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Northeastern Sardinia

The Costa Smeralda evokes Sardinia’s classic images: pearly-white beaches and weird, wind-whipped licks of rock tapering into emerald seas. The dazzling coastal strip that the Aga Khan bought for a pittance is today the playground of millionaires and A-listers. Come summer, scandal-hungry paparazzi haunt the marinas, zooming in on oligarchs cavorting with bikini-clad beauties on yachts so big they eclipse the sun.

A few kilometres inland, a very different vision of the good life emerges. Here, vine-striped hills roll to deeply traditional villages and mysterious nuraghi (Bronze Age fortified settlements), silent cork-oak woods and granite mountains. Immune to time and trends, the hinterland offers a refreshing contrast to the coast, best appreciated during a multiday getaway at a country agriturismo (farm stay).

Further north the Gallura coast becomes wilder, the preserve of the dolphins, divers and windsurfers who splash around in the startlingly blue waters of La Maddalena marine reserve.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Northeastern Sardinia.

  • See

    Compendio Garibaldino

    Giuseppe Garibaldi, professional revolutionary and all-round Italian hero, bought half of Caprera in 1855 (he got the rest 10 years later). He made it his home and refuge, the place he would return to after yet another daring campaign in the pursuit of liberty. The Compendio Garibaldino is an object of pilgrimage for many Italians. Visits, by guided tour in Italian only, take in the rustic elegant rooms, the garden cemetery and a small but touching collection of Garibaldi memorabilia.

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    Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena

    Established in 1996, Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena consists of seven main islands and several smaller granite islets off Sardinia's northeastern coast. Over the centuries the prevailing maestrale (northwesterly wind) has helped mould the granite into the bizarre natural sculptures that festoon the archipelago. The spectacular seascapes of La Maddalena's outer islands are best explored by boat, although the two main islands have plenty of charm with their sun-baked ochre buildings, cobbled piazzas and infectious holiday atmosphere.

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    Isola Tavolara

    Rising from the sapphire sea like some kind of giant sea creature, this rocky island is a sight to behold. The main draw is splashing about in the translucent water of the white-sand Spiaggia Spalmatore, and admiring the incredible views of Tavolara’s heights and mainland Sardinia. You could wander down to the little cemetery to see the graves of Tavolara’s kings (the title was bestowed by Carlo Alberto in 1848 after a successful goat-hunting trip).

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    Olivastri Millenari di Santo Baltolu

    Signposted as 'olivastri millenari', this delightful off-the-beaten-track nature reserve shelters a group of wild olive trees that have been growing for millennia. Scientists from the University of Sassari have calculated that the biggest, measuring 20m in circumference and reaching a height of 14.5m, is about 3800 years old. Certainly, it’s quite a specimen, its gnarled and twisted trunk writhing upwards like something out of Lord of the Rings.

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    Valle della Luna

    A few kilometres northwest of Aggius towards Trinita d’Agultu, you reach the Valle della Luna. It’s a surreal and evocative landscape, where huge granite boulders spill across rolling hills and farmland like giants’ marbles. The lookout point on the SP74 commands fantastic views of the surrounding countryside, honeycombed with bizarrely sculpted rocks. The valley is a fantastic place for a bike ride, and the road through here down to the coast is tremendously scenic.

  • See

    Museo Archeologico

    Architect Vanni Macciocco designed Olbia’s strikingly contemporary museum near the port. The museum spells out local history in artefacts, from Roman amulets and pottery to nuraghic finds. The highlight is the relic of a Roman vessel discovered in the old port. A multimedia display recreates the scene of the Vandals burning and sinking such ships in AD 450. Free audioguides are available in English.

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    Isola Budelli

    This small island near the northwestern corner of the Maddalena archipelago is best known for its Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach), so-called because of the sand’s unique pink tinge. The beach is now protected and access to its environmentally threatened sands and waters is forbidden, though most boat trips will pause offshore, allowing you to enjoy a distant glimpse.

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    Isola Santa Maria

    The most exciting part of a visit to Isola Santa Maria is the journey across the crystal-clear aquamarine waters that lap its southern shores – known as Porto della Madonna or Porto Madonna, this area is renowned as one of the world's most gorgeous seascapes. On the island itself, boats typically stop at the often-crowded Cala Santa Maria.

  • See

    Museo Etnografico ‘Olivia Carta Cannas’

    Aggius is famous for its carpets, with a tradition dating back to the 1900s, when 4000 looms were busy in the area. This excellent museum showcases a fine collection of looms and the richly brocaded costumes worn for festive occasions, alongside a new wing opened in 2017 that uses inventive multimedia displays to document the town's proud tradition of vocal music.