10 Days in Sardinia – 3 First-Class Itinerary Ideas!

Angela Corrias in Tharros Sardinia

Angela Corrias

If you ask me, I would say that ten days in Sardinia is the very minimum you should plan to stay on the island.

In 10 days in Sardinia, you will be able to see a few towns and enjoy some local experience, but due to the distances, my advice is to plan very well and to narrow down what you really don’t want to miss. This way, you will avoid wasting time and missing chances.

Ideally, before reaching the island, you should have a clear idea on what’s your itinerary and the opening hours of the attractions and restaurants you want to visit. Ten days might seem a long time, but trust me, in Sardinia time flies because the towns are far from each other and there are just so many things to see and do.

Of course, your planning also needs to take into account the local festivals because some are so beautiful and traditional, you won’t want to miss them!

If you need help crafting a perfect Sardinia itinerary, check out my custom travel services!

Image: Bosa town to visit in 10 days in Sardinia.

Planning tips for 10 days in Sardinia

  • Decide what to do. First of all, get an idea of what you would like to do in Sardinia and what type of holiday you are looking for. This will depend very much on the season you are traveling. In summer, in fact, you are likely to hit the beaches since it will be very hot for long sightseeing, while in winter, you won’t be able to swim since it’s too cold.
  • Pick a base. Next, pick an area or a city where you are going to stay. North? South? Center? Each area has its characteristics and personality.
  • Rent a car. Unless you are staying in a single city or visiting towns with train stations, renting a car in Sardinia is quite necessary.
  • Decide how long to stay. Finally, you need to decide how many days you want/can stay. This will depend on how much holiday you have and how many other regions you want to visit in Italy.

Angela, are two or three days enough in Sardinia?

Oddly enough, I get this question a lot. This, however, shows that many people ignore that Sardinia is a large island, that if they are based in the south, they can’t really go for a day trip all the way to the north, and that there are so many places to see that it’s a waste to stay only a day or two.

One more thing to consider is that Sardinia is an island, so you can’t really get there by train from Rome or Milan. You can either reach Sardinia by ferry or by plane, and each of these modes of transport takes quite some time. Spending the whole night on the ferry and then staying in Sardinia for two days doesn’t quite make sense.

So, let’s see what we can do in ten days in Sardinia!

Image: Cathedral of Cagliari to visit in 10 days in Sardinia.

10 days in Sardinia – Southern Sardinia itinerary

There are so many things to do and places to visit in southern Sardinia after landing in Cagliari with your flight. Here we are going to see just an itinerary idea

Cagliari – 3 days

Cagliari is Sardinia’s regional capital and many flights land there. If you booked your flight for Cagliari, I suggest spending here some three days to get a taste of the city and the island’s history.

You can visit the old Castello quarter, and the Archaeological Museum, and stroll around its port and the beautiful Via Roma.

Check out Cagliari’s hotels

Nora/Pula – 2 days

Pula is a beautiful town south of Sardinia and the important archaeological site of Nora is right next to it. If you are in Sardinia in summer, this is also an area with beautiful beaches such as Santa Margherita di Pula and Chia.

Image: Nora in south Sardinia.

Carloforte/Sant’Antioco – 3 days

Carloforte is a beautiful San Pietro island town facing the southern western coast of Sardinia. It’s located right next to the Sant’Antioco island and you will love spending two or even three days here.

You can wander around the towns and bounce from beach to bay for a swim, especially in the warm season.

Find hotels in Carloforte

Carbonia/Buggerru – 2 days

After relaxing on the islands of Carloforte and Sant’Antioco, you can make your way to Carbonia and visit the old mine that’s not operative anymore but it’s open to visitors.

This area of the Sulcis is one of the poorest in Sardinia and in Italy as a whole. Visiting it, however, is very interesting because it’s where many of the former mines were and so the miners’ villages and settlements.

Of course, there are many places to visit here if you are interested in the island’s industrial archaeology, but in ten days in Sardinia, there’s so much you can do, especially if you also want to include other towns and some beaches.

Find hotels in Carbonia

Image: Mine in Carbonia to visit in ten days in Sardinia.

10 days in Sardinia – Western Sardinia itinerary

Western Sardinia is quite large, but this itinerary idea will focus mainly on the northwestern part. This is a great itinerary if you are landing in Alghero as this is also the first city I suggest visiting.

Alghero – 2 days

Alghero is a popular destination in Sardinia and even though its main attractions can be visited in two days, if you can, I suggest extending your stay for a day or even two so that you can take some day trips.

Around the town of Alghero and not far by car, you will find fantastic archaeological sites, beautiful sea grottoes, and lovely towns and beaches.

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Stintino – 2 days

Stintino is a small beach town where I suggest spending two days particularly if you are in Sardinia in the warm season, either summer or late spring, or even early fall.

This is because it’s the town of the famous La Pelosa beach where I’m sure you will want to spend at least one day if you are looking into some swimming and relaxing time. But also because from Stintino you can organize a visit to the Parco Nazionale dell’Asinara.

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Sassari – 2 days

On your way to Sassari from Stintino, you can stop at the archaeological site of Monte d’Accoddi before heading to the provincial capital where I suggest staying at least for two days.

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Castelsardo – 2 days

In two days in Castelsardo, you can relax and enjoy this beautiful beach town by exploring this medieval stronghold, its museum, and its churches. Castelsardo is famous for its Easter rituals so if you are during these religious festivities, you might even stretch your stay a bit longer.

Once in Castelsardo, you can also take some day trips to see the famous elephant-shaped rock, the Coghinas Lake, and a day out in Santa Teresa di Gallura.

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Olbia – 2 days

Ideally, you can finish your 10 days in Sardinia with a short city break in Olbia. The perfect getaway to the Costa Smeralda, Olbia is a vibrant town with a lovely historic center and seafront promenade.

Enjoy the local landmarks and the traditional cuisine, and take a day out to see the beautiful beaches surrounding the area before flying out from the same Olbia International Airport.

Find hotels in Olbia

Image: Bosa town to visit in ten days in Sardinia.

10 days in Sardinia – Central Sardinia itinerary

Just like the other macro-areas I’m taking as a base for these 10-day Sardinia itinerary ideas, also the central region is very large so in such a short time, you will need to narrow down the areas you want to visit.

Oristano – 3 days

While I would say to visit Oristano you need one day, the city is a perfect base to explore the surroundings.

This is why I would suggest at least three days here so that you can see neighboring towns within a short drive from there and you don’t have to change hotel every day. Of course, if it’s around Carnival time, chances are you will want to stick around longer and see the beautiful celebrations.

From Oristano, you can easily plan a day out to see the archaeological site of Tharros and the sacred well and nuragic site of Santa Cristina near the town of Paulilatino.

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Bosa – 3 days

If you are in Sardinia in summer, you would probably want to stay longer in Bosa because it’s a lovely beach town.

For the sake of sightseeing, we stick to three days so that apart from enjoying the colorful historic center, its landmarks, and the delicious cuisine, you can also take some day trips such as to the town of Tinnura for its gorgeous street art.

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Ghilarza – 2 days

The town of Ghilarza is home to the house museum of Italian politician Antonio Gramsci and is a great base in central Sardinia to visit local towns and many landmarks such as the Nuraghe Losa archaeological site and the manmade Omodeo Lake.

Find accommodation in Ghilarza

Olbia or Alghero – 2 days

The last two days of your ten days in central Sardinia can be spent either in Olbia or Alghero, depending on where you are flying out from. This because I’m assuming for this trip, you landed in Cagliari.

Either cities, Olbia or Alghero, are great places to spend two days, packed with landmarks and restaurants for you to enjoy a bit of Sardinian dolce vita.

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Image: Taking the ferry to Sardinia from Civitavecchia Rome

About The Author: Angela Corrias

Hi, my name is Angela Corrias. I am an Italian journalist and travel writer born and bred in Sardinia, an island off the coast of Italy. After having traveled around the world and having lived overseas for more than a decade, I decided it was time to go back home to Italy and show the beauty of my country to the world. Follow me as I show you the best of Sardinia - from its crystal clear waters and pristine beaches to its delicious food and wine, to its fascinating history and culture.

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