Leave with us discovering the most beautiful landscapes in Sardinia in a breathtaking travel itinerary through the most magical Italian island.
Imagine the wind on your skin, silence all around and your gaze losing itself in a beautiful landscape that seems to have no end. Sardinia landscapes are unique in the world, made up of small and large masterpieces from old and new stories, glimpses and panoramasbelonging to a wild and unspoiled beauty where your thoughts wander free. In this article, we have come up with an itinerary through Sardinia includeing the most beautiful and breathtaking places in this incredible region. We are in the land where magic and everyday life coexist, intertwining in an eternal embrace. Here, the Mistral wind caresses the sometimes sweet and sometimes harsh shapes of the island, carrying with it tales from afar.
Following the seven-stage itinerary to discover the most beautiful landscapes of North Sardinia described in this article, you will realise that there is no limit to the wealth you can find here. Among breathtaking views, unspoiled nature, but also culture, folklore and events (for these see the Salude&Trigu calendar), start your unforgettable journey in North Sardinia.
7. Sardinia landscapes: a breathtaking view of the La Maddalena Archipelago
Our journey in North Sardinia begins in the east, where the sun rises. Off the coast of Gallura lies an archipelago of more than sixty islands and islets called La Maddalena Archipelago. A National Park and part of the Cetacean Sanctuary, it appears like a paradise where rare life forms inhabit a pure and unspoiled scenery. A perfect work of art made of rocks, all the colours of the Mediterranean maquis and a sea that offers every shade of blue and azure.
Each island offers a spectacle of its own; among the unmissable stops are La Maddalena, Caprera, Santo Stefano, Spargi, Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria. You will find beaches and coves that take your breath away in those places.
The largest island that gives the archipelago its name is La Maddalena, which you can easily reach by ferry from Palau. Once you have visited the town with its historic centre of narrow streets and shops, we recommend a tour of the island along the so-called 'panoramic road': the SP114. Twenty fascinating km rich in panoramic viewpoints await you, a journey into the wild hinterland, among sharp pale rocks and the scent of juniper, broom, myrtle and rosemary. Then the road continues towards the sea and follows the northern contours of the island, then back into the interior, and then south and back to the coast.
Another perfect way to enjoy a breathtaking view of the archipelago is from Palau's famous Bear Rock. This giant granite rock, sculpted by the wind, is shaped like a bear and looks out over the sea from a height of 122 meters. From here, an all-round panorama opens up, encompassing the Capo d'Orso promontory, Palau and the entire La Maddalena Archipelago as far as the coast of Corsica.
6. The landscape of Gallura from Mount Limbara
Our journey continues to the highest peak in Gallura, a serrated ridge of granite rocks that will seem like the world's roof as you gaze at the panorama from above. Mount Limbara is the perfect place to admire a rugged, irregular and beautiful landscape where silence reigns. You will hike in the company of the Mediterranean maquis' scent and the wind's voice. You will walk on paths surrounded by huge boulders that nature, over the millennia, has had fun moulding into strange shapes.
From the top of the mountain, the view extends for hundreds of km over a boundless panorama that reveals the characteristics of the authentic Sardinian territory. And your gaze will reach so far that you will even catch a glimpse of nearby Corsica if the weather is clear.
5. The unusual spectacle of the Moon Valley of Aggius
Heading north, about half an hour's drive, you come to a place that is unusual, to say the least, but beautiful. Near the Orange Flag village of Aggius (The Orange Flag is a recognition of tourist-environmental quality awarded by the Italian Touring Club), in the heart of Gallura, the Valle della Luna or Piana dei Grandi Sassi is a spectacular valley of bizarre shapes. This site is considered a 'unicum' that's quite hard to compare with any other place in the world.
You will find yourself in front of an evocative panorama, a vast flat plain dotted with granite rocks shaped by time and weather, surrounded by rounded hills and granite ridges. This silent wonder changes its appearance depending on the time of day and resembles the moon landscape, hence its name (meaning, precisely, 'moon valley').
Here one can still see the typical Gallura settlements called 'stazzi', some of which are still inhabited today. Here one can still find traces of the ancient presence of man, including the Nuraghe Izzana, probably the largest Nuragic building in the whole of Gallura. (Nuraghi were the buildings constructed by the ancient Sardinian civilisation that inhabited the island thousands of years ago).
The valley has been chosen as a film location for several movies and commercials. But please, visit it for what it truly is: a little world of its own amidst the wonder of Sardinia.
4. The view of the village of Isola Rossa
Our journey continues north until we reach the coast, particularly the village of Isola Rossa, a hamlet of the municipality of Trinità d'Agultu and Vignola. You will realise you have arrived at your destination when you see a small island as red as the setting sun emerging from an emerald sea. Here the granite in its most fiery hue has given its best. It has created a landscape of intense, contrasting, unforgettable colours, aided by the bright green of the Mediterranean maquis and the glow of the beaches.
The town of Isola Rossa (Red Island) was born as a fishing village. Today it is an important tourist destination in North Sardinia, rich in hotel facilities and ideal for lovers of the sea and water sports.
3. The spectacle of Castelsardo
Our trip could not miss the medieval town of Castelsardo, a pearl on the coast of North Sardinia in the province of Sassari. The village suddenly appears like a vision as you drive along the curves of the coastal road: houses climb the slopes of a peninsula jutting out into the Gulf of Asinara and, at the top, the Doria Castle. Castelsardo is wonderful at all hours: during the day when the sun beats down, enhancing the colours of the houses; at sunset when the sun dips into the sea, and everything takes on shades of pink; at night, when the artificial lights make it romantic like few other places and reflect on the water.
If you don't want to miss the spectacle of the waves crashing on the rocks, we advise you to climb up to the castle walls, close your eyes and listen to the singing of the sea and wind. And for an even more immersive experience in this wonderful landscape setting, enjoy a visit to Castelsardo in August during the evocative Musica sulle Bocche Festival.
2. The panorama of the Gulf of Asinara from Sennori
We continue westwards and arrive in Romangia, a hilly sub-region of northern Sardinia nestled between the Gulf of Asinara and the rocky peaks of Anglona and Osilo. It is mainly composed of the territories of Sorso and Sennori, an area famous for oil and wine production where viticulture has millennial roots. If you are in Romangia, you cannot miss the Moscato of Sorso-Sennori, Vermentino, Cagnulari, Pascale and Monica of Sorso. If you love breathtaking views, go to the ring road that passes north of Sennori. Here, a view of a good part of the Gulf of Asinara awaits you, a fascinating spectacle both by day and by night.
1. Sardinia landscapes: the breathtaking view from Capo Caccia
Our journey ends on the northwest coast of Sardinia, along the famous Riviera del Corallo (Coral Riviera), where Alghero is located. Scanning the horizon from the city, if we look eastwards, we will see a flat, elongated silhouette jutting out into the sea: the limestone promontory of Capo Caccia. It is part of the protected marine area of Capo Caccia - Isola Piana and one of the many enchanting places in Porto Conte Park. The Park is an expanse of unspoilt landscapes and breathtaking sea views that is home to a unique variety of flora and fauna and archaeological evidence of great value.
The limestone giant offers some of the most striking scenery in Sardinia, amid cliffs overhanging a sea where rare life forms such as the highly prized local red coral live. Inside, there is a very ancient 'treasure': the Grotta di Nettuno (Neptune's Cave), whose formation dates back some two million years. The sea's constancy has carved 2.5 km of halls, galleries, stalactites and stalagmites.
Evening falls, the sun sets on the sinuous contours of Sardinia and its wonderful and romantic sunsets dominate the landscape of skies all over the island. And this is the perfect time to enjoy one of the most magical views the shimmering sea can offer: the sunset from the top of Capo Caccia. Here you will realise how little any artificial thing is when faced with the immensity of a natural sight like this.
