Seven thousand nuraghi — Bronze Age stone towers, with Barumini's Su Nuraxi UNESCO-listed since 1997 — tell of a civilisation that resembles no other. Sardinia is an island that is almost a continent: the turquoise Costa Smeralda launched by the Aga Khan in the 1960s, the dunes of Piscinas, the cliffs of Cala Goloritzé, and the inland Barbagia where the Sardinian language survives and people age remarkably well — the Ogliastra is one of the world's "blue zones" of longevity.
Carasau flatbread, pecorino and Cannonau wine: the diet of centenarians, served with a sea view.
The provinces of Sardinia
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The best of Sardinia
The places worth the trip on their own, picked by our editors.
The top 5 places in Sardinia
Our editors' ranking: the area's most important places, drawn from the individual town guides. See the national rankings →
1
🏖️ Beaches & sea Cala Goloritzé
📍 Baunei
Created by a 1962 landslide, this white pebble beach is dominated by a 143-meter rock pinnacle towering over the sea.
2
🏖️ Beaches & sea La Pelosa Beach
📍 Stintino
Built before 1578 from local schist, this defensive tower on an islet gives its name to the famous Stintino beach.
3
🏖️ Beaches & sea La Maddalena Archipelago
📍 La Maddalena
A 62-island archipelago in the Strait of Bonifacio featuring Savoy military ruins, Garibaldi's home, and protected waters.