Self catering accommodation and holiday homes in Sardinia.

Late spring and early autumn are widely considered the sweet spot. May, June, September and early October tend to bring warm, sunny weather, sea temperatures that are pleasant for swimming (the water stays warm into September after a summer of heating), fewer crowds and lower prices than the July–August peak. High summer is hottest and busiest, when the beach clubs and nightlife of the Costa Smeralda are in full swing but accommodation and car hire cost the most.

For most trips, yes. Public transport between towns and out to the beaches is limited, and distances across the island are large, so a rental car (or bringing your own on the ferry) makes it far easier to explore coves, hill villages and multiple coasts. You can pick up a car at Cagliari, Olbia or Alghero airport. Note that hire prices rise steeply in peak summer, so book well ahead.

Both work. Sardinia has three main airports: Cagliari (CAG) for the south, Olbia (OLB) for the north-east and Costa Smeralda, and Alghero (AHO) for the north-west. Flights from mainland Italy are short (around an hour) and often the quickest option for a shorter stay. Ferries are the better choice if you want to bring a car, pets or lots of luggage; routes run from ports such as Genoa, Livorno, Civitavecchia and Naples to Sardinian ports including Olbia, Golfo Aranci, Porto Torres, Cagliari and Arbatax, with crossings ranging from a few hours to a long overnight sailing.

The island is defined by its beaches. In the north-east, the Costa Smeralda has coves like Spiaggia del Principe and Capriccioli, plus boat trips out to the pink-tinged sands of the La Maddalena archipelago. The wild east coast, in the Gulf of Orosei and Ogliastra, hides cliff-framed gems such as Cala Goloritzé, Cala Mariolu and Cala Luna, most easily reached by boat. In the south, Villasimius (Porto Giunco, Punta Molentis), Costa Rei and Cagliari's own Poetto beach offer white sand and shallow turquoise water. Exact conditions and access rules vary by beach and season.

Alghero is Sardinia's Catalan corner. After coming under Catalan-Aragonese rule in the Middle Ages, the town kept a distinct identity, and a form of Catalan is still spoken there today — you'll see it on street signs alongside Italian. The compact old town sits behind sea walls, with cobbled lanes, the Catalan-Gothic cathedral of Santa Maria, and lively piazzas. It's also a good base for the dramatic cliffs of Capo Caccia and the shallow white sands of nearby beaches such as La Pelosa (near Stintino).

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