Where to Swim in Sardinia Today — Beach Picker by Wind Direction
Tell us the wind direction and we'll send you to the right beach in 5 seconds. 40+ Gallura beaches with verified orientations, live Open-Meteo readout for Olbia, plus a Windy.com map at the bottom of the page.
⚠ Always recheck Windy.com before leaving — wind shifts during the day, especially after midday in Gallura.
Live beach map — 40+ Gallura beaches
Markers recolour when you pick a wind above or when Open-Meteo loads. Green = sheltered. Amber = usable but choppy. Red = exposed, avoid for swimming.
Beach × wind matrix
40+ beaches × 8 wind directions. ✅ sheltered · ⚠️ usable but choppy · ❌ exposed, avoid swimming. Click any column header to sort.
| Beach ▾ | Zone | N | NE | E | SE | S | SW | W | NW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading matrix… | |||||||||
Wind names: Tramontana (N), Grecale (NE), Levante (E), Scirocco (SE), Ostro (S), Libeccio (SW), Ponente (W), Maestrale (NW).
When each wind blows — full editorial guide
Maestrale (NW) — the master
Born in the Rhône Valley, amplified by the Bocche di Bonifacio Venturi. Limpid cobalt sky, fresh air, exceptional visibility. Episodes last 3–7 days (sailor tradition says odd numbers).
Go to: Cala Brandinchi, Capriccioli, Porto Istana, Porto Taverna, Liscia Ruja, Cala Moresca, Spiaggia del Principe, Punta Est.
Avoid: La Cinta (sandstorm + offshore current), any W/NW-facing beach, the Bocche di Bonifacio strait.
Tramontana (N) — cold drainage
Drainage from the Alps and Apennines via the Ligurian Sea, often after a cold-front passage. Cold, gusty, devastating to Capo Testa and Santa Teresa Gallura.
Go to: Porto Istana, Punta Est, Cala Moresca (Capo Figari shields it), Cala di Volpe, Cala Brandinchi, Capo Coda Cavallo.
Avoid: Rena Bianca (Santa Teresa), Pittulongu (above 25 kt), all north-facing beaches Capo Testa to Palau.
Grecale (NE) — Arctic-Balkan
Name is Roman (from ancient "Grecia" = Balkans), but the air mass is Arctic-continental sweeping in from Russia and the Balkans. Cold, dry, cross-sea risk in the Olbia–Arbatax offshore zone.
Go to: Porto Istana, Baja Sardinia, Capo Testa Rena di Ponente, Cala Sos Aranzos, Cala di Volpe inner end.
Avoid: Pittulongu, La Cinta, all NE-facing Costa Smeralda beaches.
Levante (E) — humid east
The Tyrrhenian Levante is autumn-dominant, distinct from the Gibraltar Levanter. Persistent Levante feeding a Tyrrhenian low caused the Olbia 2013 flood (450 mm in 24 h) — respect it in autumn.
Go to: Capo Testa Rena di Ponente, La Marmorata, Porto Pollo NW bay, Spiaggia Bianca-S Golfo Aranci (S-facing).
Avoid: Capriccioli, Liscia Ruja, Pittulongu, Porto Istana, La Cinta (all east-facing).
Scirocco (SE) — Saharan
Saharan air picks up moisture crossing the Mediterranean — hot, humid, dust-laden. PM10 spikes during dust events: asthma / COPD / cardio sufferers should limit outdoor exertion. Pelagia noctiluca jellyfish risk peaks on SE-facing shores the morning after a Scirocco night (diel migration).
Go to: Baja Sardinia, Porto Pollo NW bay, Capo Testa Rena di Ponente, Cala Brandinchi (Capo Coda Cavallo screens it), north-facing Porto Rotondo coves.
Avoid: Capriccioli, Liscia Ruja, Spiaggia del Principe, Porto Istana south sub-beaches, La Cinta SE face.
Ostro (S) — rare south
Warm, uncommon in Gallura, usually short-lived. Benefit from it when it occurs — north-facing beaches that are normally rough become rare-day calm.
Go to: Rena Bianca (Santa Teresa), Pittulongu, any north-facing beach.
Avoid: S-facing coves (most beaches in NE Sardinia gain shelter under S wind).
Libeccio (SW) — indirect
Sardinia's west-coast storm wind. In NE Gallura it crosses the island mass and arrives weakened — Libeccio is mostly a shelter wind for us, not a threat.
Go to: Cala Brandinchi, La Cinta (sheltered side), Spiaggia del Principe, Porto Istana — east and NE-facing beaches generally.
Avoid: W-facing Costa Verde / Oristano coasts (different trip); open offshore navigation in strong Libeccio.
Ponente (W) — vernal westerly
The dominant wind at Santa Teresa Gallura per local sailors; peaks around the March–April frontal transition. Less violent than Maestrale, can still strengthen to 50+ km/h.
Go to: La Marmorata, Rena di Levante (Capo Testa east side), Costa Smeralda east-facing beaches, Porto Pollo east bay.
Avoid: Rena di Ponente (Capo Testa west side), Valle della Luna, any W-facing headland.
Live wind map — Windy.com (Olbia centred)
ECMWF surface wind, updated multiple times per day. Click any spot to read the forecast for that coordinate.
Frequently asked
When does the Maestrale stop?
Maestrale episodes typically last 3 to 7 consecutive days — Sardinian sailor tradition says odd numbers (3, 5, 7). It rises before dawn and dies about an hour before sunset; the calmest swimming window is always dawn to about 10:00. In summer expect Maestrale on roughly 40–50% of days in Gallura.
Which beach is safest for kids when the Maestrale is blowing?
Best three: Pittulongu (shallow + lifeguarded; usable in light to moderate Maestrale), Porto Istana (sheltered by Tavolara and Molara — calm in virtually any northerly), and Cala Brandinchi in San Teodoro (granite promontory blocks NW completely). Avoid La Cinta in Maestrale — offshore current risk and airborne sand.
Are jellyfish bad after a Scirocco?
Yes — and the risk is on SE- and S-facing shores (not E/NE as some guides claim). SE wind blows surface Pelagia noctiluca onto SE-exposed beaches like Liscia Ruja, Capriccioli, and the La Cinta SE face. Pelagia also performs diel vertical migration — surface at night, deeper by day — so the morning after a Scirocco night is the peak sting probability window.
What is the difference between Maestrale and Tramontana?
Maestrale is NW (315°), born in the Rhône Valley and amplified by the Bocche di Bonifacio Venturi — Sardinia's dominant wind. Tramontana is due N to NNW, drainage from the Alps and Apennines via the Ligurian Sea, mostly autumn–winter. Tramontana hits Santa Teresa and Palau head-on; Maestrale also slams those areas but spares east-facing Costa Smeralda coves.
Can I land on Spiaggia Rosa in the La Maddalena archipelago?
No. Landing on Spiaggia Rosa (Budelli) has been prohibited since 1998 under La Maddalena National Park integral protection. Fines are €300 per person and actively enforced — British tourists were fined in October 2025, Polish tourists in September 2025. View only from authorised boats in designated offshore zones.
Where is the best kitesurf spot in Sardinia today?
Porto Pollo near Palau — twin bays facing opposite directions, so either Maestrale or Scirocco is rideable. Season runs April–October. La Cinta in San Teodoro is the second option, optimal in Maestrale or Scirocco; rideable but more advanced because of the 3 km open fetch.
When does the thermal sea breeze (Bentu 'e Luna) pick up?
On days without a dominant synoptic wind, Sardinia's thermal sea breeze — locally Bentu 'e Luna, not the Roman Ponentino — kicks in around 13:00, peaks 14:00–16:00 at 15–20 km/h from W/SW, and dies before sunset. Morning is glass-calm. If a Maestrale or Scirocco is blowing, the thermal cycle is overridden entirely.
Should I cancel my boat trip in a Levante?
Persistent autumn Levante feeding a Tyrrhenian low caused the Olbia 2013 flood (450 mm in 24 h), so a strong Levante deserves caution. For summer day trips: small-vessel charters typically cancel above 25 knots (46 km/h). If you're heading into the La Maddalena archipelago in any northerly or easterly above Beaufort 5, postpone — the Bocche di Bonifacio Venturi can amplify wind without warning, even on visibly sunny days.
Beach safety — read this before you swim
Italian beach flag system
When to absolutely not swim
- Beaufort 7+ (50+ km/h sustained) on any open beach
- Red flag displayed by the local concession
- Maestrale above 30 knots (55 km/h) even on sheltered beaches — rip-current risk
- Visible lightning anywhere on the horizon
- Scirocco event with jellyfish sightings (check local beach groups on Facebook/Instagram)
- In the Bocche di Bonifacio / Palau area with any northerly above 20 knots