Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Arzachena – Oliena - Villasimius
100% customisable for you
Rise and shine: your Sardinian summer starts today. After making sure every member of the family is packed and out of the house, head to the airport to enjoy some coffee (or juice, for the little ones) in the lounge before your two-and-a-half-hour flight to Olbia.
When you touch down, pick up your trusty hire car and drive to Arzachena, a beautiful town just 30 minutes to the north. Round up the youngsters and check in for three nights in a beautiful hotel surrounded by postcard-perfect Sardinian countryside. Spend the rest of today settling into your new home and, when dinnertime comes around, tuck into your first of many delicious Italian dinners.
The next two days are yours to spend exploring the countryside and coast of northern Sardinia. We’ve left one of the days free for you to explore independently, whether you’d rather take your teenagers out on a hike or head to the beach to build sandcastles with the little ones.
On the third day, we’ll arrange for you to embark on a sailing trip to the idyllic Maddalena Islands. Classified as a national park in 1994, the Maddalena archipelago spans 77 square miles of land and sea and is dedicated to preserving a pristine natural environment. To break up the sailing (and keep any restless youngsters entertained), the boat will stop at several swimming stops and take you past some of the nearby islands: Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria, the south of Caprera and Maddalena.
If your little ones left their sea legs at home, don’t worry: alternatively, we can arrange a private tour of the picturesque Gallura region in the northeast of the island.
After one last delicious breakfast, bundle the family back into your hire car and drive just under two hours south to Oliena. Set among the towering cliffs of Barbagia, also known as the ‘Sardinian Dolomites’, Oliena is a postcard-perfect village rich in history and culture (and, of course, delicious cuisine).
Once you arrive, check into your home for the next two nights and settle into your new surroundings. If the children are raring to go after the car ride this morning, stretch your legs with a wander down to Oliena’s historic centre, which is chock-full with pretty churches and cobbled streets. Prefer to relax after the journey? Spend your afternoon soaking in the sun while the children splash about in the hotel pool, before heading for another delicious Italian dinner to round off the day.
Today’s all about getting to know Sardinian customs and traditions. This morning, enjoy a private family cooking class in Mamoiada, a charming town just a 30-minute drive away. Under the expert guidance of a local resident, cook up maccarrones de poddighe, a type of fresh, hand-made Sardinian pasta often served with ragu or Pecorino cheese.
Once the little ones have had their fill of pasta-making, it’s time to visit a few of Mamoiada’s handicraft workshops. The town is renowned for its handicrafts, particularly masks and knives, and you’ll have the opportunity to meet local craftsmen who have been keeping this artistic tradition alive for generations.
Round off your day of cultural immersion by learning all about the carasau bread oven. This traditional oven is used to bake pane carasau, a crisp flatbread, which is one of Sardinia’s signature delicacies.
It’s time to hit the road again. After a hearty breakfast at your hotel, jump into your hire car and drive to Villasimius, a beautiful town in the south of the island. It takes around two-and-a-half hours to drive to Villasimius directly, but there’s no need to worry about the little ones getting bored: you’ll be hugging the island’s eastern coastline for the entire journey, so you can stop off and stretch your legs at some of Sardinia’s beautiful beaches.
When you arrive in Villasimius, unload the car and check in for three nights in this postcard-perfect coastal town. It’ll likely be afternoon by the time you arrive, so spend the rest of the day settling in before enjoying a tasty dinner at your hotel (pizza, anyone?).
Today is yours to spend exploring Villasimius and the south of the island independently. If you’re travelling with water babies, you’re in luck: Villasimius is home to a number of gorgeous beaches which are perfect for watersports.
Parents and children alike can kayak on the turquoise waves or hop aboard a speedboat to tour the Cagliari coastline in style. If your little ones are particularly brave, they can mask up and dive down to snorkel in the Capo Carbonara. This pristine protected area is home to a variety of incredible marine life, making it the perfect foray into diving – and, if you’re lucky, you might just see a family of dolphins skimming across the water.
On the agenda for your final full day of summering in Sardinia is a private tour of Cagliari, a Medieval city perched on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea. This morning, round up the youngsters and head out with your knowledgeable local guide.
Cagliari has endured a tumultuous – but incredibly fascinating – history. Initially shaped by the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians and the Romans during the Neolithic period and Roman Empire, the city was later devastated by the Vandals and then the Saracens. Finally, it was rebuilt by the Pisans and the Aragonese, who slowly transformed it into the city we know today. Cagliari is truly a treasure trove of stories, making it the perfect trip for any budding history enthusiasts.
If the children are tired after this morning’s tour, head back to the hotel to relax. If you’re keen to enjoy one last bit of Sardinian nature, however, we can also arrange for you to enjoy a hike to the Sella del Diavolo, a hilltop viewpoint overlooking the sparkling sea.
After eight adventurous days, your Sardinian summer holiday has come to a close. Enjoy one last hearty Italian breakfast before loading up the car and heading back to Cagliari airport, a one-hour drive away. Drop your hire car off and relax in the airport lounge before boarding your two-hour-and-45-minute flight back to the UK.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
