We had the best trip to Sardinia, Italy recently! What fun it was to experience the Mediterranean coastline of another country besides just Spain. Sardinia had many similarities to Mallorca, Spain expect a main difference: the food! We indulged in some delicious Italian food from homemade pizzas to pastas and gelato – Italy’s food really is next level! Landon said he will never again eat pizza in a different country than Italy – ha!

The Boat Tour

One of the best ways to experience Sardinia year-round is by boat. We booked and partnered with an incredible boat tour company, Blue Rent Cagliari, who gave us a tour around the coastline of the capital city of Cagliari, Sardinia. We were so impressed by this boat tour and highly recommend! We took in some incredible views and saw some of the bluest water as well as caves and other natural sites by the sea. Landon was even brave enough to swim in early May in the Mediterranean but it was way too cold for us.

The Restaurants

Some of our favorite restaurants in Cagliari were Mamma Mia Cagliari for homemade pizza and Impasto for pasta dishes. Mamma Mia was our first stop when arriving into the city and we each got our own pizza and ate every slice – so delicious! Impasto is a great option for a heavier meal, although also affordable. We found it to be very affordable to eat in Cagliari, at least compared to Spain. You also need to make sure that you try a gelato – so yummy. Also, be sure to try fresh seafood while there – mussels, shrimp or oysters. Delicious!

The Beach with the Prettiest Water

The best beach that we visited in Cagliari was Tuerreda Beach, located on the southwestern side of the island about one hour from the city. You would need to rent a car to access this beach, but we did easily through LocAuto at the airport. The bright blue hues of the water were stunning and locals claim this is the best beach in the area. We absolutely loved it!

The City of Cagliari

You can’t miss Old Town Cagliari and its cobblestone streets when visiting the island. With adorable shops, live music and an aperol spritz on the terrazzo, Old Town’s views are absolutely gorgeous. The architecture downtown is gorgeous, too, and makes a stop into the city worthwhile. Check ahead of time for events happening in Cagliari, as if there is an event occurring it may be hard to secure parking in a parking lot. We struggled finding a spot in Cagliari for hours due to a large event happening for local holiday celebrations.

One of the best decisions we made was choosing an Airbnb in the middle of the action of the streets of Cagliari. When booking your trip, be sure to consider this Airbnb. It has a great location that is walking distance to some of the best Italian restaurants in the city and the owner is responsive and helpful.

We spent a whirlwind weekend in Cagliari but it was definitely a great spot to visit in Italy. While there are more famous cities to visit in Italy like Rome or Venice, we are glad that we chose the less standard Cagliari to visit and would encourage you to do the same!