Sardinia’s Best Beaches: An Honest Guide
If there's one thing Sardinia is famous for, it's its beaches. Before our trip, we'd seen countless photos of impossibly turquoise water and white sandy coves online, but nothing quite prepared us for seeing them in person.
During our 10-day Sardinia road trip, we explored beaches across the north and east of the island, from hidden coves tucked away on Caprera to world-famous stretches of coastline only accessible by boat. While every beach had its own character, they all had one thing in common: incredibly clear water that rivals some of the best tropical destinations we've ever visited.
In this guide, we've rounded up the best beaches in Sardinia, sharing our honest opinions, parking tips, how to access each beach, and whether they're truly worth adding to your itinerary.
Cala Andreani
Without a doubt, Cala Andreani was one of our favourite beaches in Sardinia.
Located on the island of Caprera, just across the bridge from La Maddalena, Cala Andreani feels far more secluded than many of Sardinia's better-known beaches. The water is unbelievably clear, the colours almost look edited in photographs, and even during the afternoon it never felt as crowded as some of the island's more famous spots.
Getting here is relatively straightforward. The drive is less rugged than many hidden beaches in Sardinia, with several places to park along the roadside before making the short walk down to the beach. While the final stretch involves a slightly rocky path, it's an easy trade-off for such a peaceful setting.
Like almost every beach in Sardinia, it becomes busier as the day goes on, so arriving early is always a good idea. That said, Cala Andreani still felt far more relaxed than many of the beaches we visited elsewhere on the island.
If you're spending the day on Caprera, we'd also recommend staying until the evening, then taking a short walk to the opposite beach to end the day watching the sunset over the island.
Spiaggia La Pelosa
La Pelosa Beach is undoubtedly one of the most famous beaches in Sardinia - and probably the one you've already seen all over social media.
With its shallow turquoise water and fine white sand, it's easy to understand why so many people visit. However, our experience was a little different to what we'd expected.
The drive to Stintino is beautiful, but as you get closer to the beach, traffic increases dramatically and finding parking can become surprisingly time-consuming during the summer months.
One important thing to know before visiting is that La Pelosa requires advance booking during the peak season. Visitor numbers are capped to help protect the beach, so you'll need to reserve your spot online before arriving.
Another rule that's unique to La Pelosa is the requirement to place a beach mat underneath your towel. This helps prevent visitors from accidentally carrying away the incredibly fine sand, which has become a significant conservation issue over the years.
Although we completely support the preservation efforts, we personally found La Pelosa much busier than we'd hoped. There was very little space between towels, making it feel more crowded than many of the other beaches we visited around Sardinia.
That being said, if it's your first visit to the island, it's still worth experiencing one of Sardinia's most iconic beaches and deciding for yourself.
Cala Luna
Accessible only by boat or a challenging hiking trail, Cala Luna is one of the most spectacular beaches on Sardinia's east coast.
We visited as part of a boat tour from Cala Gonone, with Cala Luna being our first stop of the day. Arriving early meant we had the beach almost entirely to ourselves before the larger crowds began arriving later in the morning.
The beach is famous for its enormous limestone caves, which provide natural shade and create one of the most unique settings anywhere on the island. Between swimming in the crystal-clear water and exploring the caves, it's easy to spend several relaxing hours here.
If you're planning a boat trip around the Gulf of Orosei, Cala Luna should definitely be one of the stops on your itinerary.
Cala Mariolu
Regularly recognised as one of the best beaches in the world, Cala Mariolu certainly lives up to the hype.
Named the second-best beach in the world in 2024, we knew we couldn't visit Sardinia without seeing it for ourselves. Like Cala Luna, we reached the beach as part of our boat tour from Cala Gonone.
The water here is some of the clearest we've ever seen, making it perfect for swimming and snorkelling. There's also a small rocky ledge where plenty of visitors jump into the sea, adding a little adventure to the experience.
Unlike many Sardinian beaches, Cala Mariolu isn't covered in soft sand. Instead, it's made up of tiny white pebbles that can become uncomfortable underfoot, so we'd highly recommend bringing swim shoes if you plan on spending a few hours here.
Thanks to its international reputation, Cala Mariolu can become busy throughout the day. Even so, the incredible scenery more than makes up for the crowds, and we'd still rank it as one of the absolute highlights of our Sardinia road trip.
Porto Istana
Located just south of Olbia, Porto Istana is one of the easiest beaches to visit if you're arriving or departing from Sardinia's main airport.
We spent an entire day here relaxing, and it proved to be the perfect introduction to Sardinia's famous coastline. The beach offers a long stretch of soft sand, calm turquoise water, and plenty of space to spread out, making it ideal for families as well as those simply looking to unwind.
Like many beaches in Sardinia, the water is incredibly clear and remains pleasantly warm throughout the summer months, making it perfect for swimming.
If you're staying in or around Olbia, Porto Istana is an excellent beach to add to your itinerary before beginning your Sardinian road trip.
