Sardinia: by plane, car or ferry
Sardinia is one of the most rewarding destinations for a car and ferry trip: daily car ferries run from Livorno and Piombino, and you will want wheels on the island. By air you can reach Olbia, Cagliari and Alghero.
What does a trip to Sardinia cost this year?
The calculator compares flights from several airports, driving with real ferry prices, and shows the weather for every date.
You'll see these everywhere
Nuraghi
Bronze Age conical stone towers, over 7,000 of them surviving across the island; you spot their silhouettes along roads throughout the interior. The best preserved complex, Su Nuraxi at Barumini, is UNESCO listed.
Two sheep per person
Roughly 3 million sheep share the island with 1.6 million people, and their milk makes most of Italy's pecorino. A flock crossing the road is a routine stop inland.
Cork oaks
Inland Gallura is covered in cork oaks with rusty, freshly stripped trunks; about 80 % of Italy's cork comes from Sardinia. Calangianus has a cork museum and souvenirs from bowls to handbags.
Mamuthones
Men in black wooden masks and sheepskins with 30 kg of bells on their backs, pacing through Mamoiada in January and at carnival. Off season you meet them in the mask museum and as figurines in every shop.
Orgosolo murals
Over 150 political and social murals cover the facades of this mountain village in Barbagia; the first appeared in 1969 protesting a military firing range. San Sperate and other villages carry painted walls too.
Flamingos of Cagliari
Thousands of flamingos nest in the Molentargius and Santa Gilla lagoons right by the city; locals call them sa genti arrubia, the red people. They are visible year round, sometimes as your plane lands.
Costa Smeralda
20 km of coast the Aga Khan built into Europe's most exclusive resort in the 1960s. Porto Cervo is a superyacht parade in summer; treat it as scenery for an afternoon drive, prices run several times the island norm.
Local prices
Guide prices for a typical tourist area in high season (as of 2026-07). Accommodation and rentals are sampled automatically, the basket is a curated estimate.
When to go
The season runs from mid May to early October. The sea peaks in August, but so do ferry and accommodation prices. The sweet spot is late June and the first half of September: sea above 24 °C, half the prices and free beaches. For August car ferries, book two months ahead.
| Month | Daily high | Sea | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | 23 °C | 19 °C | ~9 |
| June | 29 °C | 23 °C | ~4 |
| July | 33 °C | 26 °C | ~1 |
| August | 32 °C | 27 °C | ~4 |
| September | 28 °C | 24 °C | ~4 |
Averages from the last 8 years (Open-Meteo). The calculator shows your exact week in more detail.
What to taste
Pane carasau
Paper thin, twice baked shepherd's bread that kept for weeks on the pastures. Brushed with oil and salt it becomes pane guttiau and lands on your table almost everywhere.
Culurgiones
Dumplings filled with potato, pecorino and mint, sealed with a wheat ear braid. An Ogliastra speciality, 10 to 14 € as a primo.
Porceddu
Suckling pig roasted slowly over myrtle wood and served on a cork tray. Best at inland agriturismos, where a tasting menu runs 35 to 50 €.
Pecorino sardo
Sheep's cheeses from mild young pecorino to piquant smoked fiore sardo, 15 to 25 € per kilo at markets. The brave can hunt for the infamous, outlawed casu marzu.
Seadas
A fried pastry of fresh cheese and lemon zest, drowned in bittersweet strawberry tree honey. The island's default dessert, 5 to 8 €.
Mirto and Cannonau
Ice cold myrtle liqueur is the local digestif, red Cannonau the wine of the shepherd interior, and white Vermentino di Gallura the island's only DOCG. A bottle of local wine starts at 15 € in restaurants.
Return flights from Prague or Vienna
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Cheapest fares found per person (Aviasales, last ~48 h). Click a month to open the calculator with those dates.
Three trips worth taking
La Maddalena archipelago
A granite archipelago national park in the north. Ferries from Palau run every half hour for a 15 minute crossing (about 8 € return per person, cars from 18 €); full day cruises to the uninhabited islands cost 40 to 60 €.
Golfo di Orosei by boat
The island's most photogenic coast: Cala Luna, Cala Mariolu and the Goloritzé arch, reachable only by boat from Cala Gonone or on foot. The Cala Luna shuttle starts at 20 €, full day cruises run 40 to 70 €; hiking in to Goloritzé needs a booking (250 people a day, 6 €).
Alghero and Neptune's Grotto
A Catalan speaking walled town with the island's finest old centre. The stalactite cave at Capo Caccia is reached by boat from the harbour, or by car plus 654 steps; entry 18 €, book your slot ahead.
Beaches and the sea
The Caribbean of Europe reputation rests on two beach types: white sand with turquoise shallows in the north (La Pelosa, Costa Smeralda) and the limestone coves of the eastern Golfo di Orosei. The west is wilder, with dunes and surf. The most famous beaches now regulate entry in season: La Pelosa admits 1,500 people a day for 3.50 € with advance booking, and Tuerredda and Goloritzé work similarly; in July and August book the moment the window opens. Most beaches are free; a sunbed set with parasol at a lido runs 25 to 40 €. The sea peaks around 25 °C from mid July to early September. And watch the wind: the east coast is calmer in a maestrale, the reverse in a tramontana; picking your side of the island by the forecast is basic Sardinian technique.
How to get there
By air: Olbia in the north, Cagliari in the south, Alghero in the west. A rental car is close to essential. By car: ferry from Livorno (9 h) or Piombino (6 h) to Olbia, roof boxes and bikes welcome on board. An overnight cabin crossing saves a day of holiday.
Airports
- OLB · Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (Olbia)
- CAG · Cagliari Elmas Airport (Cagliari)
- AHO · Alghero-Fertilia Airport (Alghero)
Car ferries
- Livorno → Olbia about 9 h at sea, car from ~120 € one way
- Janov → Olbia about 11 h at sea, car from ~135 € one way
- Civitavecchia → Olbia about 7 h at sea, car from ~110 € one way
- Janov → Porto Torres about 11 h at sea, car from ~130 € one way
Distance
1,088 km from Prague as the crow flies. The calculator computes the real route, tolls and fuel.
Tip
In summer a car ferry for two often beats two flights with bags plus a rental. The calculator gives you the exact comparison.
Good to know
- The historic centres of Cagliari (Marina, Castello) and Alghero are camera enforced ZTL zones. Fines arrive via your rental company too; park outside and walk.
- Taking sand, pebbles or shells is illegal: fines run 500 to 3,000 € and airports do check luggage.
- The most coveted beaches (La Pelosa, Tuerredda, Goloritzé, Cala Mariolu) have daily caps and booking apps. In season the slots fill within hours.
- There are no toll roads on the island; the SS131 backbone is free. Budget time though: 100 km of country roads can take 2 hours.
- Petrol runs about 1.85 € per litre, and self service pumps are noticeably cheaper than attended (servito) ones.
- August and Ferragosto (15 August) are the Italian season's peak: book car ferries and accommodation months ahead. June and September offer the same sea for much less.
- Inland, watch the road: sheep, goats and pigs appear mostly at dusk. At beaches park only in marked areas; attended lots charge 5 to 10 € a day.
Frequently asked questions
When is the sea warmest?
The sea is typically warmest in August, around 27 °C. Daytime air averages 32 °C.
What is the place known for?
Local signatures include Nuraghi, Two sheep per person, Cork oaks, Mamuthones, Orgosolo murals, Flamingos of Cagliari, Costa Smeralda.
How much are food and drinks locally?
As a guide: espresso at the bar ~1.25 €, main dish at a casual place ~12 €, beer (0.5 l) out ~5 €, scoop of ice cream ~1.8 €, sunbed and parasol per day ~32 €, an hour of parking ~1.2 €, litre of petrol ~1.85 €. High-season prices as of 2026-07.
How long is the car ferry?
The shortest route is Civitavecchia → Olbia: about 7 h at sea, car from ~110 € one way. The calculator shows exact prices for a specific day.
Which airports serve it?
Nearest airports: Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport (Olbia) (OLB), Cagliari Elmas Airport (Cagliari) (CAG), Alghero-Fertilia Airport (Alghero) (AHO). The calculator compares fares to all of them at once, from Prague and Vienna alike.
Car or plane, which pays off?
For two or more people with luggage the car ferry usually wins, especially if you want to drive around the island. For one or two travelling light, off peak flights tend to be cheaper. The balance shifts week by week in season, so give the calculator a flexible window.
What does a trip to Sardinia cost this year?
The calculator compares flights from several airports, driving with real ferry prices, and shows the weather for every date.