ULTIMATE TIPS FOR NAVIGATING THE AMAZING ISLAND OF SARDINIA

Your Ultimate Sardinia Road Trip Guide

Looking for the best riding tips for your trip to Sardinia? Then look no more! We’ve got you completely covered with this comprehensive must-know ultimate Sardinia tips list!

ABOUT RIDING SARDINIA

Sardinia is a definitely a fantastic choice when it comes to having fun on the road. With a diverse landscape of lush, enchanting greenery, crisp blue, clear seas, majestic mountains, and both natural and manmade lakes, Sardinia is well worth being on every adventurer’s road trip list.

When it comes to planning a road trip to Sardinia, however, it very important to be well-prepared and well-informed before hitting the road. From understanding the local traffic rules to knowing the best routes and attractions, these ultimate Sardinia tips will help you stay safe and make the most of your motorcycle adventure in Sardinia.

Do you have an itinerary for your Sardinia trip yet? If the answer is no, make sure you read our 1-week Sardinia Itinerary next!

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This post is purely informational and based on our own experiences. We also use affiliate links which help us keep this website running, at no cost to you.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 1: Congratulations on Your Choice!

So, you might be here because you’re not sure whether to choose Sardinia as your next riding destination or not. Well, be rest assured that you’ve made the right choice!

While Sardinia is regarded by most as a beach destination, there is so much more to discover and unearth on this Mediterranean Island.

Being the second largest Island in Italy, it’s got so much diversity when it comes to roads and natural attractions for outdoor lovers.

So, once again, congratulations on making the perfect motorcycle paradise choice!

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 2: Be Realistic. You Can’t See The Whole Island In 5 Days

Next, you have to understand that at 24,090 km², Sardinia is a really large island.

Basically, that is roughly the sizes of Hawaii (16,635 km²) and Puerto Rico (8,868 km²) combined! This means that you obviously can’t expect to see the entire Island in a few days.

So, you should plan for the time you have available. The more days you have to stay in Sardinia, the more places you can fit into your itinerary.

For example, we were able to ride around the Island in 7 days but we decided on what we wanted to actually see and decided to skip other places during this trip.

See Related:

Watch this video from our Discovering Sardinia Series to have a feel of the Island

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 3: Renting Or Ride Yours?

Our next ultimate Sardinia tip is about the importance of considering whether you want to rent or ride your own motorcycle (like us) or vehicle.

This would, of course, depend on where you’re coming from.

First, think about how you will get to Sardinia. There are two ways to arrive- By plane or by boat. If you’re already in Europe and would like to ride your own motorcycle in Sardinia, then you will arrive by boat from several locations like Livorno, Civita Vecchia or even from Barcelona. Ferries usually take around 12-20 hours so you’ll have to factor that into your timing.

If you arrive by plane, you can rent a motorcycle or other vehicles from major cities like Olbia, Cagliari or Alghero expect to see the entire Island in a few days.

For us, we usually like to ride our own motorcycle no matter where we are because we know all her ins and outs. In addition, sometimes rental motorcycles might not live up to expectations as advertised.

Therefore make sure you choose wisely. You can check out reviews of motorcycle rental companies in Sardinia before you decide.

Ultimate SardiniaTip 4: Know The Road Laws for Riding in Italy

It is also essential to know the rules on Italian roads if you don’t want to receive traffic fines at home weeks after your trip.

Here are the most important Italian road laws to know:

A valid driver’s license acceptable in the EU
Motorcycle registration documents
In Sardinia, driving is on the right side of the road, and you MUST give priority to traffic from the right.
Speed limits within built up areas is 50 km2 except where otherwise indicated, outside built up areas is 90 km2, on highways 110 – 130 km2 on dry roads and 90 – 110 km2 on wet road conditions
The legal alcohol limit is 0.05% (50 mg/100 ml blood)
Note the special restricted traffic zones in city centers called ZTR (Zona a Traffico Limitato). These are usually historical city centers with driving restrictions denoted with the acronym ZTL. If you ignore this sign and ride in anyway, you’ll receive a hefty fine on the spot even if your motorcycle is rented.
Dipped headlights MUST be used in daylight outside built-up areas and in poor visibility conditions

Failure to follow these rules WILL result in hefty fines, which I don’t think you want.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 5: Parking In Sardinia

Finding a parking spot for your motorcycle in Sardinia is quite easy, especially during the not-so-busy months. But be aware of the parking signs. Parking spots are delineated in white, while blue lines mean you have to pay for parking. There are also designated spots for motorcycle parking, which is usually free.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 6: Mandatory Gear For Motorcyclists

Italian traffic law mandates the use of approved helmets (e.g. with reflective straps, has gone through a series of tests, e.t.c.).

And that’s it!

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 7: Suggested Riding Gear

Speaking from experience, we can say that some Italian drivers tend to “ignore” their side mirrors while on the road. Which, makes for some pretty interesting situations of bad driving plus hand gestures.

We would therefore like to suggest that you wear some gear that would add to you feeling safe on the road in Sardinia.

Our suggestion is to wear some bright colours, either on your helmet or jacket. Next, wear a weather-suitable motorcycle jacket with protection pads on the elbows and shoulders, and something with knee and shin guards on your legs. Protective hand gloves also come in handy (pun intended!) as they help with proper grip and flexible steering. Plus, they protect your hands from getting sunburnt or freezing.

See Related articles:

13 Essential Tips For Riding a Motorcycle in Tunisia

Pros and Cons of Motorcycle Riding Solo or in a Group

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 8: Finding Gas Stations In Sardinia

This next riding tip is about getting petrol in Sardinia. It is not as difficult as some people claim.

While petrol stations are not closely located on mountain roads, you will always come across one close to most villages and towns. What’s more important here is to know the fuel capacity of your motorcycle and plan accordingly.

For example, our BMW GS 1250 R has a fuel capacity of 17 litres and an autonomy of an average of 290 kmph. Using a map to determine where the nearest petrol station is helped us plan our rides successfully without running out of fuel. Alternatively, if you have a smaller gas tank, you can attach a petrol jerry can to your panier and carry some extra fuel with you, just to be safe.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 9: Choose The Best Routes For You

Remember when we said you’d made the right decision to ride Sardinia? Well, that’s because there’s a whole variety of exciting roads to choose from in Sardinia.

For instance, the well-ridden SS 125 Strada Orientale, is famous among motorcyclists for its winding roads along mountainsides with lots of off-road tracks that could either take you literally nowhere or to amazingly beautiful spots and beaches.

But you have to be careful though, as the curves can be steep and short in some places.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 10: Don't Be a Bad Traveller. Respect Nature!

Sardinia is home to several endemic species of plants and animals- plainly meaning that these species are native to and can only be found on this particular Island, like the Giara wild horses.

It is little wonder that 25% of the entire Island is environmentally protected. So out of respect for these special species and the environment in general, please do not leave any kind of trash anywhere and DON’T take any part of nature out of Sardinia, except if bought at a store.

If you are found with things like beach sand or insects, you could get in trouble and be asked to pay some fines.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 11: Be Prepared To Make Way For Sheep And Cows

Did you know that it’s widely stated that there 5 times as many sheep and cows as people in Sardinia?

Well, this might be actually true! Check out this cool shepherd and his sheep below.

So, this means that when on the road, you have to stay alert in case you see a herd coming your way. Stop or crawl along really slowly until they’ve all made their no-fuss passage out of your way.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 12: Is Wild Camping Allowed in Sardinia?

Okay, we know that most road travelers, especially motorcycle enthusiasts, love the feeling of being able to set up camp somewhere in nature, preferably with a great view.

Now, while Sardinia is absolutely wildly beautiful, wild camping is, unfortunately, Illegal.

By abiding by this rule, we are supporting the Sardinian community in their fight to protect biodiversity on the Island.

To do this, we have to reduce our environmental impact by not leaving bodily waste, rotten food, and other trash lying around.

You might ask, “I’m a responsible traveller. Can I do it anyway if I’m somewhere really remote where nobody can see?”

Well, our answer to that is this- we don’t support or advise doing anything illegal, so, NO!

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 13: Flying a Drone

It is legal to fly your drone in Sardinia but with some restrictions. Please ensure that you inform yourself well about no-fly zones and any possible instances of special permits before flying.

The only instance where you might not need a flying permit is when your drone is less than 25kg, and flying at a maximum altitude of 120m.

Of course, your drone MUST be registered in Italy before you can fly it there. To be sure of what exactly is required, please ensure that you check the general information on drone rules for your specific kind of drone.

Our Favourite Travel Resources

HOTELS

Booking.com has always been our go-to for finding and booking both affordable and luxurious accommodation.

Expedia UK is especially useful if you live in the UK but you can still book with them regardless. It’s also perfect for finding great accommodation deals inside the UK.

ACTIVITIES

Tripadvisor provides useful reviews from real people that have booked activities all over the world. This helps us compare experiences before making reservations.

Get Your Guide is by far our favourite place to book experiences for all things Europe. What we also love is that you can find major tour companies as well as individual private locals who can really show you around the unbeaten paths.

FLIGHTS

Wayaway is a flight aggregator that is very helpful in finding great flight deals from major US and global airlines without any hidden fees. In addition, if you join the Wayaway Plus Membership, you’ll get more services such as deals offering “money back” options on selected flights. Sign up here and use my special code “ZEBRA01″ to get 10% off!

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 14: The Sardinian Language

Just because Sardinia is geopolitically Italian doesn’t mean they are only Italian.

Sardinians have their own history, customs and their very own unique language called SARDA.

Sarda is an old archaic language that is closer to Latin than modern-day Italian. Sadly, it is spoken more amongst the older generation than the younger generation.

However, it would definitely bring a big smile on a SARDO’S face, and perhaps some special treatment, to hear you say a few words in Sardinian rather than the expected Italian.

For example, “hello” can be said as “ciao” or “saludu”. Thank you is “gratzias”, and please is “po’ prexei”.

Ultimate SardiniaTip 15: Finding Restaurants Around Sardinia

Unlike in mainland Italy and Sicily, we didn’t find bars or restaurants at the petrol stations.

However, while riding, finding a great place to eat is as easy as finding the nearest village or town. We were never worried because we knew that all we had to do was type in a waypoint in our navigator and we would definitely find somewhere to eat too.

Keep in mind that just as in Italy, the food is 101% great. So, wherever you stop, you’ll enjoy an amazing meal!

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 16: Foods To Try In Sardinia

Leading off from the previous point, our next ultimate Sardinia tip is going to talk about a well-known fact- Italy has, hands down, the best cuisine in Europe (sorry France, there’s just no competition here), and is in the top 5 in the world.

Likewise, Sardinian cuisine is high up there with some traditional dishes that are worthy of praise.

So make sure to try Fregula, a pasta dish that’s like tiny balls of pleasure, usually prepared with seafood. Next on our list is Culurgiones, a dish that looks like ravioli but larger and stuffed with ricotta cheese. Then there’s Porchhedu, which is a slow-roast pig suckling.

Then we suggest enjoying your meal with the Sardinian beer – Ichnusa or Sardinian signature wine Cannonau. Finally, digest it all with Mirto or (licòre de murta), a bitter digestive liquor like the Italian Amaro.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 17: You Don’t Have to Go to Costa Smeralda to Enjoy Beautiful Beaches

Costa Smeralda is exactly as its name implies- The Emerald coast. It is such a bright and precious jewel in the Mediterranean that it’s unsurprising that the world’s elite decided to build their paradise homes here right next to the most pristine beaches you can find in the world.

This unfortunately, makes it an expensive location to visit.

So, for us, do we think it is worth seeing? Most definitely!

We had a ride through and admired the views from the sea. But to really have a real feel of Sardinian beaches, which there are sooo many beautiful ones all around, there are other less expensive and less crowded options.

We would recommend going to the west coast where you can find many secluded beaches like Is Arutas Beach, or Rocce Rosse on the east coast.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 18: Save Some Money on Your Trip to Sardinia

So coming from our previous point about Costa Esmeralda, you can have either an expensive, luxurious experience in the North of Sardinia or a much less expensive holiday in other parts.

This will, of course, depend on the period you decide to visit. The summer months from June to August are the most expensive months to visit, while autumn or spring are much cheaper.

You can also save a lot on hotels by staying in B & B apartments or agriturismo establishments like these, which are like farm stays. Not to mention that tickets to most attractions are pretty cheap- from 5 to 15 Euro, which is a lot less expensive than what you would spend in other Italian regions.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 19: Make Plans For Other Activities

Despite being a hot beach destination, there is more to Sardinia than just its beaches.

You can go on great hiking trails, go parachuting, or relax in an agriturismo and learn about how the land works. So please do not limit your time in Sardinia to the coastal areas. That would be cheating yourself big time!

Use your time riding around Sardinia to learn about its history by stopping at as many NURAGHE sites as you possibly can. In case you didn’t know, a Nuraghe is a megalithic round stone edifice from the mid-Bronze Age, built of limestone and sandstone. With over 800 Nuraghi settlements scattered around the island, you don’t have to go to the most famous ones to truly enjoy their magnificent beauty.

For example, while riding to Cagliari from Tortoli, we casually rode into one of the biggest nuraghe towers on the Island- Nuraghe Piscu.

Ultimate Sardinia Tip 20: Ask The Locals For The Best Spots

Our Final ultimate tip is to ask a local if you really want to discover sights and experiences beyond the usual touristy destinations. It doesn’t require much since Sardinians are very friendly and eager to speak about their wonderful island.

Asking really opened us to much more than what we had seen on the internet. One one occassion, we even got a deeper insight from a local trader, into the history and legends of Sardinia, including that of a natural rock formation called the Elephant Rock in the town of Castelsardo, northeast Sardinia.