With this itinerary you will spend 10 days in Sardinia, in the south west coast of the island. You will discover beautiful seaside locations, through wild and less known areas of the hinterland.
10 days in Sardinia from Cagliari
Like other of our itineraries, this one too starts from Cagliari, the charming capital of Sardinia, and continues towards the Sulcis and the south west coast.
From Cagliari to the Iglesiente
On the first of our 10 days in Sardinia trip, we will move inland through forests and solitary areas. After taking the S.S. 130 towards Iglesias, near Siliqua we will take the S.S. 293 towards Giba. On the left, you can see the castle of Acquafredda, whose construction is due to the famous Pisan nobleman Ugolino Della Gherardesca. It is worth remembering that the life of Count Ugolino became famous thanks to the verses of Dante Alighieri in the Divine Comedy.
From Wednesday to Sunday, the most curious can book a guided tour of the castle a few days in advance by contacting the Società Cooperativa Antarias. Antarias Cooperative manages this important fortified medieval structure.
Further on, through forests and very picturesque stretches of Mediterranean vegetation, we reach the village of Acquacadda and then the village of Nuxis. Nuxis is a famous village in Sardinia for the great variety and availability of mushrooms in its surroundings. Returning on the S.S. 293, we reach Giba, Sant’Anna Arresi and finally Porto Pino, the first pearl of our trip in the south western of Sardinia.
Porto Pino, one of the pearl of your 10 days in Sardinia
Our second day starts right at Porto Pino, whose beach, about four kilometers long, is divided into two parts by an old ‘intake’ for the ponds: the first and the second beach.
Porto Pinofirst beach, not far from the parking lot of the place, is characterized by gray sand. The second beach, set between lagoons and pine forest, is instead formed by wonderful white sand and borders with the amazing Is Arenas Biancas. Forbidden for the public until a few years ago, this is a fascinating area of soft and high sandy hills which reach up to thirty meters in height.
From Porto Pino, after taking the road towards Sant’Anna Arresi, at Is Pillonis we will take the provincial road 73 towards S. Giovanni Suergiu and then reach Sant’Antioco. Here we will spend the second night of our itinerary.
Sant’Antioco beaches
The third day of our south west coast of Sardinia itinerary is entirely dedicated to the visit of Sant’Antioco and its beaches. The homonymous town centre has some very interesting archaeological sites. Here you will find pre-Christian catacombs, a Punic necropolis and the tophet, a sacred place in the religious practices of the Phoenicians and Punic. A tour of the site by specialized guides will be comprehensive and engaging. Exploring the island will lead us to discover places that are not very popular but of great beauty such as, on the west coast, the beaches of Cala Lunga and Cala Sapone.
Heading south, we will arrive at Capo Sperone and then, following the road that runs along the east coast of Sant’Antioco, at Maladroxia village with its beautiful, uncrowded and unspoiled beach.
On the fourth and fifth day, it is impossible not to visit the famous Island of San Pietro and its most important town, Carloforte. To reach it, it is necessary to go to the beautiful Calasetta, the northern tip of the island of Sant’Antioco and embark on one of the frequent ferries to Carloforte.
The island of Carloforte
Exploring the island of Carloforte will be an unforgettable experience: to fully enjoy this fantastic “island within the island” and visit all its attractions, we recommend a stopover of at least two nights. Carloforte exploration includes a visit to the north of the tuna trap island, near La Punta, with a view of the small Isola Piana. The nearby Capo Sandalo, in the west, has a scenic square on the coastline below. The island is mainly rocky but the beach La Caletta is certainly attractive, as well as the inlets of Cala Vinagra and Cala Fico.
Carloforte itself was originally Tabarchine, which influences the dialect, customs, occupations, architecture and the urban planning of the town itself. It is pleasant to visit the promenade, with the beautiful facades of the nineteenth-century buildings shaded by tall palms and oleanders. Among the culinary specialties, do not miss the tuna cooked here in many ways. Nearby, we can go to the “Guardia dei Mori”, a hill from which we can see the whole island with the Sardinian coast in the background.
Towards Masua: the Pan di Zucchero
On the sixth day, after returning to mainland Sardinia using the ferry to Portoscuso, we head north towards Iglesias and then Nebida. From the road, the views of Funtanamare, Masua and the rock called “Pan di Zuccero” will be unforgettable, until you reach the enchanting Cala Domestica.
A walk to the Spanish tower on the left side of the ridge will allow beautiful views over this bay. You will then reach Buggerru, an old mining center where you can stop for the night of the sixth of our 10 days in Sardinia.
The beaches on Sardinia’s Costa Verde
At the beginning of the seventh day, we will be in the southern part of the Costa Verde, which also has beautiful beaches. Moving north from Buggerru, we reach the large beach of Portixeddu, from where a secondary road leads to the wild promontory of Capo Pecora.
From here on, there are no roads to the north. Therefore, it will be necessary to head inland, along the winding S.S.126 towards Arbus, then provincial road 66 towards Ingurtosu and then descending towards the sea at Piscinas. Despite the challenging route to reach it, Piscinas will be a long remembered place. The transparency of the sea and the ever-present golden sand dunes will make this place unforgettable.
On the next day, we will continue to travel the Costa Verde towards the north, stopping in the beautiful Portu Maga, Gutturu e Flumini, Funtanazza and, above all, Torre dei Corsari, adorned with sand dunes. We will stop for the night near the beach of Pistis, an endless expanse of 1.5 km of golden sand hills, shaped by an exceptional sculptor, the mistral.
The ninth day is when we return to Cagliari through Sant’Antonio di Santadi, Pabillonis and S. Gavino before joining the fast S.S. 131.
Cagliari and its beauties
Cagliari is the regional capital, a year-round lively tourist city that will surprise you with its historic centre and its monuments. Not to be missed is a visit to the Marina and Castello, where you can spend the evening in one of the typical clubs and restaurants of the old town.
The tenth and last day will be dedicated to exploring the beaches surrounding the city of Cagliari. An excellent and original idea is to rent a Sup at Poetto to visit, preferably with a local guide, the stacks of the Sella del Diavolo. This excursion, still little known, will make you discover a real city paradise! The cliff overhanging the crystal clear waters is a hidden treasure to envy at much more famous and crowded places on the island!
In this hidden paradise of the city of Cagliari, our 10 days in Sardinia trip ends, just a few kilometers from the city airport!
Why not travel 10 days in Sardinia by campervan?
One of the best ways to fully enjoy the trip we have proposed to you is certainly by camper. Furthermore, did you know that with Yep Campers, is possible to pick up and return the campervan in the city of Cagliari? This way, you can start and finish your journey a few steps from the airport, or at the airport itself, dedicating the arrival and departure days to explore the capital of Sardinia
