We are in August and the high season is slowly coming to an end, but if you go to Sardinia tomorrow you will surely run into thousands of people who still enjoy summer on this wonderful island. But you should know that Sardinia is a great destination all year round so you may be interested in meeting her at another time, when she rests, when she is calmer.
When it is not so hot and the sun is a caress rather than a torment, you have more courage to walk along its beaches and also discover its cultural attractions and other beautiful landscapes that are hidden in the interior. What's more, with fewer tourists the island is friendlier, more hospitable and much more relaxed. And of course, cheaper.
The best luggage you can take to Sardinia is a backpack Since unless you stay in a hotel with many services you will not have places to leave your suitcases. Also, if your idea is to move from town to town taking advantage of transport connections, it is much better to walk lightly. And I'm talking about a lightweight backpack too, not a huge tortoise shell on the back.
If you move by train, the most important stations have a luggage storage but you should not always count on that and if they exist not always open 24 hours. These warehouses are in Olbia, in the Staziones Marittima del Puerto Isola Bianca, in the Alghero station, in the Sassari station, in Nuroeo and in Cagliari as well.
Getting around in Sardinia
Besides the train the bus is the means of transport What else are you going to use because it connects the smaller towns. Most public buses require you to buy a ticket before getting on one of the stalls in each town and city. It may happen that the site is closed and in that case the driver will generally let you get on without it and will indicate where you can buy it at the next stop. But if you can buy it and seal it before, then much better.
In addition, the best thing is to have maps of your route, so you not only have the route you will do but also the places to buy the tickets and not waste time or worry. Before traveling to Sardinia you can build maps with information on Google, but also there are tourist offices in most cities on the island and there you get good maps too. Of course, if you go outside of the summer it is possible that these offices are not open so do not forget to bring something from home. Many tourist sites offer maps with itineraries so they are a good option.
Finally, you should consider that on Sundays, transport decreases in frequency and quantity of services. To this is added that people do not do much on Sundays either, so if you arrive wanting to go out and walk and get to know, you may run into a sleeping city. The same on holidays.
The adventure of touring Sardinia
Most people don't speak english, the roads are adventurous, forget about WiFi Internet. Basically that is what it is about when you leave the most important cities with your backpack on your shoulder.
Sardinia is a great destination for walking, hiking and know its beauties. There are many possible routes. The best beaches in Sardinia are located on the east coast. You can take an ARST bus to Tortoli and then go to Baunei. This area offers perhaps the best walks in Europe since many guided excursions depart from Cagliari that point to a great place: the Gorropu Canyon, the deepest on the continent.
It is not necessary to have a guide but in truth many people get lost without one. Keep that in mind. If you still don't want to pay for the guide, you can get information from a cooperative that watches over the place. Of course, take a lot of water and snacks. The path is quite shady but if you go in summer or there is a lot of sun it can be a hot experience.
The cannon lets you in Dorgali, a beautiful region dedicated to agritourism. There are several farm accommodations here and since there is a lake, Lago Cedrino, you can stay a few days, sleep, try local food and go kayaking. From Dorgali you can go to Cala Gonone from where many tourist boats leave to know the Gulf of Orosei and its great beaches.
These beaches are only accessible by boat or walking, you choose. Here is a cheap camp, hotels and B&B for limited budgets so my advice is that you stay a couple of days because the place is wonderful and walk for the long Berchida beach priceless. There are other nearby coves, Cala Fuili, Cala Luna, for example, all equally beautiful.
If you want to add another type of nature then you can reach the Golgo, the Golgo Plateau, which is the place that offers diving, rafting, hiking, underwater caves and much more. When it comes to outdoor tourism, Sardinia is the best. Although there are expensive hotels, there are also much cheaper options, places where they let you set up your tent for 5 euros per person per day, or rustic cabins that are very simple.
The camp is managed by the Goloritzè Cooperative, in turn organizer of guided walks and boat trips around the Gulf of Orosei for 40 euros all day. The forests of Sardinia hide small and wonderful beaches so the more you move the more you discover. Those of the Sisine, Mariolu, Biriola and Goloritzè coves they are spectacular. The latter is especially known for its 143-meter tower that hangs over the beach, a World Heritage Site.
Well, of course we are not going to leave out the famous Emerald coast. To get there you have to move to the north of the island, by bus from Olbia to Tortoli, for example. The coast it has the best beaches, the best nightlife and the best restaurants, bars and shops. There are hotels, B & Bs and apartments for tourist rental and even a camp to spend little money and set up the tent. Most of the beaches are free so you don't have to be a Kardashian to spend the summer here.
This part of Sardinia is that of the rich and famous but that does not mean that we cannot stroll, enjoy and buy an ice cream, no longer a Gucci wallet. And when so many millionaires tire you, you can take the ferry to Isola di Tavolara, travel ten minutes and spend the day on an island where no one lives. And if you are even more restless the Maddalena archipelago, to the north, is a great destination with beaches similar to those of Polynesia.
In summary, Sardinia outside the high summer season is an accessible, cheap destination and lovely. If you like to walk there are a thousand possible walks and they are the best routes to discover the true spirit of this island. Forget about the magazines with the millionaires, the blondes and the yachts, Sardinia is much more than that. With a few euros in your pocket, a light backpack and comfortable shoes, you will not leave a corner to discover, photograph, admire and immortalize in your memory.