April 2024: For a portion of our 3-week family trip with our 9-month-old daughter, we spent 4 nights and 5 days in Sardinia. We began in Cagliari, in the south of the island, arriving on a Ryanair flight from Seville, Spain. After picking up a rental car in Cagliari, we hit the road heading north toward the Baunei Coast, where we’d be spending the next three nights before capping off our stay with a night in Olbia in the far north.
As with many of my travels, I sought out Sardinia’s natural beauty and its wilder landscapes. The Baunei Coast, with its towering coastal cliffs, stood out to me as a must-see. Known for its rugged, roadless wilderness, the area is famous for the Selvaggio Blu, or “Wild Blue,” a challenging 7-day hike often called Europe’s hardest, which combines trekking and climbing to navigate the wild coastline. While this intense hike wasn’t in the cards for this family trip, I hoped to experience a slice of the area’s untamed beauty by doing some shorter hikes. This glimpse of Sardinia’s wilder side was enough to satisfy my love of nature—without requiring a full expedition!
About Sardinia
Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily, may be part of Italy, but it feels like a world apart. The Sardinian people have their own distinct language—though they also speak Italian—and their history is equally unique. Scattered throughout the island, including the Baunei Coast, are thousands of ancient stone towers called nuraghe, remnants of a mysterious civilization dating back to around 730 BC. Little is known about this culture, and the purpose of the nuraghe remains uncertain, though theories suggest they may have served religious, funerary, or defensive roles. Sardinia could well have remained independent had it not been for a series of power consolidations in the 1700s that ultimately tied it to Italy.
The island’s rugged, mountainous landscape has helped preserve its rustic charm. Unlike the Italian mainland, where historical sites are a central draw, Sardinia’s appeal is more about its laid-back atmosphere and stunning natural scenery. Although it’s far less visited, especially by foreign tourists, Sardinia fills with travelers in summer, eager to experience its Mediterranean beaches and coastal beauty. Visiting in late April felt ideal, as the weather was warm, and we enjoyed the peaceful off-season without competing for space in this island paradise.
Location of Sardinia
Our Guesthouse in Santa Maria Navarasse
We settled into the village of Santa Maria Navarrese as our base, staying at a charming little Airbnb for three nights. The guesthouse was owned by a warm, elderly Sardinian woman who used Google Translate to chat with us. The place had a cozy, almost elfin feel, with small rooms and a colorful folkloristic interior, which we found delightful. Even the recycling bins felt made for elves, tiny and quickly filled—a humorous challenge given the detailed recycling instructions!
Santa Maria Navarrese itself was a quiet, walkable town with a few open restaurants and a grocery store, though it felt mostly geared toward the summer beach season, with many places still closed in late April. While the town itself was relatively modern and not particularly memorable, it had some interesting spots to explore, like a watchtower from the 1700s that overlooked a beautiful pebble beach with crystal-clear water, and a medieval church dating back to 1000 AD, surrounded by wild olive trees said to be over a thousand years old.
Though we had clear skies, a fierce, cold wind swept through, and unfortunately, Paula and our daughter came down with a cold. This kept us from fully exploring the area, but we still cherished our time there, finding solace in our cozy guesthouse and the charm of this little seaside village nestled along the stunning Baunei Coast.
Paula and Indie in our guesthouse
Even though it was late April, it was cold outside and our plans for swimming in the mediterranean with indie were spoiled by the cold and instead of a bathing suit, most of the time she was in her bear suit.
The poor little baby had a cold and slept a lot during the trip
Old watch tower from 1700s on the beach
One afternoon the cold wind died down and the sea calmed, and we were able to take Indie to dip her feet into the water of the beach
One afternoon the cold wind died down and the sea calmed, and we were able to take Indie to dip her feet into the water of the beach
Baunai Village
Our journey to the Baunei cliffs took us through the village of Baunei itself—a medieval stone village with winding cobblestone streets, perched high in the mountains. Baunei had a quiet, almost timeless atmosphere, its stone buildings and narrow alleys speaking to a long history. It was clear that this village relied on ecotourism and hiking, especially with its proximity to some of Sardinia’s most breathtaking landscapes.
Since we were visiting just before the official start of the tourist season, we struggled to find open eateries. Most places were still shuttered, leaving the village feeling even sleepier. It seemed we were a bit too early to see Baunei’s full vibrancy, but we enjoyed the charm of this secluded mountain village and its connection to Sardinia’s wilder side.
Baunei Village
Baunei Village
From Baunei, we drove further up into the mountains along a narrow dirt track that went into the wild Baunai mountains.
View from the mountain road above Baunei Village
Exploring the Baunei Coastline
Most of the Baunei Coast, with its Mediterranean scrub forests and ancient olive trees, falls within a protected national park. There are only a few rugged dirt roads for accessing trailheads, and many beaches, like Cala Goloritzè, are intentionally remote—reached only via long, challenging hikes or by boat. Even then, some beaches restrict boat access close to the shore, requiring visitors to swim part of the way to protect these pristine areas. In summer, they even cap visitor numbers to prevent overuse, preserving the fragile ecosystems.
Our exploration of the Baunei Coast took us up a bumpy dirt track from Baunei, where we stopped periodically to walk small sections of coastal trails that started from the roadside. We found ourselves surrounded by rugged landscapes and centuries-old olive trees with twisted trunks that seemed almost mythical. Occasionally, we’d pause to let herds of semi-wild goats wander across the road, adding to the sense of stepping into a slower, simpler way of life. Sardinia’s rural landscapes feel timeless, with shepherds still tending to flocks of goats and donkeys as they’ve done for generations.
One of our most memorable stops was at an ancient Nuraghe site hidden in the forest. This particular one, rather than a standing tower, had collapsed into a pyramid-like mound of stones, blending into the underbrush. Paula and I scrambled through the dense shrubs to reach the top, where we could gaze out in solitude, trying to imagine the mysterious civilization that built these stone structures nearly 3,000 years ago. It felt like stepping back into a forgotten era, leaving us in awe of Sardinia’s unique history.
One of the lonely dirt tracks into the Baunei Coast
Paula and Indie at an old Olive Tree
Paula sitting on top of one of the ancient Nuraghe stone towers
Common billy goat in the backroads of Sardinia
A small section of the coastal trail near Punta Pedra Longa that we hiked that was too beautiful for my camera to capture. I was simply mesmerized by this coastline and the turquoise waters.
Indie and I hiking along the Baunei Coastline near Punta Pedra Longa
Picnic break in an ancient grove of olive trees, Punta Pedra Longa
Hiking to Cala Goloritzè
Originally, I’d hoped to explore the Baunei coastline with a daylong boat trip, which would stop at some of the isolated beaches and caves that make this coast so enchanting. But rough seas forced the boat captain to cancel, so I quickly shifted plans and decided to make the hike to Cala Goloritzè—a stunning, secluded beach with a towering rock spire that’s tucked away in a protected area. The beach is only accessible via a steep half-day round trip hike, or by boat with a swim to shore, as boats must moor at a distance. Even in the quieter season, I knew Cala Goloritzè could get busy, so I made it a point to reach the trailhead from Santa Maria Navarrese well before sunrise.
Being one of the first on the trail, I had the early morning quiet all to myself as I navigated the rugged, rocky path through wild Mediterranean scrub, and it was exhilarating to feel so alone in such a beautiful setting. Reaching the beach felt like a reward, and I was lucky to have it to myself for nearly an hour. The morning light cast a golden hue over the turquoise water and the rocky spire. Despite the water being ice-cold, I couldn’t resist a quick swim. The coastline was so rugged and alluring, and I found myself itching to explore further, to swim along the cliffs, and to investigate the hidden caves and secret coves dotting the shore. A week could easily be lost here, camping, exploring, and soaking in the wild beauty.
When I finally started the long, dry hike back with just the water I’d packed—there’s no water available along the way—I began to see more hikers setting off. Many looked underprepared for the steep, demanding hike, wearing flimsy shoes and without much gear. It felt satisfying to know I’d beaten the crowds and enjoyed a slice of solitude in this small, breathtaking paradise, which wouldn’t take many people to feel crowded.
Me on the hike to Cala Goloritzè
Cala Goloritzè
Cala Goloritzè
Cala Goloritzè
After our stay in Santa Maria Navarrese, we set off on a long drive north to Olbia, where we’d spend our last night in Sardinia at a guesthouse managed by a friendly Dutch woman. The journey was scenic but slow-going, as the narrow, winding rural roads left little margin for passing or error. I had to adjust quickly to the lack of a shoulder and the occasional tight fit for two lanes of traffic. Thankfully, traffic was sparse, though other drivers tended to be aggressive, often zooming past at any opportunity.
The route took us through mountains and tunnels and past charming villages, many of which I wished we had time to explore. Sardinia’s tunnel system was surprisingly extensive, rivaling that of the Faroe Islands. Some tunnels stretched so long—up to 20 minutes in length—that they felt like journeys in themselves. Being a Sunday, most of the smaller towns were practically deserted, with even gas stations closed.
Olbia, however, was lively, with plenty of open restaurants and a bustling atmosphere. We decided to take a tuk-tuk tour of the town’s historical sites. In hindsight, this was a bit of a misstep—our driver didn’t speak English and simply played a pre-recorded English cassette tape. Between the bumpy, chilly ride and the stale commentary, we didn’t get much out of the experience, though it did give us a quick overview of Olbia.
To end the day, we enjoyed a lovely dinner in town, and the next morning, we took a direct flight from Olbia to Berlin, ready for the final leg of our journey.
Family tuk tuk ride in Olbia