North Sardinia:
Where to stay and what to see
From north to south and east to west, all of Sardinia is beautiful. But if you have chosen North Sardinia for your holidays and are looking for some advice on where to stay and what to see,
this comprehensive article will give you valuable tips that will save you time and money
Useful tips:
Let me begin by giving you some tips that will help you make the most of your holiday.
If you wish to visit all or part of North Sardinia, you need your own car or to rent one.
This is because, as beautiful as it is, it is not easy to get around Sardinia, and public transport is not the best choice for doing this or moving from place to place.
Of course, if you cannot rent a vehicle, it doesn’t mean you should give up visiting Sardinia
In fact, many travelers of all ages with an adventurous spirit opt to explore the island using public transport only. This choice is suitable if you are traveling alone, as a couple, or with a group of friends, and you have a backpacking spirit.
Which areas does North Sardinia include?
The world is wonderful because it is so varied. Sardinia is like a small continent separate from the rest of Italy. Its cuisine, traditions, customs, dialects and landscapes all vary from place to place – not only from North to South, but also within the same area.
To understand this, you need only to travel 20 km, and you will find different customs, traditions and dialects, but, above all, different landscapes
North Sardinia maps
For example, if you look at the map above, which shows you the areas that make up North Sardinia, you only need to go from the Porto Torres coast to Santa Teresa to find a totally different landscape from the city of Porto Torres, as you can see from the photos.
The same thing is true of the cuisine, and you will find the same differences between Porto Torres and Alghero. So, my advice is to move around, explore and be curious, because believe me when I tell you every city has its own unique charm. One will fascinate you for its landscapes, while another might win you over with its typical cuisine or its beaches.
So, take my advice, don’t limit yourself to visiting or exploring just one city, because if you stay in the right place, you can reach most cities in North Sardinia with a 45 minute or 1h drive. I’ll let you know soon which is the best city to start your tour to visit all of North Sardinia, but first
Porto torres e Santa teresa di gallura
Here’s what you can see in North Sardinia:
Here is a list of places to see in North Sardinia, but if you have the chance, my advice is to explore it all – even the places where the sea is not particularly close to the city. These include: Tempio, Macomer, Sindia or Tinnura. Even if the last three (Macomer, Sindia, Tinnura)are not exactly North Sardinia and belong to the province of Nuoro, I wouldn’t worry about it.
From the strategic location on the North Coast that I will recommend shortly, you can reach these places in about 1h and 20 minutes by car or less. And trust me, you should not overlook these places because of their traditions, cuisine, and most of all, their picturesque landscapes and murals.
Tinnura is even called an open-air museum. Look at the photos to get an idea of this small village with only 250 inhabitants.
North Sardinia: places of interest
Asinara
Castelsardo
Bosa
Stintino
Santa Teresa di Gallura
Alghero
Porto Torres
North Sardinia
Advice on where to stay while spending less
and saving time so you can explore the whole area
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, to visit Sardinia, regardless of whether you go north, south, east or west, you need to have your own car or be prepared to travel “on foot”, and have an adventurous spirit as well as enough time to be able to travel by public transport.
Having said that, I want to give you another tip, on where to stay, both to spend less but also to save precious time and be able to visit all of North Sardinia
Where to stay may seem so important, but believe me – and I speak as a fellow traveler – if you get your accommodation spot wrong it will make getting around the city you are staying in much harder.
Exploring the cities of Sardinia does not take much time. What requires time is traveling from one town to another, especially if you want to tour a certain area such as North Sardinia.
Accommodation therefore – or rather, the city you choose as your base – makes all the difference. That said:
– Where to stay in North Sardinia to visit all or most of it plus
save time and money?
Our choice falls on the city of Porto Torres, a gateway to the Sassari area and a well-kept secret of North Sardinia
Why Porto Torres?
Photo by @luca_eskimo
Strategic location:
In addition to having direct access to the city via its port, which, after Olbia, is one of Sardinia’s main disembarkation points, Porto Torres is also well-connected to Alghero Airport, which is only a 30-minute drive away.
And it is because of its connections to all the neighboring cities in North Sardinia that our choice falls on Porto Torres as a base for your holidays.
Alghero, Stintino, Castelsardo and Sassari, which are the main cities, are all a 30-minute drive (or less) from Porto Torres. The more distant cities are all about 1-1.5 hours away by car meaning you can explore one or more cities in the same day.
Doing this if you were staying in Olbia, Castelsardo or Stintino, for example, would be unthinkable. Moving around would become more complicated, and, depending on your destination, staying in one of these places means you would probably always have to go through or around Porto Torres.
And staying in Porto Torres and driving the 30 minutes to Alghero or Stintino – two of the most desirable destinations in Sardinia – or driving over 1.5h to visit them from your accommodation in Olbia, makes a big difference.
Low prices:
Another determining factor in the choice of this city are its prices, especially in the high season. Cities such as Alghero, Stintino, and Olbia “double” their prices and their population due to high tourist demand.
In Porto Torres, prices do increase during the high season, but they are still reasonable. It is one of the cheapest cities in North Sardinia and you can find accommodation for as little as €50 a night or holiday homes in the city center or near the sea
for just €80-100 per night, which, divided among 4 people, is €20-25 per person. This will get you a full-service apartment with guaranteed comfort.
If you think it is impossible to find an entire house at these prices, see for yourself on our website, on Airbnb or Booking.com
A beautiful and welcoming city:
Finally, in addition to being a strategic location for discovering all of North Sardinia and having reasonably priced food and accommodation, Porto Torres is a beautiful city, steeped in history, surrounded by beautiful beaches and a waterfront that many cities envy.
It may not be one of the most popular tourist destinations, or the most beautiful city in North Sardinia or Sardinia itself, and it does not have the most beautiful beaches, but it is the best city to discover North Sardinia. Although it may not be the most beautiful city, it still has its own charm. Watch this video to get an idea of the beauty of this place and all it has to offer.