South Sardinia – 10 Sensational Sights to See

A Local’s Guide to South Sardinia

The question on everyone’s lips: North or South Sardinia? Where should you visit? Both are spectacular, but let’s face it, there’s only so much time. Sardinia is a lot bigger than you might expect. Did you know that it’s the second biggest island in the Mediterranean? It is rich in history and natural beauty throughout. 

Of course, the North is full of beautiful places but it is also home to more of the expensive resorts, whilst the South can offer you more of a traditional, genuine experience.  It’s unspoilt, wild, dramatic, full of beauty and prehistoric sites. Therefore, it needs to be on your list.

How to get to South Sardinia

If you are visiting the Southern part of the island, the best airport would be Cagliari’s  ‘Elmas Mario Mameli Airport’ (CAG). The international airport is located only 7km from the city. It is easy and cheap to catch a train for €1.30 or a taxi for €15-20 into the centre.

If you are heading from mainland Italy, you also have the option to take a ferry from Palermo, Naples or Rome. It takes  roughly 12 hours and it leaves twice a week straight for Cagliari’s port. 

When to visit South Sardinia

As with all our Sardinia guides, ‘North Sardinia’ and ‘Sardinia Road Trip’, we always recommend visiting out of season if you can. Avoiding July and August would be ideal, due to the cost and sometimes overcrowding of tourists. 

Sardinia is blessed with a mild climate and our favourite months are June, September and early October. The weather is still warm enough to enjoy the beaches, yet the crowds of tourists have disappeared and you will find yourselves enjoying the natural playground even more than anticipated. 

How to get around South Sardinia

In South Sardinia, if you want to get around easily you will need to rent a car. Unfortunately, public transport out of Cagliari isn’t the best.

 That being said, road trips have a different feel in Sardinia, just wait until you are on the winding roads with the fresh sea air rushing through your hair. However, if you’re only planning a trip to Cagliari with a couple of day trips, you would not need to rent a car. As always, it depends entirely on your itinerary. 

Top 10 places to visit in South Sardinia

1. Cagliari

Cagliari is Sardinia’s impressive capital city with a 10th century castle and medieval walls. Indeed, it is much more than just a gateway to the island with its wonderful Castello quarter and some of the most picturesque alleys in Europe.

Ensure you visit the best sights, including the National Archeological Museum, the Roman Amphitheatre, Bastione, the Devil’s Saddle and the Molentargius National Park (where you can spot wild flamingos). Undoubtedly, this city has everything you could want from a capital and has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world on its doorstep. The city’s own beach ‘Poetto’ is 8km long and is perfect for relaxing or going for a walk on its promenade.

2. Villasimius

To the east of Cagliari, this coastline allures with its electric aquamarine coloured sea. Undeniably, this region is one of our favourites and the photos speak for themselves – but it can get very crowded in the summer months. You can use the town as an urban base to see all the greatest beaches in the area, including: Porto Giunco, Punta Molentis and Porto Sa Ruxi. The village is full of shops, gelato shops, restaurants and bars where you can go for a delicious aperitivo. Try local delicacies like sheep cheese, ham with the traditional crispy bread ‘Pane Carasau’.

Behind Porto Giunco, you will have another opportunity to see wild pink flamingos in the pond. Also, you can hike to the Porto Giunco tower, to see incredible views across the long stretch of white sand and the calm sea.

It is good to know that you can reach Villasimuis without renting a car. For example, you can get a shuttle bus from Cagliari Airport. Make sure you book on the Villasimius Express  website, as reservations must be made in advance. Or if you are on a budget you can get the local bus  from Cagliari which costs around 4 euros per journey, the timetable is available here. 

3. Costa Rei

On the south east coast, 14km north of Villasimuis, lies Costa Rei. Known for its serene white sandy beaches and the turquoise colour of the sea, this village should be on your list. It is surrounded by green rolling hills and steep granite cliffs. The village is smaller and quieter than Villasimius, this makes it perfect if you are looking for a place to relax.

In 2009 Costa Rei won the “Travel Blogger Award” with Lonely Planet, and was placed in the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. The most famous beach is definitely Lo Scoglio di Peppino, for the name of a huge rock semi-submerse. Other beautiful beaches are: Cala Pira, Cala Sinzias.

Local tip: don’t forget your snorkel – this is a prime spot to see fish and enjoy the water.

4. Barumini and La Giara di Gesturi

Brush up on your knowledge of Sardinia’s past with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Nuragic village that is dated back to the Bronze Age, 2000BC. It is located 50 minutes from the capital and is open everyday, with an adult ticket costing €11 . Famously, there are over 7000 nuraghes all over Sardinia but this one is unique, the biggest and was only discovered in the 1950s.

Prepare to travel in time with the friendly guides, who deliver tours in both English and Italian. Included in the price of the ticket is a visit to Casa Zapata, a spanish noble house, built in the 16th century. Another nuraghe was discovered in its basement. Thanks to a glass floor, you can experience the Spanish house and the nuraghe at the same time. It’s like walking in between two ages.

Close to Barumini, La Giara di Gesturi is a 45-sq-km plain is the place to go to walk in natural beauty. This national park is where you can cast your eyes on the indigenous small horses ‘cavallini’ that roam the area. They are the only colony of wild horses in Europe. 

5. Chia

Chia is a small village, part of the Domus de Maria and is famous for its beach and its white sand dunes. This is a beach for nature lovers and has an ancient stone watchtower ‘Torre di Chia’. This 16th century tower is certainly worth your effort for a photo opportunity and is located between the two beaches of Su Porto and Sa Colonia. The village itself has everything you will need, shops, restaurants and more.

Cala Cipolla is one of the main beaches in Chia. From there it is possible to reach the lighthouse in Capo Spartivento in just a 20-30min walk. The cliffs here are some of the oldest rocks in Italy and the world as they emerged from the water around 600 millions years ago.

Tip: whilst you’re in the area, the nearby beach of Su Giudeu is worth a visit with its golden sand and wild surroundingsl 

6. Porto Pino

Porto Pino beach lies on the Sulcis coast and is spectacular. The beach is 4km long and is divided into two. What we love about this beach is that it is accessible, the parking is plentiful, and the seabed is shallow. The main attraction of this beach is the impressive white 30m sand dunes. Also, this is another spot where you might be lucky enough to see wild  flamingos in small lagoons. 

The main town in the area is Sant’Anna Arresi where you can visit the Nurraghe Aressi and the Nuragic village of Coi Casu.

7. Sant’Antioco

Sant’Antioco is Italy’s fourth largest island.  It can easily be reached by car via a causeway that was first built by the Carthaginians and then completed by the Romans. Interestingly, it was one of the first colonies of the Roman Empire, therefore you can taste the ancient history. Don’t miss a visit to cast your eyes on the Basilica of Sant’Antioco – one of the oldest in Sardinia. 

Tip: be sure to visit Cala Sapone whilst you are in the area.

8. Nora

Step back in time and discover what life was like through the Phoenicians-Punic and ancient Roman remains in Nora’s Punic Village. Expect to see an amphitheatre and exposed mosaics, all whilst experiencing 3000 years of history.

Undoubtedly, this fascinating archaeological site is extremely well preserved, with excavations still taking place. Interestingly, the oldest written document in Western history was found here, known as the ‘Nora Stone’. Also included in the €7.50 ticket is the Coltellazzo Tower. This is another spanish tower, built in the 16th century, to monitor naval traffic towards Cagliari. In the 19th century this building changed its purpose, becoming a lighthouse, which is still used today.

9. Masua, Pan Di Zucchero and Porto Flavia

Masua is more than a mine, it was a port in the middle of a rock face. There is no wonder it shines on the Iglesiente coast. Certainly, Porto Flavia is an incredible sight- especially the entrance with the Pan di Zucchero rock. Translated into English as ‘Sugar Loaf’ it is a 132-metre natural monument shaped over time. 

This sight is from the Sardinian mining period and fascinatingly, the 600m tunnel was dug completely by hand and was used to transport minerals. An interesting visit would be to the Museum of Mining Machinery, which is a historical and industrial tour. Although, if relaxing is more your style. then head to Porto Flavia’s little beach.

10. Tuerredda Beach

If you are determined to see Sardinia’s best beaches, then you simply cannot miss a trip to Tuerredda. It is on the unspoilt coastline of Chia and you can expect to see 500m of fine white sand and transparent water. Many people liken it to the Caribbean with its enchanting colours and calm waters.

 Opposite lies a small island, ‘Isola Tuaredda’ which you can swim to and discover a little haven. If you are lucky, you will be able to spot the cormorans, an aquatic bird that is very curious and will want to say hello. Although this beach can get very busy in the peak season, there is lots of car parking available. However, ensure you bring cash to pay for it –  it costs roughly €9 per day!

We hope we have persuaded you to visit this spectacular part of the island. South Sardinia really does have something for everyone and we gurantee that you will leave excited to return. 

Are you planning a trip to Sardinia? Or have you been recently? 

Which part of the island do you love the most, north or south?  

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