Sardinia is an Italian island with airports at Alghero-Fertilia, Olbia and Cagliari-Elmas, each about 10 minutes from its town. It suits travelers who want ancient sites, city parks and protected coast, with five UNESCO treasures to choose from.
The island has no single gateway. Ships dock at five different ports, and Su Nuraxi di Barumini can only be visited with a guided tour, so a day there is planned around the tour times.
At a glance
- Airports: Alghero-Fertilia, Olbia, Cagliari-Elmas, each 10 minutes from its town
- Ports: Arbatax, Golfo Aranci, Porto Torres, Olbia, Cagliari
- Nuoro to Cagliari by bus-train: 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 55 minutes
- UNESCO treasures: 5
- Cagliari highs: 89°F (32°C) in July, 59°F (15°C) in February
- Entry for U.S. citizens: 90 days without a tourist visa
Where is Sardinia and what is it like?
Sardinia is an island with three airports, at Alghero-Fertilia, Olbia and Cagliari-Elmas. Barumini is in the province of Sud Sardegna, Laconi lies in the center of the island, and Asinara National Park is on the northwestern tip.
The landscape changes from one area to the next. Laconi sits in a wooded zone called Sarcidano, the Giara plateau rises sharply to 1,804 feet (550 meters), and the ancient city of Tharros lies between the sea and the ponds. On Asinara the west coast plunges with sea stacks, while the east slopes gently with sand and rocks.
History is easy to read here. Phoenician colonists founded Tharros at the end of the 8th century BC, and the Romans conquered it in 238-237 BC. Asinara was a quarantine station, then a prisoner of war camp, and lastly a maximum-security prison before it became a national park in 1997.
Where to go in Sardinia
Cagliari
The airport is 10 minutes from the city, and from the port you reach the center directly, with the train and bus stations and car rental services nearby. The tourist office is on the ground floor of the Town Hall, via Roma 145.
Green space sits inside the city. Monte Claro Park is in the center, Bonaria Park is on Via Ravenna next to the Bonaria Monumental Cemetery, and the Park of the Rings overlooks the seafront of the Sant’Elia district.
Barumini
Barumini is the home of Su Nuraxi, an archaeological area listed as UNESCO World Heritage. The nuragic complex has been on the list since 1997.
Casa Zapata is a 16th-century noble palace with the nuraghe Nuraxi ‘e Cresia under its floor. The Centro Giovanni Lilliu hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions of international level.
Asinara
Asinara is a national park of five thousand hectares on the northwestern tip of the island. The east coast has beaches and gentle slopes, and the west coast has sea stacks.
Boats leave from Porto Nuovo at Stintino and from Porto Torres. Stintino was founded in 1885 by the community that was forced to leave Asinara.
Tharros and the Sinis
Tharros was the first capital of the giudicato d’Arborea. It lies in the Sinis landscape, between the sea and the ponds.
The city was abandoned in 1070. Today the archaeological area offers guided tours and a bookshop.
Laconi, Sadali and Isili
Laconi has the Aymerich park, which covers 22 hectares (about 54 acres), and its truffle festival takes place every June. Sadali is about an hour by road from Laconi. Its waterfall, Su Stampu de su Turrunu, is 52 feet (16 meters) high.
What is there to do in Sardinia?
Su Nuraxi di Barumini and the nuragic past
The Su Nuraxi archaeological area can only be visited with a guided tour. Tours leave every 30 minutes and last about 1 hour. The site is open every day of the year.
One ticket covers Su Nuraxi, Casa Zapata and the Centro Giovanni Lilliu, guided tours included. The Casa Zapata and Lilliu tours last about 30 minutes each and also leave every 30 minutes. Visits are offered in Italian, English and French.
Wear comfortable clothing and non-slip shoes. Animals are not admitted, except guide dogs by reservation.
Asinara National Park
Admission to the park is free. Trails cover five thousand hectares and can be explored by mountain bike, on horseback, in an off-road vehicle or by tourist train.
The beaches have soft sand and clear water: Cala dei Ponzesi, Cala Sabina and Cala Sant’Andrea. A shipwreck lies opposite the pier of Cala Reale. The Asinara donkey is the symbol of the park, and the marine protected area dates from 2002.
The island holds 678 plant species, 29 of them native. Since the crossing starts from Stintino or Porto Torres, plan the day around the boat times.
Cagliari’s castle, parks and Nuragica
The Castle of San Michele stands at Via Sirai – via Cinquini. It was offered to Berengar Carroz in 1327 and served as a hospital during the black plague in 1652. Today it hosts exhibitions, lectures and cultural events.
Monte Urpinu Park suits families, picnics and strolls, and its main entrance is on Via Pietro Leo. Monte Claro Park has paths for walking and jogging and hosts events in summer. The botanical garden covers five hectares and was founded in 1866 by Patrizio Gennari.
Nuragica, at via Roma 191, is a multimedia and sensory museum experience on the Nuragic people, on the same street as the tourist office.
Beaches: Li Cossi, Cala Drappo, is Solinas and Cala Goloritzè
Li Cossi has fine golden sand among pink rocks. Cala Drappo is a semicircle of light stones and pebbles.
The beach of is Solinas is a stretch of fine white sand scented by juniper and Aleppo pines. Cala Goloritzè was voted ‘the most beautiful beach in the world’.
For history, Barumini and Tharros come first. Families will like the Monte Urpinu picnics and Asinara’s free admission. Beach swimmers will find coves to choose from. Travelers who like to wander freely will find Su Nuraxi less flexible, since it is guided tours only.
How do you get to Sardinia and get around?
Three airports serve the island. Alghero-Fertilia is 10 minutes from Alghero toward Sassari-Porto Torres, Olbia airport is south of Olbia, 10 minutes from the center, and Cagliari-Elmas is 10 minutes from Cagliari, with public and private transport.
Ships dock at Arbatax, a typical fishing village, and at Golfo Aranci, only 20 minutes from Olbia. At Olbia they dock at Isola Bianca, a 5-minute walk from the seafront. At Porto Torres they can dock at the ASI quay, about 1 mile (1.5 km) west of the port.
On the ground, Nuoro is linked to the rail network by a bus-train service via Abbasanta station. Weekdays have 16 daily connections between Nuoro and Cagliari, and holidays have eight, with journeys of 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 55 minutes. Sadali can be visited with the Trenino Verde on a guided excursion.
With a rental car, remember that Cagliari has six limited traffic zones: Poetto, Castello, Marina, Stampace basso, Stampace alto and Villanova. Ask the rental company about them before driving into the center.
When should you go to Sardinia?
June and September suit swimming and sightseeing together. In Cagliari, June has highs of 84°F (29°C) and the sea is near 70°F, while September has highs of 83°F (28°C) and a sea near 76°F.
July and August bring highs of 89°F (32°C) and 90°F (32°C) with almost no rain.
What to know before visiting Sardinia
According to the U.S. State Department, U.S. citizens can stay in Italy for 90 days without a tourist or business visa.
- Passports must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen area. A 6-month validity is recommended, with 2 blank pages for the entry stamp.
- You will need proof of sufficient funds and a return plane ticket.
- Italy has a 10,000 euro currency limit, or equivalent, on both entry and exit.
- The travel advisory for Italy is Level 2, Exercise increased caution, issued September 10, 2026, due to terrorism.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to get important updates and alerts from the U.S. embassy or consulate. Buying travel insurance before you go is also highly recommended.
Sources
- ncei.noaa.gov (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/wmo-climate-normals), checked 2026-10-30
- sardegnaturismo.it (https://www.sardegnaturismo.it/en/explore/asinara-national-park), checked 2026-10-30
- italia.it (https://www.italia.it/fr/sardaigne/que-faire/la-sardaigne-au-dela-des-plages-laconi–sadali-et-isili), checked 2026-10-30
- travel.state.gov (https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/italy.html), checked 2026-10-30
- fondazionebarumini.it (https://www.fondazionebarumini.it/biglietti-e-orari/), checked 2026-10-30
- cagliariturismo.comune.cagliari.it (https://cagliariturismo.comune.cagliari.it/index.php/en/node?page=23), checked 2026-10-30
- sardegnaturismo.it (https://www.sardegnaturismo.it/es/organiza/como-llegar-cerdena?language=ru), checked 2026-10-30
- cagliariturismo.comune.cagliari.it:443 (https://cagliariturismo.comune.cagliari.it:443/en/vivicagliari/castle-san-michele), checked 2026-10-30