Visit the ''wild side'' of Sardinia this season, a discovery you will never forget!

Sardinia: an island of a thousand colors, with its white sandy beaches, granite cliffs that slowly extend into the sea, jagged coasts to the north and sandier to the south, in the heart of the Mediterranean.

Infinite backdrops, dotted with prairies of Posidonia that paint dark shades, to enhance the transparency and light blue of the sea that surrounds this beautiful seemingly uncontaminated and rugged island, unknown to the tourism of the masses until the 1960s. Originally the land of shepherds, people who loved the hinterland and who were afraid to look out to sea because of the pirate ships that stormed through the many coves and bays of the island in past centuries. The result? The coast is still intact, a natural paradise that Sardinians now regard as their most precious inheritance.

The preferred destination for the elite, Sardinia is an island that has become a legend. It is meant to be visited by cruising with a yacht to enjoy every corner of its 1800 km of coastline. The wild nature of this island is its most marvelous spectacle, from north to south dream beaches and incredible cliffs truly enchant everyone.

Star Yacht Group offers different navigation points of interest in Sardinia, all to be discovered aboard the most beautiful yachts located in different ports throughout the island. Nautical tourism is growing more and more: Sardinia's port system is large and complex, there are about 80 landing spots throughout the island; about fifty ports equipped and numerous services to make your sailing holiday one to remember.

The best way to approach Sardinia is by sea, this is the element that characterizes and makes the island such a popular destination for tourists around the world. Who would be contrary to crystal clear water, infinite shades of blue and white sand? These are the recipes for a dream vacation.

There are many possibilities of cruising points of interest that can be explored, along its spectacular coasts uncovering its hidden bays and deserted beaches. Today we would like to illustrate the beauties of our enchanting island over on the west coast side, among breathtaking panoramas and sunsets worthy of postcards.

Il Golfo dell’Asinara: 41°03′28″N 8°16′33″E

At the end of the 90s, with the closure of the prison and the establishment of the Asinara National Park and the Marine Protected Area, the priority is to protect the remarkable fauna heritage (mouflons, wild horses, albino donkeys, the cormorant with the forelock and the peregrine falcon, to name a few), in addition to its coasts and waters.

Asinara has been restored to its origins as a spectacular oasis of peace. The Gulf overlooks the north-western coast of Sardinia for a total of 172.5 km of coastline. The landscape is characterized by uncontaminated nature, hills covered by the green of the Mediterranean scrub. It is home to rare species of plants and animals, colorful shades of the sea waters and seabeds still rich in life, the watershed between the open sea and the Gulf of Asinara.  The island is a world itself, waiting to be discovered.

This is one of the preferred destinations for nature lovers, an ancient fishermen's home, rich in naturalistic splendors scattered over more than 50 km. Between the National Park and the Marine Protected Area lies a real paradise. The Gulf of Asinara with its turquoise waters and white sand boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in Sardinia and all of Italy.

The Gulf of Asinara is an area that boasts beautiful coasts where long sandy beaches coexist with suggestive coves. Wild-looking beaches of sand and pebbles are interrupted by rocks sculpted by the sea, perfect places for a relaxing break away from the chaos of the city.

La Pelosa Beach: 40°58′15.45″N 8°12′25″E

Without a doubt one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, this famous beach is known for its paradisiacal appearance and extremely soft sand. The waters here are distinguished by a very shallow seabed, suitable for children. The most appreciated characteristic is the intense blu shades of its waters, which makes the borders between sky and sea almost imperceptible. Standing on a nearby islet is the symbol of the location, the Aragonese Tower reachable by foot, crossing the cove of La Pelosetta.

Balai Beach: 40°50’17’’N 8°25’1’’E

This small beach is a well-known destination for summer tourists who are attracted to this wild corner every year. We can find the same brilliant turquoise green shallow waters as the Pelosa Beach. the presence of palms and aromatic plants characterize this area, giving it an almost exotic atmosphere.

The Saline di Stintino beach: 40°54′41″N 8°13′58″E

For the lovers of watersports surfing and windsurfing, this is the most appreciated location, given its wild appearance and particularly for its waves gifted by the winds. The beach is near ancient salt pans, dating back to the 13th century, dominated by the Torre Delle Saline, one of the oldest Aragonese buildings on the island.

Certainly, a visit to Asinara cannot end with its beaches, so we suggest you take the path of the white donkey. Along the way it will be easy to meet the rare white donkeys, albino donkeys lacking in melanin, their unlikely tamed nature allows you to caress them. Or you can be accompanied on a dive to discover marine fauna. In short, Asinara is a national treasure and must-see island, rich in nature, history, and memories.

Alghero: 40°33′36″N 8°18′54″E

Also known as the Barceloneta Sarda, or the Sardinian Barcelona this city is one of Sardinia’s main tourist draws, attracting visitors to its wealth of uncrowded inlets that conceal white sandy beaches. The magnificent colors of the sea and the intense, unique fragrances of the Mediterranean shrubbery all combine to make a stay here exceptionally enjoyable.

Alghero is plenty for culture-vultures to savor, thanks to its Catalan-Gothic churches, fortified walls, towers, and Aragonese buildings. Tradition remains strong here and is expressed through sacred rituals, time-honored customs, and the processing of coral and filigree. The Catalan-influenced dialect of the welcoming friendly locals is fascinating.

The shoreline of Alghero extends itself for about 90 km and is known as the Riviera del Corallo, home to a major colony of the most precious coral found on the island. The Riviera del Corallo where the city of Alghero is located offers multiple splendid beaches, (the most famous is undoubtedly the Spiaggia Delle Bombarde), coves, and rocky promontories that form an unforgettable landscape for anyone wishing to visit these lovely places. Diving into these waters rejuvenates the mind and soul, come discover with us our top three beaches of this wonderful city.

Le Bombarde Beach: 40°35′03.84″N 8°15′28.08″E

As we mentioned before, this is the most popular beach in Alghero. The main attraction for young people and occasionally some VIPs. The seawater in addition to being always fresh is wonderful, transparent, and reveals the sandy seabed that reveals the unforgettable colors of the sea. In recent years it has been hit by various storms causing some loss in the sandy space available. However, this has not prevented it from being the most crowded and populated spot. The beach also offers a perfect location for water sports such as surfing and windsurfing.

Porto Ferro Beach: 40°41′00″N 8°11′46″E

This beach can also be reached by crossing a beautiful pine forest. This is one of the largest beaches that open onto the impervious west coast of Nurra, the fine sand of an indefinite color between yellow and red characterizes this location. The sea is clear and characterized by a notable and frequent wave motion, which makes it ideal for surf lovers. If you care to explore behind the dunes covered with sea lilies, you will discover the only natural lake on the island, Lake Baratz. To complete this perfect picture is the presence of three seventeenth-century towers built by the Spanish that overlook the town, Bantine Sale to the south, Negra, and Bianca to the north. Near the Bianca tower to the north is the famous spot for naturist enthusiasts, which ranks fifth among the most beautiful nudist beaches of Europe.

Maria Pia Beach: 40°35’14’’N 8°18’5’’E

Among the many beaches of the coast, which stretches for about 75 km, not to be missed is the Maria Pia beach: one of the most beautiful of the “coral coast”. The characteristic pine forest, planted about 60 years ago, offers not only shelter from excessive heat and the wind that rarely blows but also outdoor training opportunities and unique occasions to admire spectacular sunsets.

The dunes of fine white sand highlight this wonderful beach and mark the end of the pine forest. The almost impalpable sand creates a unique landscape of colors. The seabed, which slopes gently, becomes deep after a few meters, gives the possibility of pleasant walks but above all safe water games for children. The sea is extraordinarily crystalline with colors ranging from green to blue and calm waters devoid of dangers of underwater currents. This area is rarely hit by winds and offers a well-sheltered experience.

To complete the Alghero experience, we absolutely must mention the Regional National Park of Parco Conte. This unique environmental heritage was founded in 1999, and it covers 50.000 acres of land. The landscape is mostly flat alternating with sandy beaches and cliffs. the southernmost part of the park hosts a very important lagoon named Calich whose presence is vital for various animal species. In the opposite direction, we can find Le Prigionette forest once called ‘’Noah’s Ark forest’’ and many other suggestive landscapes.

Since 2002 it has included the Capo Caccia marine area, fundamental for the preservation of Mediterranean biodiversity. Here enormous boulders overhang the water, with walls containing caves. The Grotta di Nettuno is the most famous of these, containing a lake inside enormous stalactites.

La Penisola del Sinis: 39°52′56.15″N 8°26′17.2″E

A true gem of unspoiled paradise on the central-western coast of the island, the Peninsula of Sinis, acknowledged by the European Commission as an ‘Eden’ a destination of excellence thanks to its natural setting. A strip that gives continuity between land and sea, this area stretches for approximately 26.000 hectares.

This beautiful stretch of coast in Sardinia, often far from the invasions of tourists from other more famous areas of the island. Yet, in terms of beauty, the central part of the west coast of Sardinia has nothing to envy the other coasts of our beautiful region. Long stretches of white sand beaches and crystal-clear water alternate with more inaccessible but extremely suggestive areas. Let us talk about the wonderful beaches that you must visit, that are often kept secret by the locals.

Is Arutas Beach: 39°57’4’’N 8°24’3’’E

You would not want to miss out on this gem! Is Arutas was listed among the most beautiful beaches in the world recently. Several hundred meters of turquoise sea and sand, made of small, rounded quartz grains, that look like rice, with shades of colors that vary between pink, light green, and white. This beach is perfect for those who love to relax in a dreamy landscape. It is also a popular spot for surfers and snorkelers given its unique sceneries and wonderful seabed. This is the true pearl of Sinis.

Sa Mesa Longa Beach: 40°02′46″N 8°23′48″E

The beach is characterized by reddish yellow-colored sand not too coarse, with pinkish fragments on the shoreline and stretches of smooth rocks. This beach is also called La Laguna thanks to a long flat rock outcropping that forms a long table (sa mesa).

This destination is a must for swimmers, especially when the tide is very low, this reveals a rock and the soft marine vegetation on which it is possible to walk upon barefoot. This wonderful beach offers a multitude of colors from the reddish-yellow of the sand to the pink of the shoreline and the black of the rocks, which cut the beach into two at the level of the shoreline.

The shape of a huge, shallow swimming pool makes this beach very suggestive and spectacular, as well as very safe for bathing because it is protected by the large body of rock that stops the waves a few hundred meters from the shore.

Maimoni Beach: 39°54’42.5’’N 8°23’59.8’’E

This beach stretches for over 2 kilometers with its light sand, containing grains of quartz giving it shades of pink and white, typical of the Cabras shoreline. The stunning beach of Maimoni is very similar to the nearby and equally beautiful Is Arutas.

The coast is wide and long, with some stretches of rocks on the shore. The water is crystal clear and transparent, the shades of the sea blue and turquoise, the sandy and sloping seabed, ideal for children to swim, with caution because the mistral often generates high waves. Not surprisingly, Maimoni is the attraction for kite surfing, windsurfing, and board surfing enthusiasts from all over the world.

With all there is to explore and see in Sardinia, we believe that you should not only give in to the glory and glamor of the Costa Smeralda. We know that this part of Sardinia can prove that often the most sought-out locations are the ones yet to be fully explored. The opportunity to experience our island's ''wild side'' away from the masses is much easier on a yacht of your choosing. You can find our selection on the following link: https://www.staryachtgroup.com/charters-sardinia.