Costa del Sud & Chia

The Costa del Sud (South Coast) is Sardinia's counterpoint to the Costa Smeralda: instead of glamour and yachts, you find wild, secluded bays, turquoise water, fragrant maquis, and a handful of small seaside resorts that have retained their charm. The coast between Chia and Teulada is among the most beautiful and unspoiled sections of the entire island.

Chia is the star of the south coast: several bays with powdery white sand, crystal-clear water, and the remains of a Spanish watchtower (Torre di Chia) on a headland create a postcard setting. The Spiaggia Su Giudeu is the most famous beach — a sand island offshore that can be waded to at low tide. Behind it lies a lagoon where flamingos nest. The Cala Cipolla next door is smaller and more intimate, framed by junipers and pines.

Further west, the coast becomes wilder: Tuerredda is a crescent-shaped bay with unreal turquoise water, often listed as one of Italy's most beautiful beaches. The offshore Isola di Tuerredda is accessible by canoe or swimming. From here, the coastal road SP71 becomes a panoramic route: it winds through maquis and pine forest, past secluded bays and military areas (Capo Teulada — closed, but the beaches before it are accessible), all the way to Sant'Anna Arresi.

East of Cagliari, the Costa Rei beckons with a ten-kilometer-long sandy beach and the photogenic rock needle Scoglio di Peppino. The coast here is more family-friendly and less wild than the southwest, but the water is just as clear, and the beaches are spacious enough to find a quiet spot even in summer.