Wake up to breakfast at your hotel and begin your day with a guided tour of Cagliari. With Roman and French influences visible throughout the city’s hilly streets, expect to see antique churches, Roman ruins and ornate palazzi. Cross the old city ramparts, wind through the alleyways of Old Town and discover towering Cathedral of Santa Maria di Castello.
Once you’ve had your fill of history and culture, make room for the tantalising flavours of artisanal foods at San Benedetto Market and indulge with a sumptuous tasting at a local gelateria before enjoying the rest of your day at leisure.
Get ready for a busy day exploring Sardinia’s history and landscapes. Stop first in Barumini, approximately one hour north of Cagliari, where a local guide will introduce you to the Su Nuraxi complex of Nuraghi, where you can view ancient Megalithic stone structures unique to Sardinia. Discovered and excavated in the mid-20th century, the formation is Sardinia’s only designated UNESCO World Heritage-listed site.
Continue to Aymerich Park, a botanical paradise full of history. Wander around this natural oasis, brimming with exotic plants, rare wild orchids and medieval ruins, including the Castello Aymerich, constructed in the 11th century. In nearby Laconi, enjoy time at leisure and visit the neoclassical Palazzo Aymerich, home to the Museum of Prehistoric Sardinian Statues, before heading to Oristano, where you’ll join the group for dinner this evening.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 2.5 hours
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before setting off to the northern reach of the Gulf of Oristano. Stop by the ruins of Tharros – an ancient Roman port originally founded by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, with a serene position on the seafront of the Sinis Peninsula.
In the afternoon, arrive in the village of Bosa, nestled along the Temo River. Characterised by houses stacked on a steep hillside, painted in a joyous rainbow of every hue under the sun, you’ll spot it from a distance. View Serravalle Castle perched above the town’s layered rooftops before moving on to your next stop.
Just a short drive from Bosa, stop by the museum-village of Tinnura. Famous for the arts of weaving, enchanting wall murals and Malvasia – one of the rarest grapes in Sardinia – it’s the perfect setting for a guided wine tasting before driving an hour north to Alghero.
Travel time: Driving – approx. three hours
With an idyllic location on the island’s northwestern seafront, the one-time Catalonian colony of Alghero has an alluring medieval history. The animated historic centre contains a tight web of cobbled streets and Spanish-style piazzas, which slope toward the harbour and sweeping bay.
Take in the city’s main sights on a guided tour, visiting the Cathedral of Santa Maria, Church of San Francesco and Tower of Porta Terra. In the afternoon, explore more of the town at your own pace, or choose to join our optional boat trip to Neptune’s Grotto in Capo Caccia (surcharges apply) – one of the largest marine caves in Italy and a true Mediterranean gem.
In the evening, join together for a meal of organic and traditional fare at an local ‘agriturismo’ farm, accompanied by local liqueur made through the infusion of myrtle leaves and berries.
Optional activities:
- Neptune’s Grotto boat trip (from EUR53 per person, paid directly).
Depart Alghero for the famed Costa Smeralda today. En route, you’ll visit one of the island’s most significant medieval monuments – the Romanesque Basilica of the Holy Trinity of Saccargia. Its stark, monochromatic bell tower has stood as an eye-catching punctuation on the landscape, looming over the surrounding countryside with it’s black-and-white striped exterior, since the 12th century.
Next, discover the 13th-century Aragonese stronghold of Castelsardo, full of steep, winding streets leading to rugged defense towers, and with the idyllic Gulf of Asinara as a backdrop. In the Gallura region, stop to stretch in quaint Aggius, home to a huddle of granite houses clustered about the historic centre. The village historically served as a well-known bandits hideout, which you’ll discover more of during a visit to the Bandit Museum.
Arrive at Golfo di Marinella on the edge of Costa Smeralda in the late afternoon. After checking in to your hotel, enjoy some time to rest before your group dinner.
Travel time: Driving – approx. three hours and 40 minutes
Today, explore further on the breathtaking Costa Smeralda, named for the striking clarity and blue-green hue of its waters and known for some of the most stunning beaches of Europe.
Before dipping your toes in the glassy, emerald Tyrrhenian Sea, enjoy a visit to a traditional Sardinian stazzu farmhouse for a tour of the property and a tasting of the honey they produce onsite. Learn about the farm’s production and harvesting methods, before sitting down to an fresh lunch featuring some of their products.
After your meal, head to Porto Cervo, the glitzy heart of Costa Smeralda with a marina bedecked in super yachts and beaches dotted with celebrity’s summer homes. Meander along the boutique-lined avenues and watch ships bobbing in the sparkling marina – it’s the perfect setting for an Aperol Spritz (at your own cost).
Travel time: Driving – approx. 45 minutes
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and spend your last full day on the island however you please, taking in the serene beauty of the Mediterranean. The village of Golfo di Marinella offers a variety of cafes, seafood restaurants and quaint shops on your doorstep, but you might prefer to spend the day at the beach, where turquoise waves lap at your feet. Surrounded by verdant hills and powder-white sands, you’re perfectly placed to let serenity wash over you.
Indulge in one last breakfast at your hotel before checking out and making your own way to your onward travels.
Departure & Transfers:
Checkout on your final day is at 12pm. Please book your flights to depart from Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB) at any time. Airport transfers are not included for your tour. The hotel is located approximately a 20-minute drive from Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (OLB).