Why go en Sardaigne?
The good reasons to go en Sardaigne
Find your dream beach
Cove, cove, bay, tongue, ribbon: Sardinian beaches are treasures.
Winding roads
Travel the coastline by car or motorbike and discover spectacular views.
Sharing religious fervor
There's no better way to discover Sardinia's wonderful folklore than at a local festival.
The Nuraghic culture
Will you be able to solve the unfathomable mystery of the thousands of nuraghes?
Tasting fregula and salsiccia
Succumb to the pleasures of Sardinian gastronomy, a world away from the pasta-pizza duo.
Take on the trails
Easy or strenuous, the many hiking trails reveal Sardinia by the sea.
Fall under the charm of the bell towers
The route of the Romanesque churches from Sassari is part of the remarkable heritage.
Discover the central mountains
Supramonte, Gennargentu... these spectacular ranges and peaks exceed 1,000 meters in altitude.
Practicing the "passeggiata
Join the Sardinians at the end of the day for a stroll and a chat.
Dive into this blue dream
Sardinia is one of the most beautiful diving spots in the Mediterranean.
Good to know when visiting la Sardaigne
Timetable
In high season, museums and major sites are open between 10am and 8pm. Some open at 9am. In low season, opening hours are shorter, from 10am to 6pm. The traditional closing day is Monday. For churches, opening times and days vary widely. Open every day, non-stop, in the larger towns, they open only on certain days, with a big break in the middle of the day in the smaller villages. Stores open from 9am or 10am to 1pm, then from 5pm to 8pm.
To be booked
In high season, it's a good idea to book your ferry or excursion to the islands of La Maddalena and Asinara one or more days in advance. This advice applies to all sea trips throughout the island in July and August.
Budget & Tips
Entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites are generally lower than in France. In larger cities, museums sometimes offer "passes" for lower-priced visits. Reduced rates are available for children and senior citizens. Some historic churches charge admission. Here again, admission is often modest.
Main events
Apart from the summer season, which attracts most tourists to the often crowded beaches, Sardinia offers a calendar of typical and colorful festivities directly linked to the religious calendar. The carnival period, which runs from mid-January to Holy Wednesday, keeps the Sardinians very busy. Tourists flock to the parades in Nuoro or to the Sartiglia in Oristano, held around Shrove Tuesday. The feast of Sant'Efisio, held in Cagliari between May1 and 4, attracts many spectators, in addition to Sardinians from all over the island who take part in the processions.
Guided tours
The tourist office is always the best place to find out about interesting visits in a given region. More and more of them are offering audio guided tours, as well as online downloadable tours. For more personal, themed excursions, you'll find specialized agencies all over the island offering land and sea tours. For each region, we have selected reliable agencies with a proven track record and a philosophy geared towards sustainable development and " slow tourism ".
What's very local
The passeggiata, already mentioned in this guide, is the real daily institution that brings young and old together. Sardinians go out with their families at 6 p.m. to stroll through town centers or occupy benches in village squares. It's a good idea to dress appropriately for this social practice.
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Discover la Sardaigne
If it is the immaculate beaches and crystal clear waters that seduce at first sight, the complex and mysterious Sardinian culture quickly takes over. The island has been inhabited since 6000 BC and has undergone many periods of invasion, which have created a unique heritage where magic rubs shoulders with the very present Catholic religion. The island is criss-crossed by colourful festivals where the Sardinians dress in their traditional costumes and sing songs from the depths of time. To get a feel for Sardinia, it is imperative to leave the gentle torpor of the coast to explore the interior. It is here that local craftsmanship is best expressed, from the famous Sardinian shepherd's knife to the olive oil protected by a designation. The Nuraghic Route allows you to travel the island from north to south, in search of its sentinel towers, the last vestiges of an ancient civilization considered to be the founder of Sardinian culture.
