Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, right after Sicily. But did you know there are many islands of Sardinia that you can also visit?
Some of the smaller islands of Sardinia are inhabited. There, you will find charming, quaint villages. That’s the case of Sant’Antioco and San Pietro islands.
Others are completely uninhabited, and natural, pristine and highly protected, and are home to some incredibly interesting sites. That’s the case of Asinara and some of the islands of La Maddalena Archipelago (both are national parks!). Some have also been the object of political disputes until very recently.
What the islands of Sardinia have in common is a truly breathtaking beauty. Are you curious to find out more about them? Continue reading!
The Most Beautiful Islands Of Sardinia
La Maddalena
La Maddalena is a sparkling archipelago just off Sardinia’s northeastern coast. Set in the azure seas of the Strait of Bonifacio, between Sardinia and Corsica, the collection of seven main islands – and other islets besides – is actually a national park.
People lived in La Maddalena since prehistoric times. Today this protected area is lapped by clear waters and is a haven for wildlife and holiday makers alike.
Its glistening yet rugged islands include:
La Maddalena
The largest island of the archipelago, the eponymous La Maddalena is home to the largest town in the area. Yes, even the main town’s named La Maddalena. Here you’ll find charming restaurants, small boutiques, and stylish hotels to stay when you’re not exploring the multiple beaches, or hitting one of the trails.
I recommend renting a car to explore La Maddalena. This way, you can explore at your own pace and uncover some of the island’s hidden gems for yourself. Most of the time, this means finding beaches.
Some of the best on the island include the secluded Cala dei Francesci, tucked away in the south; the popular Spiaggia di Tegge, close to the town center and a perfect spot for sunset); and Capocchia du Purpu – or Octopus Head Beach – known for its peculiar rock formation.
Santo Stefano
This island may be very attractive. However, in the past Santo Stefano hosted a NATO Naval Base, as well as the Italian Navy too. Because of this military connection, most of the island remains uninhabited, aside from visitors to the tourist resort and the military.
Situated to the south of La Maddalena island, Santo Stefano is a beautiful place to discover. Think winding roads, historic fortifications, a jagged but charming coastline, and crystal clear waters. You can only get there by private boat, meaning it never gets too busy.
Budelli
The funny thing about Budelli is that nobody can visit the island. All you can do is admire this 1.6 square kilometer slice of paradise from a boat on the water. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
This unspoiled haven is a wonder to behold, especially because of its striking pink beach – Spiaggia Rosa. Due to its protected status, any construction is banned on the island, leaving visitors to admire this beauty from afar.
Recently, a few guided groups (with guides of La Maddalena National Park) have been allowed to visit the island. They can only stay on boardwalks and follow the marked trails.
Spargi
The third largest island in La Maddalena archipelago, nobody lives in Spargi other than a colony of wild boars. It boasts a rugged, granite landscape that juts dramatically out of the turquoise seas.
Spargi is a relaxing spot that’s perfect for a day trip during your time in La Maddalena. You can visit on a private boat or tour that will take you to its wonderful beaches such as Cala Granara, Cala Soraya or Cala Conneri.
There’s also its sister island – Spargiotto. Much smaller than its neighbor, Spargiotto is home to rare birds, so it’s a good place for bird-lovers.
Caprera
Linked to La Maddalena via a bridge, Caprera is the second largest island in the archipelago and one of the prettiest islands of Sardinia.
More rugged, less populated (just a few families), and more remote-feeling as a result, Caprera’s claim to fame is being the place where Giuseppe Garibaldi spent his final years (he actually bought half the island).
Pivotal in Italy’s unification, you can learn all about his life and legacy in his former home, now a museum and memorial.
Possibly named for its wild goat population (capra means “goat” in Italian), the island is interesting to explore via the many hiking trails. There are actually very few roads here.
You will have to hike through the rocky interior to find white sand beaches such as Cala Napoletana, Cala Coticcio or Cala Brigantina. In the south of Caprera, you’ll find Punta Rossa, an outcrop that’s home to an old fort among other coastal spots to relax and take in the scenery.
You should also visit the Candeo and Poggio Rasu Superiore fortifications.
I recommend this full day boat trip of the Maddalena Archipelago that departs from either La Maddalena or Palau.
There’s also a wonderful catamaran boat tour that you can consider if you’d rather have a smaller group.
Make sure to read my post The Best Boat Tours To La Maddalena for even more tour options.
Asinara Island
Situated off the coast of the northwestern tip of Sardinia, Asinara Island spans over 50 square kilometers. The island is entirely protected, and currently completely uninhabited.
Humans have lived here since the Neolithic age. Furthermore, due to its prominent position, the Phoenecians, the Greeks, and the Romans all knew Asinara.
Made up of four mountainous sections, the name Asinara comes from “sinuara,” Latin for “sinuous.” Nowadays it is home to a population of wild albino donkeys. But once upon a time, Asinara Island was actually a prison colony and remained so up until 1993. For over a century, prisoners and the staff at the prison were the only inhabitants of the island.
It became a National Park in 1997.
Today it’s a protected area where tourists can visit independently or through organized tours, to experience its wild setting, steep rocky coasts and Mediterranean scrub. A wide variety of animals live here, from the donkeys to wild horses, boars, and peregrine falcons.
Tavolara Island
Another of Sardinia’s islands situated in the northeast – specifically off the coast of Olbia – Tavolara is a small but striking slice of limestone massif rising out of the water like a mountain. Characterized by steep cliffs, the island spans five kilometers, and reaches an altitude of 1,854 feet (that’s at Monte Cannone).
Much of the island consists of a NATO base that only the military can access. The rest is home to a small number of local families who live in its west port area. It’s a popular scuba diving spot, with beaches and a nice seasonal restaurant to sate your hunger.
Exploring the part of the island that can tourists can visit, you will find a small cemetery where the so-called King of Tavolara rests (yes, this really was a kingdom once upon a time).
There’s even a fantastic (but very challenging) hiking trail that goes to the peak for stunning views, but I don’t recommend hiking this trail independently.
This Tavolara Boat Tour With Snorkeling lasts 4 hours and leave every day at 9:30 am from Olbia Marina. It stops at the Tavolara Marine Protected Area and you will have a chance to swim in the nearby Molara natural pools.
Another option is this tour that also goes to Molara (though you don’t get to visit the island: you will just snorkel nearby). It is similar to the one above, but departs from Località Sos Aranzos in Golfo Aranci.
Molara Island
Just across the water from Tavolara, there’s Molara Island. It’s one of the nicest small islands of Sardinia. However, visiting can be tricky. Indeed, the island is private property of the Tamponi family. They used to live there while the island was an agricultural farm. However, in the 1960s even the last guardian left the island to move to the mainland.
The island is a real haven. As it is private, very few people get to visit, and those that do will typically have the island to themselves.
Upon visiting, you’ll explore the old agricultural farm and the living quarters, the Romanesque church (most of which has collapsed), and learn about the flora and fauna on the island. You may also encounter cows, goats and other animals that still live there. Needless to say, a highlight of a visit is spending time at the pristine beaches.
You can only visit Molara on guided tours run by Associazione Molara. Tours depart from Cala Finanza, between Olbia and San Teodoro, and include the boat ride, lunch and activities for the day. You can contact them via email at [email protected] (be patient if they don’t reply within a day or two, and follow up) or to send a WhatsApp message at +393333945162.
Sulcis Archipelago
Spanning 160 square kilometers, the Sulcis Archipelago is just a short distance off the southern coast of the Sardinian mainland.
Many of the inhabitants of the archipelago are descendants of a coral fishing colony established by Genoese immigrants in 1741. They had left a previous colony in Tunisia. You can hear this in Tabarchino dialect of the Ligurian language that many locals here speak.
The archipelago consists of just two islands. However, there are also several small islets dotted around, too.
The main islands include:
Sant’Antioco
With a population of just under 12,000, the municipality of Sant’Antioco boasts the largest community of the Sulcis Archipelago. It may seem relatively small at 109 square kilometers, but in the whole of Sardinia it’s second in size only to Sardinia itself, and is the fourth largest island in Italy.
You’ll find it 87 kilometers (54 miles) west of Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia. It’s conveniently connected via bridge, meaning you can easily access it from the mainland.
There are towns on the island, none quite as charming as Calasetta. Situated on the northern coast of Sant’Antioco, it’s a small fishing village a gorgeous white sand beach, a quaint marina, and plenty of places to enjoy local delicacies.
Sant’Antioco town boasts plenty of history, since it was first settled in the 5th millennium BC. There are mysterious nuraghe to discover, Roman bridges, a Roman fountain, and Phoenician necropolis, to name a few. There’s also a more remote coastline in the south to explore, too.
San Pietro Island
Known as “Sparrowhawk Island,” San Pietro is located north of Sant’Antioco. Home to around 6,000 people, you can get there via frequent ferry services from Calasetta and Portovesme on the Sardinian mainland.
The main town on San Pietro is Carloforte. It’s a small fishing town, colorful and truly charming, and one of my favorite places to visit in Sardinai.
Here you’ll find beaches (my favorite ones are La Bobba and La Caletta) and seafood restaurants, a small marina and quaint historic streets to wander. It’s a good base to use to explore the rest of the island. Other things you can do include scuba diving and hiking.
Malu Entu Island
This is one of the most interesting islands of Sardinia! Known in Italian as Mal di Ventre – literally “belly ache” – its name in Sardinian means “bad wind” and is a reference to the sudden changes in the weather and the winds.
The island is part of the Protected Marine Area of Sinis.
A popular day-trip destination during the summer – boat tours usually depart from Mari Ermi beach – the island is completely uninhabited and home to wild garlic and sea turtles. Marine life here is thriving. There are also shipwrecks.
Malu Entu island was at the center of attention in local and national media in the past, when the Partito Paris, guided by Doddore Meloni, claimed its independence. He adopted a new monetary system, gave it its own government, and aimed at becoming an independent state fully recognized by the United Nations.
With the death of Doddore Meloni in 2017, the project has been abandoned.
Isola dei Cavoli
Located in southern Sardinia, opposite Capo Carbonara, Isola dei Cavoli is a small granite island perfect for a day trip from the lovely Villasimius.
Though the Italian name translates into English as “cabbage island” and is apparently a reference to the presence of wild cabbage plants on the island, its Sardinian name is “cavuru” – crab and is a reference to the shape.
Nobody lives on this 43 hectares large island, which is part of the Protected Marine Area of Capo Carbonara.
You can visit it on boat trips departing from either Villasimius or Costa Rei. You can dock in certain points to be able to see Pinuccio Sciola’s statue of the Virgin of the Sea (which was placed underwater in the late 1970s).
There’s also a lighthouse (which incorporated a 1591 Spanish Tower) and the thriving marine life – this is one of the best diving spots in Sardinia.
Serpentara
The conformation of this island, which is also part of the Marine Protected Area of Capo Carbonara in southeastern Sardinia, is similar to that of Cavoli Island – granite rock and Mediterranean vegetation.
Known for its snake-like shape, like many other islands of Sardinia, it is completely uninhabited However, it thrives with marine life and wildlife. It’s a great spot for birdwatching, with colonies of herons, Corsican seagulls, cormorants and tufty gulls. But you will have to admire them from the sea, as nobody is allowed to disembark there.
You can however swim in the Variglioni, three large granite rocks emerging from the sea in the northern part of the island, which help forming stunning natural pools.
If you are into diving, you will also be able to spot the remains of a Roman galley; an Aragonese sailing ship from the 15th century; the Egle steamship which drowned in 1943; and the Elba Ferry.
Surmounting the island there is the Spanish Tower of San Luigi.
Pin It For Later!
I am not sure what your question is?
Claudia,
I would like to know where to spend a romantic week on the island of Sardinia for our 50th wedding anniversary please?
Sincerely,
John Vaccarello
yeeee!
Excellent article! Now I want to visit them all! Thanks for sharing!