Essential Italy | The 7 Must-See Places in Sardinia | 4K Travel Guide

Sardinia, which is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, is one of the most beautiful and diverse places to visit in Italy. It has some of Italy's and Europe's most beautiful beaches and some of its most endearing towns. I was lucky enough to travel there in the last week of September of this past year. Since it's so big I decided to just focus on the northern part of the island and did a one-week road trip. I recommend choosing either the northern or southern parts of the island if you have one week or less to travel and a car is a must since public transit is scant and you'll want the ability to explore. So this video will focus on the must-see stops on your northern Sardinian road trip adventure. This is my third video in a six-part Italian video series so stay tuned and subscribe for more. Isola Tavarola was one of the first images that I saw that made Sardinia a must for me. It looks like a gigantic and mythical sea behemoth diving right into the water. It's actually a small island off the northeast coast though and that is a limestone massive which is five kilometers long and one kilometer wide with steep cliffs at each end and the highest point is Monte Canone which is 565 meters above sea level. To get here you take the ferry from Porto San Paolo which is about 20 minutes south of Olbia. The ferry costs about 15 euros round trip and takes about 40 minutes each way. On the island there isn't too much to do beyond going to the incredible beach and taking in the magical and unreal view, hiking around the island or even rock climbing. There's also a couple restaurants and other small cafes if you need something to eat or drink. When I went there in late September I found the water to be a little bit cold but still swimmable and enjoyable. Overall this is one of my favorite things to do in Sardinia and I consider it a must and it can be accomplished in a half day to a full day. The Baonai coast or the Gulf of Orose was my absolute favorite thing that I did in Sardinia and maybe the best thing I did in my entire four and a half months in Europe. It's an inlet along the east coast which stretches 30 kilometers. Practically all the beaches are only accessible by walking, climbing or boat which makes this area particularly special. For a full experience I recommend a tour or if you're feeling particularly bold and want a special experience to rent and drive your own boat around for the day to have your own customized experience. Just don't forget your snorkeling gear like I did. I stayed in the gorgeous town of Cala Gonone where I rented my boat. For a five meter long dinghy it only cost me 160 euros for the full day plus gas which was around 20 euros. It doesn't require a boating license and they just give you a quick tutorial which is a bit intimidating but when in Sardinia right? Cala Golodice was my first stop and it's one of the most iconic celebrated and recognizable beaches in Sardinia and Italy. It was actually formed in 1962 after a landslide detached a sandstone wall leaving its iconic rock formation. The only way to get to this tiny but magnificent beach is by an hour-long hike or by boat which needs to be parked 200 meters offshore in the absolutely incredibly gorgeous clear warm and turquoise water. From there there are a bunch of beaches and areas to stop at which are also incredible until you reach the also equally famous Cala Luna or moon beach. Cala Luna is one of the most scenic beaches on the entire eastern coast. This expansive beach has a lot more space than Cala Golodice and also only accessible by boat or hiking. It still is incredibly crowded though. It's located at the mouth of the Ilnu river and is set against the backdrop of steep limestone cliffs lush greenery and white sand that meets the turquoise and azure blue waters that are perfectly clear. On top of that it has five amazing caves to explore. The Bowenite coast is a hundred percent must do. I've been lucky enough to travel quite a bit and still boating around the Bowenite coast was one of my favorite things I've ever done. Even if you just take a tour it's still 100% worth it and I recommend spending a full day here. The Costa Esmeralda or the emerald coast is a 10 kilometer stretch set between the bay of Arzacena and the Gulf of Cunhiana just north of Olbia. The coast contains nearly endless picture-perfect bays and coves and white sandy beaches meeting the perfectly clear green and turquoise waters. Until the 1950s it was just a humble stretch in Sardinia not very well known but it was discovered by the famous Italian Prince Karim Aga Khan the fourth and he and the Sardinians set on to develop the region into something glitzy that now the rich jet-setters oligarchs and celebrities frequent. Knowing all of that I wasn't super excited about this region but decided to check it out on the way up to the Madelena islands. My experience was different since I was there towards the shoulder season and it was pretty rainy. It has a lot of beautiful beaches that I hopped through on my day there and I found it wasn't very crowded at all. I could see how it would be a destination but I think there could be better areas to visit but still well worth it. On top of that the architecture while pretty definitely seemed to lack a European culture to it and seemed like something I'd find in Arizona. I'd recommend spending at least a day here but if you want to lounge in a resort and just chill out on the beach you could spend up to two days. Up next is one of the most coveted places in northern Sardinia the Madelena archipelago. It's made up of 62 islands most of them being very small. It's known for its stunning and unspoiled beaches with fine white sand and crystal waters and this national park. It's best seen by boat which there are countless tours you could take from the closest town on the mainland Palau which is also where you catch the ferry to the main island La Madelena. I originally set up a day tour but it was cancelled due to the weather so I just took a ferry over with my rental car and just drove around the main island. I explored the beaches and nature which I thought was well worth it. I'd recommend spending at least a day here and doing one of the standard tours but you could also spend two to three days exploring more of the islands. The next town was my favorite in Sardinia and one of my overall favorite in Italy. Castelsardo is a picturesque town located in the northwest of the island about 40 minutes north of Sassori. If you're traveling from east to west or vice versa on the northern coast it's a must stop. It's one of the most distinctive towns I've ever seen and dominates everything else around it. The old town which I recommend visiting is a citadel that sits on top of a massive promontory rising from the sea and has a well intact castle resting on the top called Doria castle. The town has beautiful architecture, churches, and hiking walking trails. There's also some really good food there. Castelsardo could be a place to stop on your way to other destinations but I really enjoyed spending the night there. There's a great sunset and it calms down at night so it's very peaceful. The last place I recommend is the northwestern city of Alghero which is the fifth largest city in Sardinia and also has an airport. It's a beautiful place that still maintains its distinct medieval charm with its famous strong city walls, rich cultural historical center, and has great beaches and day trips in the surrounding areas. It's well worth it to stay at least a day getting lost within the cobblestone streets and exploring discovering the city. There's also a bunch of day trips such as Stentino, Capo Cazia, and the Neptune caves in the north and Bosa to the south. There's also beautiful beaches around and I'd recommend staying for at least two to three days to use as a home base so you can explore the beautiful city and the surrounding areas. Bosa is another super pretty little town in Sardinia. It's in the Orestano province about an hour south of Alghero and sits about three kilometers inland on the Temo river. It's known for being one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and for good reason. Its colorful buildings surround the river and has a hilltop castle for good measure. I think Bosa is best served as a day trip from Alghero but if you want to get more into the details of the town you could stay over as well. It has a nice old town and some churches to explore. I felt like a few hours was more than enough for me though. Well that wraps it up for this video. Thanks for watching if you made it this far. Sardinia is an absolute paradise and this just scratches the surface. It's filled with insane beaches, nature, food, and historical towns and is an absolute must when you go to Italy or Europe. I had an incredible trip and I'm sure you will as well. One thing to note is that I went during the last week of September which is considered shoulder season and I was a bit unlucky with the weather for a few days and the water was generally warm but a bit cold around Tavarola. If I could have done it again I probably would have gone a couple weeks earlier to have a bit better weather and still dodge the crowds. I also hear June is a time to go as well. This video is the third video from my six-part Italian video series so subscribe for more and if you like this video hit the like button.