Italy : Sardinia

Undiscovered Sardinia Cycling

Trip code: C07SA 4.7 (19 reviews)

Self-guided cycling

7 nights,
hotel-to-hotel

Level: 1+
Leisurely plus

14.0Kg CO2e

Navigation App

SUMMARY

  • The unspoilt landscapes of Sardinia's south-western coast
  • Unrivalled coastal vistas, the Pan di Zucchero sea stacks, glittering emerald seas, pure white sand beaches
  • Colourful fishing villages, abundant vineyards, verdant olive groves, panoramic watch towers
  • Island hop to the beautiful isles of St Pietro and St Antioco
  • Discover the fascinating archaeological sites of Nora and St Antioco

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • All breakfasts and 1 evening meal
  • Bike fitting and briefing at the start of your holiday
  • Navigation app
  • Bike hire included
  • Luggage transfers between hotels
  • Transfer from Cagliari airport to Nebida on day 1
  • Agent App

TRIP DESCRIPTION

Sardinia's south-west corner is brimming with immaculate beaches, untouched hidden coves and far reaching coastal views, and there's no better way to discover this beautiful region than by bike. This 7 night holiday takes you from the former mining village of Nebida along undulating country lanes and panoramic coastal roads, to the colourful town of Pula, a short distance from the Sardinian capital of Cagliari. Enroute you pass expanses of vineyards and olive groves and pedal along high rugged cliffs dotted with Spanish and Pisan watchtowers. You'll discover the stunning islands of St Pietro and St Antioco, with their bustling harbours selling the freshest of fish, and admire picture perfect white sand beaches lapped by those famous emerald waters.

Sardinia's position in the Mediterranean made it an enviable trading outpost and the island is an archaeologist's delight, boasting a historical treasure trove ranging from the unique yet mysterious Bronze Age nuraghi, to the Punic remains at St Antioco and the Roman settlement at Nora, where the ruins of its ancient temple panoramically gaze out to sea.

The food on Sardinia is as unique as it is, with simple dishes packed with intense flavours. Rich sheep cheeses served with the traditional, crisp shepherd's flat bread, saffron infused ravioli and to finish, cheese and lemon seadas drizzled in honey can be found everywhere, as well as, of course, freshly caught seafood, all washed down with the excellent local Carignano and Vermentino wines.

Your accommodation reflects the best of Sardinian hospitality, ranging from a family run agriturismo nestled amongst the vineyards to a 3* hotel just a short ride from Chia's long sandy beach.

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DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

 

Day 1: Arrive in Nebida

Transfer from Cagliari airport to your accommodation in the former mining village of Nebida. Walk out to the belvedere for amazing views of the towering white Pan di Zucchero sea stacks.

You stay at Locanda L'Agusteri- Tanca Piras Resort.

hotel details

 equivalent

Locanda L'Agusteri- Tanca Piras Resort, Nebida

TRIP ADVISOR

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Pool
WiFi
TV
Aircon


Located in the heart of the former mining town of Nebida, this simple but comfortable accommodation comes with ensuite bathrooms and stunning coastal vistas. There is a communal pool - for use by everyone in the resort - as well as a popular restaurant serving the best local fish and seafood dishes.

Day 2: Nebida to St Antioco (46km/28.6mi or 54km/33.6mi)

Leave the rugged limestone cliffs of Nebida behind and head south along the stunning coastal road. At Portoscuso, hop on a ferry to the island of St Pietro and the gorgeous town of Carloforte with its pastel coloured houses, cobbled streets and plethora of fish restaurants. Overnight in Calasetta on the island of St Antioco.

You stay at Hotel Luci del Faro or Hotel Cala di Seta.

hotel details

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Hotel Luci del Faro, Calasetta

HOTEL WEBSITE      

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Cash machine
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Pool
Hairdryer
WiFi
TV
Minibar
Aircon
Safe


Hotel Luci del Faro - named after St Antioco's lighthouse which it overlooks - sits in landscaped gardens just a short walk from spectacular cliffs and the stunning beach of Spiaggia Grande in Calasetta. The hotel has a classic Sardinian decor of bright yellow and vibrant blue, whilst bedrooms are spacious and modern, in pastel tones, and with a patio area giving directly out onto the gardens.

The hotel boasts a swimming pool and tennis court, and also comes with a restaurant serving both Sardinian and Italian dishes with the best locally sourced produce.


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Hotel Cala di Seta, Calasetta

HOTEL WEBSITE      TRIP ADVISOR

Hairdryer
WiFi
TV
Minibar
Aircon
Safe


Cala Di Seta is a welcoming family-run hotel located in the heart of Calasetta on the beautiful island of Sant'Antioco. Recharge your batteries and immerse yourself in local traditions and flavours in unspoiled nature. All rooms are equipped with air-conditioning system and are tastefully decorated in the traditional Sardinian style and colours. A choice of restaurants is available at a short walking distance.

Day 3: St Antioco loop ride (34km/21.1mi)

Follow quiet country roads along St Antioco's rugged coastline with peregrine falcons soaring overhead. Arrive at the bustling fishing town of St Antioco. With a rich archeological heritage, there's much to explore here including the Punic Necropolis and Phoenicean-Punic Tophet. Cycle back to your hotel via the sleepy hamlet of Cussorgia.

Day 4: St Antioco to Teulada (54km/33.6mi)

Return to the mainland via the causeway across the Bay of Palmas, then pedal past salt pans and lagoons of pink flamingos to the gently rolling, vineyard clad hills of St Anna Arresi and Teulada. Enjoy the best of Sardinian hospitality at a traditional agriturismo, where your evening meal is included.

You stay at Agriturismo Terraniedas.

hotel details

 equivalent

Agriturismo Terraniedas, Sant'Anna Arresi

HOTEL WEBSITE      



Day 5: Teulada to Chia (31km/19.3mi)

Admire unrivalled coastal views as you cycle along the spectacular Costa del Sud, with its hidden sandy coves, panoramic watch towers, stunning white sand beaches and rugged cliffs that plunge into pure emerald blue waters. End the day in Chia with time to relax on the town's immaculate, long sandy beach.

You stay at Hotel Spartivento.

hotel details

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Hotel Spartivento, Chia

HOTEL WEBSITE      TRIP ADVISOR

Pool
Hairdryer
WiFi
TV
Minibar
Aircon
Safe


The panoramic view at Hotel Spartivento paints the perfect picture of the western Sardinian coastline. The one-storey building is designed with nature in mind: made of natural and local materials like stone and wood it is home to typical Mediterranean plants that you can admire in the large garden surrounding the property. This property offers 27 comfortable ensuite rooms located on the ground floor, all equipped with Air-Con, minibar and safe, each room gives out onto the garden and veranda where you can enjoy the gentle warm breeze from the coast.

Day 6: Chia to Pula (30km/18.6mi)

Head north past the gorgeous beach at Santa Margherita di Pula to the ancient Phoenicean site of Nora. Visit the remains of the Roman amphitheatre, temple and baths, one of Sardinia's best archeological sites, before continuing to colourful Pula with its winding alleyways and lively piazze.

You stay at Hotel Marin.

hotel details

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Hotel Marin, Pula

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Hairdryer
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TV
Minibar
Aircon
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Day 7: Free day in Pula

Relax on the beach, enjoy a leisurely fish lunch in one of Pula's excellent restaurants or take a bus (40 mins) to the Sardinian capital of Cagliari to discover its many historical sites and museums.

Day 8: Leave Pula

Extending your holiday

If you'd like to extend your trip with extra hotel nights we recommend: Hotel Marin, Pula.

hotel details

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Hotel Marin, Pula

Bank
Cash machine
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Visa
Hairdryer
WiFi
TV
Minibar
Aircon
Safe



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These tour only prices are based on two people sharing. Single supplement from $327.

Ferries to St Pietro and St Antioco islands are not included. An indicative cost for this is 10 euro per person.

TRAVEL DETAILS

Call now to speak to our specialist team at 0044 1606 720199 or email us at sales@headwater.com for enquiries or to book your trip.

REVIEWS

Everything went very well and communication with Headwater was very prompt

Prof Murphy, 29 Sep 2024

 

Southern Sardinia is a wonderful island for a cycling holiday as it is very unspoilt and the people are very friendly. The weather in September was perfect and we enjoyed the contrasts of island hopping for a couple of days and then enjoying fabulous coastal views and stopping off at delightful, peaceful coves on others. Some stretches had quite busy roads but there were many peaceful roads and paths in between.

Mrs Coleman, 21 Sep 2024

 

Very Good experience we have travelled with headwater for 4-5 years and have always enjoyed each trip. Overall great standard of accommodation and routes and Sardina was beautiful and wonderful for cycling sea and seafood lovers.

A Valued Customer, 7 Sep 2024

 

Nice hotels, decent bikes, routes mostly quiet

A Valued Customer, 7 Sep 2024

 

This was our fifth cycling holiday with Headwater and certainly not the last!

William Hill, 5 Jun 2024

 

Very good communication from start to finish. As always with a Headwater holiday we know we can relax and let them take the stress away of travel arrangements and the holiday lasts from door to door. Thanks again. Already booked our next one.

Elizabeth Naylon, 13 May 2024

 

We had a lovely holiday, the Sardinian coast is beautiful. The hotels were all good and the Sardinian food and wine excellent. The bikes were good. Everywhere was very welcoming. The hotel Luce de Faro (our favourite on this trip) will do a packed lunch for you (order the night before), and we would recommend you do this especially on the day you cycle to Teulada…as there is really nowhere to buy food especially if you are transferring on a Sunday. The cycling on day 4 (Teulada to Chia) is quite tough, and we felt the holiday might be better graded a 2 based on previous headwater holidays.

A couple of notes of caution, not many coffee stops, and not much of interest to visit along the way apart from the lovely beaches until you get to Pula. Pula was a lovely town to finish in, and we had a lovely lunch at Solaria in the square.

Lorna Huddart, 21 Sep 2023

 

We had a lovely time in Sardinia: the food in particular was outstanding. We had electric bikes and so none of the routes were challenging, but at least one of the days would, I think, be hard work without assistance. One small part of one route was on a busy road which felt quite uncomfortable. It was also hotter than expected in September - but who can predict the weather! Still, overall an outstanding holiday.

Anne Strulo, 15 Sep 2023

 

A great trip - well organised from beginning to end. Good standard of hotels and a superb app to navigate.

Colin Chapman, 14 Sep 2023

 

We have used Headwater many times and always found them excellent with a high standard of accommodation and good organisation. This is the first year that we have used an app for navigation which was fine but we would like it to be supported by good quality maps so that we can navigate the local areas.

Andrew Cummings, 13 Sep 2023

 

Excellent journey along stunning landscapes. Day five coastal path road more challenging but stunning scenery. Bikes good, friendly people. Enjoyed and made the most of our free day in Pula. We thought it was a well planned and well thought out journey.

LEWIS, 5 Jun 2023

 

Excellent service from your team in UK. Top quality bikes. Lovely hotels in Sardinia. Have told everyone on my return what a good holiday I had.

SCOTT, 27 May 2023

 

We travelled to Sardinia just before the main tourist season started, so some places weren't open - but this meant that we often had places all to ourselves. We loved the quirky houses in Nebida, and the staff at the ferry port, Portoscuso, were really helpful. The ride up to the abandoned tuna processing plant on Carloforte was slightly underwhelming, but the loop ride was pleasant - and we saw the flamingoes on the salt pans! The ride to Chia (day 5) was tough in places (maybe class this holiday as a 1++?) but the reward was always a lovely downhill freewheel. Some other roads were rather busy. The Roman ruins at Nora were well worth a visit, as was the Batteria Boggio with its lookout points and abandoned gun emplacements (with ammunition stores - fortunately completely empty) . All the hotels were most welcoming, insisting on speaking English to us, and usually transporting our luggage to and from our rooms. Food and wine were also superb - what more could you ask for?

CATCHPOLE, 11 May 2023

 

Overall we enjoyed the holiday but based on previous experience we felt the holiday should have been graded as a 2, and not 1+. The opportunities for visiting ancient sites on St Antioco and at Pula were well worth doing. We really enjoyed the frequent swimming breaks from the very many stunning beaches along the route, and the excellent food and wine! The support from the local agents, especially Naomi, was excellent

Mrs Nichols, 18 Sep 2022

 

The holiday provides a great tour of the beautiful coastline of Southern Sardinia and the islands. The cycling is relaxed with lots of opportunities to stop off at beautiful beaches

Mr Beresford, 10 Sep 2022

 

We absolutely loved this holiday. It was our first time in Sardinia and we were blown away by the magnificent blue sea and coastal line. The most magical moment for us was seeing the flamingos grazing in the salt pans. A sight to behold. The Sardinian people were lovely and welcoming and the food along with the Sardinian wines, delicious. This was a beautiful quiet part of Sardinia and cycling was definitely a great way to absorb as much of this beautiful island as possible. Given that we were mainly cycling on the coastal roads, we were amazed by the very considerate car drivers who always gave us loads of room and were incredibly respectful of cyclists. All in all this was a joyful holiday.

Dr Monte, 10 Jun 2022

 

We had a fabulous cycling holiday for our first trip to Sardinia. Headwater provided a superb itinerary, great bikes and lovely independent hotels run by Sardinian families. The scenery was jaw dropping and we could not have packed in so many memorable sights and locations without the Sardinian Headwater teams’ thorough knowledge of the region. The ride was more moderate than “easy” in the high temperatures of June, but perfectly manageable with care and our luggage was always waiting for us in the room of our new hotel, a welcome sight after a hot day’s cycling. We’ll definitely be back to Sardinia and back to Headwater for another adventure on wheels. Charlotte and Clive Makin.

Mrs Makin, 9 Jun 2022

 

Reliable and always providing interest and challenges.

Mr Brian, 5 Jun 2022

 

Extremely well researched & organised. Accommodation was varied & always clean, with helpful friendly staff, particularly Stefano at the Agriturismo & Martina at Hotel Marin. Length of cycling each day was perfect...not too much, so enough time to relax & swim in the clear warm silky sea or the swimming pools at two of the hotels too. Fresh fish was delicious. It was a tremendous week.

Miss Ellerton, 1 Jun 2022

 


Self-guided cycling

7 nights,
hotel-to-hotel

Level: 1+
Leisurely plus

14.0Kg CO2e

Navigation App

7 nights from $2300

CHOOSE A DEPARTURE

Call: +44 1606 720199