That the coasts of Sardinia are spectacular is nothing new: whether you like the rocks and caves of the east coast or the fine sand of the west, on the island all sea lovers will find a little piece of paradise. It is often compared to the Caribbean, but why think you are anywhere else, when you can be on these snow-white beaches, in front of a sea bluer than blue?
Aerial view of the Costa Smeralda, Sardinia. ©Zangrilli Andrea/Shutterstock
The best beach to escape to: Is Aruttas
The beaches of the Sinis Peninsula, stretching from the Gulf of Oristano, are some of the most beautiful on the island, although it is best to be in a car to reach them. The whitest of them all is Is Aruttas, a frosted arch of pale sand and tiny pebbles that render the water an impressive aquamarine hue. For years its quartz sand was used for aquariums and the beaches of the Costa Smeralda, but not any more.
If you are tired of lounging on the beach, the nearby resort of Putzu Idu attracts surfers, wind surfers and kite surfers. Or you can take a boat trip to the bare, stony island of Mal di Ventre, which owes its name to the seasickness sailors suffered when sailing its windy waters.
Best family beach: Chia
What Chia lacks in charm, it gains in attractiveness of the surroundings. To understand what all the excitement is about, head to the Spanish watchtower and cast your eye down towards the beaches (Sa Colonia beach to the west and the horseshoe-shaped Su Portu beach to the east). Both have clear sand and shallow waters. Flamingos ford the lagoon behind the beach.
In the mood for a drive? The scenic SP71 rises and plunges for 25 kilometres along the south coast.
The beach of Piscinas, between dunes and blue sea, Sardinia. ©Elisa Locci/Shutterstock
The best beach to be alone: Piscinas beach
It is worth going a little further up the Costa Verde to look out over Sardinia's wildest coastline. The beach at Piscinas is undoubtedly one of the best: a ribbon of golden sand between the windswept sea and a vast expanse of dunes dotted with the deep green of the Mediterranean maquis. The dunes rise up to 60 metres and the beach awaits you 9 kilometres along an impassable path at the end of the SS126.
Not enough for you? Move on to the nearby beach of Scivu. Set on large dunes, the 3 kilometres of fine sand are beautifully hidden.
Beach in Santa Teresa di Gallura, Sardinia. ©elisalocci/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The best beach for swimming: Rena Bianca beach
The main beach of Santa Teresa di Gallura is a beauty, and with a strip of white sand and some of the cleanest and shallowest sea on the island, it is the perfect choice for a good swim (even for families with small children). From the beach you can look out over the blue Straits of Bonifacio, towards Corsica, or up towards the 16th-century Longonsardo Tower.
From the easternmost tip of the beach, a path follows the coastline, past granite boulders and rock formations that awaken the imagination with their incredible shapes. The most spectacular can be found at Capo Testa, 4 kilometres west of Santa Teresa, with its enormous granite sculpted by the wind and paths leading to rocky inlets and the cobalt blue Mediterranean.
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The famous donkeys of Asinara, Sardinia. ©Elisa Locci/Shutterstock
The best white sand beach: Pelosa beach
A delightful strip of beach 2.5 kilometres from Stintino, the Spiaggia della Pelosa provokes gasps of wonder with its fine, floury sand and shallow sea that fades from aquamarine to topaz. It is presided over by a Catalan-Aragonese watchtower that keeps watch from the shore of the angular Isola Piana. The beach is very crowded in July and August, so avoid these months if you are looking for a quiet experience.
While you're there, take a boat trip to Asinara Island, the national park named after its inhabitants: albino donkeys. To enjoy the best of the island explore it on foot or by bike, or join the wind surfers in search of the winds of Stintino.
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The best beach where the stars hide: Prince's Beach
Where to hide to escape the lenses of the paparazzi on the Costa Smeralda is a million-dollar question for the stars who migrate to Sardinia aboard yachts. But numerous coves dot the fantastic coastline where the windswept granite mountains of Gallura drop like fjords into the emerald waters. One of the most beautiful is the Prince's Beach, a fantastic crescent of white sandy beach nestled between the rocks and named after Prince Karim Aga Khan, who gave his approval.
Keep in mind that the Costa Smeralda is crowded in July and August, so avoid those months for more affordable prices and quieter beaches.
The Needle of Goloritze, Sardinia, is a favourite spot for climbers. ©Gabriele Prato/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The best beach for walking and climbing: Cala Goloritzè
One of the most spectacular bays you will ever lay eyes on is Cala Goloritzè, nestled on the southernmost curve of the Gulf of Orosei. We could extol the beauty of the shimmering curaçao blue sea and windswept holm oaks at length, but you have to see to believe. The Aguglia, a 148-metre-high needle of rock, towers over the beach and is a real magnet for climbers.
The beach is about an hour's walk down the old mule track of the Golgo Plateau, a picturesque plateau that seems to belong to another world where goats, pigs and donkeys graze. A marked path starts in Baunei and climbs up 2 kilometres of very steep hairpin bends.
Cala Mariolu, one of the beaches in the Gulf of Orosei, Sardinia. ©D.Bond/Shutterstock
Best beach for a boat ride: Gulf of Orosei
When the mountains of the Gennargentu meet the grandeur of the sea, you find the huge crescent of the Gulf of Orosei, the perfect shot when it comes to beaches. Base yourself, for example, in Cala Gonone and then go and explore the coast, on foot or by boat.
At the very least, sail along the Selvaggio Blu, a hive of caves and hidden coves overhanging crystal-clear waters. Climbers scramble like spiders at Cala Luna, with exquisite turquoise waters behind. And then Cala Sisine, Cala Biriola, Cala Mariolu: each cove is more spectacular than the last.
Cala Brandinchi, Sardinia. ©Gabriele Maltinti/Shutterstock
The best beach for an exotic atmosphere: Cala Brandinchi
Definitely the best beach in San Teodoro, Cala Brandinchi is often called 'little Tahiti' and by visiting it you will understand why. The bay is a thin arc of soft sand lapped by crystal-clear turquoise waters and surrounded by pine forests. The hump of the island Tavolara rises on the horizon.
Exploring the coast, you will discover other beautiful beaches scattered around, such as Spiaggia La Cinta, with its powdered sugar sand and topaz waters. The beach attracts kite surfers and birdwatchers who head to San Teodoro Pond, the perfect place to spot flamingos, herons and kingfishers.
Cala Coticcio on the island of Caprera, Sardinia. ©Elisa Locci/Shutterstock
The best beach for island lovers: La Maddalena
Small groupings of pink granite form the islets of the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park. La Maddalena dangles from the north-easternmost tip of Sardinia and juts out into the windy Strait of Bonifacio. It is a formidable base for boating to discover the island's incredible coves, with spectacularly coloured sea and granite sculpted into the most bizarre natural sculptures.
Or head for its wild sister, the island of Caprera, with its pine-clad granite slopes and numerous attractive coves. Giuseppe Garibaldi adored Caprera and made it his home and refuge at the Compendio Garibaldino.
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