Aerial view of Porto Rotondo bay, Costa Smeralda — North Sardinia. Foto RENTAL12.
North Sardinia — Where to Stay, What to See, Which Region to Pick (2026 Guide)
Honest, owner-operator advice on the seven sub-regions of North Sardinia — from Costa Smeralda to Stintino — and how to pick the right base for your trip.
Quick Guide
North Sardinia covers roughly one third of the island and splits into seven sub-regions, with Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB) as the main gateway. You do not need to visit them all. Pick the right base by trip type: Olbia or Golfo Aranci for walkable old town + 14+ beaches inside 30 minutes, Costa Smeralda for day-trip glam, Stintino or Alghero only if you have ten days or more. RENTAL12 owner-operates 34 short-term apartments and villas in the Olbia and Golfo Aranci corridor.
On this page
- What is North Sardinia?
- The 7 sub-regions of North Sardinia
- Best beaches in North Sardinia (14 named)
- Where to stay in North Sardinia
- Things to do in North Sardinia
- North Sardinia vs South Sardinia
- How to get to & around North Sardinia
- When to visit North Sardinia
- Suggested itineraries (5, 7, 10 days)
- Frequently asked questions
What is North Sardinia?
Quick answer: North Sardinia is the top third of the island, covering the modern provinces of Sassari and the former Olbia–Tempio. It spans roughly 8,000 km² from Capo Testa in the north to the southern edges of Macomer, and contains seven distinct sub-regions, the Costa Smeralda, the La Maddalena Archipelago, and the island’s main airport at Olbia.
North Sardinia is one of the most geographically varied corners of the Mediterranean. From east to west you cross granite mountains, oak and cork forests, river valleys, vineyards on the Vermentino plateau, and finally a coastline that alternates between rocky inlets, long sandbars, and the iconic turquoise water that put the Costa Smeralda on the map in the 1960s.
Administratively, North Sardinia is split between the province of Sassari (the historical capital city in the north-west, plus Alghero, Stintino, Castelsardo and the Logudoro) and the area formerly known as Olbia–Tempio (Olbia, Costa Smeralda, Tempio Pausania, La Maddalena, San Teodoro, Budoni and the Gallura interior). For travellers, the cleanest mental model is the one we use below: seven sub-regions, each with a different personality and a different reason to visit.
The main gateway is Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB), served by every major European carrier in summer. Alghero Airport (AHO) on the west coast is a useful Ryanair alternative if you are heading to Stintino or Alghero, and Cagliari (CAG) in the south is only worth combining with North Sardinia on a ten-day-plus trip.
The 7 sub-regions of North Sardinia
Quick answer: The seven sub-regions are Gallura East Coast (Olbia, Golfo Aranci, San Teodoro), Costa Smeralda, La Maddalena Archipelago and Palau, Gallura Inland, Anglona, Logudoro and Sassari, and Nurra (Stintino, Alghero, Asinara). Each has its own pace, prices, and reason to base there for a few days.
1. Gallura East Coast — Olbia, Golfo Aranci, San Teodoro, Budoni Our base
This is the corridor we know best — about 60 km of coast from Porto San Paolo south of Olbia up to Capo Figari above Golfo Aranci. RENTAL12 operates 34 short-term apartments and villas here, plus another three on long-term rental, all owner-operated since 2021. The airport sits five minutes from the Olbia old town, the ferry port is closer still, and you have 15+ beaches inside 25 minutes by car. Olbia gives you the walkable medieval centre, the dining, and the after-dinner passeggiata; Golfo Aranci puts you on a working fishing-village waterfront with Cala Sassari and Cala Banana ten minutes away. San Teodoro and Budoni sit further south — great beaches, more resort-coded, no walkable centre after dark.
Best for: first-time visitors, families, repeat guests, beach-and-old-town combos, 5–10 day stays.
Corso Umberto, Olbia old town — the heart of the Gallura East Coast. Foto RENTAL12.
2. Costa Smeralda — Porto Cervo, Porto Rotondo, San Pantaleo, Arzachena
Twenty kilometres of coast north of Olbia, designed in the early 1960s by the Aga Khan and a team of architects who decided pink granite, white stucco, and bougainvillea would be the language of Mediterranean luxury for the next sixty years. They were right. Today this is where superyachts anchor in Liscia Ruja and Capriccioli, where Porto Cervo’s Promenade du Port costs more than Monaco, and where Spiaggia del Principe still earns its name. We do not recommend basing here — mid-range apartment rentals start around €250–€500 a night in July, the towns are quiet outside July–August, and the beaches close at sunset. Instead, treat Costa Smeralda as a 35-minute day trip from Olbia or Golfo Aranci. San Pantaleo’s Thursday market is the best inland village stop.
Best for: day-trip glam, beach-club lunches, designer shopping, photography.
3. La Maddalena Archipelago, Palau & Santa Teresa di Gallura
The far north-east of Sardinia. La Maddalena is a national-park archipelago of seven islands and dozens of smaller granite outcrops, reached by ferry from Palau (15 minutes, cars allowed). The big-name beaches sit on Caprera and Budelli — Cala Coticcio (the “Tahiti of Sardinia”) and the famously protected Spiaggia Rosa (you can see it from the water but not land on it). Palau itself is a transit town with one of the prettiest harbours in Sardinia. Santa Teresa di Gallura at the very top of the island faces Corsica across the Bonifacio strait and runs the daily ferry to Bonifacio — the best half-day add-on for a North Sardinia trip. Rena Bianca beach is right in the town.
Best for: day-long boat tours, kayak trips, Corsica add-on, photographers.
4. Gallura Inland — Tempio Pausania, Aggius, Luogosanto
Drive 40 minutes inland from Olbia and the landscape shifts completely — cork-oak forests, granite peaks, and stone villages that have not changed much in 200 years. Tempio Pausania is the regional capital, built in grey granite with a buzzing Monday market. Aggius sits between two granite massifs and is famous for its hand-loom tapestry tradition and the eerie “Valle della Luna” (moon valley) just outside the village. Luogosanto is a pilgrimage village with two royal stone churches. The whole Gallura interior is the heart of Vermentino di Gallura DOCG wine country — the only DOCG-classified white in Sardinia.
Best for: day trips, wine tasting, hiking, anyone who has already done the beaches.
5. Anglona — Castelsardo, Tergu, Valledoria
A 90-minute drive west of Olbia along the north coast brings you to Castelsardo, a 12th-century Doria-fortress town perched on a basalt headland over the Gulf of Asinara. It is one of the prettiest villages in Italy (officially listed in I Borghi più belli d’Italia), with a steep medieval old town topped by a Genoese castle and a basket-weaving tradition still practiced by older women in their doorways. The Friday and Saturday market on the seafront is one of the best in north Sardinia. Tergu just inland has a remarkable 12th-century Romanesque church in two-tone stone. Best handled as a full day-trip from the east coast, or an overnight if you are continuing on to Stintino.
Best for: medieval history, photography, basket-weaving and craft, scenic drives.
6. Logudoro & Sassari city
The Logudoro is the rolling agricultural heart of north-west Sardinia — vines, olive groves, and a string of 11th–13th-century Romanesque churches in stripes of black basalt and white limestone (Saccargia at Codrongianos is the best known). Sassari is the second-largest city in Sardinia, university town and seat of the regional government — a working Italian city rather than a tourist destination, with one excellent museum (G.A. Sanna) and the dramatic I Candelieri festival on 14 August. Worth a half-day stop only if you are passing through to Alghero or Stintino.
Best for: Romanesque architecture, students, a real Sardinian city break.
7. Nurra & the Sassari coast — Stintino, La Pelosa, Alghero, Bosa, Asinara, Neptune’s Grotto
The far north-western corner of the island, and the one most often mentioned alongside the Costa Smeralda in “best of Sardinia” lists. Stintino is a small fishing-village-turned-resort built on a narrow peninsula, with La Pelosa beach (limited daily access, shoes off, shallow turquoise water) at its tip. The Asinara National Park sits across the channel — a former penal colony and now a strictly protected park famous for its endemic white donkeys. Alghero 30 minutes south is the Catalan capital of Sardinia, walled medieval old town with bilingual street signs in Catalan and Italian. Capo Caccia and Neptune’s Grotto (Grotte di Nettuno) are 20 minutes further south — one of Europe’s great sea-cave systems. Bosa at the southern edge is famous for its pastel-coloured riverside houses and the Malvasia di Bosa dessert wine. This whole region uses Alghero Airport (AHO), 2½ hours by car from Olbia.
Best for: dedicated 10+ day trips, Ryanair-into-Alghero, Catalan culture, La Pelosa, Asinara.
Best beaches in North Sardinia (14 named)
Quick answer: The fourteen most famous beaches in North Sardinia are La Pelosa (Stintino), Cala Brandinchi and La Cinta (San Teodoro), Spiaggia del Principe and Liscia Ruja (Costa Smeralda), Cala Banana and Cala Sassari (Golfo Aranci), Pittulongu (Olbia), Capriccioli (Arzachena), Lu Impostu (San Teodoro), Rena Bianca (Santa Teresa di Gallura), Spiaggia Rosa (Budelli — look only), Cala Coticcio (Caprera), and Le Saline (Stintino).
North Sardinia’s coast is the reason most people fly here. Below are the fourteen beaches you will see repeatedly in “best of” rankings — with our honest take on each, including how kid-friendly, how busy, and how to reach them. Distances are from Olbia airport unless noted.
1. La Pelosa — Stintino
2h 30m drive · capped daily access · shallow, white sand
The most famous beach in North Sardinia, sitting at the tip of the Stintino peninsula facing the Asinara island. Book your daily ticket online in advance.
2. Cala Brandinchi — San Teodoro
35 min drive · capped · family-friendly
Crescent-shaped bay with shallow turquoise water and Isola Tavolara on the horizon. Daily booking required in peak season.
3. La Cinta — San Teodoro
35 min drive · uncapped · 5 km sandbar
A five-kilometre sandbar with a salt-marsh lagoon behind it. Long, easy, never feels crowded because you can always walk further along.
4. Spiaggia del Principe — Costa Smeralda
35 min drive · free access · rocky entry
The Aga Khan’s favourite. Pink granite framing turquoise water; arrive before 10am or after 4pm in summer.
5. Liscia Ruja — Costa Smeralda
30 min drive · long · beach clubs & free section
Costa Smeralda’s longest beach. Mix of free public access and high-end beach clubs (Phi Beach, Long Beach). Yacht spotting from the sand.
6. Cala Banana — Golfo Aranci
20 min drive · small · locals’ secret
Tiny crescent bay shaped exactly like the fruit, reached by a 10-minute downhill walk through Mediterranean scrub. Best at low tide.
7. Cala Sassari — Golfo Aranci
20 min drive · sand · family-friendly
Also called Fino Beach. White sand, shallow water, view of Isola Figarola. One of the quietest large beaches close to Olbia.
8. Pittulongu — Olbia
10 min drive · long sand · family-friendly
The closest sandy beach to Olbia old town. Calm, shallow, with the Tavolara island filling the horizon. Lifeguarded in summer.
9. Capriccioli — Costa Smeralda
35 min drive · granite coves · family
Two adjoining crescent bays framed by pink granite boulders. Calm water makes it a favourite with families, despite the Costa Smeralda prices behind the beach.
10. Lu Impostu — San Teodoro
35 min drive · long sand · capped
Adjacent to Cala Brandinchi and arguably its equal — long sweeping sand with the same shallow turquoise water and the Tavolara silhouette to the north.
11. Rena Bianca — Santa Teresa di Gallura
75 min drive · town beach · Corsica view
Right in the centre of Santa Teresa di Gallura, with Corsica clearly visible across the Strait of Bonifacio. Easy walk from the ferry port.
12. Spiaggia Rosa — Budelli (look only)
Boat tour · landing forbidden
The famous pink beach of Budelli, in the La Maddalena park. By law you cannot step on the sand — you view it from a boat at anchor. Worth it on a day-long archipelago tour.
13. Cala Coticcio (“Tahiti”) — Caprera
Boat tour or capped land access · turquoise
Often called “the Tahiti of Sardinia”. Tiny twin coves on Caprera island, reached by a steep land hike (booking required) or by boat.
14. Le Saline — Stintino
2h 30m drive · long sand · easy parking
If La Pelosa is full or capped, Le Saline is the longer, quieter Stintino alternative two kilometres south — same water colour, plenty of space.
Path down to Cala Sassari (Fino Beach), Golfo Aranci — one of our favourite quiet beaches. Foto RENTAL12.
View to Tavolara island from a beach near Olbia. Foto RENTAL12.
Pittulongu beach near Olbia — ten minutes from the old town. Foto RENTAL12.
For our full guide to the closest beaches with parking, swimming-suitability and lifeguard info, see the best beaches near Olbia and Golfo Aranci and the island-wide best beaches in Sardinia 2026 ranking.
Wind & Beaches — pick the right beach for today's wind
North Sardinia's coast faces every direction. The wind that ruins one beach makes another perfect. Open the tool to match today's mistral or scirocco to the calm bay you actually want to be on.
Where to stay in North Sardinia
Quick answer: Base in Olbia for a walkable old town and the airport on your doorstep, in Golfo Aranci for direct beach access with 15 minutes to Olbia, or in San Teodoro for a beach-resort week. Treat Costa Smeralda as a day trip rather than a base. Pick Stintino or Alghero only if you have ten days or more.
The honest version: 80% of North Sardinia visitors should base in the Olbia–Golfo Aranci corridor and day-trip everywhere else. The airport is there, the ferry port is there, the cluster of beaches is unmatched, and you keep a real Italian town life when you come back from the beach. The table below covers every realistic option.
Two of our most-asked questions are answered in detail at where to stay in Sardinia (full island) and the Olbia old town deep-dive.
Browse Olbia & Golfo Aranci RENTAL12 stays
Olbia city hub
Apartments, old town, beaches, airport — everything we know about our home town.
Golfo Aranci
Beach-direct base 15 minutes from Olbia. Capo Figari, Cala Sassari, Cala Banana.
Olbia apartments
Browse RENTAL12’s Olbia old town and Aldo Moro apartments.
Holiday rentals in Sardinia
Our full inventory: 34 short-term apartments and villas across Olbia and Golfo Aranci.
Best beaches near Olbia & Golfo Aranci
15+ named beaches within 25 minutes — with parking, water depth, and lifeguard notes.
Pittulongu beach
The family beach ten minutes from Olbia old town — full guide with the Tavolara view.
Honest words from our team
“If you're picking between Olbia old town and Golfo Aranci, ask yourself one question — do you want to walk to dinner, or wake up next to the sand? Both are right answers.”
— Kristina, COO RENTAL12
“Don't believe anyone who says you need to stay on the Costa Smeralda to enjoy it. We day-trip there from Olbia all the time. Lunch in Porto Cervo, swim at Liscia Ruja, drive home for aperitivo on Corso Umberto.”
— Kristina, COO RENTAL12
“North Sardinia is a third of the island. You won't see it all in a week — and you don't need to. Pick a base, learn it well, come back for the rest. We've been doing this for the past five years.”
— Floriana, Co-founder & CEO RENTAL12
Things to do in North Sardinia
Quick answer: The best days out from a Gallura base are a Costa Smeralda glam day, a Tavolara marine-reserve day, a La Maddalena boat tour, Castelsardo with the Friday market, Aggius for granite tapestries, Neptune’s Grotto at Capo Caccia, Asinara national park, the Tomba dei Giganti and nuraghi ruins, and a Vermentino di Gallura wine tasting.
One of the easiest mistakes in North Sardinia is over-driving. The island is bigger than it looks on the map, and a poorly planned day can burn five hours behind the wheel. Below are the nine experiences worth the drive from any east-coast base — we have done them all multiple times with guests.
- Costa Smeralda glam day — San Pantaleo Thursday market, Spiaggia del Principe, Porto Cervo harbour at golden hour. 35 minutes north of Olbia.
- Tavolara marine reserve — boat from Porto San Paolo to Tavolara island (45 minutes), lunch at the legendary “smallest kingdom in the world”, swim at Spalmatore di Terra.
- La Maddalena boat tour — full-day catamaran from Palau or Cannigione, four anchorages, view of Spiaggia Rosa, swim at Cala Coticcio.
- Castelsardo & Friday market — medieval Doria stronghold over the Gulf of Asinara, then continue to Tergu’s 12th-century church.
- Aggius granite-tapestry village — the MEOC tapestry museum, the Bandit Museum, then a hike into Valle della Luna.
- Neptune’s Grotto + Capo Caccia — descend the 654 Escala del Cabirol steps to a sea-cave of stalactites and an underground lake. Combine with Alghero old town for the day.
- Asinara National Park — ferry from Porto Torres or Stintino. Endemic white donkeys, former penal colony, beaches you can swim with no facilities.
- Tomba dei Giganti & nuraghi — Coddu ‘Ecchju and the nuraghe at Albucciu (both near Arzachena) are the easiest Bronze-Age ruins to reach from Olbia — see the archaeological sites of North Sardinia for the full route.
- Vermentino di Gallura wine tasting — Capichera, Surrau, and Vigne Surrau cellars near Arzachena are open daily in summer and easy to combine with a morning beach.
Basilica di San Simplicio, Olbia — the city’s 11th-century Romanesque centrepiece. Foto RENTAL12.
Porto San Paolo coastline with Tavolara on the horizon — the boat dock for Tavolara day trips. Foto RENTAL12.
North Sardinia vs South Sardinia
Quick answer: North Sardinia wins for first-time visitors and beach-first trips — it has the Costa Smeralda, the La Maddalena Archipelago, the most famous beaches, and the main airport. South Sardinia wins for a flat city base in Cagliari, the Poetto promenade, the salt-pan flamingos, and easier ferries from Sicily and Africa.
The honest, three-line version:
- North Sardinia = Gallura, Costa Smeralda, granite mountains, the most photographed beaches, ferry to Corsica, Olbia airport.
- South Sardinia = Cagliari, Poetto urban beach, salt-pan flamingos, Sulcis wine, Carbonia mining museums, Cagliari Elmas airport (ferries from Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo, Tunis).
- If you have one week and it’s your first trip: choose the north. The east coast around Olbia is closer to the famous beaches and gives the biggest range of day-trip variety inside a 90-minute drive.
If you have two weeks, the cleanest split is one week north (Olbia base) and one week south (Cagliari base), connected by either a four-hour drive down the SS131 or a 30-minute internal flight. Trying to do both halves from a single base wastes a full day in the car each direction.
A typical North Sardinia coastline view, near Olbia. Foto RENTAL12.
How to get to & around North Sardinia
Quick answer: Fly into Olbia (OLB) for the east coast and 80% of North Sardinia trips, into Alghero (AHO) for cheaper Ryanair routes and Stintino/Alghero, or take a ferry from Livorno, Civitavecchia, Genoa, or Barcelona to Olbia, Golfo Aranci, or Porto Torres. Rent a car at the airport — public transport is limited.
Airports
- Olbia Costa Smeralda (OLB) — the main gateway. Five minutes from Olbia old town. Direct flights from London, Munich, Frankfurt, Zurich, Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Vienna, plus US summer routes via Rome and Milan.
- Alghero (AHO) — the cheaper Ryanair option for north-west Sardinia (Stintino, Alghero, Bosa, Asinara). 2½ hours by car from Olbia.
- Cagliari Elmas (CAG) — south Sardinia’s airport. Only combine with North Sardinia if you have 10+ days.
Ferries
- Olbia port — daily ferries from Livorno (Tuscany), Civitavecchia (Rome), and Genoa, all operated by Moby, Grimaldi, Tirrenia, GNV. See our Grimaldi Lines ferry guide with the RENTAL12 discount code.
- Golfo Aranci port — faster Sardinia Ferries crossings from Livorno and Piombino.
- Porto Torres port — the north-west port for ferries from Genoa, Marseille, Toulon, Barcelona, Tunisia.
- Santa Teresa di Gallura ↔ Bonifacio — small year-round ferry to Corsica (about an hour).
Driving & ZTL warnings
A rental car is essential outside the Olbia old town. Pick it up at the airport the day you land. The main motorway-grade road (the SS131) runs north-south down the spine of Sardinia; the SS125 is the spectacular but slower coastal road on the east. Both Olbia and Castelsardo old towns have ZTL (limited traffic zones) — do not drive into them. See our where to park in Olbia guide and the cross-island do I need a car in Sardinia? explainer.
North Sardinia is considered very safe — see our Sardinia safety truth article for the current public data.
When to visit North Sardinia
Quick answer: Late May, June, and September are the best months — warm sea, light crowds, lower prices. July is busy and warm; August is the absolute peak with the highest prices and the biggest crowds. April and October are excellent for hiking and culture, with cooler sea.
April
Cool sea, wildflowers, Easter festivals. Best for hiking and cultural trips. Many beach clubs still closed.
May
Sea warms from mid-month. Beach clubs open by 20 May. Excellent value, almost no crowds.
June
The sweet spot. Long days, 22–24°C sea, everything open, prices still 30% below August.
July
Hot, busy, expensive. La Pelosa and Cala Brandinchi sell out daily caps weeks ahead.
August
Peak month. Italian holidays. Prices double. Worth it only if you can’t travel any other time.
September
Best month for many repeat guests. 25°C sea, lighter crowds from week two, prices drop sharply.
October
Sea still swimmable to mid-month. Excellent for culture, hiking, wine harvest. Beach clubs close gradually.
For the full month-by-month forecast (temperature, rainfall, sea), see the best time to visit Sardinia guide.
Suggested itineraries (5, 7, 10 days)
Quick answer: Five days from Olbia covers Olbia old town, Costa Smeralda, Tavolara, and two beach days. Seven days adds La Maddalena and Castelsardo. Ten days lets you bolt on Alghero, Neptune’s Grotto and Stintino. All three start and finish at OLB airport.
5-day Sardinia itinerary
Base: Olbia.
Olbia old town, Costa Smeralda day, Tavolara day, two beach days at Pittulongu / La Cinta.
7-day Sardinia itinerary
Base: Olbia or Golfo Aranci.
Adds La Maddalena boat tour, Castelsardo + Aggius inland day, one extra beach day.
10-day Sardinia itinerary
Base: Olbia + 2 nights Alghero.
Adds Alghero old town, Neptune’s Grotto + Capo Caccia, Stintino with La Pelosa.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to base your North Sardinia trip in Olbia or Golfo Aranci?
We owner-operate 34 short-term apartments and villas in the Olbia and Golfo Aranci corridor — the best base for first-time North Sardinia trips. 4.9★ from 1,350+ verified guest reviews since 2021.