The Sardinian Dream

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09/09/2017

First things first – Sardinia is a large Italian island on the Mediterranean Sea, full of sandy beaches, mountains, great wine and food…Oh and the gelato is AMAZING! Sardinia exceeded my expectations inso many ways!!

Sardinia has three airports: Alghero, Cagliari and Olbia. We travelled to Alghero. The flight from London Stanstead to Sardinia Alghero is only 2 hours and 30 mins, passport control in Sardinia is a dream- super-fast and Alghero airport is small and easy to navigate!

Public transport in Sardinia is available but it does restrict what you do. If your aim is to be by the sea, near amenities and able to relax- Alghero is the place for you! However, if like us you want a mixture of exploring and relaxation I recommend renting a car. For best prices- go online and of course use price comparison websites as there are some really good deals out there!

Friendly word of warning: if you have never driven in Italy before, a small warning- Italians love speed! So, take care 🙂

Alghero

If you want to stay put Alghero has everything! Sandy beaches, family-friendly activities, restaurants, great shopping streets and a buzzing night life! We rented a flat no more than 10 minutes’ walk from the beach.

However, there are beautiful sandy beaches if you head away from the main beach in Alghero. Our favourite was Maria Pia beach. It wasn’t as busy as some of the other beaches, the sand was beautiful and most importantly, extremely child friendly. The best thing about the sea in Sardinia is that it is very calm and warm. We spent most of our days swimming and snorkelling and if you plan to spend all day out I would recommend taking a picnic and plenty of water. There is a small shop that sells food, snacks and has a toilet, although it can be a little pricy.

I’ve never swam in the sea before, I just used to dip my toes- you know?!… I had always been pretty scared (another post!) however during our visit to Sardinia my daughter and I found a new passion-snorkelling! If you can swim please try! It’s fantastic, and after being scared of water all my life I found snorkelling so calming. The water was so clear we were able to see all different types of fish and the formation of caves was magnificent. Our favourite snorkelling place was Capo Caccia which was not sandy but easy to jump in the water and you will be able to see so much its incredible! I would recommend that you bring swimming shoes as it can be slippery.

Another bonus point of Capo Caccia are the views! You don’t only get sea views but some mountains which are great for a hike! Just make sure it’s not at midday as the sun is ridic- my back is proof 🙂

You cannot miss Stintino. It is quite simply breath taking! The views just force you to take a moment and be grateful because let’s be honest, such vistas are not an everyday occurrence. When we do it’s because we have worked hard and most of us have probably saved to ensure that our children and families experience new places and cultures. Enough with the preaching- the sand is a 15 out of 10…. It’s a mixture of rocks and sand but when you are in the water is just sand…. The water is so clear…. I have never seen anything like it! If you snorkel you’ll be able to see the light from the sun create beautiful shiny squares at the bottom of the sea, it’s so amazing that I spent almost an hour staring at it! Amenities are great, we took a picnic and of course got gelato but there are plenty of places to buy food, water and toilet facilities!

Last but not least Bosa. The drive to Bosa is just indescribable but let me try…..WOW and WOW again. And WOW again. You have mountains, the sea, beautiful cliffs… and the smell of the sea is divine!

The thing with Bosa is you need to do your research. Find a suitable beach to go. The majority of them are rocky and difficult to find as they are concealed by mountains and there are no signs to let you know that the beach is there. Also, once you park, the beach can be a bit of a walk. This is not necessarily a bad thing as the walk was great but if you get there around 11 am it is super-hot so bear that in mind! And it’s rocky but not bad rocky- which I didn’t know could happen. The rocks are super smooth and easy to make camp! I must warn you, taking food and water is essential as there are no amenities…. But I think Bosa was the place we had the most fun because we could go for a hike and enjoy the views, swim and mingle with the locals, who were so friendly!