Sardinia Girls’ Trip: The Perfect 4-Day European Summer Getaway
- Aug 13
- 9 min read
If you’re looking for a European summer getaway with beautiful beaches, amazing food, and plenty of time to slow down and relax, add Sardinia to your list.
I spent 4 days and 3 nights in Sardinia with two friends, and it ended up being the perfect mix of exploring, relaxing, eating way too much good food, and having the kind of giggles that make your stomach hurt.
Sardinia honestly feels like one of Italy’s best-kept secrets. We got to experience beautiful beaches, swim for hours, go snorkeling, explore little towns, and eat our way around the island without feeling like we had to rush through every day.
And by the end of the trip, I already knew I wanted to come back.
Our Sardinia Trip at a Glance
Length: 4 days / 3 nights
Trip: Girls’ trip with two friends
Home base: Golfo Aranci
Transportation: Rental car
Vibe: Beach days, swimming, good food, exploring, relaxing, and lots of laughs
Where We Stayed: Golfo Aranci
We stayed in Golfo Aranci, which I’d definitely recommend if you’re planning a trip to this part of Sardinia.
It was the perfect home base for our trip. We were close to beautiful beaches, restaurants, and cafes, while still being in a great position to explore the surrounding area.
The Airbnb We Stayed At
We stayed in a lovely home with a private veranda in Golfo Aranci, and it was the perfect place to come back to after a day of exploring and swimming.
The apartment has two bedrooms, a kitchen, a private veranda, and free on-street parking, which was especially convenient since we rented a car.
It was also within walking distance of the beach, which ended up being one of our favorite things about staying there.
The host, Davide, was awesome. Super friendly and quick to respond.
Renting a Car Made Exploring So Easy
If you want to see more of Sardinia, I’d definitely recommend renting a car. We loved the Skoda!!
There isn’t a ton of public transportation between the different beaches and towns, so having a car made it really easy to explore at our own pace and stop whenever we felt like it.
We loved having the freedom to decide what we wanted to do each day rather than planning everything around public transportation.
Want to find a new beach? Hop in the car.
Want to take a little day trip to another town? Easy.
Want to get gelato? Let's go.
See somewhere that looks interesting along the way? Stop.
That flexibility made such a difference, especially because we only had four days.
The Beaches
Of course, one of the biggest reasons we wanted to visit Sardinia was for the beaches and to relax.
The water in Sardinia was incredibly clear, the beaches were beautiful, and we spent plenty of time swimming and soaking up the sun. When I say we spent plenty of time swimming. I am not lying, we would spend at least 2.5-3 hours in the water without getting out!
Terza Spiaggia: Our Favorite Beach
Terza Spiaggia was hands down our favorite beach of the entire trip.
Even better, it was only about a 10-minute walk from where we stayed, which made it so easy to go whenever we wanted.
There’s something so nice about being able to just walk down to the beach without having to get in the car, pack up everything, and make a whole day out of it.
We could spend hours swimming, relaxing in the sun, and then simply walk back whenever we were ready.
It was definitely one of those places where we kept saying, “Should we go back to the beach?” And the answer was almost always yes!
Our Version of “Nap Time”
We already knew about the Italian siesta, but after spending hours in the sun and swimming, we definitely understood why people take their afternoons a little slower.
We never actually laid down for a nap, but we started calling that part of the day “nap time” since all the stores would be shut from 12:30-16:00. 😂
After a morning at the beach, a big lunch, and hours in the sun, it was honestly hard not to slow down.
Afternoon Trip to San Pantaleo
We also took a little afternoon trip to San Pantaleo, which was such a fun change of scenery from our beach days.
We wandered around the town, explored the streets, and, of course, made a very important stop for gelato. Actually gelato was our first stop before exploring the streets and shops, but we did go during "nap time" so many of them were shut down.
We happened to drive through San Pantaleo on our way home from snorkeling and boy was that little town busy!!
Il Buon Gelato Gelateria Artigianale
If you’re in San Pantaleo, get the gelato.
Il Buon Gelato Gelateria Artigianale was one of my favorite food stops of the trip. They even have a cannoli cone called a cannolo, which was SO good.
I got hazelnut (nocciola) and strawberry (fragola) in a cannolo, and I’m still thinking about it.
It was the perfect little treat after wandering around San Pantaleo.
Exploring Old Town Olbia
On our last day, we made our way to Olbia before heading to the airport.
After spending most of the trip around the beaches and coast, it was nice to spend our final few hours exploring a different side of Sardinia. Even though it was SO hot and we were sweating trying to stay out of the sun!
We wandered around Old Town Olbia, taking our time and enjoying the historic streets and architecture.
Basilica of San Simplicio
One of our stops was the Basilica of San Simplicio, one of Olbia’s most important historic landmarks.
We stopped by the basilica before continuing our walk around the old town. It was a nice way to spend our final day and experience a little more of the history and culture of the area before heading home.
We did not end up going inside since it was a few euro to get in, but definitely just beautiful to walk to and see.
Wander, Explore and Get Gelato
The rest of our time in Olbia was spent simply wandering around.
We walked through the old streets, explored the area, took pictures, and enjoyed our last few hours in Sardinia without trying to fit too much into the day. We walked past a few markets in the street, along with seeing the Ferris Wheel.
And, of course, we had to get one last gelato before heading to the airport.
Because apparently one of the most important rules of an Italian vacation is that there is always room for gelato.
It was such a nice, slow way to end the trip.
Where We Ate and Drank in Sardinia
Of course, we also ate our way around Sardinia.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Intro Food’n Soul
Intro Food’n Soul was hands down our favorite breakfast spot.
A typical Italian breakfast is usually something sweet, like a pastry, but they also offer savory options, which we loved.
And if you like pistachio, don't leave without trying the pistachio bombolone. Their amaretti cookies were also amazing.
Can't forget about their coffee either. It was Amazing
It was the perfect place to start our mornings before heading out for the day.
La Pecora Viziosa
La Pecora Viziosa was, hands down, the best pizza I have ever had in Italy, and I’ve been to Italy many times.
There were so many options that choosing what to order was definitely a struggle.
I ended up loving the Campidanese, but honestly, everything looked incredible.
Clearly we weren't ready to say goodbye because we went back another time before leaving.
If you love pizza, this needs to be on your Sardinia list!!
Osteria del Porto
Osteria del Porto is a cute little spot by the port where we stopped for lunch before snorkeling.
Good food, pretty views, and the perfect little stop before heading out on the water.
It was one of those meals that just felt like part of the vacation. We sat by the port, enjoyed lunch, and knew we had a fun afternoon ahead.
Estathé Pesca: My Favorite Drink
And I have to give a special shoutout to my favorite drink of the entire trip: Estathé Pesca. 🍑
If you’ve never had it, Estathé is an Italian iced tea, and Pesca means peach.
I became completely obsessed with it when I studied abroad. After a hot day in the sun, swimming, walking around, or exploring, grabbing a cold Estathé Pesca was basically the perfect refreshment.
It’s such a small thing, but sometimes the random food and drink discoveries end up becoming the things you remember most from a trip.
So if you see Estathé Pesca while you’re in Italy, get one for me. 😂
Go Snorkeling
We also booked a snorkeling experience, which was one of the highlights of the trip.
After spending so much time relaxing on the beaches, getting out on the water and seeing Sardinia from a different perspective was such a fun experience.
I will say the boat ride was definitely an experience that you will not forget LOL! It was a bit bumpy, but it was definitely one for the mems! Not so much a coral reef vibe or snorkeling, but the waters were so clear and blue!
We booked this Airbnb Experience:
If you have the time during your trip, I’d still recommend getting out on the water. Just know that this particular experience was more about the boat ride, the views, and swimming in those incredibly clear waters than the actual snorkeling.
Not pictured is us holding on for dear life in the boat LOL!!
The Best Part: Doing It With Friends
The beaches and food were amazing, but what really made the trip special was getting to experience it all with friends.
There’s something about a girls’ trip where even the smallest moments become memories.
The random conversations in the car.
Trying to decide which pizza everyone wanted.
Getting excited over yet another beautiful beach.
Swimming until our hands and fingers were prunes.
Getting gelato again because why not when you're in Italy.
Grabbing another Estathé Pesca because apparently one wasn't enough for me.
Calling the afternoon “nap time.”
Taking way too many pictures and video (definitely me).
And laughing until our stomachs hurt.
Those little moments were just as memorable as the big ones.
You Don't Have to Overplan Sardinia
One thing I loved about this trip was that we didn't feel like we had to see absolutely everything.
With only four days, we knew we weren't going to experience the entire island. Instead, we picked an area we wanted to explore, rented a car, and gave ourselves the flexibility to see where the days took us.
Since we only had four days, we knew we couldn't see everything, and honestly, I'm glad we didn't try.
The only thing we had booked was snorkeling before we got there which we wanted because it gave us time to actually enjoy the beaches, sit down for meals, wander around, and do things spontaneously. I think that's part of what made the trip feel like a vacation instead of a checklist.
My Sardinia Recommendations
If I had to narrow down the trip to my top recommendations, they would be:
Stay: Golfo Aranci
Transportation: Rent a car (love the Skoda)
Favorite beach: Terza Spiaggia
Best pizza: La Pecora Viziosa
Best breakfast: Intro Food’n Soul
Best gelato: Il Buon Gelato in San Pantaleo
Favorite drink: Estathé Pesca
Activity: Snorkeling
Last-day activity: Explore Old Town Olbia and the Basilica of San Simplicio
Best advice: Leave room for spontaneous exploring
Final Thoughts
Sardinia was exactly what we wanted from a European summer girls’ trip.
Lots of beach days, swimming for hours, snorkeling, relaxing, good food, gelato, and so many belly laughs.
Exactly the kind of trip you wish you could bottle up and keep.
Four days and three nights gave us enough time to get a taste of Sardinia without feeling like we were constantly rushing from one place to another. We got to explore, relax, eat incredibly well, and actually enjoy being on vacation.
Sardinia definitely feels like a hidden gem, and I already know I want to go back and explore even more of the island.
Next time, I’d love to stay longer, see more beaches, explore different parts of Sardinia, and, of course, eat even more pizza and gelato and drink approximately one million more Estathé Pesca.
For now, I'll be thinking about the blue water, warm summer days, spontaneous car rides, old town walks, cold peach iced tea, and all the laughs we had along the way.
Sardinia, I'll be back. 🇮🇹🤍
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