Northeast Sardinia, Italy Travel Guide
Hi friend! Welcome to another travel guide. Sardinia was the last “big” destination on Tyler’s and my list of places within Italy we needed to visit during our time living here. It was a short trip, but well worth it!
This is a bit smaller of a travel guide as opposed to my usual ones, but I hope this helps for any pit stops or quick trips to the Northeast side of the island! If you’re looking for guidance on some more stops along your Italian adventures, check out a few other of my guides:
Anyway, let’s get into it shall we!
If you’re looking for the most crystal blue waters, and stunning natural landscapes, you’ve come to the right island.
Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian) is an island located directly east of the Rome/Amalfi coast area.
There are so many beautiful destinations to discover on the island, a long weekend just isn’t enough. We had about four days in the Northeastern area, often referred to as the Costa Smeralda” coastline, known for its turquoise water and gorgeous beaches. There are a few main towns in this area, but we opted to stay in Porto Cervo - a more upscale side of the island known for its luxury shopping and marinas.
Ideally, you would like to have at least 8-10 days with a rental car to explore the entirety of the island. Just like Italy is full of vastly different cities and villages to explore - from the charming Amalfi Coast, to the picturesque Puglia, the rural and naturally beautiful Tuscany, and the most historical like Rome and Venice. Sardinia has much to offer. The north is known for its impressive beaches with rocky coves and bays to explore, while the south is much more lush and green with long stretches of sandy beaches. The south is a bit less popular to visit so might be the perfect place for a relaxing getaway, while the north is much more frequently visited with upbeat and trendy towns to explore.
We unfortunately planned this trip a little too late (umm, hello year after covid when the ENTIRE WORLD is traveling to Italy…lol!), so we weren’t able to find a car that wasn’t being listed on the black market (that was a joke but also how it felt hehe). So we only stayed around the Porto Cervo area where we could walk most places or find short taxi rides.
If you find yourself in Northeast Sardinia I have some AMAZING recommendations for you!
Let’s get into it shall we?!
Where we ate:
Guys. Gals. When I tell you we nailed it in the restaurant department, I mean we NAILED it, okay?
Restaurants we visited for dinner:
Ristorante Pacifico Rosemary Porto Cervo - If you want incredible food with a breath taking view, this is the place to be. From the menu, to the service, to the atmosphere, it was an absolute 10/10. Get the tuna tar tar tacos with a costa 62 cocktail and thank me later.
A quick little funny story for you my friends. You’ll see down below that we weren’t able to track down a rental car for this trip. When it came down to the time we needed to head to Rosemary for dinner, we looked up how far it would be to walk. Google maps showed 2 routes, one 20 minutes, the other around 30. Easy right?! The boys chose the quicker 20 minute route, with the caveat of needing to follow a trail through a bit of nature. They INSISTED there would be an easy to follow trail for us girls in our cute outfits and non-walking shoes! Welp, a good 20 minutes into our “quick walk to dinner” we ran into a swap. A literal swap!! The boys insisted the trail would open up, and it sure did, into another swap…oh my lanta!
A good two wrong turns later and a swamp dead end we found ourselves 30 minutes late and popping out onto the road that was, in fact, right in front of our hotel where we started! I’m laughing just thinking about it!
So if your husband wants you to walk to this restaurant, don’t get in the taxi and spare yourself from being 45 minutes late like us!! But it was a good memory to say the least!
CUE Churrascaria Porto Cervo - This was an accidental find when our original plan to eat at the hotel fell through. It is what I might call serendipity at its finest my friends. This was my veery first Brazilian BBQ, which maybe you would skip on your trip to Italy, but if you find yourself starving after an 8 hour sailing cruise around the islands reading to be a bottomless pit with a trendy (and once again gorgeous) vibe, then this is it. The cinnamon pineapple for dessert was quite possibly life changing.
Pedri Garden Restaurant - Once again, the atmosphere just can’t be beat. Featuring their well-recognized seafood menu, and a gorgeous garden seating atmosphere with a gorgeous view of the sunset on the marina - you will absolutely love it.
Al Pescatore, QuattroPassi - The most perfect restaurant for a celebration. Tyler and I were celebrating an anniversary on our last night in Sardinia so we decided to find somewhere special for dinner. With their seating situated right over the water and once again delicious Sardinian style Italian food it was the most perfect decision for this occasion. I highly recommend the truffle pasta and the pumpkin cream with cod bites.
Restaurants for Lunch:
Elit Promenade Cafe - We stopped here for lunch in the middle of our shopping day. Their menu was full of delicious dishes, it was hard to choose! Not to mention it’s so conveniently located right across from La Pasqualina - a delicious gelato shop!
Bars:
Zamira Lounge - if you’re looking to have a drink with a view, this is the place to go.
Nikki Beach - if you’re looking to go somewhere trendy along the marina filled with the most gorgeous yachts, this is it. A bit pricier, but a really fun atmosphere for some after dinner drinks.
What we did:
Our first day after arriving mid-morning, we indulged in a nice afternoon poolside lounge.
But the following day we headed out on a sailboat for 8 hours to discover the many beautiful coves and bays that Costa Smeralda is so widely known for, including the island of La Maddalena. We stopped at a few beach spots all throughout the northeastern coast, but if you’d like you can take a ferry from the mainland to the infamous island of La Maddalena for a day if you’re not interested in a full-day boat adventure. Either way, you have to explore the gorgeous beaches of the coastline!
For the boat day, we used the website clickandboat.com which I have experienced a couple of times and they never disappoint.
Along with exploring the beaches, a day of popping in and out of the luxury and boutique shopping in the center of town is also a must. We spent a full afternoon of shopping, lunch, and gelato.
If you are able to find a rental car, I’d definitely head out to explore some of the neighboring towns in the north like Olbia, Poltu Quatu, Alghero, and Castelsardo.
Getting Around:
There is an extensive bus system throughout the island as well as taxi services, however, I’d highly recommend a rental car. Taxis are easy to come by, but expect to pay a bit higher prices than the rest of Italy if you’re visiting during peak summer season (June - August).
Where to Stay:
A few hotels I had saved to stay are:
And that’s it folks. I hope you enjoyed yet another travel blog. As always, I actually have a“travel hacks” highlight where I explain how to use google maps to save places that you want to visit in the future, whether you have a trip planned or not! Click here to view that, go through these places and be sure to save your favorites! I’d love to hear which ones you end up going to! Never hesitate to DM me on Instagram or shoot me an email here, I love hearing from you!
Until next time, XO,
Di