Our private tour with Bitan Tour was hosted. We paid for our flights, apartment and car ourselves, and all opinions are our own.
A Sardinia family holiday sounds simple: an island, beaches, Italian food. Then you land, look at the map, and realise the island is enormous. We spent a week there in March 2017 with Damian, who was 3½, and Marc, who was just 1, and it remains one of our favourite family holidays. We also made the classic mistake of trying to see all of it.
This guide is what I wish I’d known: how to choose between north and south, where to base yourself with kids, the southern beaches and days out we loved, and what our week actually cost.
Quick answers
- North or south? Pick one. From the middle of the east coast it took us 3 hours to drive to Olbia, and 3 hours back.
- Best base for families in the south: Pula and Chia (west of Cagliari) or Villasimius and Costa Rei (east), all close to Cagliari airport.
- Best for kids in the south: the beaches of Chia, Villasimius and Costa Rei, the Is Zuddas caves, and the Roman ruins at Nora.
- Car: essential, and book it in advance. In March 2017 only one rental company at the airport still had cars.
- Spring vs summer: March was green, quiet and cheap, with an apartment at €30 a night, but it isn’t beach weather. For swimming, go in summer.
Where to stay in South Sardinia with kids: our top 3
A holiday apartment near Pula or Villasimius – what we did: a kitchen for the baby’s meals and space for four, for a fraction of hotel prices outside high season.
TH Costa Rei – Free Beach Resort – Costa Rei, on one of the beaches we loved, with kids’ clubs split by age.
Forte Village – Santa Margherita di Pula, one of Sardinia’s best-known family resorts, near Nora and the Chia beaches.
We stayed in an apartment in Tertenia, which I wouldn’t choose again (see why below). The two resorts are picked on location and family facilities, from my 14 years working with hotels. We haven’t stayed in them.
North or south Sardinia with kids?
We booked an apartment in Tertenia, in the middle of the east coast, thinking it would let us see the north and the south. On day two we drove north to Olbia, stopping at Arbatax and Nuoro, and that day taught us how big Sardinia is: 3 hours there and 3 back. The boys were amazingly quiet in the car, but we didn’t try the north again.
My advice: choose one half and stay there. We know the south far better, and for families it has a lot going for it. Cagliari airport is right there, beaches like Chia, Villasimius and Costa Rei are within about an hour, and there’s enough to do on the days that aren’t beach days. The north (Olbia and the Costa Smeralda) is closer to Olbia airport. Arbatax’s beaches and views were beautiful when we passed through, but we didn’t stay in the north, so I won’t pretend to know it.
Things to do in South Sardinia with kids
Is Zuddas caves (Santadi)
We went in March, when it wasn’t beach weather yet, and the caves were the perfect plan B, and the best day of our trip, thanks to the private tour. Is Zuddas is famous for its aragonite formations: thin crystal threads that grow in every direction, seemingly ignoring gravity. The guided route is about half a kilometre and takes about an hour, and the caves stay at around 16°C all year, so bring a layer even in summer.
2026: open every day, with guided tours at set times (from mid-September, 11:00, 12:15, 15:00 and 16:15 on weekdays, with more slots at weekends and in summer). Book online up to an hour before. Ticket prices aren’t published on the official site, so check when you book.
The beaches: Chia, Villasimius, Costa Rei and Cala Sinzias
On our beach day we went along the south-east coast: Costa Rei, Cala Sinzias, Villasimius, Solanas and Quartu Sant’Elena. We couldn’t quite believe beaches like that existed: small and calm, with turquoise water and very fine sand, every one of them. We also saw the beaches of Chia, on the south-west coast, which are spectacular. It was March, so we walked rather than swam. With kids, the calm, shallow coves are the point.
Nora and a sunset at Pula
Nora, just outside Pula, was a Phoenician, Carthaginian and then Roman town on a headland by the sea. We arrived half an hour before closing and didn’t go in, so we walked around outside instead. The late-afternoon light there is beautiful, and it gave us the best sunset of the trip. Go earlier than we did.
2026: €10 adults, €6 ages 6–17. Open 9:00–17:00 from November to February, until 18:00 in March, 19:00 in April, May and October, and 20:00 from June to September.
Cagliari
We saved Cagliari for the last day, because it’s next to the airport. The kids were tired by then, so we parked in the centre and simply walked the narrow streets up to the cathedral. Just past it, the old bastions give you a sweeping view over the city and the sea, which is the best photo stop of the trip.
Horses at Maneggio Tanka
On the way along the east coast we stopped at Maneggio Tanka, a horse-riding centre. Ours were too small to ride, and honestly a bit scared of animals that big, but Damian was spellbound looking at them, and we got the photos. With older kids, a ride would make a great half-day.
Eating with kids in Sardinia
Pasta and pizza everywhere, which solves most meals with small children. We rented an apartment mainly for the kitchen, to prepare quick meals for a 1-year-old, and I’d do the same again with a baby.
Where to stay in Sardinia with kids
This is where I’d do things differently, and it’s the part of travel I know best, from 14 years working with hotels. Don’t pick a base in the middle of the island “to see everything”. Tertenia gave us a great, huge apartment, but every day out started with a long drive.
- Pula / Santa Margherita di Pula / Chia (south-west): big family resorts, the Chia beaches and Nora nearby, and less than an hour to Cagliari airport.
- Villasimius / Costa Rei (south-east): the beaches we loved most, beach-club resorts with kids’ clubs, and about an hour from Cagliari.
- Cagliari: fine for a night at the start or end, but not as a beach base with small kids.
Sardinia in March with kids: is it worth it?
Yes, if you go for the landscapes and not the sea. The countryside was green and in bloom, the weather was sunny and mild enough for touring, there were few tourists outside the main towns, and accommodation was cheap. But it’s not beach season: we saw turquoise water and didn’t swim. Some sites close early (we reached Nora too late), and choice is thinner, so book the car well in advance. When we landed, only one company still had cars, and all of them were small for a family.
What our week in Sardinia cost (March 2017)
| Item | What we paid |
|---|---|
| Flights Barcelona–Cagliari | €25 per person return (a promotion booked months ahead) |
| Apartment in Tertenia (Airbnb) | €30 per night |
| Car hire (Fiat Punto) | €210 for the stay |
These are 2017 prices from a low-season promotion. In summer, expect flights and accommodation to cost several times more, and book early.
Getting to Sardinia from Barcelona
Vueling flies direct from Barcelona to Cagliari, in about 1 hour 40 minutes. Pick up a car at the airport. You’ll need one for everything in this guide.
Comparing islands? See our top European islands to visit with kids.
Ready to plan? Compare family stays in South Sardinia →
Sardinia family holiday: FAQ
Is Sardinia good for a family holiday?
Yes. Sardinia has calm, shallow beaches with very fine sand, plenty of pasta and pizza, and days out like the Is Zuddas caves and the ruins of Nora. Our week there with a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old is still one of our favourite family holidays.
Is north or south Sardinia better for families?
Pick one rather than both. The island is too big to combine them: it took us 3 hours each way to drive from Tertenia to Olbia. The south suits families flying into Cagliari, with the beaches of Chia, Villasimius and Costa Rei within about an hour.
Where should families stay in South Sardinia?
Pula, Santa Margherita di Pula and Chia in the south-west, or Villasimius and Costa Rei in the south-east. Avoid a base in the middle of the island.
Do you need a car in Sardinia with kids?
Yes. Book it in advance: in March 2017 only one rental company at Cagliari airport still had cars, and they were all small.
Is Sardinia worth visiting in March?
Yes, for green landscapes, quiet roads and low prices: we paid €30 a night for an apartment. It isn’t beach weather, though, and some sites close early.
Are the Is Zuddas caves good for kids?
Yes. The guided route is about half a kilometre and takes about an hour, and the caves stay at around 16°C, so bring a layer. It’s a great plan for a day that’s too cool for the beach.
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