Sardinia
Oristano & Sinis Peninsula
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West-coast wild card — quartz-pebble beaches, the Phoenician ruins of Tharros and Sa Sartiglia carnival.
The Sinis Peninsula west of Oristano hosts the islands most unusual beaches — Is Aruttas is made entirely of small white quartz grains rather than sand — alongside the Phoenician ruins of Tharros on a windswept headland. Oristano itself is a quiet provincial capital that explodes during the Sa Sartiglia equestrian carnival each February.
Scores
Walkability
Transit
Price
Local feel
Nightlife
Family-friendly
Centrality
What you gain
- ↑Is Aruttas quartz-grain beach is unlike anywhere else in the Mediterranean
- ↑Tharros Phoenician-Roman ruins sit on a peninsula tip with no tourist crowds
- ↑Sa Sartiglia (February) is one of Italys most striking folk events — masked horsemen jousting at a star
What you sacrifice
- ↓Quietest tourist economy on the coast — limited beach restaurants, very few hotels
- ↓Constant west-coast wind — wonderful for kitesurfing, less so for sunbathing
Best for
Avoid if
Other Sardinia neighbourhoods
The islands working capital — Castello quarter on a hill, flamingos in the lagoon, Poetto beach to the east.
Catalan-walled old town on the northwest coast — Bombarde and Lazzaretto beaches and Neptunes Grotto by boat.
Southeast cape with marine protected area — Punta Molentis, Porto Giunco, and Caribbean-grade water.
Know where to stay — now find when to go.
Best time to visit Sardinia →