< Exploring The South and the Islands

Sardinia

At the heart of the Mediterranean, Sardinia has been visited by most of the players in the power struggles of the past – Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Spaniards, even Admiral Nelson – and they have left behind a rich legacy. But it is not all history: Sardinia has some of the best beaches to be found anywhere, with fine sand and clear water.
Family Guide
Beautiful Romazzino beach, Costa Smeralda in northern Sardinia
Family Guide

< Sardinia



1. Alghero

2. Bosa

3. Castelsardo

4. The Maddalena Islands

5. Cala Gonone

6. Cagliari

7. Su Nuraxi

8. Villasimius

9. Sant’Antioco and San Pietro

10. Sinis Peninsula




< Sardinia

1. Alghero

Medieval port with a Spanish past

Family Guide
Streetlamp in the old town
Alghero is an ideal place for families, with myriad attractions from sea caves and beaches to ancient nuraghe buildings. Sardinia’s oldest resort, the town has a huge range of places to stay and a tempting choice of eateries. In the largely traffic-free old town, the labyrinthine lanes are lined with tiny shops and cafés, and fishing boats are moored alongside glamorous yachts in the port – a reminder of when a mighty Spanish fleet docked here en route to flush out Algerian pirates in 1541.

Family Guide

Key Sights

1. Beaches The best beaches are Le Bombarde and Lazzaretto, around 8 km (5 miles) northwest of town. Rent bikes from Cicloexpress by the port to get there.

2. Nuraghe di Palmavera The ruins of this ancient palace 10 km (6 miles) northwest of town are surrounded by 50 circular huts and date from the 13th and 14th centuries BC.

3. Sella e Mosca Winery Tour the vineyards that grow the island’s Cannonau grape at this winery, 11 km (7 miles) north of town. There is also a wine museum.

4. Grotta di Nettuno A deep cave gouged out of sheer cliffs west along the coast at Capo Caccia, Neptune’s Grotto is accessible by boat from the port. Marvel at stalagmites resembling castles.

5. Aquarium Get face-to-face with exotic creatures of the deep, including huge sharks, turtles, piranhas and eels.

6. Old Town Tour the old town’s narrow maze of lanes on the Trenino Catalano mini-train, from the port in summer.

7. The port Overlooked by the old city walls, the port is a hive of activity, where boat-tour operators offer trips along the coast to beaches.

8. City walls Alghero is enclosed within stout walls, which can be walked along, studded with seven watchtowers from the Spanish era.

Family Guide
Left Old Town Middle The port Right City walls


Kids’ Corner

Do you know?

  1. How old is the Nuraghe di Palmavera?
  2. What is the name of the grape variety grown around Alghero?
  3. Where might you see stalagmites and stalactites?

  4. Family Guide

    Which is the biggest fish in the Aquarium?
  5. How many watchtowers can you count in the old town?

Little Barcelona

Family Guide
The Spanish occupied Sardinia for some 400 years from 1353 until the 18th century. Alghero became known as Barceloneta (little Barcelona) after the city in Northern Spain where the Spanish settlers came from, and Catalan – the language of that region – is still widely spoken. Look for it on street signs.

Hive dwellers

Family Guide
The Nuraghic people of Sardinia held sway from the 18th to the 2nd century BC – the Bronze Age – but almost nothing is known about them. They left behind thousands of mysterious beehive-shaped stone buildings such as the impressive Nuraghe di Palmavera, outside Alghero. No one knows if they were simply houses, fortresses, temples, all of the above – or something completely different. What do you think?

< Sardinia

2. Bosa

Hilltop castle lookout

Family Guide
Take a stroll, or a row, down the River Temo in Bosa
Along a wild, rocky stretch of coastline, 45 km (29 miles) south of Alghero, the town of Bosa sits a little way inland from the sea on the River Temo. The medieval town, with steep, traffic-free lanes, climbs up to the hilltop Malaspina Castle, which dates from the 12th century and affords grand views over the valley. Bosa Marina, 3 km (2 miles) downriver, has a first-class beach, overlooked by an old Spanish watchtower and ringed with cafés and restaurants. A little further inland from Bosa stands the solitary church of San Pietro, looking much as it must have done when it was finished in 1073.


< Sardinia

3. Castelsardo

A mighty elephant and a majestic castle

Family Guide
The distinctive Roccia dell’Elefante near Castelsardo, uncannily like an elephant
The Doria family of Genoa, a major contender in the medieval power struggles to control Sardinia, established their base at this town on the island’s northern coast. The 12th-century castle they built on the town’s highest promontory still stands, commanding majestic views of the coast, and today houses the Museo dell’Intreccio, displaying the basketwork for which the town is famous. A couple of ancient churches are nestled in the steep alleys below the castle, while the road east of town leads to one of Sardinia’s iconic sights, the Roccia dell’Elefante, a wind-carved hunk of granite with an astonishing resemblance to a gnarled elephant.


Kids’ Corner

Do you know?

  1. Who were the Doria family and where did they come from?
  2. Which craft is associated with the town of Castelsardo?

  3. Family Guide

    Where can you find a stone elephant in Sardinia?
  4. What is Garibaldi’s link with Sardinia?

Look out for…

Family Guide

A raft woven out of grass in Castelsardo’s museum of basketwork.

< Sardinia

4. The Maddalena Islands

Island-hopping

Family Guide
A view of the harbour at La Maddalena, on Isola Maddalena, at dusk
Off Sardinia’s northeastern coast, the Arcipelago della Maddalena includes some of Sardinia’s most idyllic spots. Reached by regular ferry from the port of Palau, the main island, Isola Maddalena, has the only town, La Maddalena. A causeway carries a road to the neighbouring isle of Caprera, where the Italian revolutionary hero Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807–82) lived for many years (his tomb is here). A fascinating museum dedicated to his adventurous life, the Compendio Garibaldino, occupies his former home. Boat tours are available to explore the smaller islands, Santo Stefano, Spargi, Razzoli, Budelli and Santa Maria, all with secluded beaches.


Kids’ Corner

Garibaldi biscuits

Garibaldi biscuits, known to kids as “squashed flies”, were based on the poor rations of the army and were first made by British company Peak Freans in 1861.

Garibaldi’s redshirts

Family Guide
In 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi, hero of the Italian independence struggle, led an army of one thousand “redshirts” to overthrow the Spanish in Sicily and Naples, in a campaign that led to the Unification of Italy under King Vittorio Emanuele II.
The freedom-fighter spent his last years on the island of Caprera, and is said to have asked for his deathbed to be moved so he could gaze at “the emerald and sapphire sea”.

Look out for…

Garibaldi’s rough-hewn tomb on Caprera.

< Sardinia

5. Cala Gonone

Secret seaside hideaway

Family Guide
The sandy beach and turquoise waters of Cala Gonone
A steep, zigzagging road leads down a mountainside to Cala Gonone, a seaside hideaway sheltering a cluster of restaurants and hotels, and a choice of beaches. The best of these are reached by boat excursions from the harbour or, for the energetic, along a rough path running along the base of the cliffs. As well as the beaches, there are grottoes to explore, and opportunities for diving and other watersports.


Kids’ Corner

Look out for…

  1. The ruined prehistoric palace of Nuraghe Mannu, off the road to Cala Gonone.
  2. The wedding-cake rock, a boat-trip from Cala Gonone.

< Sardinia

6. Cagliari

Sardinia’s walled capital city

Family Guide
A 12th-century stone lion in the cathedral
Sardinia’s capital, Cagliari presents an impressive sight, spreading up from the port to the old walled citadel on a hilltop. This historic quarter is the best place to wander with a family, with largely traffic-free streets and a glut of attractions. But the lower sections are also fun, not least arcaded Via Roma opposite the port, enlivened by pavement cafés, hawkers selling their wares and a steady parade of passers-by. There are Roman remains, underground vaults and botanical gardens too.

Family Guide

Key Sights

1. Museo Archeologico Nazionale Finds, from bronze Nuraghic figures to Carthaginian masks and Roman coins, are on display.

2. Orto Botanico The botanical gardens in the heart of the city make a peaceful spot to unwind among exotic plants and trees.

3. Bastione San Remy This wide open space on the city walls is ringed by outdoor cafés and affords marvellous views of the city, lagoons, sea and mountains – best at sunset.

4. Anfiteatro Romano Carved out of the hillside below the citadel, the Roman amphitheatre dates from the second century AD, when it could accommodate the city’s entire population of around 10,000.

5. Cripta di Sant’Efisio Efisius, a Roman soldier, was held in this cavernous underground vault before he was beheaded for his Christian beliefs; he later became the city’s patron saint.

6. Cattedrale di Santa Maria In the citadel is Cagliari’s 13th-century cathedral. Members of the Savoy dynasty are buried here and a quartet of fierce marble lions guard the presbytery.

7. Torre di San Pancrazio and Torre dell’Elefante These two medieval towers, one named after a tiny carved elephant, form part of the lofty walls around the old citadel. Climb to the top for superb views.

Family Guide
Left Bastione San Remy Right Anfiteatro Romano


Kids’ Corner

Do you know?

  1. How many people lived in Cagliari in Roman times?
  2. Who is Cagliari’s patron saint?
  3. Members of which royal family are buried in the cathedral?
  4. Name two of the towers built into Cagliari’s medieval walls.
  5. Where in Cagliari can you find four lions?

Alphabet city

Family Guide
Cagliari was probably founded by the Phoenicians around the 7th century BC. Seafaring traders from Tyre, in today’s Lebanon, the Phoenicians invented the alphabet – so they could send instructions with their merchant vessels. One of their main trades was in purple-dyed cloth.

Gulf of Angels

Family Guide
Cagliari sits on the Golfo degli Angeli (bay of angels), named for a celestial tussle there between the archangel Gabriel and the devil.

Look out for…

  1. Nuraghic statues depicting hunters, priests and chieftains, in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale.
  2. A sculpture of St Michael casting devils into hell, in the cathedral.
  3. Scribbled signatures left by locals sheltering from air raids in 1943, on the walls of the Cripta di Sant’Efisio.

  4. Family Guide

    Trenches where lions and other wild animals were kept, in the amphitheatre.

< Sardinia

7. Su Nuraxi

A ruined city and a miniature island

Family Guide
See all the best sights of Sardinia in miniature at Sardegna in Miniatura
Around 60 km (37 miles) north of Cagliari, outside the village of Barumini, lies Sardinia’s greatest Nuraghic monument, Su Nuraxi, built between 1500 and 1300 BC, with additions right up to Roman times. It is dominated by a basalt central tower, with corridors leading to smaller towers, surrounded by dozens of prehistoric stone huts.
In Barumini itself, the remains of another Nuraghic complex lie inside the 17th-century palace of Casa Zapata. Also on display here are farming tools and launeddas, or Sardinian “triple pipes” – the island’s traditional instrument.
A third attraction lies 1 km (half a mile) west of Barumini, towards Tuili: Sardegna in Miniatura, a miniature Sardinia showing all its most famous sights, including Su Nuraxi itself. The scale-model can be toured by boat and viewed from a tower.


Kids’ Corner

Do you know?

1. What kind of stone Su Nuraxi is made from?

2. The name of a traditional Sardinian musical instrument?



Frolicking foals

Family Guide
The wild ponies of the Giara di Gesturi are thought to have been introduced by the Phoenicians 3,000 years ago.

< Sardinia

8. Villasimius

Seaside and shipwrecks

Southern Sardinia’s pre-eminent family resort, on the island’s southeast corner, is a place to unwind. Surrounded by silky sands, the place bursts with energy in summer and is dead in winter, but has enough beaches, bars and restaurants for any season. Bikes and scooters can be rented to explore the lagoons and Spanish watchtowers scattered along the coast, and local outfits rent diving equipment to nose around the seabed. For landlubbers, the town’s engaging Museo Archeologico displays local Carthaginian and Roman finds and items from a 16th-century Spanish shipwreck.


Kids’ Corner

Look out for…

Family Guide

Weapons from a 16th-century Spanish shipwreck, in the museum at Villasimius.

< Sardinia

9. Sant’Antioco and San Pietro

Burial sites and secret beaches

Family Guide
Fishing boats tied up in the harbour at Calasetta, Sant’Antioco island
Until they were dislodged by the Romans, the Carthaginians controlled Sardinia’s southwestern corner from their base on the isle of Sant’Antioco, which they named Sulki. Today, the island is connected to the rest of Sardinia by a slender isthmus. A panoramic promontory at one end of Sant’Antioco is the location of a Carthaginian tophet, or burial site, dedicated to the gods Baal-Hammon and Tanit. Ancient pottery, jewellery and colourful mosaics are collected in the Museo Archeologico here. From Calasetta, at the north of the island, ferries cross to smaller San Pietro. Apart from the elegant town of Carloforte, it is a rugged spot, with a few scraps of beach and fantastic views from Capo Sandalo on its western tip.


Kids’ Corner

Do you know?

The Carthaginian name for Sant’Antioco?



Look out for…

Urns that once held human and animal ashes, at Sant’Antioco’s tophet site.

A mosaic of drinking panthers, in Sant’Antioco’s archaeological museum.

< Sardinia

10. Sinis Peninsula

Underwater ruins

Family Guide
The beach at San Giovanni di Sinis on the Sinis Peninsula
Halfway up Sardinia’s west coast, the Sinis Peninsula is an area of lagoons and beaches. At its south is Tharros, founded by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC and later settled by Carthaginians and Romans – much of it now underwater. Its stones were used to build the 5th-century church of San Giovanni di Sinis nearby.


Kids’ Corner

Do you know?

  1. Family Guide

    Why barefoot boys run across the Sinis Peninsula in early September?


  2. FG

Boy racers

The Corsa degli Scalzi, or “barefoot race” re-enacts a mission undertaken five centuries ago, in 1506, to save the statue of San Salvatore from barbarian raiders. Barefoot boys clad only in white shirts and shorts set off at dawn from Cabras on the Sinis Peninsula and run to San Salvatore di Sinis, 8 km (5 miles) away. They return the next day, bearing the holy statue to safe custody in Cabras.

Look out for…

The Spanish watchtower overlooking the site of Tharros.

Where to Stay in Sardinia


Family accommodation in Sardinia is excellent, ranging from grand hotels in lavish grounds to resort-style hotels by the sea; stylish modern hotels in the main cities to simple family-run places in small towns. Ask about family discounts and whether minimum stays and half- or full-board are mandatory.

Price Guide

For a family of four per night in high season, in one or more rooms, inclusive of breakfast, service charges and any additional taxes such as VAT.

€: Under €200; €€: €200–350; €€€: over €200

Agencies

Rent-Sardinia

A wide choice of villas and apartments.

Sardinia Villa Collection

Upmarket villas to rent.

Sardinian Villas

An easy-to-use website that lists family-friendly villas.


Alghero

Hotels

Hotel Porto Conte

Località Porto Conte, 07041; 079942035; www.hotelportoconte.it; closed mid-Oct–mid-Apr
On an exquisite bay, this grand, family-friendly hotel has tennis courts, a pool and paddling pool and private beach. There are bikes to rent or it is a 20-minute bus journey into Alghero.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Restaurant • Swimming pool • Beach

Hotel Domomea

Via Vittorio Veneto 47, 07041; 0799732011; www.domomeagroup.com
In a quiet area of Alghero, close to the old centre, this hotel is popular with families. It has a rooftop pool and an airy interior with bright, modern decor. Bike hire is available.
€€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Swimming pool

Villa Las Tronas

Lungomare Valencia 1, 07041; 079981818; www.hotelvillalastronas.it
In its own grounds on a headland with lovely views, this castellated former royal residence from 1884 brims with character, and boasts two pools and a billiards room. It is a 10-minute walk by the sea to the centre of Alghero.
€€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool
Family Guide
Villa Las Tronas, on a rocky promontory just outside Alghero

Bosa

Hotels/Self-catering

Corte Fiorita

Via Lungo Temo de Gasperi 45, 08013; 0785377058; www.hotel-bosa.it
An albergo diffuso – with buildings dotted around town – this hotel in old Bosa has a range of rooms in traditional settings, some with river views. Apartments are available too.
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Kitchen facilities

Isola Rossa

Località Campu e Mare, 08013 Bosa Marina; 0785377101; www.isolarossabosa.it
This hotel in family-friendly Bosa Marina has accommodating staff and clean rooms. The pool is small but the beach is a 10-minute walk away. Self-catering apartments are available. Dine outdoors in summer.
€ • Family rooms • Garden • Restaurant • Kitchen facilities • Swimming pool

Cagliari

Hotels

Hotel Chentu Lunas

Piazza Arcipelaghi, 09126; 070389539; www.chentulunas.it
With only eight rooms, this simple little hotel is next to Cagliari’s beach and marina in Poetto. Its balconied rooms are neat and spotless, and the restaurant serves breakfast and basic meals. The bus stop for the centre is just outside.
€ • Family rooms • Restaurant • Beach

T Hotel

Via dei Giudicati 66, 09131; 07047400; www.thotel.it
A little out of the centre, but well connected to sights and beaches by bus, this is a stunning hotel, with lovely rooms and large bathrooms, sumptuous suites and two-level “maisonettes” that sleep four. There is a pool, formal restaurant, bistro and excellent buffet breakfasts.
€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Cafe • Swimming pool

B&B

Sardinia Domus

Largo Carlo Felice 26, 09124; 070659783; www.sardiniadomus.it
Well-placed for Cagliari’s centre and port, this smart B&B has spacious, modern rooms, all en-suite. Street-facing rooms are larger, brighter and slightly more expensive – but also noisier.
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Restaurant

Cala Gonone

Hotels

Hotel Miramare

Piazza dei Giardini 12, 08020; 078493140; www.htlmiramare.it; closed Nov–Mar
Ideally located for the beach, small port and centre of Cala Gonone, this hotel has a panoramic roof terrace and an excellent restaurant, with indoor and outdoor seating. It has cool, clean rooms with balconies; pay a little more for the ones at the front with views.
€ • Family rooms • Garden • Restaurant

Cala Gonone Beach Village

Viale Bue Marino, 08020; 078493693; www.calagononebeachvillages.com; closed late Sep–late May
Despite the name, this hotel is nearly a kilometre (half a mile) inland, but the pool, kids’ club and other facilities make up for it: the pool has children’s areas and there are tennis courts. All rooms have a patio or terrace. A shuttle “train” takes guests to the beach.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Restaurant • Play Area • Swimming pool
Family Guide
A children’s play area at Cala Gonone Beach Village

Castelsardo

Hotels

Hotel Baga Baga

Loc La Terra Bianca, 07031; 079479125; www.hotelbagabaga.it
This is the best place to stay around Castelsardo, 1 km (half a mile) out of town, with views of the old town and sea beyond. There are ten modern rooms, furnished in rustic style. Enjoy the panorama at break-fast, from the veranda or garden.
€ • Garden • Restaurant

Hotel Corallo

Località Isola Rossa, 07038 Trinità d’Agultu; 079694055; www.hotelcorallosardegna.it
Opposite the fishing harbour of Isola Rossa, 20 km (12 miles) north-east of Castelsardo, this family-run hotel serves a buffet breakfast to guests as they watch the boats come and go. It has well-equipped rooms and sea-facing suites with balconies and spa pools. It is only a short walk to the local beach, or there are water taxis to ferry guests to the best beaches nearby.
€€€ • Family rooms • Restaurant • Swimming pool
Family Guide
A room with a sea-facing balcony at Hotel Corallo, near Castelsardo

La Maddalena

Hotel/Self-catering

Villa del Parco

Via Don Vico, 07024; 0789720026; www.villadelparco.com
A short walk from the centre of La Maddalena and 200 m (220 yards) from the sea, this modern, well-maintained hotel has rooms with kitchenettes, and apartments by the week. Dinghies can be rented to explore the archipelago, and diving and other trips arranged.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Restaurant • Beach • Kitchen facilities

Nora/Pula

Hotels

Costa dei Fiori

09010 Santa Margherita di Pula; 0709245333; www.costadeifiori.it
This tasteful, palm-shaded resort hotel by the beach, 3 km (2 miles) from Nora, is custom-made for families, with a kids’ club, tennis courts, table tennis and two pools. Boat trips and diving courses can be organized. Minimum three-night stay in high season. Shuttle buses run to Pula and Chia beach.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Restaurant • Beach • Swimming pool

Nora Club Hotel

09010 Nora; 070924422; www.noraclubhotel.it
A small, friendly, family-run hotel 10 minutes’ walk from the beach, the archaeological site of Nora and the holiday town of Pula, the Nora Club Hotel also has bikes for guests to get around on. Immaculate rooms overlook a gorgeous pool and lush garden.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Cafe • Swimming pool

Sant’Antioco

Hotel

Luci del Faro

Località Mangiabarche Calasetta, 09011; 0781810089; www.hotelucidelfaro.com; closed Nov–Mar
Off the beaten track, this hotel on the western coast of Sant’Antioco has 38 bright, airy rooms around a pool, and views over the sea. There is a rocky shore, and a sandy beach down the road easily reached by shuttle bus.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Restaurant • Beach • Swimming pool

Sinis

Hotel

Golf Hotel Is Arenas

Pineta Is Arenas, Narbolia, 09070; 0783529011; www.golfhotelisarenas.com
In dense pine woods on the coast, this hotel has minimalist chalets in its grounds. The fine-sand beach is often deserted, and there is a pool too. First-rate food. Minimum stay one week in summer.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Restaurant • Swimming pool • Beach

Stintino

Hotel

Hotel Cala Reale

Località Ovile del Mercante, 07040; 0784523127; www.calareale.it; closed Oct–May
On the edge of Stintino, this hotel is near the glorious but often crowded beach of La Pelosa (reached by shuttle bus). Two pools and tennis courts provide on-site recreation. Minimum stay one week in summer.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool

Villasimius

Hotels

Il Girasole

Via Masaccio 6, 09049; 070791496; www.ilgirasolehotel.com; closed early Nov–mid-Jan
Quiet and peaceful, 5 minutes’ walk from the centre of Villasimius, this hotel has eight spacious double rooms, with terraces. The best beaches are a short bus ride away.
€ • Garden • Swimming pool

Albaruja Hotel

Via Colombo, Costa Rei, Muravera, 09043; 070991557; www.albaruja.it; closed early Oct–Apr
Steps away from the pristine sands of the Costa Rei, 70 km (40 miles) east of Cagliari, this hotel is set in a luxuriant garden a short walk from restaurants and markets. Boat trips allow guests to explore the coast.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Beach • Kitchen facilities • Swimming pool
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