This large Italian island offers the perfect blend of gorgeous beaches and a plethora of phenomenal walking trails. If that wasn't enough, the warm hospitality of the local people make visiting this island a total pleasure, and the delectable Mediterranean cuisine is almost worth the trip by itself!
With easy access to numerous walking trails, visitors can enjoy a range of landscapes including lush oak forests, deep canyons, jaw-dropping coastlines and panoramic mountain ranges.
Our 8-day walking holiday to Sardinia takes you up the West Coast, providing a variety of walks as well as some time to absorb the culture and enjoy the sunshine.
Is Sardinia Good for Walking?
Although known for its stunning beaches and turquoise waters, the island of Sardinia is teeming with walking routes, traversing along the coastline, over rugged mountains, and through impressive canyons. Immerse yourself in history and learn about old mining traditions as you walk along the now unused mining trails.
Not only can you enjoy endless views of the beautiful island, but due to large portions of the island being uninhabited, trails are quiet and rarely crowded, often with the only sounds being the whistle of the wind and distant bird calls.
Which Side of Sardinia is Best to Visit?
This of course depends on what you're visiting Sardinia for! In terms of beaches and relaxing, both the north and south coasts are beautiful, with plenty of uncrowded beaches and romantic scenery. Walking wise, the south-west is undoubtedly the best for walks.
With rolling kilometres of natural beauty and phenomenal panoramic views at the peaks of mountains, this area of Sardinia incorporates a great array of walking trails with fascinating mining history.
Our hiking trip is based in the south-west, zig-zagging up the coastline through several villages, combining inland trails with beautiful coastal routes.
What is the most Beautiful Area of Sardinia?
This island is bursting at the seams with charming villages, impressive sweeping views and golden beaches. Our trip takes you to some of the most idyllic parts of the region, giving you the opportunity to explore the beautiful local areas and enjoy the hiking.
Buggerru, an old mining town popular with visitors, is where the trip begins, with plenty of shops and markets to indulge in. The seaside village of Portixeddu is close by, and is fronted by crystal clear waters and a long stretch of beautiful beach.
The route also takes you to the beautiful historic towns of Ingurtosu and Naracouli, where picturesque scenes of ruins are set amongst luscious rolling hills. There really aren't many areas of this island that aren't breathtakingly beautiful!
When is the Best Time to Visit Sardinia?
Sardinia is the warmest in summer with temperatures reaching up to 30 degrees, perfect for beach days, however not ideal for hiking holidays. Spring is the best time for an outdoor adventure such as walking, with mild and pleasant temperatures, clear skies, and endless fields of colourful flowers in bloom.
Autumn also offers ideal weather conditions, and the water is perfectly warmed from the summer months if you fancy a dip after a long day of hiking! The crowds also lessen around these times due to peak season being during the summer holidays, so this is worth keeping in mind.
How Many Days in Sardinia is enough?
It's recommended that you spend at least a week in Sardinia to make the most of the beautiful Sardinian landscape, and still have time to explore a fascinating ancient site or relax on one of the beautiful beaches lining the coast.
Our self-guided trip lasts a total of eight days, with each day spent traversing a different route progressing up the coastline whilst passing historical landmarks. The itinerary also factors in a free day, allowing you to relax, or perhaps explore the dunes of Piscinas.
The hike each day covers a distance of approximately eight to 16 kilometres across dirt trails and country lanes, meaning that you cover a substantial distance during your time on the island.
Is Sardinia a Good Holiday Location?
Sardinia is a well-known European destination, perfect for holiday-goers and walkers alike; it's safe, has a range of lovely accommodation options, suites families and solo travellers, and is of great value. Being off the coast of Italy, the restaurants serve the most delicious food, and the local people are very welcoming.
Sardinia walking holidays deliver an idyllic combination of difficulty and reward with long distance trails but also breath-taking views of the Mediterranean Sea ... what's not to like!
What is so Special About Sardinia, Italy?
Sensational views, welcoming hospitality, excellent walking trails and rich history are all things that this pristine island boasts in abundance. This rugged landscape is also scattered with Nuraghi - intriguing Bronze Age stone ruins shaped like beehives, waiting to be explored.
Nature lovers can also enjoy a variety of wildlife, including migrating birds which can be spotted during the autumn and spring months; the island is a stopover point for over 300 species on the main migratory route between Europe, Asia and Africa, with species including partridge, European griffin vulture and greater flamingo. If you're lucky, you may even spot the Sardinian Deer, a subspecies of the red deer that can be seen across the island.
Is Sardinia very Hilly?
Speaking of mountains, this island is well-known for being hilly - around 68% of the land is mountain ranges, allowing hikers and nature fanatics to get lost in this Mediterranean paradise!
Despite this hilly statistic, our walking tour features only shallow ascents and descents, and the trail gently undulates across the tops of limestone cliffs and rolling hills, offering moderate difficulty hiking and great views across this unique landscape.
If you'd like to make Sardinia your next walking holiday destination, check out our Hiking in Sardinia's Wild South West trip. For further information on Sardinia, or any of our other European destinations, contact our expert team today.
