Sardinia: cycling in the north and along the Costa Smeralda

Intermediate. Daily stages of 40 to 60km. This trip is offered with an electric bicycle (you can hire a hybrid bicycle, but this makes the trip challenging). The route is hilly, with substantial climbs and descents. Daily elevation gain ranges from 500 to 850m, with an occasional stage involving greater elevation gain during the week. Participants must be physically fit and have previous experience of cycling on several consecutive days.

You only need to carry a small bag with your essentials for the day and your picnic lunch.

Bookings are possible for a minimum of 2 people.

8 days / 7 nights / 6 days of cycling.

We provide a digital travel pack including access to a smartphone navigation app, a list of your accommodation, any vouchers required and all the information you need for your trip to run smoothly.
This is a self-guided trip, without a guide, so you travel independently throughout your stay.

Accommodation

In 3*-rated hotels or agriturismo farm stays, in rooms for two people with a private bathroom. Single rooms can be booked for a supplement.

Moma Boutique Hotel in Cannigione ® Moma Boutique Hotel

Please note: Accommodation photos are for illustrative purposes only. Accommodation may change. Depending on availability, we may book other hotels of an equivalent standard and level of comfort.

Meals

Breakfasts included. For lunch, you can order a picnic from your accommodation or stop along the way at an inn or a traditional restaurant.
Please let us know of any food allergies or special dietary requirements when booking; we will do our best to adapt your meals.

Start

On Day 1, in the afternoon at your hotel in Cannigione.

Finish

On Day 8, after breakfast at your hotel in Alghero.

Bike hire

We offer electric bike hire for this trip. The following electric bike model is available (or equivalent):

Cube Touring PRO 500
Bosch battery, with a range of up to 120km (under optimal use), Shimano SLX/XT/Deore + puncture-resistant tyres
A deposit by bank card will be required on arrival.

Cube Touring PRO 500

We can also offer hybrid bike hire, but in this case the trip’s difficulty level is 3 / 5 (challenging). The following hybrid bike model is available (or equivalent):

Trekking Bike
Available with a women’s or men’s frame.
Shimano Deore and puncture-resistant tyres

Trekking Bike women’s model

Trekking Bike men’s model

Bike hire includes the following accessories (kit for 2 people)
2 Ortlieb Back Roller Classic rear panniers
1 Abus front bag
1 repair kit

By plane

There are 3 international airports in Sardinia: Olbia (27km from Cannigione), Alghero (163km from Cannigione) and Cagliari (300km from Cannigione). Flights are not included in the trip price.

Check current flight options to Olbia, Cagliari or Alghero from your departure airport.
https://olbiaairport.com/ - https://aeroportodialghero.it/ - https://www.cagliari-airport.com/

To reach Cannigione from Olbia Airport by public transport, check current routes and timetables before travel.

We can also arrange a private transfer; please contact us.
For taxi travel from Olbia Airport to Cannigione, confirm the current fare and availability directly with the operator.
For the return journey from Alghero to Olbia Airport, the easiest and quickest option is to book a private transfer (around 1 hour 40 minutes by road). By public transport, you will need to change 2 times (at the airport and in Sassari).
Allow around 4 hours for the journey. Public transport website: https://www.arst.sardegna.it/

By ferry

Corsica Ferries operates services from Nice to Golfo Aranci (overnight crossing). The port of Golfo Aranci is around 2 hours 30 minutes from San Salvatore di Sinis (taxi or private transfer available on request).
For the return journey, you can take a ferry from Porto Torres to Toulon.
Porto Torres is around 40m by road from Alghero, or around 55 minutes by direct bus (route 714).

By car

You can bring your own vehicle (by ferry). You can park it at the hotel in San Salvatore di Sinis (subject to availability).
All this information must be checked during your trip; we accept no liability for it.

A number of our trips offer opportunities to swim, either along the route or at the end of the day. It would be a shame not to make the most of them. However, we emphasise that you alone must decide whether it is appropriate to swim; you therefore swim under your own responsibility and at your own risk.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – walking, cycling and snow-based activities – to encourage everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

We have served on the board of directors since 2018, actively helping the sector adopt more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we are committed to:

• Transparency in our practices and prices
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the Traveller’s Ethical Charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and foster rewarding encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has been recognised as a Travelife Partner, an international label that certifies our responsible practices in environmental protection, ethics and sustainable management, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a demanding international certification scheme, recognises our practical efforts to promote responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainability policy

For cycling

• Cycling shorts or tights, depending on the season
• Cycling gloves
• A helmet (strongly recommended)
• Sunglasses (to protect against the sun, wind and midges)
• A windproof jacket
• T-shirts or cycling jerseys
• A handlebar map holder
• A water bottle

Note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool clothing is also available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the advantage of resisting sweat odours (brands include Icebreaker, Ruka, etc.)!
As a general rule, avoid cotton, which makes you cold when wet.

Protection from sun and rain

• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat (helmet)
• A windproof jacket
• A rain cape or a Gore-Tex jacket

After exercise

• A jumper or fleece
• Comfortable trousers for walking
• A pair of shorts
• A tracksuit or change of clothes
• Swimwear
• A lightweight long-sleeved cotton shirt
• A pair of running-style trainers for the evening
• Spare clothes and underwear
• Toiletry bag
• A small first aid kit: personal medication, Elastoplast, Biogaze or “2nd skin”, gauze, disinfectant, arnica granules and aspirin for minor aches and injuries …

• If your bike does not have a pannier, bring a comfortable small 40-litre backpack with a hip belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic during the day. If you have a luggage rack, you can secure your bag to it with bungee cords. Rental bikes come with a pannier for your belongings. Bring a small backpack as well; this makes it easy to carry your belongings when you stop to visit places along the way
• Luggage to be transported for you: a backpack or travel bag in good condition

Country: Italy
Capital: Rome
Island: Sardinia
Largest city on the island: Cagliari
Population: 1662045 inhabitants

Travellers, including minors, must hold a national identity card or passport (EU nationals). For entry requirements during the Covid-19 pandemic, please consult the Ministry for Foreign Affairs website.

Italian National Tourist Board
23 Rue de la Paix, 75002 Paris
Tel: 0142660396

Honorary Consular Agency of France in Cagliari, Italy
c/o Alliance française Cagliari
via Giacomo Puccini 4
09128 Cagliari
Telephone: (+39) (0) 3484566546

+ 39.

There is no time difference between France and Sardinia.

The climate is mild and very dry, even in the south of the island, with little rain (unlike Corsica). In the mountainous interior, winters can be harsh, with snow on the peaks. Some months are windy, particularly April. The mistral, ponente and sirocco each affect temperatures in their own way. Vegetation is everywhere. Inland, forests of cork oak, chestnut, walnut and beech are often the result of a policy aimed at counteracting years of deforestation. Closer to the sea, a form of Mediterranean scrub made up of myrtle, juniper, strawberry trees, rockrose and oleander releases its fragrances from spring onwards. Almond trees, prickly pears, cherry trees, wild cherry trees, orange trees and quince trees complete these typically Mediterranean landscapes. A few hundred kilometres from mainland Italy, Sardinia has a similar climate. 2 periods are particularly good for exploring the island: late spring (early June) and early autumn (around late September). Rain is still rare, and outdoor temperatures range from 23 to 24°C, making it possible to go hiking without suffering from the heat. In July and August, rain is virtually non-existent, but the sirocco, a dry, scorching wind from Africa, blows continuously across the island. Source: www.routard.com

Euro.

Sardinian cuisine
Sardinian cuisine satisfies even the most discerning palates through its simplicity and natural ingredients, with local produce offering delicate yet intense flavours that make for delicious dishes. Wheat is the staple ingredient behind the best-known speciality, Carasau bread, and is also used to make Malloreddus, Culurgiones and Fregola.
You cannot leave the island without trying Porceddu, a flavoursome roast suckling pig served on cork platters scattered with myrtle branches. Among the flavours of the sea, Alghero’s spiny lobster deserves a special mention, as do Cabras bottarga (dried mullet roe) and Carloforte tuna. Seafood dishes include cockle soup and spaghetti with sea urchin. Locally produced cured meats and cheeses are also part of this delicious cuisine, with pecorino the undisputed star. Sardinia’s wines bring their own sensory pleasures to the table, with meals accompanied by an excellent Vermentino di Gallura or Cannonau. Myrtle liqueur is also one to savour.
Source.