6 Most Beautiful Beaches in Sardinia, Italy

Yesterday, I shared my Top 10 Photos from our trip to Sardinia. Beautiful no?! Thank you for compliments here, on Facebook, and via email. Paolo never brags about his work, but as his wife I just can’t help it. He was touched by your words and I’m grateful to be able to share them.

Hopefully by the end of this post you’ll feel a bit of vacation bliss. Not so secretly, I’m also hoping once you know our airfare from Torino to Sardinia was just 29€ a ticket that you’ll start thinking about visiting us in Italy once it’s safe to travel again.

Enough delays, ready to dive in and see more? Keep scrolling! Today it’s all Mediterranean beaches starting with those mesmerizing glassy blues in the Gulf of Orosei. Ready? Let’s slip in shall we?!

Golfo di Orosei (Gulf of Orosei)

A series of crescent coves and bays make up the Gulf of Orosei’s jaw-droppingly, gobsmackingly gorgeous coastline. Cala Gonone is the northernmost cove and the only one accessible by car. While you can reach some really beautiful beaches including Bidderosa, Su Barone, Sa Curcurica, Osalla, and Cala Fuili by car, that once in a lifetime beach seen above can only be reached on foot or boat.

Gulf of Orosei Boat Tour

Unless you’re an expert hiker with a few days, a Gulf of Orosei boat tour is the best way to see Sardinia’s most beautiful beaches. Both Orosei and Cala Gonone marinas offer boat tours.

Pro tip: Hit the bathroom before boarding the boat! Nearly all the boat tours start at the southern end of the Gulf of Oreosei and beach hop north along the coast. In other words, the first stop is the farthest. Plus the amenities get more sparse along the way. Outside of the sea, there are no public bathroom options that I saw south of Cala Luna.

Our rubber boat tour brought us up close enough to really admire the limestone caves and steep cliffs that make up the coastal section of Gennargentu National Park.

Gulf of Orosei Best Beaches

Introverts please head directly to the southern tip of Golfo di Orosei and thank me later. This is where you’ll find the least crowded and most beautiful beaches in Sardinia. Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzé.

Cala Mariolu Beach

Fair warning, beaches this remote do not come with shops to buy sunscreen, beach umbrellas or palm trees. Trust me on this one and take sturdy beach shoes for the rocky shores, a hat and sunscreen. My wussy feet and freckled shoulders wished I had. Thankfully, I did have my trusty Stetson.

While you can hike to Cala Mariolu getting to Cala Goloritzé can be a bit treacherous on foot thanks to step cliffs.

Cala Goloritzé Beach

While either one could claim the top spot on Sardinia’s most beautiful beaches list, Cala Goloritzé gets my vote. Not just for it’s illusive location but for the tranquility of the water. Take a look!

Why I’m wearing my sarong as a skirt is a story I’ll save for another post. Let’s just say, no one in their right mind can stay out of waters this clear. Not even in May.

More Beautiful Beaches in Sardinia

Cala Goloritzé Beach feels like the dream beach you wait your entire life to see. Hands down it is the single most stunning beach in Sardinia and a favorite for boaters. However, the Gulf of Orosei is not the only place to find beautiful beaches in Sardinia! For those looking for soft white sand, there is Cala Brandinchi.

Cala Brandinchi

On the north-eastern coast of Sardinia, Cala Brandinchi nicknamed “Tahiti” is the see-and-be-seen beach of Sardinia. Shocking white sand gradually ripples into turquoise waters favored by marine life and snorkelers.

Craving a more rugged, less crowded beach? A walk through wild flowers leads to Spiaggia di Is Arutas.

Spiaggia di Is Arutas

Considered the pearl of the Sinis peninsula Spiaggia di Is Arutas (Is Arutas Beach) is in the center of the western coast of Sardinia. Two rocky cliffs hug a crescent beach of quartz color grains your feet will be happy to sink into. It also happens to be a rather cinematic location often serving as the backdrop of Italian films.

Prefer not to ruff it? If you love picturesque views and having amenities nearby head to Stintino. Stintino is a small village in the north-west coast of Sardinia that boasts multiple beaches including Spiaggia La Pelosa (Pelosa Beach).

La Pelosa Beach in Stintino

A quick story about visiting La Pelosa in the off-season. In May La Pelosa was sparsely populated by local tanned Sardi and pale Germans tourists flying kites.

This particular pomeriggio (afternoon) only the young and stubborn dared the brisk chill of the water. Slipping off my shoes and cuffing my jeans, I joined the ranks of the determined and stepped into the clear calm water.

Slow waves lapping at my ankles, I marveled at how far from the shore I could walk. I began to wonder if in the warmer season one could walk right up to the Torre della Pelosa.

Paolo stuck to the beach, snapping photos. Notes for our memoir as he calls them. Beginning to shiver, I returned to Paolo’s side, still curious what secrets the tower held. Paolo reading my expression vowed to bring me back when the weather warmed, then promptly distracted me with the promise of Gelato.

Looking back at how happy we were in this photo, I wonder if Paolo already knew then I was determined to move to Italy.

Last but certainly not least is one of the 21 Most Beautiful Beaches in The World according to National Geographic.

Spiaggia di Piscina (Piscinas Beach)

In south-western Sardina the desert meets the sea at Spiaggia di Piscinas (Piscina Beach). Sea Turtles and introverts are both grateful Piscina Beach is not that easy to reach. The long steep drive past historic red earth mines is harrowing. Ochre sand is the reward.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site Spiaggia di Piscina is constantly being reshaped by winds. Warm golden sand dunes nearly 200 feet high drift into surround Mediterranean scrub. We have more photos but right after this shot I said to Paolo “I’m going in.”

For the second time on our trip to Sardinia, I swore I’d never travel off-season without a swimsuit again. Thankfully topless sunbathing is acceptable in Italy. That’s however a story for another post!

I said it yesterday, but I’ll say it again today, Sardinia is one of the best places in Italy to strike a balance between a trip and a vacation. In the off-season Sardinia also offers an affordable way to see some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Which in my mind makes Sardinia a must on every beach lovers travel list.

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