Sardinia planning
Palau vs Porto Cervo vs Olbia — the honest breakdown so you don't overpay for what you don't need.
For 90% of North Sardinia trips the answer is Palau: 40 minutes from Olbia airport, ferry to La Maddalena at the port, 20 minutes to Porto Cervo and the Costa Smeralda beaches, and prices that are a fraction of Porto Cervo for the same water. The rest of this page explains when the answer changes.
Good for: Boat-tour travelers, families, first-timers, U.S. visitors on the JFK–Olbia route. 40 min from Olbia airport, 20 min from Costa Smeralda, Maddalena ferry at the port.
Watch out: Not beachfront (10 min walk to closest beach), packed in mid-August.
Good for: Traveler with a €5,000+ hotel budget who specifically wants the Costa Smeralda scene, Cala di Volpe, yacht harbor nightlife.
Watch out: 3–5× the price for the same beaches. Restaurants €80–150 per person. Dead outside July–August.
Good for: One night on arrival/departure only. Airport 10 min, ferry to the mainland at the port.
Watch out: Working port town, no swimming beaches within 15 minutes, far from Maddalena.
Good for: Families who want long sandy beaches (La Cinta) and don't need La Maddalena.
Watch out: 45 min south of Olbia — far from the archipelago and the Corsica-facing coast.
Good for: Travelers combining Sardinia + Corsica, or who love the wild granite coves of Capo Testa.
Watch out: 1 hour from Olbia airport, less choice of restaurants than Palau.
Good for: Travelers focused on the northwest — Neptune's Grotto, Bosa, Catalan heritage. 2h30 drive from Palau.
Watch out: Completely different region — pick one or split the trip.
For stays of 3 nights or more, apartments almost always win in Palau:
Hotels win for 1–2 nights, or if you specifically want daily housekeeping and a bar.
Pedestrian old town, 10 min on foot to the Maddalena ferry and to La Sciumara beach.
Air conditioning, free private parking, WiFi, kitchen, 24/7 self check-in with keybox — no front desk.
For most travelers: Palau. It's the ferry port for La Maddalena, 20 minutes from Costa Smeralda, and 40 minutes from Olbia airport — you get the beaches without the Porto Cervo price tag. Alghero (west coast) is better if you're focused on the northwest and Neptune's Grotto; Santa Teresa Gallura if you're crossing to Corsica.
Palau wins on value and authenticity — restaurants at €25–35 per person versus €80–120 in Porto Cervo, and the same beaches (Costa Smeralda beaches are all free and public, no matter where you sleep). Porto Cervo makes sense only if you specifically want the yacht-set atmosphere and are traveling on a champagne budget.
Palau. Olbia is the transport hub — airport, ferry to the mainland — but the town itself is a working port with limited beach access. Sleep in Palau (40 min drive), do the archipelago tour, and only stop in Olbia for arrival/departure.
For stays over 3 nights, apartments almost always win: private kitchen (breakfast on your terrace, avoid €25 hotel buffets), laundry, more space, and self check-in that doesn't care about your JFK arrival time. Hotels make sense for 1–2 nights or if you want daily housekeeping.
In Palau you don't need beachfront. The town has 5+ beaches within 10 minutes by car and one (La Sciumara) reachable on foot in 10 minutes. Beachfront properties charge a big premium and put you far from restaurants and the ferry.
Most modern ones do — and you'll want it in July and August (30–33°C / 86–91°F). Check listings carefully: some historic buildings still don't. All five Vento e Mare apartments have A/C.
There's paid seasonal parking near the port and free parking around the outer streets. Look for accommodations that include private parking (marked "posto auto privato" / "parking privato") to skip the daily hunt — this is a big value-add in July/August.
