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Bicycling Sardinia – Alghero to Cagliari

Guided Bike Tours in Sardinia
  • Length 11 days
  • From USD$5695
  • Style/Level Classic 4.0
  • Countries Italy
  • Begin/End Alghero/Cagliari

The Italian island of Sardinia is renowned for its rich history, colorful handcrafts, and endless miles of undisturbed beaches. Our tour gives you a chance to discover this Mediterranean jewel that is often overlooked by American tourists. Spend 11 days exploring breathtaking coastal roads, pedaling ancient forests, and hiking to ruins that predate Roman civilization by more than 1,000 years – all while enjoying traditional Italian meals and wine. Other highlights are a visit to an excavated Roman town, a fabulous shepherds’ barbecue, and swimming in pristine waters.

Highlights

  • Quiet country roads, Spectacular mountain vistas, Great food, great coastal bicycle rides, Traditions dating back to pre-Roman times, Cabras Archaeological Museum, guide hike, mask museum

Includes

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  • Total distance 626 km (389 miles)
  • Average daily distance 78 km (48 miles)
  • Tour style Classic
  • Tour level 4.0

Highlights: Seaside Alghero, Catalan & Gothic architecture

There are plenty of ways to get to Alghero including international air connections or by boat from Genoa to Porto Torres. Alghero was a Catalan outpost and has a dialect that is still a mix of Catalan and Italian. We’ll fit bicycles this afternoon and recommend an easy test ride before our special welcome dinner tonight.

Meals : Dinner
 Lodging : Hotel Carlos V

Highlights: Scenic coastal riding, the town of Bosa

We’ll follow the coast south toward Bosa this morning. Take your time and enjoy the roller coaster ride this morning as the reality of this mountainous island sinks in – you’re actually cycling suspended between the sea and mountains! Bosa is our first stop and we recommend you take time to explore this fascinating town before enjoying lunch here. A final climb through small coastal vineyards brings us to a plateau dotted with tiny traditional villages. Since Roman times, the Sardinians have never really lived by the sea as pirates and bad weather were more common at sea level.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Villa Asfodeli – hotel de charme

Highlights: Two-night stay, traditional basket makers, small Sardinian villages

We remain inland today, visiting the towns of Flussìo (famous for its home-made baskets) and Tinnura (famous for its murals) on our way to Cuglieri, a village that still makes olive oil from trees planted by Spanish noble families in the 16th Century, we’ll enjoy a fun descent to a beautiful beach for a refreshing swim. A flat ride brings us to our hotel this afternoon.

Meals : Breakfast
 Lodging : Hotel Villa Canu

Highlights: Optional ride to the Roman ruins of Tharros, explore hidden beaches and bays

Today is a day off the bikes for those who prefer to relax. Or we’ll offer an optional ride to the Phoenician and Roman ruins of Tharros on the coast, where you can enjoy a relaxing swim at the beach. Those with an urge for exploration can spend the entire day cycling to all the little bays and beaches along this wild coast. Your return ride will bring you by salt marshes inhabited by fish and pink flamingoes. Try some famous “bottarga” (fish roe) made in this area, either on pasta or on pizza!

Meals : Breakfast
 Lodging : Hotel Villa Canu

Highlights: Woolen rugs of Samugheo, ice cream in Sorgono

We head deep into Sardinia’s interior today. Our route follows the Tirso River to Fordongianus, an important ancient Roman city, and then heads up to Samugheo, known for its knotted white woolen rugs. After lunch and/or a gelato stop in Samugheo, continue climbing to Atzara and Sorgono, where the summit (900+ meters or 2880 feet) awaits. Our destination is the small mountain town of Tonara, famous throughout Italy for its honey and egg-white “torrone” (nougat) and its artisanal bellmakers that help herders keep track of sheep, goats and cattle.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Hotel Belvedere

Highlights: Coastal mountains of Sardinia, resort hotel with pool, traditional masks of Mamoiada

We start the day with a well-earned downhill before climbing to the friendly town of Gavoi and our lunch stop in Mamoiada. We’ll regroup for a brief visit to the traditional mask museum to learn about the haunting masks that dominate traditional festivals before continuing on through the center of Sardinia’s historic “bandit” region, Orgosolo in the Gennargentu (silver) mountains. Our destination is a serene mountain hotel, nestled under the imposing white limestone mountain Supramonte.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Hotel Barbagia

Highlights: Visit to prehistoric Nuragic village, shepherds’ barbecue

Leave your cycling shoes behind today as we enjoy a hike to some of the ruins and rock dwellings of the ancient Nuragic civilization that once inhabited this area. After our hike, we’ll share a barbecue in the mountains with local shepherds. An early return to our hotel allows for serious rest and relaxation at the swimming pool before dinner together.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
 Lodging : Hotel Barbagia

Highlights: Spectacular limestone mountains, rugs and olive oil of Dorgali

Hold on to your helmets! We go from 100 meters (328 feet) to 1,000 meters (3280 feet) and then back down to sea level as we cycle through some of the most spectacular limestone mountains in the Mediterranean basin. You’ll want to stop in Dorgali to see the rugs, traditional gold filigree jewelry, and Sardinian ceramic designs before a long but gentle scenic climb brings us to the top of the pass. From there it’s downhill to Arbatax our home for the night.

Meals : Breakfast
 Lodging : Hotel Arbatasar

Highlights: Wild countryside

Today’s ride is long, but with gently rolling terrain through the villages Tertenìa, Villaputzu and Muravera. The scenery is bucolic with views of the mountain range that separates the valley we are riding through from the sea. We’ll enjoy glimpses of the Tyrrhenian Sea toward the end of the ride, one of the two seas that flank mainland Italy (the other is the Adriatic Sea between Croatia and Italy).

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Albaruja Hotel

Highlights: Coastal riding, Villasimius, Cagliari

We cycle to the south coast of Sardinia near one of the most famous beaches in Cagliari. We recommend stopping in Villasimius for a midmorning cappuccino and cornetto, a great ice cream, or just to have a walk on the famous Poetto beach, Cagliari’s closest beach. We’ll pedal into Cagliari to our hotel for our final evening and dinner together.

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
 Lodging : Hotel Regina Margherita

Highlights: Cagliari

After breakfast, we’ll say goodbye. If time allows stay a few extra days in this Mediterranean paradise.

Meals : Breakfast

Visit our Tour Level page to learn more about terrain levels and how we determine day and tour levels.

Pre-trip planning checklist

Italy travel planning page

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  • Well-planned and supported throughout. Very knowledgeable and experienced guides, great bikes, love the daily itineraries with language and culture tips.

    Maria L., Calgary, Canada – June 2022

  • The history, culture and beauty of Sardinia is unparalleled. Add delicious food and wine as well as challenging biking and you have a great vacation!

    Anne K., Portsmouth, RI – Sept 2019

  • How would you describe this tour to a friend? Well worth doing. A good route with a nice balance of distance and climbing without being too hard.

    Antony G., Sydney, NSW, Australia – May 2018
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