Classic Sardinia

Today, you’ll land at Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport, where you’ll be greeted by your friendly, experienced tour manager and transferred to your hotel, just a ten-minute walk from Olbia’s historic centre.

Depending on the time of your flight, you may have time to take a stroll to the centre, with its historical stone structures, meandering cobblestone lanes, and charming squares, like Piazza Margherita.

To commemorate your first night, there will be a welcome dinner served at the hotel with your fellow travellers.

This morning, you’ll rise early, tuck into breakfast and then set off to the port of Santa Teresa di Gallura. From here, you’ll take a ferry to the ancient fortress town of Bonifacio, set on the southern tip of Corsica, and a striking spectacle to behold, with its limestone-cliff setting.

A guided tour will reveal the highlights of this medieval gem, the oldest town in Corsica, ringed by soaring walls. You’ll begin at the bustling, sheltered marina, hemmed with bars and brasseries before entering the walls of the 9^th-century citadel, and making your way to the old town. This warren of tapered streets is centred around two piazzas, the Place d'Armes and the Place du Vieux Marché, and you’ll wander these, passing under the stone arched aqueducts, seeking out the notable sites.

You’ll come across important religious monuments like the 13^th-century Church of Saint-Dominique and the 12^th-century Church of Sainte-Marie-Majeure, the oldest building in Bonifacio, with a looming bell tower. The Bastion de l’Étendard, another landmark, was the former stronghold of the town and used to hold artillery. Now it encompasses a museum and allows access to the ramparts, which are ideal spots for taking in the view. Escalier du Roi d’Aragon, ‘Staircase of the King of Aragon’, a staircase cut into the southern cliff face offers another viewpoint from the 187 steps, as does the marine cemetery.

After the waking tour, you’ll have some free time to explore at your pace, have lunch, perhaps at one of the open-air eateries spilling onto the piazzas and do a spot of shopping in the many boutiques.

In the late afternoon, you’ll return by bus to your hotel, where you can opt to have dinner at the restaurant or head into Olbia and conclude your night with a drink at a local wine bar.

Enjoy breakfast, then you’ll venture off to Olbia, and depending on the day of the week, the tour will stop off at San Pantaleo Craft Market, which showcases local artisans’ skills. You’ll have some time to walk around the stalls selling hand-made trinkets, souvenirs, as well as food and drinks. With the backdrop of the Gallura mountains and located in the village square, this rustic, charming market will ensure a memorable morning. Lunch can be eaten in San Pantaleo or Olbia, and you can take advantage of free time to do some more exploring of either location.

Following this break, you’ll be taken to the Giants' Grave of Coddu Vecchiu, enigmatic, soaring graves that served as public tombs in the Bronze Age. During your visit, you’ll learn about this intriguing megalithic monument, which was built by the Nuragic civilization and dates to 2000 BC. Across Sardinia, there are more than 300 necropolises, but this one is the largest.

You’ll then venture to another nearby archaeological site, the Nuraghe La Prisgiona, also known as the ‘Stone Giant’. It features a nuraghe (megalithic tower), and a village of around 100 buildings. This site, in the Capichera Valley, was believed to have been occupied by the Nuragic civilisation from the 14^th until the 9^thcentury BC.

After today’s activities, you can choose to head back to the hotel or join an optional excursion to the Surrau Cellars, a beautiful winery. While looking out onto rows of vines and a craggy mountainside, you can sample three wines paired with a platter of regional Gallura produce, including cold meats, cheeses, and pane carasau, a traditional Sardinian flatbread. 

In the evening, you’ll return to the hotel, where you can stay for dinner or walk to the city.

After breakfast, you’ll check out of the hotel and travel to Alghero, a medieval city on the northwest coast of Sardinia. On this journey, you’ll call at the town of Calangianus to visit the Museum of Cork. Here, you’ll discover the ancient and more recent methods of harvesting cork and the production process.

Another stop on the itinerary will be the fortified town of Castelsardo, which is built into a rock and surrounded by the walls of Doria Castle. This is where you’ll have lunch at your leisure and make use of some time to amble around the steeped alleys perhaps picking up a souvenir or two. The small, but pretty church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the notably situated Castelsardo Cathedral are also worth checking out.

The Basilica della Santissima Trinità di Saccargia will be the last visit of the day. One of the most important Romanesque sites on the island, this striking church was constructed in black and white limestone and its bell tower stands out against the bucolic scenery. Inside, you’ll see a delightful fresco that adorns the main apse.

Later in the afternoon, you’ll reach Alghero and check into your hotel, which looks out over the Tyrrhenian Sea. You can then unwind, perhaps having a swim in the outdoor pool before enjoying dinner at the restaurant or in the old town.

Once you’ve had breakfast, you’ll travel into the city of Alghero for a half-day guided tour. You’ll then walk around its historic centre, one of the best preserved in Sardinia. The city’s sand-coloured 16^th-century walls are a highlight, and you can cross the pedestrianised path that looks out over the sea.

One of the city’s main landmarks, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria, ascends over the centre and Piazza del Duomo, with its bell tower is a prominent example of Catalan Gothic architecture. Next to tower, the 14^th-century Porta a Terra serves as one of the gates of the city and now houses a museum. From the terrace of the second floor, you’ll get an incredible view of the city.

Other churches you’ll see along the way include 14^th-century San Francesco and St. Barbara Church, the oldest one in Alghero. You’ll then break for lunch, perhaps opting for one of the restaurants in the pleasant Piazza Civica, which is overlooked by the Gothic palace, Palazzo d'Albis. Alghero is known for its seafood, and the Catalan-style lobster is a speciality and worth a try.

There will also be time to survey the boutique shops, and if you want to rest, Alghero's public gardens, Giardini Pubblici, is the perfect place before you head back to the hotel. Alternatively, you can join an optional excursion to Neptune’s Grotto, a nearby stalactite cave complex. Named after the Roman god of the sea, Neptune, this complex was discovered by local fishermen in the 18^th century and has since developed into a tourist attraction. Once here, you’ll enter either by boat or a staircase and take in this extraordinary natural gem, one of the largest marine caves in Italy.

Those on this excursion will then head back to the hotel and perhaps swim in the sea before dinner.

Following breakfast, you’ll board the coach for a visit to the Coral Museum in Alghero. This venue, housed in an elegant art nouveau villa, displays jewellery and sculptures created from coral and highlights the importance of this valuable element to the city and surrounding area. During your time here, you’ll also learn how Alghero is known for its red coral and learn about the traditional harvesting process.

Next, you’ll travel to some nearby villages, with the first being Stintino, a popular seaside resort encompassing pristine sandy beaches. The tour will call at the Museo Tonnara di Stintino, a tuna fishing museum, which highlights the traditional methods of tuna fishing and the history of how this village came about.

You’ll have some free time here to lunch at a local trattoria serving fresh products and a saunter along one of the beaches. The tour will then head to Argentiera, passing by one of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia, La Pelosa, with its turquoise-tinted waters and stretch of unspoilt white sand.

Upon arriving in Argentiera, you’ll be able to walk around this former 19^th-century mining village, which is in the UNESCO-preserved Geological Mining Park of Sardinia. Only around 70 locals now live in this mostly abandoned town, where you can still see remnants of the original silver mine.

You’ll then return to take it easy tonight and have dinner at the hotel or in the town.

It’s your last full day, and you’ll really be making the most of it by journeying, after breakfast and checking out, to Costa Smeralda. This trip along the Alghero Bosa Road is particularly picturesque, and on the way, you’ll stop off at Bosa. You’ll then board a local shuttle train to explore this enchanting town, with its hilltop castle, river running through the centre, and a clutch of pastel-painted structures clinging onto the rock.

Malaspina Castle, built in 1112, will be seen on your visit, and its watchtowers and walls are remnants of the original structure, as is the 14^th-century chapel, lined with fresco. Bosa also has an assortment of attractive churches, like the Cathedral of Bosa presenting a Rocco style. You won’t miss the Temo River, in the old town, and Ponte Vecchio, a three-arched bridge either. If time permits, you can sample a glass of Malvasia, the dessert wine for which Bosa is famous for.

The tour will then continue to Orgosolo, which has become known as the ‘village of murals’ due to the 150 murals strewn across its walls. Originally painted by an anarchist theatre company as a means of political protest, many of them now illustrate life in the village or the painter’s original artwork.

Once you’ve viewed these murals, you can have lunch, and perhaps browse some of the shops. Orgosolo is one of the few places where silkworms are still an essential part of the economy, and you’ll notice many silk products and clothing items on sale.

In the late afternoon, you’ll travel back to Olbia and check into Hotel Mercure again. This evening, you can have a final dinner either at the restaurant or in the town.

After breakfast this morning, you’ll be transferred to the airport and fly back to the UK.