Porto Giunco Beach is one of the most famous, beautiful beaches in Southwestern Sardinia. I go there as often as I can, not only in the summer months when I get to enjoy the clear waters, but also in the off-season, when I tackle the local hiking trails for stunning coastal views.
Characterized by very soft, fine white and pink sand and shallow, topaz transparent waters and by a lagoon home to pink flamingoes, Il Giunco – as locals lovingly call it – is the ideal place for one (or more days) relaxing in the sun.
Contrary to many other Villasimius beaches, the Spiaggia di Porto Giunco (that’s how it is called in Italian) is quite large – which means that even during the peak summer months, you are bound to find a spot to place your umbrella and lay your towel.
If you are curious to find out more about this beach, what it offers and what makes it special and why you should visit, you are in the right place, since I am quite the local expert.
Continue reading to find out more about Porto Giunco and how to make the most of it.
What To Know About Porto Giunco Beach, Villasimius
Porto Giunco Beach
Porto Giunco is one of the many beautiful beaches of Villasimius, and part of the Protected Marine Area of Capo Carbonara, 86 square kilometers of protected marine territory with incredible marine life, which is one of Sardinia’s prime diving spots.
With so much marine life, it’s obvious that Porto Giunco Beach is a great place for snorkeling and diving – in fact, you will find a few diving schools in Villasimius that will organize diving expeditions to the Protected Marine Area, including visits of the nearby Isola dei Cavoli.
The shallow waters of the Spiaggia di Porto Giunco make it an ideal spot for families with children, and to practice sports such as kayaking, SUP, or for simply renting a pedal boat to explore the area.
On windy days – usually in the winter – Porto Giunco is known to be one of the best spots for surfing in Sardinia.
At the back of the beach, a lagoon – the Stagno di Notteri – is home to pink flamingoes and other species of migratory birds. At its back, you will find Mediterranean shrub – with juniper, mastic and an eucalyptus grove.
Scattered along Porto Giunco Beach you will find several kiosks where you can get a bite and a drink and rent any sort of equipment you may need for the day – SUP boards, kayaks, pedal boats, as well as umbrellas and sun beds.
Porto Giunco is a very accessible beach. There is a large parking lot and wooden trails that reach the beach, so even people with limited mobility can go.
In other words, this is quite the perfect beach for all sorts of travelers – minus those that want a very secluded spot.
The Aragonese Tower of Porto Giunco
Southwest of Porto Giunco Beach there is a 9-meters (29.5 feet) tall Aragonese tower – the Tower of Porto Giunco, which like many others was built in the 17th century in order to guard the island from pirates and other enemies.
It is a bit of a walk to get there, but the trail – which starts at the very end of the parking lot – is easy to follow and the views of the beach below and of Capo Carbonara make it truly worth it.
How to get to Porto Giunco
Porto Giunco can be easily reached by car from Villasimius, and in fact it’s an easy place to visit on day trips from Cagliari and even the nearby Costa Rei.
From Villasimius, follow the signs to Via degli Oleandri, where there’s the tourist harbor, and from there to Porto Giunco. You will find a massive parking lot (you will have to pay by the hour) and various trails to access the beach.
Occasionally, you may also find a tourist shuttle taking tourists from the center of the village to the beach.
A useful hack to make the most of Porto Giunco
As I have just said, Porto Giunco has several access points. Typically, families with children and large group of friends that carry a lot for the day tend to place their umbrella in the vicinity of the trails that lead to the beach, so that those areas are usually the most crowded.
For a quieter spot, walk towards the center of the beach – the small effort to get there will pay off as you’ll have more space and it’s not nearly as crowded.
Guided tours that go to Spiaggia di Porto Giunco
As I have said before, Porto Giunco Beach is easy to visit on day trips from Cagliari if you have a car. There are buses to Villasimius, but the ride can take the best of 2 hours, and from the center you will still have to make your way to the beach.
If you don’t want to rent a car for your Sardinia holiday, you can still get to Porto Giunco on guided day trips from Cagliari. Here are my favorite ones:
You can consider this guided tour from Cagliari that stops at the best beaches in Villasimius including Porto Giunco and also goes to Costa Rei. You will travel by private van and have a live guide.
This other day trip from Cagliari only stops in Porto Giunco and then heads to Cala Sinzias, a nice beach closer to Costa Rei.
If you are already in Villasimius and would like a different perspective of the coast, consider this exclusive catamaran tour that departs from Villasimius and visits the best beaches in the area. There’s also this highly rated half day rib tour that stops at both Porto Giunco and Punta Molentis beach.
Other nearby beaches
There are many other incredible beaches near Villasimius.
The most scenic one is by far Punta Molentis, in the Protected Marine Area and accessible to no more than 600 visitors per day.
Other than that, you can opt to go to Campus, a great spot loved by locals, or the nearby Cuccureddus beach, which is more secluded however harder to access.
Other gorgeous beaches are Campulongu, a perfect place to seek shelter on a windy day, and the nearby Spiaggia del Riso.
Finally, Cala Caterina is a very scenic spot; Timi Ama, Simius Beach and Porto Sa Ruxi (which like Punta Molentis limits the number of visitors) are also worth a visit.
Where to stay to access Spiaggia di Porto Giunco
As I have said before, Porto Giunco Beach can be visited on day trips from Cagliari. Yet, the easiest access point is Villasimius or – further away – Costa Rei. Both places have a great selection of accommodation options. These are some I have researched for you:
HOTEL SIMIUS PLAYA – A great hotel with spacious, comfortable room and quick access to the beach. Some rooms have wonderful sea views.
S’ARENADA HOTEL – A small family run hotel with just a handful of rooms, decorated in classic style and all very comfortable.
HOTEL VILLAS RESORT – One of the best luxury resorts in Sardinia, it’s at easy distance from Santa Giusta, Costa Rei’s prime beach, and at about 20 minutes drive from Porto Giunco Beach.
My posts The Best Hotels In Villasimius and The Best Airbnbs In Villasimius share more insights on places to stay in the area.
Important information for people visiting Sardinia beaches
Sardinian beaches are gorgeous and you will surely want to do your best to keep them so. Whichever beach you are visiting in Sardinia – including Porto Giunco – make sure to observe a few basic set of rules to keep them as beautiful as you find them,
USE A STRAW MAT – Bring a straw mat and place it on the sand before you lay down your towel – this is a requirement only in certain beaches, but you may want to do it anyways. It’s done in order to avoid bringing sand away from the beach with your towel.
DON’T SMOKE – You can only smoke in designated areas. If you are a smoker, don’t drop cigarette butts in the sand.
DON’T TAKE SAND – Shake your feet of any excess sand before leaving the beach.
DON’T STEAL SHELLS – Shells, stones and sand belong to the beach – make sure not to take any, because if you are caught with it, you will have to pay a fine. Curious to know what happened to a French couple that stole sand in Sardinia? Read here.
DON’T LEAVE TRASH – Trash cans are normally scattered along the beach for small trash. Bring large items back home and dispose of them properly, following local rules for recycling.
DOG FRIENDLY BEACHES – Familiarize yourself with dog friendly beaches in Sardinia. Unfortunately, Porto Giunco is not one of them.
Further Readings
Are you planning a trip to Sardinia? Make sure to check out my other posts:
- Best Beaches In Sardinia
- A Quick Guide To La Pelosa, Stintino
- A Quick Guide To Is Arutas Beach
- A Quick Guide To Mari Pintau
- An Easy Guide To Cala Monte Turno
- An Easy Guide To Cala Zafferano
- A Useful Guide To Cala Goloritzé
- 10 Absolutely Unmissable Things To Do In Sardinia
- Where To Stay In Sardinia
- The Most Unique Airbnbs In Sardinia – With Prices!
- The Most Beautiful Beach Resorts In Sardinia
Pin It For Later!
Hello, in all fairness, I do write a lot about hiking – you probably missed this post https://strictlysardinia.com/hikes-in-sardinia/
However, if hiking is your main reason to visit Sardinia, you do need a car as it’s virtually impossible to get to most trailheads without a car, unless you join a hike with a guide that also provides transportation. I have a guide on how to get around Sardinia https://strictlysardinia.com/how-to-get-around-sardinia/ that shares the various options you have. I also have a post on public transport https://strictlysardinia.com/public-transport-in-sardinia/ that explains the various alternatives in case you don’t want to rent a car.
But again, the issue is that no public bus will ever take you to trailheads which are usually in the middle of nowhere, in isolated places.
If you need more help planning your trip to Sardinia, you can book a consultation with me https://calendly.com/claudia-strictlysardinia/sardinia-travel-consultation
Hope this helps!
We are too old to rent a car, but we are yet very active in hiking.
Alas you practically never inform on possibilities to hike or walk.
We wish to find a hotel with half pension with good local food, and from the hotel to move directly walking or having public transportation at hand to join a pedestrian spot.
Thanks!
Thank you so much for doing your job so well, it’s obvious that you put your heart and soul in it , because it simply shows all over this article, grazie mille Claudia.