Pristine beaches, rugged mountains, quiet country roads, plenty of sunshine, and exciting history – no matter what kind of cyclist you are, Sardinia has everything one needs from a cycling destination. I’ve recently spent a few days biking on this Italian island, and I know for sure – I will be coming back for more Sardinian cycling adventures!
Cycling in Sardinia – my impressions
As usual, I had the best intentions and high ambitions when planning the cycling trip in Sardinia. I thought I’d do a lot of research and meticulously plan the best, most scenic, most optimal route. But as usual, reality happened. I had a sudden surge of work in the weeks leading up to the holidays, and all I had was a rough draft of a route and a couple of pins on Google Maps.
It turned out that it didn’t matter. I suspect that wherever you go in Sardinia (as long as you stay off busy main roads), you’ll find great views and enjoy pedalling through the island.
Since we didn’t have much time, we narrowed it down to the north of Sardinia and the La Maddalena archipelago. I was a little worried that it might be too touristy and busy, but the end of May turned out to be a perfect time to visit, before the crowds arrive on the beaches and coastal towns.
Following the coast
We slowly rolled through quiet country roads, with the landscape constantly changing. The azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea flickered below the horizon. It was never really flat. There were always some craggy mountains around, some looking like someone just dumped a pile of rocks that created funky shapes. The warm air carried the aroma of pines and toothpick plant, and whenever we came closer to the shore, we welcomed a refreshing breeze.
Life on Sardinia seemed unhurried. Drivers didn’t mind stopping to help a lost tortoise safely cross the road. People in coastal towns had time to indulge in endless conversations with their neighbours. Perhaps this slow-paced life, combined with clean air and fresh, local food, was the reason why Sardinia was one of the blue zones – regions of the world where people live exceptionally long, healthy, and happy lives.
Our route was a charming kaleidoscope of smaller and bigger roads, ups and downs, sea views and mountains. We rolled calmly, occasionally greeted by other cyclists, both locals on road bikes and tourists with panniers, with a friendly “ciao”.
It wasn’t all roses, though. Sometimes, instead of carelessly biking on quiet gravel roads, we were forced to make a major detour, including some busy sections, just because the roads were private and gated. One of them even had a “no cycling” sign, which seemed like overkill. I understand that people don’t want car traffic on their private road, but come on – what does a few cyclists passing through hurt you?
Island hopping
On La Maddalena, the smaller island off the northern coast of Sardinia, the air felt lighter, cooler. It was still pleasantly warm, shorts and short-sleeve weather even in the evening. We found a cosy local restaurant to refuel after hours of cycling and, as always, I was amazed how the Italians can turn the simplest ingredients into a masterpiece. I ordered Cacio e Pepe, which is just pasta, cheese and pepper, and it tasted like heaven, especially accompanied by Sardinian wine!
Despite taking things easy and cycling less than 60 km a day, we felt drained. Maybe it was the heat or lack of sleep. That’s why we decided to take our time during the island-hopping and appreciate the empty beaches (we even found a little sea turtle fighting through the waves on one of them!). Sometimes, I love challenging myself and cycling from morning to evening, but this time it was lovely to feel like on a proper vacation, without the need to prove anything to myself.
On Isola dei Gabbiani (The Seagull Island), there were crowds of windsurfers and kitesurfers. The conditions could not be better – the strong wind carried them far, and we spent the evening admiring the kitesurfers flying a few meters above the water. They had this childlike joy on their faces that you can only see on people who are fully immersed in the moment.
We closed our loop to Olbia cycling on some tranquil roads surrounded by lush plants and trees. There were plenty of strenuous climbs, but I knew that at the top of every hill was a spectacular landscape. And I knew that I didn’t even see the most incredible parts of Sardinia.
– I’ll come back one day to explore the mountains – I promised myself after I returned my rental bike.
How to get there
By ferry
There are multiple ferry routes connecting Sardinia with mainland Italy. The island has six main harbours: Cagliari, Olbia, Golfo Aranci, Santa Teresa di Gallura, Porto Torres and Arbatax.
There are also ferries operating between Sardinia and Corsica, as well as between Nice and Toulon in France, and Barcelona.
Find your ferry to Sardinia on Omio.
You can find a more detailed description of ferries to Sardinia on this blog.
By plane
There are three international airports in Sardinia: Cagliari in the south, Olbia in the north-east and Alghero in the north-west. You can find affordable flights to Sardinia from many European cities. I usually use Kiwi.com to find the best connection.
If you need advice on taking your bicycle on the plane, check out this article.
Renting a bicycle in Sardinia
As a popular cycling destination, Sardinia has plenty of bike rentals offering everything from road to gravel and trekking bikes. During our last trip, we rented trekking bikes from G-Cycles in Olbia. The owner, Luigi, was super friendly, the bikes were of excellent quality, and we paid 25 euros per day.
Other bike rental options include Cycle Classic Tours and Go4Bike in Olbia, as well as E-bike Sardinia and La Pedivella in Cagliari. Many of them offer a pick-up service from another location for an additional charge, so you can cycle across the whole island, without worrying about returning the bike to the start location.
Terrain
Most of the island is covered by mountains, hills and plateaus, making cycling in Sardinia equally scenic and challenging. If you want to avoid climbs as much as possible, you should head north-west, near Alghero, which is the flattest part of the island.
If you’re up for some rugged and demanding routes, Sardinia’s interior has plenty of terrific mountain roads that will make your quads burn.
Road safety and cycling infrastructure
Sardinia doesn’t have many kilometres of cycle lanes and dedicated long-distance cycling routes. However, small country roads are generally quiet and well-maintained, making them ideal for cycling. Avoid main arteries and the coastal roads during the summer – it’s no fun biking in traffic.
From my experience, Sardinian drivers are quite considerate and used to sharing the road with cyclists.
Taking a bicycle on a train in Sardinia
Despite its compact size (approximately 300 km from south to north and around 125 km from east to west), it takes some time to cycle around Sardinia. Luckily, trains can help you explore the island if you’re on a tight schedule.
The main railway routes in Sardinia are: from Cagliari to Sassari (via Macomer, Abbasanta and Oristano), from Cagliari to Olbia, and from Olbia to Golfo Aranci. You can bring your bike on the train, but you need to purchase a bike supplement for € 2.50. To plan your journey and order the tickets, visit Trenitalia’s website.
Taking a bicycle on a ferry to La Maddalena
The archipelago of La Maddalena is a national park and an ideal destination for cycling. To get there, you need to take a ferry from Palau to La Maddalena. The trip is short, comfortable and offers some fantastic views of the islands.
The ferry operates year-round, but its timetable changes according to the season. In spring (April to June), there are 10 departures a day (the last boat leaves Palau at 18:45). In the summer, there are more departures, but there are no trips after 8 pm. You can find the current timetable on Maddalena Lines’ website.
Taking your bicycle on the ferry to La Maddalena is easy and uncomplicated. There is plenty of space on the car deck where you can place your bike (there were several cycle tourists on the boat with us, and everyone found a place to park).
You can buy the tickets online or at the ticket office at the port. Return tickets are cheaper than buying two one-way tickets separately. We paid 11,7 euros per person + 3,2 euros for a bike for the return ticket.
Weather and best time for cycling in Sardinia
The warm, mild climate makes Sardinia a perfect destination for cycling almost year-round, even in winter.
While it might be tempting to combine a cycling tour with beach holidays, given that the temperatures often reach over 30°C, the summer is not the best time for cycling in Sardinia. You’ll enjoy it much more in spring (between April and early June), when the island is super green and the temperatures are pleasant. In September, on the other hand, you’ll enjoy not only plenty of sunshine but also warm sea water, making it a perfect time to enjoy the Sardinian beaches after most tourists have already left the coastal resorts.
In the mountains, temperatures can drop significantly later in autumn. Don’t forget that on higher altitudes, for example in the Gennargentu range, you can even expect snow in the winter.
Wild camping in Sardinia
Unfortunately, there is a total ban on wild camping in Sardinia. If you want to pitch your tent outside of an established campground, you need to be quite sneaky – arrive late and leave early in the morning. You can also ask landowners for permission to stay on their land.
Accommodation
During our recent trip to Sardinia, we mostly stayed on official campsites. There are quite a lot of them on the coast, and if you visit before the high season (like we did in May), the prices are lower than during the summer. We paid between €12 and €16 per night.
If the weather is nice, some campsites are pretty full. We were lucky enough to secure the last available pitch when we arrived in San Teodoro.
You can do a cycle tour in Sardinia without having to carry your camping gear. There are numerous hotels and small Bed and Breakfasts, especially along the coast. You can use this map to find a place to stay:
In popular tourist places, you’ll usually have to pay an additional fee to cover the tourist tax (between 1,50 and 3 euros per night per person).
Cycling in Sardinia – practical tips and resources
- Looking for travel tips about Sardinia? Check out Sardinia Revealed – a blog by Angela Corrias, an Italian journalist born in Sardinia.
- Sardinia, like anywhere else in Italy, has excellent cuisine (especially if you love seafood). My problem with Italy, however, is that I always forget that most restaurants don’t serve food between 3 pm and 7 pm. It gets pretty annoying when you arrive at your campsite in the afternoon, starving after hours of cycling and getting all hyped up for some pasta or pizza, only to realise that you have to wait a few hours until the kitchen opens.
- If you need cycling or camping equipment (for example, a canister for a camping stove), Decathlon stores are available in both Cagliari and Olbia, where you can find most essential items.
- If you want to explore without carrying all your luggage, use Radical Storage to find a luggage storage. We used this service in Olbia and paid just 5 euros per bag per day.
The best cycling routes in Sardinia
Trans Sardinia
If you’re up for a real challenge and want to discover lesser-known areas of the island, you should cycle Trans Sardinia. This is quite an adventurous bikepacking route that goes through some of the most rugged sections of the Sardinian mountains and offers you a glimpse of the island’s not-so-touristy side.
The route is almost 450 km long, and the elevation gain exceeds 10,000 metres, so brace yourself for challenging sections and some hike-a-biking.
Five official cycling routes in Sardinia
The Sardinian tourism organisation created five long-distance cycling routes in different regions of the island. Each has between four and six stages, and if you want to make an itinerary around the entire island, you can use sections of these routes as a suggestion.
You can find the maps and plenty of practical advice in the Cycling Guide of Sardinia.
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