Sardinia in February is all about fun. While it’s one of the coldest months of the year, the weather doesn’t really reach extreme temperatures. This makes it perfect for exploring the inland, one of the best things you can do in Sardinia off-season.
Among the other things, in February in Sardinia, there are several Carnival celebrations worth attending, plenty of traditional dishes, especially the festive pastries, to try, and charming towns and historical sites to visit.
This guide is all about enjoying your winter trip to Sardinia and planning it to make it smooth and fun!
Sardinia weather in February
Together with January, February is one of the coldest months in Sardinia. The average temperatures range between 15°C (59°F) the highest during the day in Cagliari and 3°C (37°F) the lowest in Nuoro, which is one of the coldest cities in Sardinia.
February is less wet than November and December, but you can still expect some rainy days with an average of 6 days of showers. It’s possible that in some areas it snows, especially in the mountainous region of the Nuoro province.
Overall, however, February also sees many sunny and clear days. This allows visitors to enjoy the Carnival celebrations, which are some of the events Sardinia is famous for.
Is February a good time to visit Sardinia?
I’m not a fan of the summer beach crowds so I think any month in winter and spring is a great time to travel to Sardinia.
February is a perfect time to visit Sardinia if you are traveling on a budget, for example. Being off-season, in fact, hotels, flights, ferries, and car rentals will be much cheaper than in July and August.
Carnival days are the probably most expensive time of the whole month. And also the busiest. During Carnival, especially in the places of the most famous festivals, you will definitely find big crowds.
Even though February is a cold month in Sardinia’s winter, it’s a perfect time to explore the inland. Walking around the villages is in fact much more pleasant in February than in the summer, when the unforgiving heat will only allow you to stay on the beach as close as possible to the water.
February in Sardinia 2024 – Festivals and important dates
- Valentine’s Day – February 14th. Valentine’s Day is not a holiday and schools, shops, and offices are open. Many restaurants will have themed dinner deals.
- Carnival – February 8th-13th. Carnival days are not holidays either and schools and offices are open. For security reasons, you might find some businesses or activities closed right where are the celebrations and parades, usually along Via del Corso.
- Ash Wednesday – February 14th. This is an important religious date because it marks the end of Carnival and the beginning of Lent, but it’s only celebrated with a Mass or with events in religious associations to welcome the 40 days before Easter.
Do you need an itinerary to explore Sardinia at your own pace? I create tailored itineraries to help you plan your trip!
What to do in Sardinia in February
Attend Carnival celebrations
This is one of the main reasons to visit Sardinia in February. Carnival in Sardinia is not as famous as Carnival in Venice, Viareggio, or even Ivrea, but there are a few places that, for this festival, attract thousands of visitors.
If you are planning to travel to Sardinia around this time of the year, the towns I suggest visiting to enjoy fantastic Carnival celebrations are Oristano for its Sartiglia, Mamoiada for the Mamuthones, Ottana for the Boes e Merdules, and Samugheo for its Mamutzones masquerades.
In all the festivals there will be parades and events such as horse races and dressing rituals. Visitors are always welcome to attend them all and also join the party with the locals. Fu is guaranteed for both children and adults.
Visit Cagliari
Cagliari is Sardinia’s capital and largest city and although it’s famous for its long and beautiful Poetto Beach, there are plenty of other things that are better to do in winter than under the summer sun.
For example, the oldest part of town known as Castello is a maze of winding alleys and old buildings that are best to be explored on foot. Plus, in Cagliari, the weather is never too cold to walk so as long as it’s not raining, you are good to go sightseeing around town.
Get romantic
It might not be as romantic as Rome or Venice, but you can plan a pretty sweet Valentine’s Day in Sardinia, too.
Isn’t the stunning coastline one of the things the island is famous for? Even though February is no swimming season, who said you can’t go for a romantic stroll on the beach, maybe for the sunset?
Some of the best sunsets in Sardinia? On the west coast on secluded beaches like S’Archittu!
Explore Sardinia’s archaeological sites
Fantastic archaeological sites are scattered all over the island and visiting them is one of the first things I suggest when someone asks me what to do in Sardinia in winter.
Whether you are visiting a Nuragic village, an ancient Punic town, or a giant’s tomb, these ancient sites are open-air. This is why it’s hard to visit them under the sun in the summer and it’s also why you should try to include them in your itinerary when it’s not raining.
Tuck into the festive sweets
With the Carnival, not only parades and horse races are in order. If you are in Sardinia in February, don’t miss the pastries typical of this festive month as they are delicious.
Zeppole, pasta violada, fatti fritti, and the Sardinian version of the Italian chiacchiere are only some of the Carnival sweets you can try on the island in this period. You will find them in all the bakeries and pastry shops but ask the locals to direct you to those making them according to the most authentic recipe.
Explore towns and villages
Apart from large cities and ancient ruins, winter is the perfect season to discover Sardinia’s villages and towns, especially those inland that are hardly on the map of summer visitors.
Visiting smaller towns is a great way to be closer to traditional Sardinia, to experience its way of living and society. Every village has its own character, traditions, history, dishes, and even costumes.
So if you go to Fordongianus, you will see a quaint stone town where the main attractions are the ancient Roman thermal baths and the modern ones built next to them. In Ghilarza, you can visit the house museum of Italian politician and co-founder of the Communist Party Antonio Gramsci, and in Seneghe, you can visit the nearby mount and enjoy delicious pastries.
Visit a museum
Many towns in Sardinian are home to great museums. The best way to spend your time if it’s raining, one of the museums I suggest visiting is the wonderful Museum Ethnographic in Nuoro known as Museo del Costume or Museum of Sardinian Life and Traditions.
Also in Nuoro is the fascinating exposition of the house of Literature Noblel Prize winner Grazia Deledda turned into a museum, while in Villanovaforru is a fantastic archaeological museum with the finds of the surrounding territory.
What to pack for Sardinia in February
- Travel documents. To travel to Sardinia, you will need the same documents you need for everywhere in Italy, so either passport or national ID depending on where you are from. A passport is needed to enter Italy if you are from outside the EU. Before traveling, make sure you check if you also need a visa.
- Umbrella. Sardinia in February is not very rainy, but you can always find some showers along the way. A lightweight foldable umbrella is a great idea because you never know where and when you’ll be caught under the rain and where you can buy one.
- Camera. To snap photos, I use my historical Nikon D7100 DSRL, without which I barely get out of the house. For videos, we are starting to use the wonderful Nikon Z6ii mirrorless soon to be attached to our new Zhiyun gimbal. For quick and easy pics and videos, we use out iPhones and their own gimbal. You can use whatever you feel more comfortable with as long as you keep in mind that you are going to take plenty of pictures!
- Crossbody bag/backpack. A light bag is helpful to carry around your valuables such as your phone, your camera, and your documents. It’s up to you whether you prefer a sling bag or a backpack.
- Skincare products. Make sure you pack the products of your usual skincare routine because these are usually not included in your hotel room.
- Nightwear. Hotels will certainly have the heating on, but I still recommend wearing a pajama or a nightgown indoor. Some high-end hotels will provide disposable slippers but not all of them so you might want to pack a pair from home.
- Walking winter shoes and/or ankle boots. These are necessary to keep your feet warm and protect you from possible rain.
- Socks or tights. Warm socks are necessary in winter in Sardinia. If you are wearing a skirt, make sure you wear tights.
- Warm underwear tops. Just because Sardinia is usually a beach destination, it’s often mistaken as a sort of “tropical” island. Well, it’s not. Winter in Sardinia is cold so pack whatever you need to keep warm, including underwear tops.
- Jumpers and sweaters. Depending on your style, jumpers or sweaters is what you are going to wear most often in Sardinia in February because this is what the weather requires.
- Warm trousers. Trousers will likely be what you will mainly wear when sightseeing in Sardinia in winter. Pick your favorite and most comfortable ones and you are good to go. If you are visiting Mamoiada for the Carnival, make sure you wear something very warm.
- Coat and/or winter jacket. February weather in Sardinia requires a heavy coat or winter jacket.
- Scarf, hat, and gloves. In February in Sardinia I always wear a scarf, many times also a hat and sometimes, mainly in the coldest areas, also gloves, especially if I go out at night.
What to book ahead for Sardinia in February
- Dinner on Valentine’s Day. February in Sardinia is generally a quiet month but when the most romantic day of the year approaches, it’s better to reserve a table in advance.
- Hotels. Even though February is a quiet month, Valentine’s Day and the days around Carnival are busy, especially in the most famous locations, and booking ahead is really mandatory.
- Flights and ferry. It’s always safer to book both international and domestic flights, as well as the ferry to Sardinia, ahead.
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