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The second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia is surrounded by both the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Sea of Sardinia, which are elements of the Mediterranean. Approximately 500km from the Italian mainland peninsula, this island is the perfect beach destination.

If you’re on a time crunch, you’re going to need to split Sardinia into quadrants and pick an area to explore. We opted to travel through South East Sardinia, specifically Villasimius and here’s why.

VILLASIMIUS

Villasimius, or Crabonaxa as it is called in Sardinian language, is a small town of 4000 residents and is surrounded by at least 12 beaches. Here you’ll find crystal clear calm water, enclaves of sand, rocks, and mountains. 

Getting There

The nearest major airport is Cagliari Elmas Airport. You can either take a domestic flight from anywhere in Italy onto the island or you can travel internationally with a layover at the larger Italian airports. From Cagliari, you’ll need to get to Villasimius, the coastal city on the South Eastern side. You can do this in a few ways. Opt to rent a car and take the scenic route through the coastal mountains for about an hour (tip: you’ll most likely end up with a manual car, so if you can’t drive manual, try local transport). There’s a wonderful Cagliari Airport-Villasimius Shuttle, offered by VillasimiusExpress and costs 15 euros each way. Reservations need to be made beforehand, and you can get tickets here. The more affordable option is taking the local bus, which is only about 4 euros but runs longer; the time table is available here. 

Where to Stay

Now that you’ve finally made it to Villasimius, the question is where to stay. Hands down the best place to stay was Hotel Stella D’Oro. Tucked in the little alleyways of downtown, this hotel gem has the kindest hosts, the food is incredible (keep reading and you’ll see why) and the location could not be any better. The rooms are not luxurious but for young mid-budget travelers – it’s an excellent choice. Bonus: if you chose to rent a car and drive, Stella D’oro will allow you to park your car in their private garage to avoid parking tickets!

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What to Do

This is a coastal city, so you’re here for the beach. In this case, there are many spiaggia or beaches worth seeing! Here are the best beaches in Sardinia.

Spiaggia di Simius – the closest beach to the center, not the prettiest but if you arrive late or just need to take a stroll on the sand in the evening this will do the job.

Punta Molentis – another close beach enclave with the perfect mountain for a backdrop.

Mari Pintau Beach – this is where a rented car comes in handy. Mari Pintau is absolutely breathtaking, about 30 minutes west from Villasimius’ city center but a must.



Costa Rei Beach– also a bit further away from downtown more so to the upper east, but worth the drive/trek. It’s about a 20 min drive! 



Besides the beaches?
City center is such a serene place to walk through. The vintage architecture, the street vendors selling everything from wine, to chocolate and handmade souvenirs and of course the many local mom & pop shops.

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Most importantly, you can’t beat the view. The mountains in the background of the low-leveled buildings and the night lights are quite the scene.

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Where to Eat

Hotel Stella D’Oro– we weren’t being lazy when we had dinner at our hotel. Stella D’Oro is ranked as one of the top seafood restaurants in Villasimius, and it sure delivered. & it sure delivered. Growing up with parents that lived in a port city and ate seafood as much as they had water, we’ve become experts in fishing out the best seafood.

Pizzaria La Tartana– you’re in Italy, so you’re going to have to have some pizza. La Tartana has a beautiful outdoor terrace, specialty cocktails, great food and is right in the center. 

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Maracuja– stop for some of the freshest juice and smoothies! Enough said.

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CAGLIARI

You’ll need to fly out of Cagliari again, so why not make a pit stop and wander a bit more? PlanetWare has a great city guide to follow if your time allows. Here are snippets of what you’ll see in Cagliari.

First off, you’ll be surrounded by great architecture, colorful buildings, rustic homes and shops and a grand castle in the middle of downtown.



Villanova District & Il Castello
One of the four ancient districts of the city, Villanova dates back to the 12th century and leads to the Il Castello District.  Walk through the narrow streets lined with ancient homes and Aragonese churches.

Piazza Yenne
In the center of the city is plaza Yenne, or Piazza Yenne with a ton of food options, outdoor cafes and bars. Right across is a roundabout with a statue, Monumento a Carlo Felice.  Through the narrow alleys you’ll peek Church of Saint Michael.

The Marina
End the day at the Marina District, another area filled with outdoor restaurants and shops leading right up to the port.

While you travel through Italy, check out other fun city guides here.


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Comments:

  • April 3, 2019

    Your pictures are so beautiful. I’ve only been to Skopelos Island but would love to visit Villasimius. The residents are so lucky to be surrounded by 12 beautiful beaches! I love the calm waters and great tip about the cars most likely being manual. I definitely prefer automatic 🙂

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  • April 3, 2019

    Villasimius looks like the perfect place to visit. I love that there are only 4000 residents. Your restaurant suggestions sound great too. I would have loved growing up by the sea and eating a ton of seafood!

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  • April 5, 2019

    How great that such a small town like Villasimius has so many beaches. I love seafood so would definitely make sure to eat at Stella D’oro.

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  • Nene

    April 5, 2019

    Your pictures are so pretty!!! I have been to Italy before but not Villasimius. The whole country has so much to offer.

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  • Leanne Wong

    April 5, 2019

    Your pictures of Sardinia are stunning! A really beautiful capture of the town and its architecture. Would love to visit someday!

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  • April 5, 2019

    Oh my goodness, this looks incredible! I’ve recently added wanting to visit Italy to my bucket list, and this place looks perfect!

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  • anon

    April 5, 2019

    What a beautiful island, and so much to do and see! Your photos are stunning!!

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  • April 5, 2019

    What I would give to be on one of those beaches right now! Gorgeous pictures. I’ve never been to Italy, but this post makes me want to visit even more than I already did!

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  • April 6, 2019

    Wow.. Sounds like there are plenty of things to do in South East Sardinia.. The beaches look incredible and very inviting (especially Mari Pintau Beach. Worth the drive for sure.. 😉 ) Everything looks charming and very relaxed.

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  • April 6, 2019

    Oh man, I would totally love to visit. I love Italy so much! I’m actually going next month!

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  • April 7, 2019

    I love coastal cities and never get tired of beaches. Villasimius looks amazing, I’d love to rent a car and drive around, visit the beaches which are further away from the city centre. Punta Molentis looks like a great beach, I love the crystal clear blue waters. What a dream!

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  • April 7, 2019

    Pictures says it all! This seems like a great place to relax and rejuvenate. Italy is definitely on my list especially Sicily. Now, adding Sardinia to the list 🙂

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  • April 7, 2019

    Wow! That water looks so gorgeous! I’d love to spend time on that beach!

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  • Nitin Singhal

    April 7, 2019

    Italy is a magical country. Its buildings, architecture street, beaches, everything is amazing. I loved your photographs of the vintage architecture of the city centre.

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  • April 7, 2019

    Sardinia is such an underrated place to visit in Italy! Those beaches look incredible though. I can’t get over how clear and colorful that water is.

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  • April 8, 2019

    This looks absolutely beautiful! I did not get to visit Sardinia when I was last in Italy, but I’m hoping to next time!

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  • pinkcaddytraveloguegmailcom

    April 8, 2019

    I was just talking to someone the other day about how much they loved Sardinia! Perhaps something is telling me I need to go there sooner rather than later haha. But this little town sounds absolutely delightful! My mom and I take a trip together each year, and she’s a beach girl, so this one would be a great destination for that trip.

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  • Nic Hilditch-Short

    April 9, 2019

    We’ve not been down to this part of Italy yet but this makes me really want to get back over there and explore this region. I just love that combination of culture, food, rustic architecture and incredible beaches, its hard to beat!

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  • April 11, 2019

    This region of Italy seems straight out of a fairy tale. So colorful and vibrant. We would love to get to these parts. Have only visited the main centers like Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa. Really love the look of Villasimius, the beaches seem gorgeous and the place seems ideal for a rejuvenating stay.

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  • sunsetsandrollercoasters

    April 11, 2019

    Sardinia is absolutely beautiful. I had no idea it was so far from Italy. I just love the old world charm. The beaches have some naturally rugged aspects but also nice areas to relax. The best mix of both worlds.

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  • Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions

    April 12, 2019

    Those first two pictures of the beach are reason enough to visit! Love the architecture and it sounds like you had some amazing food as well, especially at that top-rated seafood place. I’ve seen Sardinia on the map but always wondered what’s there. Thanks for sharing, Yara!

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  • April 12, 2019

    Your photography is so incredibly stunning, you are really talented! Also, I didn’t know Sardinia was the second largest. I’d park myself all day on the beach in one of those beautiful beds 🙂

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  • October 21, 2020

    More and more reading and watching your stunning pictures more I can’t wait to travel again

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