a Sardinian
In Sardinia, you’ll hear standard Italian, but there’s also a strong local language called Sardinian (Sardu) and it’s got its own unique twist. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be fluent, just a few key phrases and you’ll be greeted with big smiles (and maybe an extra pour of wine 🍷).
Ciao, chow, Hello, goodbye and everything in between
Grazie, GRAT-see-eh, Thank you
Per favore, per fah-VOR-eh, Please
Scusi, SKOO-zee, Excuse me
Quanto costa?, KWAN-toh COS-ta, How much is it?
Tutto bene?, TOO-toh BEH-neh, All good? The casual check-in you will hear constantly
Ajò!, ah-YO, A proper Sardinian one. Come on, or let's go, and used for eating, drinking and leaving for the beach
What are the best beaches to visit in Sardinia?
With 1,850 km of coastline, Sardinia beach holidays are as much about choosing between coves as choosing between resorts. The island has a mix of wide sandy stretches, dramatic cliff-backed inlets and shallow lagoons, most of them lapped by water so clear you can see the seabed from the shore. Try flopping a towel down at one of these for a bangin' beach holiday:
Spiaggia della Pelosa, Stintino - The famous one, and worth it: shallow turquoise water, white sand and a Catalan watchtower on the islet in front. Booking is compulsory from mid-May to mid-October, 1,500 places a day at €3.50 a head, entry by QR code between 8am and 6pm. Bring a beach mat, because towels straight on the sand carry a fine.
Cala Goloritzé, Baunei - Reached on foot down a steep path from the Golgo plateau, about an hour and a quarter down and longer back up, and limited to 250 walkers a day at €7 with booking in advance. Boats are not allowed to land, so arrivals by sea swim in. Proper footwear, and it is worth every step.
Cala Brandinchi, San Teodoro - Nicknamed Little Tahiti, and the water does the job of justifying it. A long shallow stretch that suits paddling children, capped at around 1,450 people a day with a small entry fee.
Tuerredda, Teulada - South coast, capped at 1,100 a day with a small charge, and the reason to get there early. Fine pale sand, clear water and an islet you can swim out to.
Porto Giunco, Villasimius - Free, no cap, and one of the loveliest on the south-east coast. Behind it sits the Stagno di Notteri lagoon, where flamingos are a common sight outside the peak summer weeks.
Cala Lampianu, Sassari - Over on the north-west Nurra coast, undeveloped, no facilities and no booking system. A small cove between rocks with calm water for snorkelling, and quiet because it takes some finding.
Spiaggia di Liscia Ruja, Costa Smeralda - The longest beach on the Costa Smeralda, powdery and pale, with sunbeds and parasols to rent and a beach bar doing breakfast from half eight. No cap, but the car park fills.
What are the top hotels to stay at on your Sardinia holidays?
When it comes to resting your head in Sardinia, if we can't see the sea from our balcony, we don't want it. (Kidding... Sort of.) Check out these top spots:
👨👩👧👦 What are the best family hotels in Sardinia?
Chia Laguna Hotel Village is single-storey cottages spread through gardens on the south coast, 700m from the sand, with two pools and a kids' club that runs from nine in the morning to eleven at night. Waterskiing, windsurfing, sailing and surfing are all taught on site.
Forte Village Resort Le Palme sits inside the wider Forte Village estate, so you get a private beach, the whole complex's run of restaurants, and the sports academies it is famous for.
Garden Beach is beachfront in the south-east with its own stretch of sand, a separate children's pool, evening entertainment and Costa Rei three kilometres up the road.
💑 What are the best hotels in Sardinia for couples?
The Pelican Beach Resort & SPA is adults only, looks straight out over the beach at Pittulongu, and is about ten minutes from Olbia airport. Hammam, Finnish sauna, rooftop gym and a cocktail bar with live music over the gulf.
Colonna Country & Sporting Club has two infinity pools, one with a whirlpool section, Cala Granu beach seven minutes' walk away and a free shuttle to the Pevero beaches. No kids' club, which is rather the point.
Hotel Rocce Sarde is up in the granite hills above San Pantaleo rather than on the sand, with a pool looking out over the outcrops and a shuttle down to the coast when you want it.
🎉 What are the best hotels in Sardinia for groups?
Grande Baia Resort Hotel has three places to eat, including a terrace doing wood-fired pizza over the sea, a thalasso spa with indoor and outdoor seawater pools, and football, tennis and volleyball for the daytime.
Club Esse Cala Gonone Beach Village is beachfront at Cala Gonone, which is the launching point for the Gulf of Orosei boat trips, with a full entertainment programme back at base.
Arbatax Park Resort Borgo Cala Moresca is perched on the cliffs on the east coast with two pools, a spa, diving and canoeing, and a restaurant built out over the water.
All-Inclusive Holidays in Sardinia
All-inclusive holidays in Sardinia give you the Italian island experience without the mental arithmetic at every restaurant bill. The resorts are spread between the south coast near Cagliari and the northern shores around Sassari and Santa Teresa Gallura, so whichever end of the island you choose, you are within day-trip distance of medieval old towns, hiking trails and some of the clearest water in the Med. Most packages cover a buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a drinks programme running from morning coffee through to evening cocktails, with local Cannonau wine and Ichnusa beer usually on the pour.
Booking all-inclusive in Sardinia often works out cheaper than paying for flights, a hotel and eating out separately, especially in July and August when restaurant prices along the coast climb. Every all-inclusive Sardinia holiday booked through On the Beach is package protected, so your money is covered if anything goes wrong.
Use the search bar above to look through all our all-inclusive properties, or browse our favourites below...
What are the best all-inclusive hotels for families in Sardinia?
MClub Del Golfo – near Sorso on the northwest coast. Multiple pools, kids' club, evening entertainment and a beach within walking distance.
Calaserena Resort – Bluserena resort at Geremeas on the south coast. Kids' mini club, sports facilities, direct beach access and a full daily entertainment programme.
What are the best all-inclusive hotels for couples in Sardinia?
Sighientu Thalasso & Spa – on the south coast near Marina Di Capitana. Direct beach access, a full thalassotherapy spa and a restaurant that leans into local Sardinian ingredients.
Mangia's Santa Teresa Sardinia (Curio Collection by Hilton) – on a headland at Santa Teresa Gallura. Panoramic sea views across to Corsica, polished Hilton-standard service and ferries to the Maddalena archipelago from nearby Palau.
What are the best all-inclusive hotels for groups in Sardinia?
Hotel Shardana – at Santa Reparata near Santa Teresa Gallura. Drinks on tap 10am to 11pm, good communal spaces and a sociable atmosphere.
Sentido Orosei Beach – on the east coast near Cala Ginepro. Private beach, buffet meals and consistently strong guest reviews.
🏨 Where to Stay on your holidays to Sardinia
💑 For Couples
Baia Sardinia – tucked away on the island’s northern coast, Baia Sardinia is a laid-back slice of paradise. Think powdery sands, clear waters perfect for snorkelling, and cosy seaside restaurants for lingering over fresh seafood and local wine. It’s the kind of place where you can wander hand-in-hand along the promenade, hop on a boat to explore hidden coves, and still make it back in time for a sunset spritz.
👨👩👧👦 For Families
Alghero – family-friendly beaches, splash-worthy waterparks, and a charming old town for gentle wanders (and gelato stops). Kids build sandcastles, you build a wine collection. Win-win.
👯♂️ For Groups
Cagliari – daytime beach sessions, evening pizza pitstops, and nights that roll into sunrise. Cagliari mixes coastal relaxation with lively nightlife for a balanced group jolly.
Sardinia holidays 2026 travel guide
👨👩👧👦 Things to do in Sardinia for families
Sardinia Avventura near Laconi - Treetop courses and zip-lines through woodland, with routes graded from toddler height up to something teenagers will admit was good.
Aquadream at Baja Sardinia - The island's main waterpark, up on the Costa Smeralda, and the answer to the day everyone has had enough of sand.
Porto Pollo on the north coast - Sardinia's wind sports centre, with beginner windsurfing and kitesurfing lessons in summer and shallow launch areas for smaller children.
Orrì beach near Tortolì - Rock pooling and snorkelling in clear shallow water on the east coast, with sand that shelves gently enough for small children to wade safely.
Neptune's Grotto near Alghero - A boat trip into a vast stalactite-filled sea cave, or 654 steps down the cliff face if everyone is feeling strong. Trips are cancelled in rough seas, so check before you drive out.
💑 Things to do in Sardinia for Couples
Vineyard tours around Olbia - Tastings of Vermentino whites and Cannonau reds, with cheese and salumi boards alongside at most estates.
Sunset on the bastions at Alghero - The old town's sea walls are the best evening walk on the island, finishing with cocktails looking straight out at the water.
A boat trip from Palau to La Maddalena - The archipelago's coves are as good as the Mediterranean gets, and Cala Corsara is the one people photograph. Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli can be seen from the water only.
A cooking class at an agriturismo - Up in the Barbagia hills, making culurgiones from scratch with someone whose grandmother taught them.
🍽️ Things to do for foodies in Sardinia
Porceddu - Slow-roasted suckling pig, done over wood, and the dish the island builds its celebrations around.
Culurgiones - Pasta parcels stuffed with potato, pecorino and mint, pleated closed by hand in a pattern that takes years to get right.
Agriturismo dining - Head inland to a working farm for homemade pecorino, your own host's wine and a set menu you do not get a say in.
Cannonau - The island's red, grown here for longer than almost anywhere in Europe, and closely tied to the Blue Zone story.
🎉 Things to do for groups in Sardinia
Beach clubs at San Teodoro - The north-east strip where the afternoon music turns into the evening one, with a friendly, unfussy crowd.
Orgosolo in the Supramonte - Around 150 political and folkloric murals across the village walls, free to walk round, then lunch at a trattoria on the way out.
Cagliari after dark - A crawl through the Marina district bars, which is where Sardinians actually drink, finishing wherever is still going.
Gola su Gorropu near Urzulei - One of the deepest canyons in Europe, with limestone walls rising over 450 metres. It is a proper half-day, four to six hours on foot depending on the route, or a Jeep tour if you would rather someone else drove.
If Sardinia has got you itching for more Italy, check these spots out:
Italy - The whole country, from the lakes and the Riviera to Rome, Naples and the Amalfi coast, and the islands off both sides of it.
Sicily - The other big island and a completely different one: Etna smoking above the vineyards, Greek temples older than the Colosseum and the best street food in Italy.
Puglia - The heel, with whitewashed hill towns, the trulli of Alberobello and two coastlines to choose between.
Naples - Loud, magnificent and the birthplace of pizza, with Pompeii and the Amalfi coast an hour out in either direction.
Lake Garda - Italy's largest lake, with mountain scenery at the north end, beaches and lemon groves at the south, and a castle in most of the towns between.
Rome - Three thousand years of it, and still a city where the best evening is a walk with no particular plan.
Liguria - The Italian Riviera, with the five villages of the Cinque Terre stacked above the sea and pesto where it was invented.
Popular Sardinia hotels
More Sardinia hotelsStunning Sardinia resorts
Weather in Sardinia
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Sardinia gets around 2,720 hours of sunshine a year, which averages out at seven and a half hours a day and is about as good as Europe manages.
July and August - Highs of 31°C to 32°C and a sea at 24°C to 25°C. Hot, busy, and the beach clubs and festivals all running at once.
June and September - Around 28°C, with the sea at its warmest of the whole year in September at 24°C. September in particular is a genuinely brilliant month here, which is why it has its own search demand.
May and October - Low twenties, wildflowers in May and the harvest in October, and the right temperature for walking Gorropu or cycling the coast roads rather than lying on them.
November to April - Highs from 14°C to 20°C, mild rather than warm, and the season when the towns belong to the people who live in them. Cagliari and Alghero are good winter city breaks. Most of the coastal resorts close.
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FAQs
How long does it take to fly to Sardinia?
How long does it take to fly to Sardinia?
Flights from the UK to Sardinia take between 2 hours 30 minutes and 2 hours 45 minutes depending on your departure airport and which of Sardinia's three airports you fly into. Sardinia has three main airports, Cagliari Elmas (CAG) in the south, Olbia Costa Smeralda (OLB) in the north east, and Alghero Fertilia (AHO) in the north west.
Route | Flight time |
London Gatwick to Cagliari | approx. 2h 45m |
London Heathrow to Olbia | approx. 2h 30m |
London Stansted to Olbia | approx. 2h 30m |
London Stansted to Cagliari | approx. 2h 30m |
Birmingham to Sardinia | approx. 2h 30m |
Airlines operating direct routes include British Airways, easyJet, and Ryanair. The airport you fly into matters, Olbia is the gateway for the glamorous Costa Smeralda in the north, Cagliari for the capital and southern beaches, and Alghero for the northwest.
What’s the time difference between the UK/Ireland and Sardinia?
What’s the time difference between the UK/Ireland and Sardinia?
Sardinia follows Central European Time (CET, UTC+1) in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) in summer. This means Sardinia is always 1 hour ahead of the UK and Ireland, all year round, regardless of the clocks changing.
Summer (late March–late October):
UK/Ireland (BST, UTC+1) vs Sardinia (CEST, UTC+2). Sardinia is 1 hour ahead.
Winter (late October–late March):
UK/Ireland (GMT, UTC+0) vs Sardinia (CET, UTC+1). Sardinia is still 1 hour ahead.
What currency do they use in Sardinia?
What currency do they use in Sardinia?
Sardinia uses the Euro (EUR, €), as it is part of Italy and the Eurozone. Notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, and coins in 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, €1 and €2.
Cards:
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and larger shops. Contactless is standard in tourist areas.
Cash:
Still useful for smaller cafes, markets, beach bars and rural areas, it's worth having some euros on you.
Getting euros:
Unlike some currencies, euros are easy to buy before you travel from any UK high street travel money provider, bank or airport bureau de change.
ATMs:
Widely available across the island, including at all three airports.
What language do they speak in Sardinia?
What language do they speak in Sardinia?
The official language of Sardinia is Italian, which is used in schools, business, signage and everyday life across the island. However, Sardinia has its own native language, Sardu (Sardinian), recognised officially since 1999, and still spoken by around 1.35 million people, particularly among older generations and in rural areas. Sardu is a fascinating language in its own right. It is considered the closest living language to Vulgar Latin, closer even than Italian itself and sounds more similar to Spanish than Italian to most ears. It is largely unintelligible to mainland Italians.
Languages you may encounter
Italian:
The main language everywhere - menus, signs, hotels and daily conversation.
Sardu (Sardinian):
Heard in villages, markets and among locals - a warm sign you're off the beaten track.
Catalan:
Still spoken in the northwestern city of Alghero, a legacy of Aragonese rule dating back to the 14th century - a genuine linguistic curiosity.
English:
Widely spoken in hotels, tourist resorts and coastal areas. Less common inland.
Handy Italian phrases for your trip
English | Italian | Sounds like |
Hello | Ciao / Salve | Chow / Sal-veh |
Thank you | Grazie | Grat-see-eh |
Please | Per favore | Pair fa-vor-eh |
How much? | Quanto costa? | Kwan-toe cos-ta |
Too expensive | Troppo caro | Trop-po car-oh |
Excuse me | Scusi | Skoo-zee |
Cheers | Salute | Sa-loo-teh |
The Catalan-speaking city of Alghero is genuinely worth flagging to your customers, it's an unexpected cultural detail that makes Sardinia feel even more layered and interesting than a standard sun and beach destination.
Is Sardinia good for a family holiday?
Is Sardinia good for a family holiday?
It is one of the best in Italy, mainly because of the beaches. Cala Brandinchi and Porto Giunco both shelve so gently that small children can wade a long way out, and there are snorkelling coves like Cala Goloritzé for older ones who want more of a challenge.
Transfers are short, with most resorts 30 to 60 minutes from the nearest of the three airports, and the family hotels are spread across both the north and south coasts. The food helps too: this is a place where even a fussy eater will demolish a pizza and a gelato.
One planning point. Several of the best beaches now cap daily numbers and need booking online in advance, including La Pelosa and Cala Goloritzé, so build that into the week rather than discovering it at a gate. Olbia is the easiest first-time family base for the north.
When is the best time to book a holiday in Sardinia?
When is the best time to book a holiday in Sardinia?
July and August are the peak of it: highs of 31°C to 32°C, the longest days, every beach club open and the festival calendar at full tilt. The full, spectacular, Sardinian summer.
June and September run around 28°C, and September is the one people come back for, because the sea is at its warmest of the entire year at 24°C after a summer of heating up.
May and October are low twenties, which is the right weather for the canyon walks, the cycling and the inland villages, with wildflowers in spring and the grape harvest in autumn.
November to April is mild rather than warm and belongs to the towns. Cagliari and Alghero both work as winter breaks, and Sa Sartiglia in Oristano at Carnival is one of the great spectacles in Europe.
What are the best things to eat in Sardinia?
What are the best things to eat in Sardinia?
Culurgiones (handmade pasta parcels stuffed with potato, pecorino and mint), porceddu (slow-roasted suckling pig), fregola con arselle (toasted semolina pasta with clams) and pane carasau (paper-thin Sardinian flatbread) are the essentials. Wash it down with Cannonau, the island's red wine and one of the highest-antioxidant wines in the world. For dessert, seadas are fried pastry filled with pecorino and drizzled with honey.
How much does a holiday in Sardinia cost?
How much does a holiday in Sardinia cost?
Sardinia is one of the more affordable Italian islands, especially outside the Costa Smeralda in the northeast. A sit-down meal at a mid-range trattoria runs EUR 25-EUR 30 per person for three courses with wine. A beer at a bar is EUR 4-EUR 5, a coffee is EUR 1.50 and a pizza takeaway is EUR 5-EUR 8. Package holidays to Sardinia through On the Beach include flights and hotel, and you can lock your booking in with a low deposit.
Do I need to book Sardinia's beaches in advance?
Do I need to book Sardinia's beaches in advance?
Some of them, yes, and it is worth sorting before you fly. Sardinia has capped daily numbers on several of its most photographed beaches to stop them being loved to death, and the popular ones sell out.
Spiaggia della Pelosa at Stintino takes 1,500 people a day at €3.50 each between mid-May and mid-October, booked online, with entry by QR code. Bring a beach mat, because towels directly on the sand are fined.
Cala Goloritzé is limited to 250 walkers a day at €7, booked in advance, and boats are not permitted to land there at all.
Cala Brandinchi and Tuerredda both cap numbers with a small fee, around 1,450 and 1,100 people a day respectively.
Plenty of beaches have no cap at all, including Porto Giunco, Liscia Ruja and most of the smaller coves, so a week here does not need to be a booking exercise. Just plan the famous ones.
