Is Sardinia overrated? Once I ponder the reply to this query, I bear in mind a phrase I as soon as heard in passing: “We will’t all be soulmates.”
The context of this had nothing to do with journey, not to mention with Italy. An enemy of a pal of a pal, you see, had satisfied herself that she had a private relationship with a multimillionaire movie star, who expertly shaded her—the enemy, that is—with these 5 easy phrases.
Once I give it some thought, that is much more excellent for Sardinia. In spite of everything, the island attracts a wealth of celebrities, and the place many yacht-bound TikTok chicks appear to suppose they’re well-known.
My Sardinia Story
If I’m sincere, the query “is Sardinia overrated?” had been taunting me, from the again of my thoughts, for weeks by the point I arrived in Cagliari. Nonetheless, I ignored it, and with good cause. I had dinner with a Sardinian pal and colleague of mine in Rome shortly earlier than touring to the island. Her kindness made me really feel nearly obligated to have a great expertise touring via her dwelling.
Sadly, whereas I discovered many particular person features of touring in Sardinia pleasing, the sum of its components left me chilly. By the point I left 96 hours after I arrived—sure I do know, haters, I didn’t spend lengthy sufficient there—I felt extra relieved than refreshed, extra excited to get again to the Everlasting Metropolis than I’d been strolling alongside Sardinia’s supposedly timeless seashores.
5 Methods Sardinia Disillusioned Me
Over-hyped seashores
Now, I didn’t go to each seashore in Sardinia—I didn’t discover any Sardinian seashores, other than these alongside the well-known Costa Smeralda and the marginally much less well-known Golfo di Orosei. And possibly it’s simply because I’d dipped my toes within the sands of all six inhabited continents (and since my pal informed me Sardinia’s seashores have been higher than Thailand’s—this positively wasn’t true for me), however I felt completely underwhelmed by them.
Problem attending to locations
Effectively, the seashores I may attain, that is. The attendants (sure, it’s essential to pay to enter) at Cala Goloritze wouldn’t even let me “hike” to the seashore as a result of I wasn’t carrying mountaineering boots (Aspect notice: Who wears mountaineering boots to a seashore?). Furthermore, the queue to park at Cala Brandinchi was over an hour; I couldn’t even be bothered to attend in it. Is Sardinia overrated? Except you get diamonds on the seashore I’d say it’s.
A part of the explanation I really feel so salty is that so as even to have a hope of seeing Sardinian seashores, I needed to lease a automobile, which price me over 200 USD for a single day. In an effort to lease it (at Olbia Airport—there have been none in Cagliari), I needed to journey a prepare over 4 hours, and keep in Olbia‘s sterile city heart, which was itself soul-sucking. To be blunt, it appears Sardinia is organized primarily to serve the rich yacht homeowners who entry its seashores by boat.
Excessive costs
The rental automobile wasn’t the one excessive price of touring in Sardinia. Costs of lodging in each Cagliari and Olbia have been at the very least as costly as what I discovered on the Italian mainland, to say nothing of how a lot I paid for traditional dishes like cugurlione dumplings and porceddu pork knuckle. Is Sardinia overrated? Possibly not, however for what you get, it’s actually overpriced. And that’s with out the yacht rental payment!
Unhealthy luck
Now, I’ll be sincere and humble right here: I solely went to Sardinia one time, and just for just a few days. Whereas I structured my quick journey intentionally sufficient that I refuse to simply accept the cost of poor planning, I’ll concede that a few of my mishaps (the dearth of rental automobile availability, the seashore Nazis at Cala Goloritze) have been right down to unhealthy luck. However, first impressions are legitimate—and vital—even when we are able to all admit they shouldn’t be the final phrase.
Will I Go Again to Sardinia?
I’ll completely return to Sardinia, most likely through the summer season of 2023 (except some type soul invitations me sooner!). Along with spending longer alongside the coast (notably the Golfo d’Orosei, the place I wish to take a ship tour for just a few days), I additionally wish to discover the island’s west. This can embrace each the cities of Alghero and Sassari, in addition to the seashores of Asinara Nationwide Park, which seem like the island’s most stunning.
I additionally wish to journey with my pal (assuming she doesn’t hate me after studying this); locals have a approach of appearing as a shortcut to the gold of any vacation spot, notably when you’ve got a nasty expertise by yourself the primary time. Is Sardinia overrated? My present reply to this query is “sure, completely.” However I hope that softens and fades away over time.
Different FAQ About Sardinia
Is Sardinia price seeing?
Sardinia is price seeing with your individual eyes, though I’d counsel you mood your expectations. I anticipated a pristine dreamland with the very best seashores on the planet; I arrived to an advanced, confounding island whose coastlines, as emerald-toned as they is likely to be, weren’t sufficient to stability out the negatives of my journey.
Why is Sardinia standard?
Sardinia is standard primarily as a result of its world-famous seashores. Importantly, it’s standard largely amongst rich yacht-owners and French vacation makers with the money to constitution their very own boats for just a few days; after making an attempt to navigate Sardinia by personal automobile and public transport, I can see why these kinds of individuals are its audience.
The Backside Line
Is Sardinia overrated? Though that in the end relies on the expectations you set for the island, it’s troublesome for me to return to every other conclusion. Sardinia’s seashores are stunning, however probably the most stunning ones are inaccessible to all however probably the most wealthy and well-known. The island is technically a part of Italy, however is so cumbersome and costly to combine into a visit with the mainland that it would as nicely be a separate nation. Now, I’m not writing Sardinia off—I plan to return sooner or later, for an extended time period and with a unique technique. Except you’re ready to be as deliberate as I’ll be in a 12 months or two, I’d most likely advocate selecting Sicily as a substitute, assuming you need a quick and stress-free vacation.
Robert Schrader is a journey author and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications corresponding to “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” alongside the best way. His weblog, Go away Your Day by day Hell, supplies a mixture of journey recommendation, vacation spot guides and private essays overlaying the extra esoteric features of life as a traveler.
