The 15 Best Beaches in Sardinia
Sardinia is rightly considered a paradise for sea lovers. Some coves can only be reached on foot and coves can only be reached by boat. Some of the most beautiful and well-known beaches are popular in the high season. Other beaches, equally beautiful, are little frequented even in the height of summer.
But which are the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia? Along its 1897 km coastline, you will find landscapes of all kinds: wonderful inlets, dream waters, nature reserves and the green of the Mediterranean scrub, long stretches of soft white sand, and spectacular dunes.
The beaches of Sardinia are so many and so different from each other that the choice is difficult. Here are listed the most beautiful ones, those that absolutely deserve a stop on your trip. This is a journey from north to south of Sardinia to discover the most beautiful stretches of its coast.
La Pelosa Beach – Stintino – Sassari
Located in the Gulf of Asinara, in the extreme north-western tip of Sardinia, La Pelosa beach is only 2 km from the small town of Stintino, among the Faraglioni of Capo Falcone, the Piana island and the Asinara island, which is the background to this spectacular landscape.
It is an inevitable stop among the beautiful beaches in Sardinia because it is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Italy and Europe.
La Pelosa is a real paradise in front of the wild island of Asinara, at the foot of Capo Falcone; its sand is extraordinarily white and fine, and its transparent waters.
The seabed, then, is very low, with the water that reaches the ankles for tens of meters. In front of the beach is an islet with a 16th-century tower, making the landscape suggestive. The tower is the symbol of La Pelosa, reachable on foot after passing through another delightful cove: La Pelosetta.
Spiaggia del Principe– Arzachena – Olbia
This small beach is often considered the most beautiful of Costa Smeralda and one of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia. Its name is linked to Prince Aga Khan, who frequented this sea corner.
From Porto Cervo, you reach Cala di Volpe, and before reaching Capriccioli, take the crossroads to the left for Romazzino. After about 1.4 km, take a dead-end road downhill until you reach a short mule track, which in 10 minutes on foot, leads to the beach.
The small beach has very fine sand bordered by rocks and surrounded by Mediterranean scrub. The color and clarity of this sea are due to the seabed made of sand and granite. This stretch of shallow sea is emerald green, light blue, turquoise, and blue. The beach is very crowded in the high season.
Budelli Pink Beach- La Maddalena Archipelago – Olbia
Budelli Island is located just south of Razzoli and Santa Maria, the two archipelago islands closest to the Bocche di Bonifacio.
It has a coastal development of 12 kilometers and an uncontaminated territory of 25 hectares, inhabited by a single person: the caretaker. From Mount Budello (87 meters) the view is breathtaking: granite cliffs that hide coves of fine sand and intense blue sea.
Located in the southern part of the wild island of Budelli, the beach derives its name from the pink color it takes on thanks to microscopic fragments of corals and shells. The surrounding waters are emerald in color.
The beach is accessible only from the sea and can only be visited with authorized park guides. Budelli is an island protected by severe landscape and environmental constraints.
You will not be able to stop for long on the pink sand that made it famous, but it is allowed to visit the island and photograph it through a guided tour accompanied by the Park guides.
Cala Brandinchi- San Teodoro – Olbia
In Cala Brandinchi, located in the Marine Protected Area of Tavolara, the pine forest surrounds a white beach with turquoise waters.
The green of the pine forest and Mediterranean scrub is made even more intense by the extraordinary colors of the sea that remind us of Polynesia.
The air is perfumed by the spicy aromas of thyme, myrtle, and rosemary, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Defined as small Tahiti, it is one of the most popular beaches in northern Sardinia.
In the low season, this stretch of coast gives its maximum splendor, especially from September to June, with the enchanting vegetation, the fine white sand, and the transparency of the sea.
Rena Majori – Aglientu – Olbia
Rena Majori is located in the almost homonymous resort of Rena Majore, in the territory of Aglientu, an integral part of the naturalistic site of Monti Russu, and it is just eight kilometers from Santa Teresa Gallura.
Wind, water, and time have shaped Rena Majori, with its very light sandy beach surrounded by dark rocks, granite rocks, and soft dunes with luxuriant vegetation.
A dense pine forest behind the beach also offers shelter on the sultry summer days. The coast is rarely very crowded. The sea creates, among the rocks, small pools ideal for children.
The Rena Majori seabed is suitable for swimming for less experienced people and is rich in fish; it is an ideal destination for diving and snorkeling enthusiasts.
For the most romantic people, do not miss long walks on the seashore during the spectacular sunsets. Large parking and the camping and beach equipment rental complete the offer of this place.
Cala Spinosa- Santa Teresa di Gallura – Olbia
Small and unspoiled, secluded and quiet, the wonderful Cala Spinosa occupies the northern part of the promontory of Capo Testa, near the lighthouse of the Bocche di Bonifacio, four kilometers from the town of Santa Teresa Gallura, a famous tourist destination.
You get here after walking steep paths, but the wait and the effort are rewarded: this beach is truly wonderful. The scenery is suggestive and majestic: the cove is set among high rocky walls that overhang the sea, sheltered from the winds and surrounded by fragrant Mediterranean essences.
Its short and narrow beach is composed of sand of delicate gold color with medium grains, interspersed with pebbles and rocks. It is a small cove where you can take a refreshing bath in waters of a thousand colors, from blue to emerald.
The boulders of rock lap this lonely stretch of the coast and make Cala Spinosa one of the most interesting points for scuba diving lovers.
Porto Istana – Porto San Paolo – Olbia
The beach is located a short distance from Porto San Paolo, south of Olbia. Its sand is very white, and the sea is emerald. Located in front of the island of Tavolata, it is a destination for many fans of diving and surfers.
The bay of Porto Istana rises at the foot of Capo Ceraso, a granite promontory in the hamlet of Murta Maria within the gulf (and territory) of Olbia, from which it is about twenty minutes away by car.
The beach is connected to Olbia with a bus service, is accessible to the disabled, and has ample parking and beach equipment rental. Around, there are hotels, tourist villages, restaurants, and bars.
The bay is a collection of four beaches separated by small rocky bands. The beach is made up of fine, white sand that slopes gently towards the emerald colors of its waters, which is why it is particularly suitable for swimming, especially for children.
The coves, beaten by the wind, are also a destination for those who practice sailing and windsurfing.
Cala Mariolu – Baunei – Ogliastra
Cala Mariolu is a pearl of the Gulf of Orosei, in the central-eastern coast of Sardinia; one of the most beautiful beaches in Italy where you can spend unforgettable moments. Its name derives from the presence in this area of the monk seal.
The cove has a low seabed, characterized by white and pink pebbles lapped by transparent water. The sea is striking for the infinite shades of emerald green and blue.
The crag surrounding it reaches 500 meters in height. It falls sheer above the water, making Cala Mariolu accessible from the ground only through a demanding trek in the middle of a dense Mediterranean scrub.
The shallow water deserves diving for those who want to explore it in depth: it is a habitat of various species. Sometimes dolphins can also be seen. Instead, you can spot the peregrine falcon, the cormorant, and the golden eagle outside the water.
Cala Goloritzé – Baunei – Ogliastra
Cala Goloritzé, absolutely unspoiled and wild, is a priceless jewel declared a Natural Monument of the Sardinia Region.
It is located in the southern part of the Gulf of Orosei and is certainly the most famous beach.
Born from a landslide, the cove is famous for the almost 150 meters pinnacle above it, particularly loved by climbers. The beach, made of small white pebbles and sand, can be reached by sea or by a path that reaches the beach from the Golgo Plateau.
The transparent water has a depth of about 30 meters and has a slightly colder temperature than the other coves due to the presence of streams of ice water from the nearby river. A wild cove where there are no beach services.
Su Giudeu- Chia – Cagliari
Su Giudeu beach is located about 2 km from the town of Chia, and together with the beaches of Colonia, Porto Campana, and S’Acqua Durci, Su Giudeu beach enjoys a very long coastline with white sand, a wonderful sea, and very high dunes covered with junipers.
It is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the Mediterranean: very long, very clear sand and an intense blue sea. Surrounded by dunes up to 20 meters high. Near the coast, there is the islet of Su Giudeu: a huge rock on which, in spring, goats usually graze. And it owes its name just to this islet, only 150 meters from the shore.
The islet of Su Giudeu can be reached partly by walking on the sandy bottom that sometimes emerges completely from the water and partly by swimming for a few tens of meters. From above the islet, you can admire the panorama of the Chia coast.
Punta Molentis – Villasimius – Cagliari
Punta Molentis beach is located in the South-East coast between Villasimius and Costa Rei and owes its name to the donkeys (“on molenti”) used for the extraction of granite, abundant in this area.
With its fine white sand, spectacular remains of nuraghe behind it, and a wonderful sea, Punta Molentis is now part of the Capo Carbonara Marine Protected Area.
The cove, about 6 km from Villasimius, is a little frequented place to be discovered.
The crystal clear sea creates a beautiful color that varies from light emerald green to turquoise and to blue.
The beach is quite sheltered from the wind and surrounded by a dense and flourishing Mediterranean scrub.
On the promontory overlooking the Punta Molentis beach once stood a Nuraghe whose remains are today visible and where you can admire a splendid panorama.
Tuerredda
Teulada – Cagliari
Tuerredda Beach is located in an inlet between Capo Malfatano and Capo Spartivento on the south coast of Sardinia, a few km from Chia and about 50 km from Cagliari.
This is the ideal place for long and relaxing swims, thanks to its crystal clear sea, with always quite high temperatures. It is certainly one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Something unique and rare beauty. Particularly because it is formed by a very suggestive inlet that overlooks a sea-colored in all shades of blue: from turquoise to deeper blue to emerald green, recalling the Caribbean beaches.
The fine white sand is suitable for those who love relaxation and families due to the presence of not-too-deep waters.
It is possible to swim to the islet about 100 meters from the beach, where there is a small tower (hence the name “Tuerredda”).
Porto Giunco
Villasimius – Cagliari
Porto Giunco Beach is located a short distance from the town of Villasimus, about 45 km from Cagliari. The beach is surrounded by a eucalyptus forest leading to a tropical sea with a long sandy coast. It is a small paradise to explore.
The crystal sea is so clear and transparent that it resembles a typical Caribbean beach. Its waters are a pale blue, attracting numerous advertisers who have made it an unparalleled backdrop for their commercials.
In the area, there is also the pond of Notteri, where it is possible to admire several specimens of pink flamingos who have chosen this place as a habitat.
Solanas
Sinnai – Cagliari
Solanas Beach is a marine paradise located in the homonymous hamlet in the municipality of Sinnai, a few kilometers from Cagliari and Villasimius.
Beaten by the wind every season and bathed by a clear and crystalline sea, Solanas Beach, nestled on the south coast of Sardinia, is the ideal destination for surfers and divers.
The beach, often caressed by a fragrant wind due to the imposing vegetation surrounding it, is characterized by a vast golden beach.
The water contains all the shades of green and blue colors and is impidious and gradually deep. To the east, at the base of Capo Boi, a small dune beautifies the landscape.
The nearby homonymous tourist area and refreshment points guarantee a comfortable and safe stay. At the same time, pedal boats, deck chairs, and umbrellas are available on the beach for a relaxing day.
Santa Giulia Beach
Castiadas – Cagliari
It is one of the most popular beaches in South-East Sardinia, in the municipality of Castiadas. The temperature of the water in the stretch of sea where the bottom is lower is mild enough, making it a real natural swimming pool.
The seabed slopes slowly: for this reason, it is one of the perfect beaches for families with children who love climbing and diving in shallow and transparent waters.
The beach is characterized by the presence of large, rather smooth granite rocks where you can climb, walk or sit and admire the transparency of these waters.
This beach seems to have been the favorite destination of a fisherman named Peppino, from which the name of this beach derives, known in fact as “Peppino’s rock.” Today that rock bears its name and delimits the beach border between the municipalities of Muravera and Castiadas.
Read also: Things to do in Cagliari.
