If you are thinking to visit the south west of Sardinia, this is really the place you can not miss.
A place, which beauty is so amazing to look like surreal. This is Masua, a tiny hidden beach where I left my heart last summer. A sandy beach surrounded by the mountains and overlooking the white rock/islet of Pan di Zucchero emerging from the deep blue waters. You only seam to miss a ship pf pirates in the picture..
To get to Masua is really easy. From Cagliari you should take the 130 road towards Iglesias for about 40 minutes. You go always straight until you find directions to turn right for Nebida. Follow that. You will drive for about six kms. This road is very bendy and runs over cliffs but the views are spectacular and this journey is really part of the whole experience. You may want to stop to take some beautiful pics.
When you see directions for Masua, you will start to go down towards the beach and there you are!
Enjoy!
Manuela
PS: a bar, canoa hire and toilets are available. Parking can be limited on a week-end in August and sometimes in July as it can get busy so try to go early.
The answer, most of the times, is yes.
If you are going to Sardinia for a short city break of two or three days in Cagliari or Alghero, then you probably do not need it.
The airports are not too far from the towns and you can easily get a cab from there. You can visit the city centre by foot and you can reach the local beaches by bus, even if the public transport can be a little bit slow…
If you are planning a tour of different areas of Sardinia also taking many day excursions or visiting the most secluded areas of the island, then you really need to hire a car.
Top tips:
1) Sardinian drivers are very “creative”, as Luca says, so be careful
2) Directions are not always good, so check your route on a recent maps before you start going.
Ciao
Manu
As usual this map starts from Cagliari’s train station.
To go to Carloforte a ferry is needed and you can catch one from Portovesme or from Calasetta. These are directions to Portovesme, it should take more or less one hour and a half. The ferry takes another 45 mins.
From Cagliari take to SS130 for Elmas or airport but keep going till the end to Iglesias (do not enter Iglesias) and further. Then SS 126 for a while, turn right to follow SP 82 to Portovesme.
The map shows you the way.
Driving to Tharros is quite an easy task.
Either if you’re coming from north or south in the main road SS 131 you have to leave it at Oristano.
In both cases you can leave the 131 slightly earlier (see flags on the map) and go through some small villages, or you can leave it at Oristano exit.
When you are in Oristano (in the case you are coming from south) drive through the city and go towards Donigala Fenugheddu or Cabras or S. Giovanni di Sinis. Turn left before reaching Donigala Fenugheddu in Via Torre Grande. Most probably you will already find borders or directions for Tharros ruins or S. Giovanni di Sinis.
Carry on following that road and after few Kms you’ll arrive. Anyway have a look at the map and if you need drop us a line.
If you want, you can visit the small village of S. Salvatore, a very charateristic village where in the sixties many western movies where shot. And if it happens to be there in september do not miss ” La Corsa degli Scalzi” a religious event where people run barefooted carrying the saint image.
First time I arrived in Alghero I had few problems finding the office where I had rented a car and arriving in Cagliari (where I’m from).
On the way back I nearly missed my flight because I had to refill petrol and I couldn’t find any petrol station nearby. So I am writing this post in order to help you to avoid few little annoying things.
First of all, when you rent the car, ask where is the pick up point, because in Alghero and in Cagliari many agencies are outside the airport (pretty hidden actually). Wherever your agency is, if you are not traveling alone, it’s faster if one of you goes to pick up the keys and the others wait for your luggage.
That time I had to queue for one hour…Anyway, finally I got my car and I was driving to Cagliari when I got lost few times, so here is a map.
If you are going anywhere in Sardinia apart from Alghero or Bosa, follow the blue line to SS131 (Carlo Felice) otherwise follow the red line.
For ss131 follow directions to Sassari, and make sure you do not miss the “Sassari 4 Corsie” (I have marked it with a pin). When you arrive at the SS131 take for Cagliari if you want to go south.
Coming back to the airport from south on the SS131 there are directions to Alghero airport advising to wheel before Sassari. IGNORE them and arrive to Sassari, then follow directions for Alghero. If you have to refill do it just before leaving the SS131. There’s just one petrol station close to the airport and it might be closed.
Here’s is map with some driving directions to get to the market. I will assume your starting point is the train station or the harbor. Once you know where it is you can work out your own itinerary. Also, I am suggesting the easiest way and not the fastest, that is reserved for Cagliaritani!
I normally warn everybody against the traffic in Cagliari, what I say is that we are very creative drivers!………
Good luck!! 
- Let’s say that you are in Piazza Matteotti, where the main harbour and train station are.
- Take Via Roma (south east) on the sea side of the road (You should have the harbor just on your right),
- this road makes a 45° right turn and immediately there’s a traffic light.
- Turn left and you are in Viale Colombo, keep going and you’ll find another traffic light.
- Go straight following the road (is quite a big one).
- After going up and down again the road turns left (at this point you should have a stadium on the left)
- At the roundabout take the second exit and go straigh.
- The road will turn to left but you have to go up to the right.
- Keep following that road till the end.
I just realized that is much easier doing it than explaining it!! It should take 15 mins.
There are at least two different ways to go from Cagliari to Cala Gonone, one is the quickest and easyest, the other one offers beautiful views but is a really long and difficult way (if you want to know this one drop me an email).
What I would do is:
- from Cagliari take SS131 going towards Sassari and keep going until you pass Oristano (it should be more or less one hour).
- After Oristano you’ll start seeing directions for Abbasanta and at after few minutes you’ll notice a service station on both sides of the road. Stop there and have a break like every sardinian does!
- Once you’ve left the service station on your right you’ll find an exit for Nuoro (watch out, it is really close to the petrol station) on SS131 DCN. Take it and keep going until Nuoro.
- Now you have two options: keep going and pass Nuoro until the exit for SP38 for Dorgali (Blue line on the map). Or enter Nuoro.
- If you do go through Nuoro follow directions for Oliena or Dorgali (SS129) and keep it until the exit for Dorgali.
- From Dorgali you should be able to find directions to Cala Gonone.
Here’s a map to explain it better:
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