Best Beaches in Sardinia: Access, Parking and Honest Reviews
Sardinia has close to 1,900 km (1,180 miles) of coastline, and each stretch has its own character. In the north-east, the Costa Smeralda and the La Maddalena archipelago are a string of white-sand coves wedged between pink granite boulders. In the east, the Gulf of Orosei hides pebble coves beneath limestone cliffs that you can only reach by boat or at the end of a real hike. The south is all long, pale beaches and lagoon-clear water, while the wilder, windier west keeps huge dunes and beaches made of quartz grains.
It is also the Mediterranean island that protects its beaches the most. Over the last few years, the most famous ones have moved to limited access: online booking, an entry ticket of a few euros, a daily cap on visitors, a mandatory mat under your towel, and a ban on taking any sand home. For each beach, we have gathered what really matters before you go: how to get there, where to park and how much it costs, whether you need to book, and what you will find on site.
As always, we did not stop at the postcard shots: some very famous beaches feel overrated to us, or disappointing at certain times of year, and we tell you so. And if you are spending more time in Italy, Sicily has a lot to offer too, starting with its food specialties.
The numbers on the map follow the order of this article: we go around the island clockwise, starting in the north-west.
1. La Pelosa: a Caribbean lagoon, with rules
At the north-western tip of the island, near the village of Stintino, La Pelosa is probably the most photographed beach in Sardinia. The sand is almost flour-white, the water stays knee-deep for dozens of yards and shifts from clear to turquoise, with the old Aragonese tower on its islet and Asinara Island on the horizon. The setting lives up to the hype, and it is one of the few beaches where the Caribbean comparison actually holds.
The flip side is its success. To protect it, the town caps access at 1,500 people a day in season, by reservation only, and the rules are strict: a mat is mandatory under your towel (the fine sand sticks to it less and ends up in fewer bags), no smoking, and no sand or shells taken home. Slots go very fast in summer: book as soon as they open, and aim to arrive at 8 a.m., when the low light makes the water even clearer and the beach is quiet. It remains a must for us, as long as you accept how organized it is.
- Type: very fine white sand, shallow water over a long distance, no natural shade
- Access: reservation required in season (roughly mid-May to mid-October) on the official website spiaggialapelosa.it, ticket of €3.50 per person in 2026, free for children under 12; free access before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
- Parking: paid lots nearby (around €2.50 an hour in 2026), shuttle from Stintino in summer
- Facilities: bars and umbrella rentals nearby, paid restrooms, lifeguards in season
- Best for: families with children, turquoise lagoon lovers
- Skip it if: you can't stand rules, crowds or beaches without shade
- See on Google Maps
2. Spiaggia Rosa (Budelli): the beach you can only look at
The Spiaggia Rosa (Pink Beach) on Budelli Island, in the La Maddalena archipelago, is famous for its pink sand, colored by fragments of shells and tiny marine organisms. It is nonetheless our biggest reservation in this list: since the 1990s, the beach has been in a fully protected zone of the national park. Landing, walking and swimming there are forbidden, and boats must stay behind a line of buoys, about 70 m (230 feet) from the shore. Offenders face fines of €500 to €3,500, and the park does enforce them.
In practice, you see it for a few minutes from the deck of a tour boat, from a distance. The pink, which faded a lot after tourists took sand home in the 1980s and 1990s, mostly shows on sunny days and late in the afternoon. If you are touring the archipelago by boat, the view is worth it, but don't book a trip just for it: the beaches of Spargi or Santa Maria, where you can actually swim, are far more enjoyable.
- Type: small beach of pale, slightly pink sand, turquoise water
- Access: viewing only, from the sea, on a boat trip from Palau or La Maddalena
- Parking: at the ports of Palau or La Maddalena (paid in season)
- Facilities: none, landing is forbidden
- Best for: a photo during a boat day in the archipelago
- Skip it if: you are hoping to swim or lay down your towel
- See on Google Maps
3. Spiaggia del Principe: the Costa Smeralda without the concrete
It is said to have been the favorite beach of Prince Karim Aga Khan, founder of the Costa Smeralda, hence its name. The Spiaggia del Principe (also called Portu Li Coggi) is a small crescent-shaped bay framed by wind-sculpted ochre granite boulders, with water shading from turquoise to emerald and Mediterranean scrub running down to the sand. Not a single building in sight: that is what sets it apart from its more developed neighbors.
It is our favorite beach on the Costa Smeralda, because it has kept its wild side in a very polished area. You just need to walk a few minutes from the parking lot and bring a picnic: there is no big beach club. The rocks at both ends are perfect for a bit of snorkeling. Like every beach on this coast, it gets very busy in August: come early, or in June and September.
- Type: fine white sand, clear water, granite rocks at both ends, little shade
- Access: from the road between Romazzino and Capriccioli, then a few minutes' walk on a dirt path
- Parking: paid in summer, fills up fast in August
- Facilities: very limited (no real beach club), bring water and a picnic
- Best for: couples, snorkeling along the rocks
- Skip it if: you need restrooms and a restaurant close by
- See on Google Maps
4. Cala Brandinchi: an overrated "Little Tahiti" in August
North of San Teodoro, Cala Brandinchi earned the nickname "Little Tahiti" thanks to its milky turquoise, very shallow lagoon, lined by a pine forest and facing the striking silhouette of Tavolara Island. Off season, or early in the morning in June, it is a very pretty beach, ideal with toddlers.
In the middle of summer, our verdict is much more mixed. The beach is small for its reputation, towels touch each other, the shallow water warms up and turns cloudy quickly with hundreds of swimmers, and the bill adds up: an entry ticket, plus parking by the hour. Between late June and September, we much prefer its neighbor Lu Impostu, longer and slightly less mobbed, or the beaches in the south. If you are staying in San Teodoro, save it for a late-afternoon swim, when the crowds head home.
- Type: white sand, very shallow lagoon, pine forest behind
- Access: reservation required in season (until the end of September in 2026) on santeodorospiagge.it, at most 48 hours ahead, around €3.50 per person, free for children under 12
- Parking: paid and not included in the ticket, around €2.50 an hour in 2026
- Facilities: bar, umbrella and lounger rentals, restrooms
- Best for: families with young children, outside July and August
- Skip it if: you are looking for peace and quiet in high summer
- See on Google Maps
5. Cala Mariolu: our favorite in the Gulf of Orosei
In the Gulf of Orosei, Cala Mariolu has, for us, the most beautiful water in Sardinia. The cove has no sand but small white and pink pebbles, polished like sugared almonds, and that is exactly what makes the water so transparent: several yards down, you can still see every stone on the bottom. All around, the limestone cliffs plunge into a blue that goes from turquoise to navy in a few strokes, and a few big white boulders in the water make natural diving platforms.
With no road access, you get there by boat from Santa Maria Navarrese or Cala Gonone (experienced hikers can also walk down on a long, difficult trail, best done with a guide). The boat ride is part of the fun: the day usually strings together sea caves, Cala Goloritzé seen from the water and Cala Luna. One tip: ask the operator how long you will spend at Mariolu before booking, as some only stop for an hour even though it is the best stop of the day. Bring water shoes, the pebbles get hot and roll underfoot.
- Type: small white and pink pebbles, deep and crystal-clear water, rocks, no shade
- Access: by boat from Santa Maria Navarrese or Cala Gonone (tours from €30 to €45 per person in 2026, private dinghy from around €240), access regulated through the Heart of Sardinia platform; the entry fee is not always included in the tour price
- Parking: at the departure ports
- Facilities: none on the beach, bring water, a picnic and sun protection
- Best for: snorkeling, crystal-clear water lovers
- Skip it if: you get seasick or want a sandy beach
- See on Google Maps
6. Cala Goloritzé: the most beautiful, and you have to earn it
If we could keep only one beach in Sardinia, it would be Cala Goloritzé. Listed as a natural monument, this small white-pebble cove is towered over by a 143 m (470 ft) limestone pinnacle, the Aguglia, which climbers come to scale, and closed off by a natural arch. The water has a color that is hard to describe, an almost fluorescent turquoise over the pebbles.
What makes it so special is that you have to earn it. You start from the Golgo plateau, at a place called Su Porteddu, for a descent of about 3.5 km (2.2 miles) and 470 m (1,540 ft) of elevation through a canyon of junipers and holm oaks: allow an hour on the way down and a bit more on the way up, often in the full heat. Boats are not allowed to land, so the beach stays calm even in August, with a limited number of visitors. Set off early, with good shoes and at least two liters (half a gallon) of water per person: reaching the pebbles before 9 a.m., when the pinnacle lights up in the sun while the cove is still in the shade, is one of the most beautiful moments you can have on the island.
- Type: white pebbles, very clear turquoise water, no shade on the beach at midday
- Access: on foot only, from Su Porteddu (Baunei), about a 1-hour descent; reservation required in season through the Heart of Sardinia app or website, ticket of around €7 per adult in 2026, limited number of people, trail start usually between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Parking: at Su Porteddu, at the trailhead (sometimes included in the ticket depending on the year, check when you book)
- Facilities: a bar and farm restaurant at Su Porteddu, nothing on the beach
- Best for: hikers, couples, photographers
- Skip it if: you are traveling with young children or struggle with heat and steep climbs
- See on Google Maps
7. Tuerredda: the best beach in the south
Between Chia and Capo Malfatano, on the Teulada coast, Tuerredda is a crescent of white sand with turquoise water dotted with dark seagrass meadows and a small scrub-covered islet right in front, which you can reach by swimming or kayaking. It is the postcard of southern Sardinia, gentler and more family-friendly than the coves of the east.
We recommend it without hesitation, while knowing its limits: it is developed (beach club, bar, kayak and pedal boat rentals), so less wild than other beaches, and the all-day parking is expensive. Since 2025, the town has also been testing reservation-only access in summer. The best time is late afternoon, when the day-trippers leave and the light warms up the hills. If it is full, the Chia beaches (Su Giudeu, Cala Cipolla), a few kilometers away, are a lovely alternative.
- Type: fine white sand, shallow water near the shore, seagrass, islet within swimming distance
- Access: by car from the SP71 coastal road; limited access by reservation in summer (€2 per person during the 2025 trial, on spiaggiatuerredda.it)
- Parking: paid at the entrance, around €9 to €10 a day, full early on summer weekends
- Facilities: beach club, bar-restaurant, umbrella, kayak and pedal boat rentals
- Best for: families, kayaking, easy swimming
- Skip it if: you avoid developed beaches
- See on Google Maps
8. Piscinas: the desert by the sea
On the Costa Verde, in the south-west, Piscinas beach looks like nothing else in Sardinia: several kilometers of golden sand backed by some of the highest dunes in Europe, dotted with junipers and sea daffodils, facing an open sea where waves roll in as soon as the mistral blows. No buildings, no beach clubs, just wind and sand.
Getting there is part of the experience: you drive through the remains of the old Ingurtosu mines, then finish with about 10 km (6 miles) of dirt road that can be badly rutted after rain (drive slowly; a small car is fine in dry weather). We love it for its end-of-the-world feel and the sunsets over the dunes, but it is not a beach for a quiet swim: the sea is often rough, with currents, and there is usually no lifeguard. Keep children close and only swim when the sea is calm.
- Type: golden sand, huge dunes, open sea with waves and currents
- Access: by car from Arbus via Ingurtosu, including about 10 km (6 miles) of dirt road
- Parking: on the sand, paid in season (around €5 to €10 a day)
- Facilities: very limited, a small bar near the parking lot in summer, little or no lifeguard coverage
- Best for: walkers, photographers, wild nature lovers, sunset
- Skip it if: you want a calm swim with young children
- See on Google Maps
9. Is Arutas: the quartz-grain beach
On the Sinis peninsula, near Oristano, Is Arutas surprises you the moment you step on it: it is not sand but tiny round quartz grains, white, pink and green, the size of rice grains, which don't stick to your skin and crunch underfoot. With no fine sand floating in it, the water is remarkably clear, and it gets deep quickly.
It is well worth the detour, especially if you also visit the nearby ancient site of Tharros. Two things to know, though: taking quartz home is strictly forbidden (as with sand and pebbles on every beach on the island, with fines that can reach several thousand euros, and checks at ferry ports and airports), and parking is fairly expensive for a beach without much in the way of facilities. As it is exposed to the mistral, pick a day without a north-westerly wind.
- Type: multicolored quartz grains, very clear water that deepens quickly, low rocks on one side
- Access: by car from Cabras or Oristano (about 30 minutes), then a few steps from the parking lot
- Parking: paid in season, around €12 to €15 a day according to recent reviews
- Facilities: bar in season, paid showers, umbrella rentals
- Best for: the curious, swimmers, combining with a visit to Tharros
- Skip it if: the mistral is blowing
- See on Google Maps
Which Sardinia beach is right for you?
| Beach | Type | Access | Parking | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Pelosa | White sand, lagoon | Reservation, €3.50 | Paid, ~€2.50/hour | Families, turquoise lagoon |
| Spiaggia Rosa | Pinkish sand | Viewing from a boat only | Palau / La Maddalena ports | A photo on a boat trip |
| Spiaggia del Principe | White sand, granite | A few minutes on foot | Paid in summer | Couples, snorkeling |
| Cala Brandinchi | White sand, lagoon | Reservation, ~€3.50 | Paid, ~€2.50/hour | Toddlers outside August |
| Cala Mariolu | White pebbles | Boat | At the ports | Snorkeling, crystal-clear water |
| Cala Goloritzé | White pebbles | 1-hour hike, reservation | Su Porteddu | Hikers, couples |
| Tuerredda | White sand, islet | Car, reservation in summer | Paid, ~€10/day | Families, kayaking |
| Piscinas | Golden sand, dunes | Dirt road | Paid, ~€5-10/day | Wild nature, sunset |
| Is Arutas | Quartz grains | Car | Paid, ~€12-15/day | The curious, swimmers |
Tips for enjoying Sardinia's beaches
- Best time to go: June and September. The water is already 22-24 °C (72-75 °F) in June and reaches 25-26 °C (77-79 °F) in August, but August is when the famous beaches are packed and prices soar. The sea stays pleasant until mid-October.
- Book limited-access beaches as soon as slots open (La Pelosa, Cala Brandinchi, Lu Impostu, Cala Goloritzé, Cala Mariolu, Tuerredda…). Rules, dates and prices change every year: always check the town's official website before you go.
- Rent a car: public transportation doesn't reach most beaches, and distances are longer than they look (allow 3.5 hours between Olbia and Cagliari).
- Check the wind: with the mistral (north-westerly wind), the west coast is rough and the east coast more sheltered; it is the other way around with the sirocco or the levante. Picking your beach according to the day's wind makes all the difference.
- Don't take sand, pebbles or shells: it is forbidden across the island and heavily fined.
- Bring water shoes for the pebble coves of the Gulf of Orosei, some shade (many beaches have none), and plenty of water for beaches without facilities.
- Avoid glass bottles and cigarettes: several beaches ban them, and mats are mandatory under towels at La Pelosa.
Conclusion
Sardinia has beaches for every taste, and the most beautiful one is not necessarily the most famous. Our two favorites are in the Gulf of Orosei: Cala Goloritzé, which you earn after an hour's hike, and Cala Mariolu, with the most beautiful water on the island, reached by boat. La Pelosa, Tuerredda, Spiaggia del Principe, Piscinas and Is Arutas are all worth the trip, each in its own style. For Cala Brandinchi and Spiaggia Rosa, adjust your expectations: the first is far nicer in June than in August, and the second is one to admire from afar.
The best advice is still to plan your days around the wind and to book limited-access beaches ahead of time.
FAQ
1. What is the most beautiful beach in Sardinia?
For us, Cala Goloritzé in the Gulf of Orosei, for its limestone pinnacle, its turquoise water and the hike that keeps the crowds away. Cala Mariolu (by boat) and La Pelosa (for its lagoon) round out the podium.
2. Which beaches in Sardinia require a reservation?
In 2026, you notably need to book La Pelosa (Stintino), Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu (San Teodoro), Cala Goloritzé and Cala Mariolu (Baunei), and Tuerredda (Teulada) in summer. Tickets usually cost between €2 and €7 per person, and the dates vary by town.
3. Which Sardinia beach is best with kids?
La Pelosa, Cala Brandinchi (outside August) and Tuerredda, thanks to their shallow water and facilities. With young children, avoid Cala Goloritzé (demanding hike) and Piscinas (waves and currents, little lifeguard coverage).
4. Do you need a car to reach Sardinia's beaches?
Yes, in most cases. Only a few beaches near towns are served by buses in summer, and the coves of the Gulf of Orosei are reached by boat from Cala Gonone or Santa Maria Navarrese.
5. Can you visit the Pink Beach on Budelli?
No. Spiaggia Rosa is in a fully protected zone of La Maddalena Archipelago National Park: landing, swimming and walking there are forbidden, and boats stay behind the buoys, about 70 m (230 feet) away. Fines range from €500 to €3,500.
6. When is the best time to visit Sardinia for beaches?
June and September offer the best balance of warm water, stable weather and reasonable crowds. July and especially August are very busy, and limited-access beaches are often fully booked.
About the authors
We are Camille & Fabien, two travelers who love authentic discoveries. On Revel Roads, we share our experiences, our favorite food finds and our best addresses to travel like a local. All our articles come from our own trips and are packed with practical tips to help you plan yours.
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