The characteristic Sardinia is an island with beautiful nature, incredible beaches, prehistoric nuraghi and countless cosy streets. With its 1.2 million inhabitants it is much less densely populated than its sister Sicily. On this island, people are often older than 100 years because of the quiet and healthy lifestyle. The daily glass of wine and fresh olive oil can also play a role 
. Sardinia has very qualitative olives, where exclusive olive oil is made. Sardinia is currently a popular destination among motorcyclists, but definitely a must for nature lovers and hikers.
Droneshot @ Castelsardo resort
The 5 best places of Sardinia
Castelsardo, the cosy village on a volcanic soil
This small village, located in the north of Sardinia, is known for its old crafts. If you walk through the narrow streets of Castelsardo, you see old women weaving all kinds of things. The village is located on a volcanic rock, on the Gulf of Asinira with a beautiful view. If you are lucky, you can even see the island of Corsica!
The old fortification wall, with the ancient fortress Castello Bellavista and the Cathedral of Sant’Antonio Abate characterize the village. Castelsardo is not only known for its old crafts, but also for its fresh fish and delicious lobster. They have a large variety of authentic small restaurants that serve fresh fish and seafood.
Note: Most shops are closed between 1pm – 4pm, because of the Italian siesta 
.
Castelsardo village
Castelsardo Sardinia
Sardinia
La Maddalena archipelago, the clearest water of Sardinia
This archipelago consists of 7 large and 20 small islands located in the north of Sardinia. All the islands are part of the National park ‘La Maddalena archipelago’ with 12,000 hectares of land and sea. The vegetation you can expect is mainly the characteristic masque vegetation.
We visited the largest island of La Maddalena and the small island of Spargi. The best way to get to the Maddalena Islands is by ferry. This is a fairly cheap option, where you can combine different islands. You can take a boat from the port of Palau, where you have various possibilities to book an excursion or to rent a boat by yourself. The ferries sail regularly because these islands are quite popular among tourists.
Link: http://www.ferryto.nl/ports/LaMaddalena.html
Droneshot La Maddalena archipel
La Maddalena
La Maddala and Caprera are the 2 largest islands and are connected by a bridge. Apart from the typical cosy restaurants and shops, this island is mainly known for the museum of Garibaldi. Guiseppe Giribaldi is a hero of both worlds, who lived for 35 years in Caprera. He was an Italian general, politician and nationalist who played a major role in the history of Italy.
Furthermore, the island has a cosy harbour and an extensive range of fresh fish served in the restaurants, perfect for lunch!
La Maddalena and the marina
Spargi, the Mediterranean pearl
Our last stop was on the small island of Spargi. It does not feel like you are on the Mediterranean sea. The azure water and the beautiful beaches are rather a rough version of the Caribbean. We mainly relaxed here and enjoyed the crystal clear water.
Alghero, the small Barcelona
If you mix trendy Barcelona with some Italian atmospheres, you get Alghero. The typical Italian balconies, the quiet character, the characteristic streets and colorful flowers made me fall in love with this place.
In Alghero they have invented a very nice concept. A lady thought it was time to invest in recycling and found a good solution. Since every household has a surplus of plastic bottles, you can better give them a second life. Then the idea to plant flowers in plastic bottles came up! The other inhabitants picked up this idea and now the whole town is filled with colourful bottles with flowers in it.
Tip: try the Sardinian delicacy torrone, also known as nougat!
Bosa, a town like a painting
Culture, history and colourful houses are three words that best describe Bosa. This picturesque village is located on the river Temo. The village made me think of a painting with its facades in all kinds of pastel colours. It is very beautiful to see, but these colourful facades also have a functional meaning. All residents paint their facades in a nice colour, because they meet each other in front of the house to chat a bit.
Bosa is best known for the Malaspina Castle, which is situated at the foot of the Serravalle mountain. We flew out Diego the drone, but we didn’t go up because of the bad weather and endless stairs.
Photo tip: On the arch bridge from 1871 you have a beautiful view over the town of Bosa, with the fishing boats and colorful houses.
Practical tips for your stay, transport and flights
Castelsardo resort (Corendon hotel)
The Castelsardo resort is a 4 * hotel located in the north of Sardinia. As it is stated in the name, it is located nearby the small town of Castelsardo. Within a radius of 3 km, you will find this nice rustic town with its delicious fish dishes. You can always take the shuttle bus at the hotel to the city centre (5 euros back and forth).
Droneshot Castelsardo resort
The biggest plus of this Corendon hotel is the perfect orientation; all rooms have a beautiful sea view. We had some magical sunsets, which were great for pictures. Next to the Castelsardo hotel is a small beach, which is completely surrounded by the mountains. This is a good solution to relax a bit and have some privacy.
The pool of Castelsardo resort
Conclusion: The Castelsardo hotel is a decent 4 star hotel with all basic facilities and a great view. If you want to explore the island, I would suggest hiring a car. Important to mention; the hotel does not offer free Wi-Fi, but you can purchase it for 2 euros per device per day. Also keep in mind that internet on the island is not always that good.
Link: Castelsardo resort
Rooms of Castelsardo resort
Pool of Castelsardo resort
Flights to Sardinia from Maastricht airport
9 new destinations have been added by Corendon from the Airport of Maastricht. We flew several times from Maastricht Airport because it is just so easy and practical! From Antwerp it is only 1.30 hours drive, without too much traffic. Once you have arrived, you can park your car for free at less than 50 meters from the entrance. So you do not have to worry about the search for the cheapest parking to park your car. The free parking is only for Corendon customers, so a reason more to book with Corendon. The airport itself is quite small, so you are immediately at the right gate.
Discover the island? Rent a car!
It is advisable to rent a car or to plan some excursions in order to get to know the island. The cheapest option is to rent a car at the airport. You can also rent a car in the Castelsardo resort itself, but this is more expensive (namely 70 euro/day excl. insurance). Those who would like to rent a car and park it at the hotel should pay 12 euros a day or 70 euros a week. In the village of Castelsardo, the white parking spaces are free and the blue are free between 1pm – 4pm.
In collaboration with @corendon.
We also visited Sicily, read our experience here!
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