Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean. Definitely less popular than Sicily, but equally attractive in terms of nature and history.
Italian Sardinia is famous above all for its amazing beaches and the emerald coast. We cannot fail to mention the nearly 300 sunny days in a year and the excellent Italian cuisine which you can taste here.
The island is an ideal place both for family holidays and for a trip for two. There are plenty of tourist attractions here, both for those who want to actively spend their holidays, because they are excited to see monuments thousands of years old and try out the mountain trails created for hiking, and for tourists who want to relax among kilometers of picturesque, sandy beaches and charming towns located on the slopes.
So let’s start the tour of attractions of Sardinia:
Neptune Grotto
The Neptune Grotto is one of Sardinia’s greatest attractions, making a great impression. The cave is located near the town of Alghero, at the foot of the high cliff of Capo Caccia.
You can get to it in two ways – by the side of the sea, by a boat, or by climbing stairs made of rocks (up to 650), from the top of the cliff. Inside you can admire speleothems (stalactites and stalagmites) and a fairly shallow salt lake.
The age of the cave is estimated to be about 130 million years, and you can visit just over half a kilometer from a four-kilometer length.
Admission is payable.
See how Neptune cave looks like in practice:
Going forward:
La Pelosa beach
La Pelosa, with its white sand and a turquoise shade of water, is a Caribbean beach in Europe. The shore is shallow, therefore ideal for families with children. There is an extensive catering infrastructure, car parks and rental of umbrellas and sun loungers around.
The tourist attraction here is a small island with a seventeenth-century tower – la Pelosa, north of the beach. You can reach it on foot, walking in shallow water.
Alghero
Alghero is a town called the small Barcelona. Because of the Catalan influence, the similarities are clearly visible. Obligatory point is a walk along the defensive walls surrounding the town and a visit to the local port. In addition, it is worth having a look at two churches – the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Francis.
See for yourself the rest of it 🙂
Secrets of Nuraghe
Nuraghe are mysterious stone buildings that only occur in Sardinia. Their age is estimated at around 1500-500 years BC. The best known and best preserved are located in Barumini, although they can also be found in other parts of the island. It is in Barumini that a whole settlement of old tribes inhabiting this area has survived – a fortress, village huts and defensive walls.
Archipelago la Maddalena
Archipelago la Maddalena is a group of small islands located between Sardinia and Corsica, protected by the National Park. Most of them are uninhabited. It is worth going on a cruise between the islands, even for amazing views.
A real paradise on earth! Take a virtual tour:
The capital of Sardinia Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia. It is worth visiting if only because of the old Italian climate, as if time stood still here. You can climb the Bastione Saint Remy in the Castello district to admire the city skyline or visit the old fortifications – Torre dell’Elefante towers and Torre San Pancrazio. In addition, you can look at local churches, for example – San Saturnino, Santa Maria di Bonnaria, or Cattedrale.
Su Gorroppu Gorge
Su Gorroppu Gorge is one of the deepest gorges in Europe. Its depth reaches up to half a kilometer. It stretches for about 1.5 kilometers, where sometimes the widest place is barely 4 meters wide. The canyon is divided into three routes to explore, the last – the black trail, you can hike only with a guide and with the appropriate equipment for climbing. The entrance is paid, but the visitors get a helmet for equipment.
Orgosolo
Orgosolo – a town located in the heart of the island, known primarily for its murals. There are about 150 paintings here, which is very much like the size of this place. Paintings touch social, historical and political topics. Interestingly, the inhabitants of this place are native Sardinians.
And in our opinion, the last attraction that is worth seeing and visiting in Sardinia:
Gennargentu National Park
Gennargentu National Park – a place for lovers of mountain hiking. The park is located in the Gennargentu massif with the highest peak of Sardinia – Punta La Marmora (1834 m above sea level). In this area you will find two lakes, a mountainous limestone complex Supramonte with an unusual attraction that is a narrow-gauge railway ride through the mountainous Barbagia.
Map of Sardinia
Below you will find the current map of Sardinia, which will allow you to locate exactly and plan your trip to the biggest attractions in Sardinia, which we think you need to visit and see for yourself.
For more information, visit the website of the island of Sardinia where attractions, interesting places and monuments are described in more detail.
If you know other interesting places, monuments or attractions that you must see in Sardinia, do not hesitate to add your opinion or commentary to this short yet concise tourist guide in Sardinia!