Clear turquoise sea with sandy beach in the foreground and a mountainous island on the horizon under a blue sky.
Sardinia, Italy May 30 – Jun 10, 2025

Sardinia June 2025

Twelve days in Sardinia in June: from Paulilatino over Capo Testa to San Teodoro, then down the SS125 to Arbatax.

Twelve days in Sardinia in June: We landed in Cagliari and drove directly to the west of the island. From our quiet accommodations in Paulilatino, we explored the Sinis Peninsula and the deserted coastal stretches near S'Archittu. After that, we went across the interior of the island up to the north — with a stop at the spectacular Capo Testa. At the B&B Natura in San Teodoro, we found the most impressive beaches of the trip, including Porto Taverna with a view of Isola Tavolara. We spent the last days in Arbatax on the east coast — after a dreamlike drive along the SS125. Between Cala Moresca and a detour to the abandoned Gairo Vecchio, the journey slowly ended back in Cagliari.

Itinerary

1
Paulilatino

May 30 – Jun 2, 2025

2
San Teodoro

2 – Jun 6, 2025

3
Arbatax

6 – Jun 10, 2025

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1

Paulilatino

May 30 – Jun 2, 2025

Airbnb · Paulilatino, Provinz Oristano
Two parked cars, a black and a white one, at night in a parking lot with brightly lit street lamps and a barbed wire fence in the background.
Village street at night with cobblestone pavement, two parked cars, and a stone house wall covered with green plants, illuminated by street lamps.
Village street at night with cobblestone pavement, two parked cars, and a stone house wall covered with green plants, illuminated by street lamps.
Ceramic plaque on a rough stone wall with the inscription 'la casetta di via Pia' and painted birds and leaves.
Small kitchen with wooden table, two white chairs, an old gas stove, a sink, and a lower cabinet with turquoise accents. On the wall hangs an abstract painting and a lit lamp above a cactus picture.

Arrival & a quiet accommodation

After landing in Cagliari, we continued late in the evening heading northwest. The nightly drive through the interior of the island to Paulilatino took just under two hours — but the tranquility at the destination was worth it.

Our accommodation was a simple Airbnb with a small terrace, where we peacefully had breakfast on both mornings before heading to the coast.

Cagliari Paulilatino

Von Cagliari ins Inselinnere — nächtliche Anreise nach Paulilatino

Oristano & San Giovanni di Sinis

On the first day, we drove down to Oristano and continued to the Sinis Peninsula. In San Giovanni di Sinis, we walked along the ocean side — here the wind directly hits the coast — and let the afternoon unwind at the beach.

View of a rocky beach with clear blue water and yellow flowers in the foreground, next to a circular building with a dome roof and an island with a tower on the horizon under a cloudless sky.
San Giovanni di Sinis

Kleines Fischerdorf auf der Sinis-Halbinsel mit einer frühchristlichen Kirche und einem langen, windgeprägten Strandabschnitt. Ideal für einen ruhigen Nachmittag am Wasser.

A large rectangular brick building with many windows, surrounded by trees and a paved pathway on a sunny day.
Tower with a golden dome and cross at the top in front of a building with a large dome and clear blue sky.
Colorful hanging decorations above a busy pedestrian street with tables and chairs outside buildings, with a historic stone castle in the background under a clear blue sky.

In the evening, we cooked for ourselves back at the Airbnb: fresh pasta and zucchini flowers from the local market — one of those evenings where you simply sit contentedly on the terrace.

S'Archittu

On the second day, we went a bit further up the west coast to S'Archittu. The distinctive rock arch over the water is the landmark of the place — we spent the entire afternoon at the beach, alternating between a jump into the sea and a coffee at the small bar by the harbor.

Clear blue sea with a paddleboard floating near the shore and green bushes in the foreground under a cloudless sky.
S'Archittu

Sandstrand mit einem natürlichen Felsbogen aus Kalkstein direkt im Wasser. Ruhig, familiär und ein schöner Kontrast zu den touristischeren Stränden weiter im Norden.

Paulilatino Capo Testa San Teodoro

Quer durchs Inselinnere: Paulilatino → Capo Testa → San Teodoro

2

San Teodoro

2 – Jun 6, 2025

Hotel · San Teodoro, Provinz Sassari
Rural landscape with houses, cars on a dirt road, green trees, and mountains in the background under a blue sky with clouds.
Two people walk along a sunny path through a park with trees, bushes, and a view of the sea in the background.
Rural landscape with houses, cars on a dirt road, green trees, and mountains in the background under a blue sky with clouds.
View of a village with red tiled roofs in front of forested mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
A black cat walking on the roof of a building with a wooded mountain in the background.

B&B Natura

The drive across the island is an experience in itself — in the middle of the interior, there is hardly any traffic, but rather granite rocks, empty roads, and wide views. In the late afternoon, we arrived at our hosts at B&B Natura.

The hosts were exceptionally warm, gave us tips for the area, and conjured up a homemade breakfast for us every morning. For us, one of the highlights of the accommodation choice on this trip.

Capo Testa

Still on the way north, we made a longer stop at Capo Testa near Santa Teresa Gallura. The wild granite landscape with small hidden bays — one of the most impressive coastal stretches we have seen in Sardinia.

Rocky shore with clear turquoise sea and partly vegetated hills in the background under a clear blue sky. A blue and green striped towel is lying on the rocks in the foreground.
Capo Testa

Die Nordspitze Sardiniens mit bizarren, vom Wind geformten Granitfelsen. Lohnt sich als Zwischenstopp auf dem Weg nach Süden oder Osten.

Cala Brandinchi

The first full day in the region took us to Cala Brandinchi — the beach is often called "little Tahiti" due to its light sand and turquoise water. The comparison is exaggerated, but it is still beautiful.

Two people walk along a sunny path through a park with trees, bushes, and a view of the sea in the background.
Cala Brandinchi

Feiner weißer Sand und flaches, türkisfarbenes Wasser. Sehr beliebt, aber auch an einem Junitag außerhalb der Hochsaison gut aushaltbar.

Clear blue sea with waves crashing against rocks in the foreground and a forested coastline with mountains in the background under a cloudless blue sky.
Waves breaking over rocks on a beach with mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
Rugged coastal rocks with waves crashing onto the shore under a clear sky, overlooking the open sea.

San Teodoro — Pizza & first impressions

In the evening, we briefly drove to the town of San Teodoro. The pizza at the local pizzeria was really good, but the place itself felt very touristy — colorful bars, package atmosphere, a lot of noise. Definitely not our favorite spot.

A narrow street in a quiet neighborhood at sunset with houses on both sides, a street lamp, and mountains in the background.
Pizzeria in San Teodoro

Gute Pizza zu fairen Preisen, aber in einem sehr touristischen Umfeld. Für einen schnellen Abend in Ordnung.

Porto Taverna — the most beautiful beach of the trip

The next day we went to Porto Taverna. The beach with a view of Isola Tavolara is undoubtedly the most beautiful beach we have ever been to — bright sand, calm water, and always that distinctive island in the background.

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Spiaggia di Porto Taverna

Langer, flacher Strand mit direktem Blick auf die Isola Tavolara. Auch im Juni noch erstaunlich ruhig. Für uns der Strand-Höhepunkt der Reise.

A chocolate pizza in a pizza box on a beach with sand, sea, and mountain in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A calm sandy beach with scattered small stones in the foreground, turquoise sea and a rocky island under a partly cloudy blue sky in the background.
A wide sandy beach with calm turquoise water and a rocky island in the background under a blue sky with some clouds.

Porto Rotondo

In the evening, we spontaneously drove to Porto Rotondo to go out for dinner. In retrospect, not a wise decision: the place is extremely touristy and the prices were not in proportion to what was served.

💸

Porto Rotondo: designed as a yacht destination and correspondingly expensive. Those wanting to eat in the area will find significantly better (and cheaper) options inland around San Teodoro.

Stone wall of a building covered with green climbing plants and blooming purple flowers under a blue sky with white clouds.
Abendessen in Porto Rotondo

Können wir nicht empfehlen — sehr touristisch und überteuert für das, was wir bekommen haben.

Olbia & Agriturismo Casteddu in Biasì

On the last full day in the region, we briefly went to Olbia around noon and took the afternoon for a short city stroll. The highlight came in the evening: Agriturismo Casteddu in Biasì — one of those dinners you will still be talking about years later.

Bronze statue of a woman with raised arms and water streaming from her hands in a square stone fountain in front of a yellow residential building with trees in the background.
Two hands holding two ice cream cones, one with red and the other with yellow ice cream, in front of a background of branches and leaves.
A cruise ship is anchored near the coast in the distance, with sailboats and hills in the background under a clear sky.
Several donkeys on a dry, fenced field at sunset with trees in the background.
Agriturismo Casteddu

Das Highlight der gesamten Reise. Traumhafte Lage im Landesinneren, herzliche Gastgeber und ein Menü aus mehreren Gängen mit lokalen Produkten. Unbedingt reservieren.

Looking up at the twisted, gnarled branches of a tree with green leaves against a clear sky.
A set table under a large brown canopy outdoors, surrounded by trees, a stone wall, and two hanging lights from branches.
Two hands each holding a champagne flute with a light-colored drink, one hand also holding a small slice of bread with white spread, blurred outdoor area with plants and lamps in the background.

So many courses, so many impressions — we sat for a long time with wine and conversations with the hosts.

Plate with breaded fried vegetable slices with a metal fork resting on top in a rustic restaurant setting with checked tablecloths.
Remnants of a meal on plates and bowls on a table set with cutlery, a bread basket, glasses, and a bottle of wine in a restaurant.
A stone-paved garden path illuminated at night leads past a stone house and blooming bushes to a tree lit by a lamp.
San Teodoro Tortolì Arbatax

Die SS125 Orientale Sarda: San Teodoro → Arbatax

3

Arbatax

6 – Jun 10, 2025

Airbnb · Arbatax, Provinz Nuoro
View of a forested mountain landscape with steep cliffs under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Mountain landscape with green bushes and trees in the foreground under a blue sky.
View of the blue sea with a long harbor pier and rocky shoreline in the foreground, with mountains in the background under a clear sky.
A peaceful gravel path alongside a wall adorned with colorful flowering bushes, surrounded by tall trees under a clear blue sky.
Bedroom with double bed, white bed linens, folded towels and pillows, stone wall, wooden beam ceiling, and decorative wall hangings.

Arbatax & Cala Moresca

The drive from San Teodoro to Arbatax is one of the most beautiful sections of the trip. We consciously chose against the highway and instead drove the SS125 Orientale Sarda through the interior of the island — past passes, oak groves, and wide views.

Our accommodation in Arbatax was a simple Airbnb, just a minute's walk from the small Spiaggia Cala Moresca. We spent almost every evening there — swimming, reading, watching the sunset.

Tortolì as a stopover

On the way to Arbatax, we made a short stop in Tortolì around noon — a great spot for a coffee break and to slow down a bit before heading on to the coast.

View of a forested mountain landscape with steep cliffs under a partly cloudy blue sky.
Mountain landscape with green bushes and trees in the foreground under a blue sky.
Mountain landscape with green hills and forested areas under a clear blue sky.

Spiaggia Cala Moresca

The small beach right at our doorstep quickly became our favorite place for the evenings. Not big, not spectacular — but just the right mix of proximity, tranquility, and warm light at the end of the day.

A calm bay with clear blue water, framed by rocky hills and green vegetation under a clear sky.
Spiaggia Cala Moresca

Kleine Bucht bei Arbatax, wunderschön für den späten Nachmittag und den Sonnenuntergang. Kaum Infrastruktur — einfach Wasser, Sand und Felsen.

A pizza with onions and tuna in a pizza box on a rocky beach with sea and forested cliffs in the background at sunset.
Two carefully stacked stone piles on a rocky beach with calm sea and a cliff in the background under a cloudy sky.
Two cups of cappuccino and a golden plate with three croissants on a blue metal table outdoors, a person sitting nearby wearing a brown jacket and backpack.

Gairo Vecchio

One of the days, we drove into the hinterland to Gairo Vecchio — a village abandoned in the 1950s and 60s due to landslides. Walking through the empty streets, the crumbling houses, the nature slowly reclaiming everything — it felt like a quiet, almost meditative afternoon.

Abandoned, overgrown buildings on a green hill with mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
Gairo Vecchio

Verlassenes Bergdorf in der Ogliastra, in den 1950er Jahren nach schweren Erdrutschen aufgegeben. Heute ein geisterhafter Ort, durch den man frei spazieren kann.

Upward view inside an abandoned, partially collapsed building with bare roof beams and green plants at the bottom under a clear blue sky.
Ruined wall with two rectangular windows showing a clear blue sky and forested hills in the background.
A small dirt path winds through a green, hilly landscape with scattered old houses under a clear blue sky.
View of an abandoned village with overgrown ruins surrounded by green mountains under a clear blue sky.
An ancient burial site with a covered altar and wooden fencing, set in a green landscape with hills and mountains in the background.
View through a crumbling old stone wall window framed by hanging green fig leaves and dense greenery outside the ruins.

Slow days in Ogliastra

Between the two excursions, we consciously took time for quiet days — Cala Moresca, short drives along the coast, no fixed agenda. After the dense stretch in the north, that was just right.

🚗

Those starting in northern Sardinia and heading south should prefer the SS125 Orientale Sarda over the coastal route — the detour is worth it in terms of scenery.

Two colorful patterned coffee cups with spoons on saucers, each filled with cappuccino, are placed on a perforated gray table. Two croissants on decorative white plates are also on the table, with a person wearing light-colored clothing sitting at the table.
Sandy beach with shallow, clear water and small waves under a blue sky, with people in the water and distant forested islands in the background.
Arbatax Cagliari

Letzte Etappe: Arbatax → Cagliari

Reisestempel

  • Paulilatino IT
  • San Teodoro IT
  • Arbatax IT