Hi - I am trying to research a trip to Sardinia, and there is not very much info out there, so I'm hoping some Fodorites (maybe GAC is out there?) may be able to help. We will be going to Sardinia in the second half of September with our two year old daughter. We are flying into Alghero and renting a car. We are looking for suggestions of nice/charming hotels, (not too expensive), restaurants, don't miss sights, etc. We are thinking of driving towards Olbia via St Teresa di Gallura... making one or two stops along the way. Where would you stay along that route... Castelsardo, Isola Rossa or STG? Then after STG, would you recommend Palau or Cannigione as a base? Will everything be closed at that time of year?

Also, do you think it would be worth it to drive down to the Southern Part of the Island, bearing in mind we will be with a toddler... A key factor would be if the flamingos would be about. Does anyone know if they would be there at this time of year?

Thanks for your help...

Maybe my trip report would be useful:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34526714

Trv - I'd suggest Castelsardo as a pleasant stopover.

Palau isn't especially attractive IMO - but it makes a good stopover if you plan to visit La Maddalena/ Caprera.

Cannigione (- or Baia Sardinia) are pleasant bases for visiting the nearby Costa Smeralda.

We stayed at Capo d'Orso (- between Palau and Cannigione) for visiting that area and would do so again ...

Hope this helps ...

Steve

In Alghero proper, the Hotel San Francesco is the only hotel in the Old Town itself, and has character.

Just a little more expensive, but with very nice views and a splendid beach, is the resort-type Hotel Porto Conte at Porto Conte, a few miles west of Alghero. This might be a better choice with a toddler. It's worth taking "mezza pensione" (buffet breakfast and dinner), and you can always drive into Alghero (or take the local bus).

I do like Castelsardo. The Hotel Riviera has splendid views of the old town and Castel Mount.

I really can't comment on your question whether it's worth going to the southern part of the Island, not knowing how long you plan to stay. The northern half on its own merits a week or more. There are also lots of attractions in the southern portion, but so much depends on time availability.

Thanks so much for your trip report and help. After doing a bit more reading/researching... we are still undecided as to what to do.

We are going to be there for 11 days, so would like to do a two base holiday. I'm just wondering whether we should do one North and one South base, or two Northern bases. We would like to stay near a local village where we can wander around, do a little shopping, eating, sitting and drinking in the piazza while chasing our toddler around, watching the passagiata as well as being able to have nice beachy days, so Castelsardo or Cannigione sounds perfect for that. The Riviera in Castelsardo looks nice, but acc. to website, seems like it might be closed in late September - if so, any second choices? For Cannigione, I read about a hotel which sounded great for us with toddler - the Cala di Falco. Preferably we would like to have the hotel right on a beach. So far, our plan is to fly into Alghero, spend one night there, then head towards Castelsardo, spend a few nights there, then... where?

If we do a Southern base, what do you think about Villasimius? How long does it take to drive from Alghero to Villasimius (or Cagliari?) Would everything be closed up for the season further south? Or what about mid-island - Has anyone been to Oristano and what do you think of that area?

Thanks so much for your suggestions...

Villasimius would be an excellent southern base, with Santa Margherita di Pula/Nora a very close second choice.

Late September is shoulder season: many properties and restaurants will still be open.

Alghero to Villasimius takes at least 4.5 hours by car (by the most direct route), longer with intermediate stops and side-trips.

The Oristano area is well worth visiting (perhaps as a brief stopover between Alghero and Villasimius). The Roman ruins at Tharros (20 minutes by car from Oristano) are quite beautiful, as are the nearby beaches. But you don't need to stay there overnight.

I'd plan on one northern and one southern base (with slightly more time in the north).

Hi trvlgrl. We spent 7 days in Sardinia in July in the Northern part. We are big drivers but found that its A LOT of driving in Sardinia. Distances can be very deceiving once you are off that major highway. Also, you must drive extremely defensively. We have driven in Italy and all over the world, even in Asia, but I have never seen the mad driving that I saw in Sardinia. So just be prepare and aware that people will dart into your lane head on. We had to swerve about 10 times a day! Otherwise, its very nice. I really liked Castlesardo, eventhough its a hilltown with very steep streets (to keep in mind for your toddler). We took a daytrip over to Corsica and I loved it. Its only about an hour over on the ferry from Palau. We took the car, it was well worth it. Also, it was VERY cold and windy at night even in July. You will definitely need warm clothes for the baby for the evenings. Have a great time!

Hi there trvlgrl,

I took a look and I'm not sure why the Riviera website gives you the impression that they aren't open in September. What I can tell you is that we were there the second half of September in 2003 and they were open. If you click on my name and look for the post that says "Sardinia day 4, 5 ,6 and beyond" (or something like that) you can read my trip report on Castelsardo.

We fell in love with Castelsardo, the people at the Riviera, and their restaurant Fofo. In my report I mention that with the window open it was hard to sleep because of the traffic, but I read another woman's report on the Riviera and she said that with the windows shut, it was quiet because they have dual pane windows.

I would not hesitate to go back there. The people who run the Riviera are cousins. One is in charge of the hotel, one the restaurant, and one the bar. These men are skilled in customer service and friendliness.

If I were recommending an itinerary based on your flights, I'd do Alghero, Stintino, Castelsardo and La Maddalena before heading to Olbia. Of course these are the exact towns that we visited (no other towns did we see) but they were all so wonderful, I'd absolutely do it again!!

Sono gelosa! Buon viaggio!!!

Thanks for your replies. I read all of your trip reports and really enjoyed them. Thank you for posting them as there is not much out there on Sardinia.

I don't know what I was thinking about the Riviera - I must have mixed it up with somewhere else. I just looked again, and it looks open, lovely and reasonable and we will probably use it as a base for 4-5 nights.

I think 5 hours there and back to Villasimius is probably too far for this trip with the little one, so we will keep our travels to the North this time. (Also bearing in mind AnnieP's mention about the driving... we've been lived/travelled all over the world too, but it sounds like the Amalfi Coast - eek! - and while we want to do some sightseeing, we also want to relax)

So... still looking for suggestions for Base no. 2 for the second half of our trip. Capo D'orso? La Maddalena? Having read more about Olbia, it doesn't sound that great...

What about Nuoro area? Su Gologone hotel sounds lovely but a bit expensive... or Cala Gonone? I'm thinking it sounds like a lovely area but maybe a bit too remote? We would prefer not to change hotels every night or two but to find one more good base...
Here's a crazy idea... what about Bonifacio as base number 2? Spend a few nights there and then head back for our flight to Alghero. Any thoughts on that?

hi again trvlgrl. We had wished that we spent a night or two in Corsica, Bonifacio and a lovely little hilltown called Porto Vecchio(?) I think. Just be aware that it is a LONG drive back to Alghero from there also. I would estimate 4 hours from Palau to Alghero, (because not highway) maybe it was a little less but it felt never ending. Im not trying to put you off but I was taken aback because I thought we could drive to many more places than we actually did. Maybe one night's stop in Castlesardo?

Thanks AnnieP... so... do you mean to do the return trip back to Alghero with an overnight again in Castelsardo (or perhaps Isola Rossa?) Viamichelin suggests doing the Palau-Alghero route via Olbia on the SS199 - and that it would take about 2.5 hours... and I guess that means the motorway... so maybe not as bad (but it still might be worth to make an overnight stop somewhere after getting off the ferry...)

Also, does anyone know what the regulations are about taking the rental car over (i.e. crossing borders with it) Or would that matter as they are both Eurozone countries?

Hi trvlgrl. Yes, I would recommend a stop on the way back to Alghero unless you leave very early in the am when you are fresh. We were staying in Palau so we went along the coast to visit Castelsardo and then just continued onto Alghero. I dont think there are any restrictions with rental cars in Europe, we have never had any problems driving all around. We once rented a car in Switzerland, drove to France and Italy and returned it in Genoa airport. Also, no restrictions on the ferry over to Corsica from Sardinia. They did ask for ID though. We just had our NY license it was fine.

Just to give you an idea if you are looking at a map, it took 40 minutes to drive from Palau to St. Teresa Gallura and actually now I remember that is where we took the ferry from to Corsica. From Palau it was the ferry over to La Maddalena. Isola Rossa didnt do much for me, Castelsardo was nicer IMO. Palau was ok as a base but we drove every day in a different direction.

AnnieP - thanks for the good advice... and also thanks for the tip about warm clothes for the evening. I would have not thought of that.

Still not sure what we will do, but I am starting to warm to the idea of Corsica as our second base. I'll pass it by my husband and see what he thinks... It seems maybe a bit more expensive than Sardinia, but that was my cursory TripAdviser check during a break at work. I'll try a Corsica posting here and see if I get any suggestions. Otherwise... I don't know. I guess I'll just wing it and see what looks nice when we get there. I'm hoping that as it is shoulder season, we should be able to tip up to most places and find a room without making reservations in advance.

And wantagig - it was your comments on Castelsardo which made me want to go there, so thanks for that.

And finally, GAC, I looked up the Porto Conte on TripAdvisor and it got a big thumbs down. Any ideas of why or any other suggestions? The converted convent seems fine for a first night. Any thought on the Andegras?

Thumbs down on the Hotel Porto Conte? I suspect because it has not been keep upgraded or kept up to date (this is true of other properties on the Island, unfortunately).

There are other choices in the area:
Hotel Il Faro (very expensive)
Hotel Corte Rosada (next door to the Porto Conte)
Hotel Dei Pini (wonderful beach)
Hotel Punta Negra.

The Hotel San Francesco is the only one in Old Town Alghero. Very atmospheric, but not ideal for small children. Never heard of the "Andregas"

Hi again. Sorry, I've been busy at work and haven't had a chance to work on this recently, and it's hard to find this thread...

Quick question - do you think that at the end of September, we will have to make reservations in advance, or will we be be able to just tip up to places and find rooms, allowing us to be much more spontaneous in our travel? Any thoughts on this GAC?

I am now thinking of heading up to Stintino before going east to Castelsardo, and not going as far as Olbia.

Any recommendations of places to stay in Stintino or La Pelosa?

And in Alghero itself, has anyone stayed at the Hotel Margherita? It's apparently near the old city, but not in it.

This is what I'm now thinking for an itinerary: Alghero for two nights, i.e. arrival night and next night. We would then head up to Stintino for 3 nights then to Castelsardo for 3 nights, then to STG/Palau/Capo d'Orso for 3 nights then head back to stay in/near Alghero for the last night ahead of our morning flight. (of course if we find our "spot" we might just stay put and do more exploring on our next trip...)

You should not need any reservations post September 15th.

Hotel Margherita in Alghero is a pretty good value, is very close to the city center, but is a somewhat old and faded 1950s style property. It might be a fine choice for families with young children. I myself would much prefer staying at the Hotel San Francesco, right in the Old Town (maybe not the best place with a toddler).

Nine-twelve nights all in the northern part of the Island seem a bit many to me, particularly 3 nights in Stintino (unless the weather is particularly good and you plan to sunbathe or swim.)

Three nights in Castelsardo is also much, unless you plan to take side trips by car into the hinterland.

Two or three nights in Alghero are a good idea. You might even stay four nights, and take a day trip to Bosa along the coast south of Alghero.

Were this my trip, I'd venture further south, either into the Gennargentu mountain range (Province of Nuoro) or down to Bosa, Oristano and Tharros (if not further south).

Perhaps you've decided not to venture further south because of your small child.

Hi trvlgrl,

I agree with GAC that you should not need any reservations the last two weeks of September in Sardinia. We didn't reserve any rooms and we had no trouble securing a room except in La Maddalena. We eventually found one there but it took a couple of hours.

With all due respect GAC (you know I'm a big fan of yours) 3 nights in Castelsardo and Stintino would NOT be too many IF you're into slow-travel and relaxing (like we are). We stayed in the north for 12 days, loved it, and decided that we need to return some day to do the south!

For Stintino/La Pelosa beach, here are a couple of recommendations:

http://www.roccarujavip.com/asp/pg.asp?id=1&l=1

http://www.lapelosetta.it/residence_eng.html

The beach in this northern tip of the island is SO gorgeous! I mean beautiful! The water is very shallow at La Pelosa beach and crystal clear. It's a great place for a family to hang out and soak up the beauty and sun. We spoke with an Italian fellow who had his toddler with him. He wanted to know how on earth we Americans had heard of Stintino

We stayed at the RoccaRuja hotel. It definitely has earned its 4 star status. The staff could have been more friendly, but hey we didn't let that ruin our trip. The breakfast was HUGE and delicious. 1st class accommodations and 90 euro/night-can't beat it!

Walking from here to La Pelsoa beach was about 5-10 minutes where they have a great restaurant and the La Pelosetta hotel which looked really nice.

Here's my suggestion, after leaving Alghero, when you check in at the hotel in Stintino, tell them you want to stay 2 or 3 nights. Then stay the night and see if you want to be there 3 nights. If not, carry on to Castelsardo and do the same thing. You can always add another town or add one extra night to Alghero upon your return.

I think it'll be an amazing trip that you won't soon forget. I sure hope you'll post a trip report-short or in depth-to tell us where you went, what you did, where you stayed and your thoughts. Have a great trip!

Wantagig:

If trvlgrl prefers a slow pace, lots of R&R, and in-depth absorption of the Nurra, Gallura and Logudoro areas of Northern Sardinia, then 9-12 days are indeed NOT ample, as you correct point out. I think we're in agreement here. On the other hand, if trvlgrl wants an introduction to Sardinia, and does not plan to return any time soon, she might be better served extending her itinerary further south.

BTW, thanks for the personal compliment.

Hi - Thank you for all your suggestions and comments. I agree with you GAC, 11 days is not enough to scratch the surface of Sardinia, but it's what we've got, so we need to make the best of it.

I think wantagig has it right though. On this trip, we are looking for some R&R, we don't want to spend too much time in a car, and as we live in London, we can easily come back to Sardinia if we like it, as it is only a short flight.

So, we would rather spend our time on this trip exploring the north in a slow travel sort of way, we want to spend some time on the beach so our daughter can make sand castles and splash around in the water, if the weather/wind permits. But I would go nuts spending 10 days on a beach without doing anything, so I would like to either do some easy day trips, or have two-three bases, so that I get some variety and get to see some of Sardinia (bearing in mind the driving conditions as commented on by AnnieP).

On the next trip we would fly into Cagliari and explore the South from there.

FYI - We have been fortunate enough to have travelled extensively throughout Europe and Asia, but now that we have the little one, our travelling style has changed a bit, and we can't cover as much ground as we used to. In any case, even before, we would go to see some sights, but would forgo seeing every church/museum/etc. in order to also spend some time at a cafe/piazza/special place to absorb the atmosphere. I can remember when we were visiting Sicily, we made a detour to see Panarea for three days, and ended up staying a week (!) as it was so relaxing and wonderful. We didn't see as much of Sicily as we had planned but loved the trip anyway.

I'm hoping to find a place in Sardinia that is as magical as Panarea or Ravello (or some other places) where we can end up and just enjoy for a few days... even if we don't see everything, I think we would be happy. In looking at pictures and reading reviews, Castelsardo seems lovely, but doesn't seem to have sheltered sandy beaches for my little daughter, but it has easier access to Aggiu etc. inland which look gorgeous... so it's a tradeoff...

I'll definitely post a few comments when I get back to let you all know how we got on.

I really appreciate all the time and effort you all have put in helping to answer some of my questions and to make suggestions...

Hi trvlgrl

The beach across the street from the Riviera in Castelsardo is a perfectly sized little u-shaped cove. It is a sandy beach. No waves. The hotel will set up an umbrella and give you chairs too. There were a couple families on the beach and their kids were having fun peering into the tide pools which surrounded the cove.

We were also told of some beautiful beaches nearby. We didn't have a car so we didn't go, but it might be fun for you.