This is a light hearted thread where we can exchange our expériences of favourite destiniations or upcoming breaks. Let’s see how it goes ! Open to all !

Sardinia, Olbia to Alghero

Copied from the positives thread;
There is a drive in Backroads Italy, Bosa to Olbia, which might give you ideas if you plan to hire a car.

I don’t know Olbia, but that is an area I will be exploring soon, especially the archipelago della Maddalena.
The guide recommends staying in Cannigione, or Porto Cervo. Up to date hotel recs can be had by checking TripAdvisor.

However, it’s easy to drive to Alghero and base yourself there, taking trips to Costa Smerelda, Nora, Santa Teresa di Gallura and on opposite direction, Bosa and Monte Minerva.

Your interests will guide how long you spend in any area.

Wine tasting is easy to organise in Alghero and Bosa. The Strada della Malvasia di Bosa or Sella e Mosca just outside Alghero.

Beaches are superb everywhere, but around Alghero I love Maria Pia. It has a stretch of pines framing the white sand, and good swimming. There are beach restaurants and loungers and umbrellas, or you can shelter from the sun under the pines. Alghero is 30 minutes walk away. Alghero is a medieval walled city with considerable charm. Many tours and boat trips leave from the harbour

Thanks Patricia 1066 for the info about Sardinia. I am a wimp and get very nervous in a car and always avoid car rental while on holiday if it is not essential. What are the roads in Sardinia like ? We were in Naples recently and did the coastal road from Sorrento to Positano …lots of hairpin bends. I felt ok as the bus driver was obviously used to the roads and it was pretty quiet in February. I would have been very apprehensive if we had been in a hire car . In fact driving in Naples would have been inconceivable to me !!!

We are going to Sardinia early July so no doubt it will be busier. Do you think car hire is essential ? We have booked a nice B and B in Olbia for 2 nights and then plan to move on to an appartment in Alghero for the rest of the stay.

My holiday doesn’t depend on a car even in low season, and as you will be in the high season you won’t have a problem finding public transport and excursions.
Check out the tour page of Cattogna bus in Alghero for interesting tours.
What are your interests? Have you had a look at Rough guide to Sardinia?

Hi I’d love to join you although Sardinia is a place I am yet to visit so no words of wisdom. But I LOVE travelling!

sounds blissful, I’m packing as we speak

Was in Sardinia last year but only for the day. Spent the day in Cagliari (the capital) which is small enough to walk around, lunch at The Restaurant With The Best View – actual name but the food wasn’t great. The ruins are not worth a special paid trip as you can see them from the road. They are famous for saffron and you can get it really cheap in pretty jars. The eating specialities are all sorts of almond or amaretto cakes and biscuits and something that looks like a giant brandysnap but it is filled with cream cheese and honey – I only managed one bite – honest. If I was there for a few days or a week I might hire a car and travel around the little coves around the coastline.

Between the wine and brandysnaps, we need to control ourselves! SG that cream, cheese and honey confection sounds delicious. Would it be a seadas, perhaps?

The grilled fish and shellfish is great, and in Alghero they tend to serve them with handcut crisps.

The town is known as Little Barcelona, and has tapas bars and plates of tasty snacks served with wine and beer. The cheaper diners tend to serve hearty meat stews and pastry. As usual ask a local where they eat.

They do a speciality of the region, a paella with pasta; I was wondering how it could be made with cauliflower rice… Hmmm

There is a TripAdvisor resource page called Alghero without a car.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g187880-i539-k10957471-Seven_nights_in_Alghero_without_a_car-Alghero_Province_of_Sassari_Sardinia.html

Patricia
I will catch up with your informative post tomorrow, thank you so much !! My evening has been taken up looking for an airbnb for our family get together in Brighton .Sorted !!!

I love this thread already !!!

Sorry I was naughty about the biscuits, I dont even eat them, never had a sweet tooth. We are going to a place where they are famous for marzipan but I will not be doing the trip to the marzipan factory where you can make your own marzipan figures to take home.

Sunshine-girl, naughtiness is calorie-free on this board!

Thanks Patricia , your advice and tips are really useful. We will definitely stay on public transport and do a few tours. We have very basic needs… We walk a lot, just taking in the atmosphere and wandering around the markets. We look for grilled fish .Italian food has never disapoointed me and it’s easy to put together a healthy low carb meal !
I have bookmarked all your links !

Thanks, you are very welcome, Wendleg.
I checked the route from Olbia to Alghero by googling; they seem to upload info on the bus and train services.
Olbia to Sassari by train; Sassari to Alghero by bus; this could be a quick transfer or you could use the time to explore Sassari.
The train between Alghero and Sassari could be back in action, but currently there is a bus replacement service. This is run by ARST.

Once in Alghero, you might want to visit la Pelosa a famous beach by public bus
http://www.sardabus.it/nur2.html
But Maria Pia beach is lovely too and just 30-40 minutes walk from the town centre.
I cant wait to go!

Birdy , I have lived in France since 1990 and teach English in a secondary school in Montauban. Close to retirement 😉
We are in a pretty quiet , rural area .Montauban is about 25 km away.Toulouse is about 50km.
Montpellier is very vibrant and a major university city. We love the historic centre which is full of narrow streets winding towards a main central square called Place de la Comédie. We also used to travel a bit further to Palavas and La Grande Motte for a spot of sun and sand.Aigues-Mortes is also a very pretty place.

I had forgotten about this thread! Much better than talking all over the other ones.

You are lucky to live there, I would love to live in France but may well have to wait until my partner retires😢. I am so bored of England now. I lived in Spain for two years when I was in my early 20’s I am 44 now and loved it. I get itchy feet🤣. I will get him to drive me to Montpellier for definite in August, we also head down to just over the boarder in Spain as we both smoke and it is cheaper there. I know I shouldn’t but one thing at a time I want to lose the weight first so if I gain when I pack up it won’t be as bad and I will have the tools to lose it again.😉. I will look into the other places you mentioned too as I live to explore. 💞

Wendleg, I found a bus that goes from Olbia centre to Alghero for E10. You can also use it to return to Olbia airport at the end of the holiday.
http://www.sunlines.it/orari-e-itinerari.html
Sun lines have 3 bus routes per day taking 3 hours.
Far easier than train and bus.

Patricia ! How’s the packing coming along ? Are you feeling fully fit ?

The more I read about Sardinia, the more I am looking forward to discovering the island ! It sounds spectacular.
I am looking into the best excursions out of Olbia and Alghero so we can make the most of our week ( we won’t be hiring a car so relying on public transport)
I understand the Costa Smeralda is a bit blingy and upmarket ? We are not beach bunnies either 😉
I think we will only have time to discover the northern part of Sardinia.
Looking forward to hearing of your experience. Have a fab time Patricia !:

Thanks Wendy, all packed and ready to go!

I am going to be walking very little, as though I’m not in pain my foot swells when walking or standing on it.

But there are buses and excursions which I will be taking, and I am looking forward to tasting and not logging my food for a week.
Low carb principles apply of course, and wine.