You might wonder where to stay in Sardinia with your children for your next holiday? You have heard about Sardinia, as this famous island in Italy surrounded with azure waters and paradise beaches but not sure where to stay with children. Not to worry, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I will describe what to expect from this beautiful Italian island and suggest my 15 best places on where to stay in Sardinia with your children.
First, Sardinia is the second largest Italian island located on the West side of the Italian peninsula with a population of 1.6m citizens. It is located right next to Corsica, the French island famously known to be the birthplace of Napoleon.
Sardinia is famous for its 7,000 tower fortresses called nuraghe with villages build around them. The island also hosts around 4 million sheep so expect to eat some sheep cheese. Trust me! The local cheese is amazing and you might taste also the seadas which is a Sardinian specialty made of cheese pastry and Sardinian honey.
So let’s back to our main topic, shall we.
Which Is the Best Area on Where to Stay in Sardinia with Children?
The island is indeed divided in 5 different administrative regions. But for the sake of simplicity, I will only mention below where to stay in Sardinia with children in the following 3 regions:
- Sassari with its famous chic Costa Smeralda and the beautiful island of Maddalena
- South Sardinia with the capital Cagliari
- Nuoro which is the east side of Sardinia
Do check on our list of hotels in Sardinia below which region is attributed to so you don’t get lost. In addition, make sure you choose the right airport depending on where you begin your holiday in Sardinia.
Before you see our list of the best places to stay in Sardinia with your children, I have also spent some time to answer some questions you may have on the island.
FUN FACT: Did you know that one of James Bond movies was shot in Costa Smeralda? If you have seen the movie The Spy Who Loved Me with Roger Moore, you might remember the beautiful entry of the white Lotus car on the island at the famous luxury hotel Cala di Volpe. The hotel is one of the most expensive resorts on the island. For example, a week in July staying in a contemporary bedroom could reach close to £2,000 per night for 2 persons…breakfast included of course 😁
What Is the Best Time to Visit Sardinia?
Usually, families are visiting Sardinia during the long summer holidays between Mid July and end of August. The busiest week is around mid August with the Catholic Assumption Day falling on the 15th August. I would advise you to travel to Sardinia beginning of July as soon as children are off school or maybe opt in for the last week of August.
You can also appreciate Sardinia during half term holiday in May or even in October. Most of the hotels resorts are open between May and end of September.
Is Sardinia Expensive for Holiday?
It depends. A majority of hotels make money for a short time in the year mainly between April and September (a bit like ski resort hotels but at a different time) so therefore they tend to charge a price per room accordingly with a growing demand year after year.
If you are comparing Sardinia with other islands in Europe such as Tenerife or Majorca, I would say Sardinia is on a the pricey end. But…Sardinia is unique and doesn’t have many hotels to preserve the authenticity and wilderness of the island.
Is Sardinia a good family holiday destination?
Don’t take my words for granted. Many Italian families spend the summer in Sardinia from generation to generation because this is the place to go to enjoy the beach life at its best. Hotel Resorts have become more and more family friendly and now you can even find top of the range villas and apartments if you want more privacy.
Which Side of Sardinia Has the Best Beaches?
Without a doubt, I think that Costa Smeralda on the East side of the island has the most amazing beaches. Beware they could be very busy during the summer peak time of Mid July – Mid August.
In the end, Italian families know best where you can find the best beaches. They can even walk 1 hour if not more with their beach equipment to avoid the crowds.
Should I Stay in North or South of Sardinia?
If you plan to spend 2 weeks in Sardinia, I would definitely split your trip to visit both parts of the island. The locals would tell you that South of Sardinia is totally different to Sassari. I mention below where to stay in Sardinia with children in both regions.
The VIP customers would only stay nearby Porto Cervo and Costa Smeralda but there is so much more to discover in the beautiful island of Sardinia.
Is Sardinia Baby Friendly?
Looking at all the babies we have seen on the different beaches we have been to in Costa Smeralda, I can certainly say Sardinia is baby friendly. I would probably advise you to take a baby carrier or baby sling with you if you want to walk and find the perfect beach spot on the island.
It is also very useful to have a pram if you want to visit Olbia, Alghero or Cagliari. Bear in mind that most kids friendly hotels in Sardinia offer for free or for a minimal day charge different equipment for your baby or toddler.
How To Get There?
By Boat 🛥️ : one way to get to the island is to take a ferry either on a day trip or night trip. Many operators are available depending from where you are coming from. I have taken before a ferry from Genoa and left the island to Marseille after a 2 weeks holiday. Expect a long journey so prepare some cool activities for the children. If you need more information, I would advise to take a look at this guide that explains every thing about ferries to Sardinia.
By Plane ✈️ : there are some direct EasyJet, British Airways and TUI flights from London airports to Olbia (North East of Sardinia) or Cagliari (South of Sardinia) but also from Manchester and Bristol to Olbia. Ryanair also operates flights from London Stansted to Alghero (North West coast of Sardinia)
Should I Rent a Car in Sardinia?
I know that some families decide to stay in the hotel resort for the entire trip without leaving the premises and therefore hiring a 🚗 is not necessary. However, I think this is a shame as the island of Sardinia is so rich to explore.
Yes driving around the island could be a bit tricky (especially on the coast) and busy in the summer but surely if you have decided to spend a family holiday in Sardinia, it is to discover other sights than the hotel. Think about how you can spend a day in the Maddelena Island or have fun at the AquaDream water park or find the most secluded beach on Costa Smeralda (pending you like walking with your kids after parking your 🚗 ).
Now it is time to reveal below our 15 favourite spots on where to stay in Sardinia with your children. Let’s go!
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