Sardinia is 270km long and has 1,849km of coastline. Every 20km: a different beach, a different color water, a different geological formation. Northeast: Costa Smeralda granite coves. Northwest: Alghero coral coast + La Pelosa white Caribbean sand. East: Cala Gonone limestone cliffs + Cala Mariolu. South: Cagliari + Villasimius + Chia. Interior: Bronze Age nuraghi (3,500 years old), shepherds making pecorino in granite mountains, and the specific silence of an island that has been inhabited for 7,000 years and still hasn't been fully explored.
Days 1-2: Alghero. Catalan old town, Neptune's Grotto, Bombarde beach, Nuraghe Palmavera. Day 3: Stintino / La Pelosa. Italy's most Caribbean beach. Days 4-5: Costa Smeralda. Spiaggia del Principe, Porto Cervo walk, budget stay in Arzachena. Day 6: La Maddalena archipelago. Ferry from Palau, crystal coves, Caprera (Garibaldi's house). Days 7-8: East coast — Cala Gonone. Boat to Cala Mariolu + Cala Goloritzé, Grotta del Bue Marino sea cave. Day 9: Barumini — Su Nuraxi. The most important Bronze Age monument in the Mediterranean (UNESCO). Days 10-11: Cagliari. Castello quarter, Poetto beach, Flamingos at Molentargius salt marsh, Sant'Efisio festival route. Days 12-13: South coast. Villasimius (Porto Giunco beach), Chia (Su Giudeu beach), Costa Rei. Day 14: Return to departure airport.
Airports: Cagliari (CAG), Olbia (OLB), Alghero (AHO). Car ESSENTIAL — no trip to Sardinia works without one. Book EARLY for summer — cars sell out → Ferries: Civitavecchia (Rome)→Olbia/Cagliari overnight (Tirrenia/Moby, from €30 person + €50 car). Genova→Porto Torres/Olbia (Moby/GNV). Best time: June or September (warm sea, sane prices). July: busy. August: insane (Italian families, everything 2x price, book 3 months ahead).