The 15 Best Beaches in Southern Sardinia (100% Worth a Visit)

Full List of the Best Beaches in South Sardinia

It is very difficult to rank south Sardinia beaches as they are as beautiful as each other.

That is why I have chosen to list the top 15 by location, going from the western part to the eastern part of the island: 

1. Cala Sinzias
2. Cala Pira
3. Punta Molentis
4. Porto Giunco
5. Poetto
6. Nora
7. Santa Margherita di Pula
8. Monte Cogoni 
9. Su Giudeu
10. Cala Cipolla
11. Tuerredda
12. Porto Pino
13. Spiaggia Grande
14. Masua
15. Cala Domestica

Now, let’s see each of these beaches in more detail! Keep reading below for more info on the beaches including photos and tips for accessing them properly.

1. Cala Sinzias

Located on the beautiful Costa Rei at Castiadas, not far from Villasimius, Cala Sinzias is a beautiful beach very popular with the locals especially because of its water of incredible transparency, which is one of the purest in Sardinia.

trinchetto / CC BY-NC-ND

Large enough not to be crowded, you will find everything you need: calm, clear water like a swimming pool, white sand, and a rocky Mediterranean shrub with abundant vegetation. 

2. Cala Pira

Spiaggia di Cala Pira is a sight for sore eyes. Located close to Cala Sinzias about 7-minute drive, it is a white sandy bay in the shape of a half-moon overhung by a 17th-century tower and enclosed by hills covered with vegetation. 

Sheltered from the wind, this beach is quite calm and known to be a nice spot for snorkeling in Sardinia because of its shallow water and incredible sea life, especially by the rocks. 

3. Punta Molentis

Located on the southeastern tip of the island, Punta Molentis is a small beach of white sand nestled in a green cove. This beach is so wonderful that it is used in lots of advertisements.

There, like on many other Sardinian beaches, the water is crystal blue and not too deep, with nice sea life to discover while snorkeling. The little extra: this natural wonder is leaning against a hill sheltering some ruins of a nuraghe that is possible to visit. What better way to combine a historical visit with relaxation at the beach?

4. Porto Giunco

Also located in Villasimius about 20-minute drive from Punta Molentis, Spiaggia di Porto Giunco is arguably one of the best beaches in south Sardinia. With the Notteri pond right behind and the Aragonese tower overlooking it, Porto Giunco is everyone’s dream beach. 

With its low, sandy seabed, protected by walls of rocks and vegetation, and its azure water, this beach has ideal conditions for swimming and scuba diving. Bonus: Porto Giunco beach is so large and wide that you will always find a place to lie down, even in high season!

5. Poetto

Spiaggia del Poetto is ideal for relaxing, sunbathing, picnicking with your toes in the white sand, and swimming in the turquoise water. Close to a pond, the beach is regularly flown over by endemic pink flamingos, offering a rather unique setting. 

Very large and often subject to waves, this beach will delight families, party people, and surfers. But due to its proximity to the city center of Cagliari, Poetto is very popular and is often heavily crowded in summer, especially on weekends. 

6. Nora

Spiaggia di Nora is located in the village of Pula, about 45-minute drive west of Cagliari. There, transparent shallow azure water and typical Mediterranean scenery await you, perfect for families. 

It stands out for its superb view of the Torre del Coltellazzo and for the archaeological site of Nora, one of the most ancient Phoenician cities in Sardinia (12-8th century BC), accessible by foot from the beach. 

7. Santa Margherita di Pula

Santa Margherita di Pula is a 2600-meters long and well-equipped beach located about 1-hour drive from Cagliari. It is very popular with surfers and other water sports lovers thanks to its ideal wind conditions. In fact, the beach features a water sports center where you can rent windsurfing boards, SUP, jet skis, kitesurfing, and more.

With its shallow waters ranging from light to dark blue, golden sand, and small pine forest, Spiaggia di Santa Margherita di Pula is also a popular spot with families with children and campers.

8. Monte Cogoni 

Spiaggia di Monte Cogoni is an incredibly picturesque beach, with absolute blue waters and golden sand dominated by a medieval tower standing on a green hill. On the back, you can even spot some flamingos in the pond.   

A bit less known than the other beaches nearby (Su Giudeu, Su Portu, or Cala Cipolla), you will definitely find somewhere to settle on this beach, even in the middle of August. 

9. Su Giudeu

Located near Chia, about 1 hour from Cagliari, Su Giudeu is one of the best beaches in south west Sardinia.

Su Giudeu offers a soft, pleasant, and different landscape. Surrounded by dunes, this beach stands out for the sparkling gold of its endless sand that matches the green of the bushes and the turquoise of the sea.

As for the majority of the beaches in this area, the sea bed is shallow, clear, and rich in fish. Very large, Su Giudeu is perfect for spending the whole day at the beach.

10. Cala Cipolla

Spiaggia di Cala Cipolla is located right next to Su Giudeu, easily accessible on foot to each other in a 12-minute walk only.

This small unspoiled cove in the bay of Chia is the perfect place to relax: fine sand, dense Mediterranean scrub, and a beautiful view of the small island Isolotto Cala Cipolla.

Cala Cipolla is also the starting point of many coastal trails, including to the promontory of Capo Spartivento. 

11. Tuerredda

Among the most beautiful beaches where to swim in Sardinia, one of them regularly appears at the top of travel magazines: it is Tuerredda Beach in Teulada. For many, it is the best beach south Sardinia has to offer…

Located between Capo Malfatano and Spartivento, 8 km from Chia, Spiaggia di Tuerredda is protected from the mistral and offers a breathtaking panorama, similar to the Caribbeans. 

Its waters are ideal for long swims and snorkeling sessions, with the Isola di Tuerredda located about 150 meters from the coast as a backdrop.

12. Porto Pino (Spiaggia delle Dune)

Located in Sant’Anna Arresi, Porto Pino is one of the most astonishing beaches in southern Sardinia. It is also known as Spiaggia delle Dune because of the small sand dunes surrounding it. 

In addition to featuring transparent water and fine white sand, Porto Pino has a unique flora as the pond located behind is home to rare birds. You will also find trees typical of this beach.

About 6 kilometers long, this beach is not prone to crowds. On the other hand, it can be hit by quite strong winds, which is why you might see kitesurfers crushing the waves. 

13. Spiaggia Grande

Spiaggia Grande is a piece of paradise located in Calasetta on the beautiful island of Sant’Antioco, southwest of Sardinia, easily accessible through a bridge. 

This beach’s north exposure offers wonderful panoramas over Carloforte island just ahead, wind for surfers, and enough room to almost never get too crowded. 

14. Masua

Spiaggia di Masua is definitely one of the most famous beaches in Sardinia, for several reasons.

The first and most obvious reason is the incredible Pan di Zucchero, a magnificent 133-meter limestone rock created by erosion standing not far from the coast that dominates the beach. The second reason is Porto Flavio mines, a loading point for minerals dating from the beginning of the 20th century. These 2 attractions can be visited by boat tour departing from Masua beach. 

But the beach itself is small but great and quite unique due to the building ruins standing right on the beach, but also because of its clear water. 

15. Cala Domestica

Cala Domestica is a wonderful hidden beach, dominated by a Spanish tower. Like Masua located 12 kilometers away, Cala Domestica is situated in a mining area of which some ruins remain, and ranks among the best beaches in south east Sardinia.

Nestled in a wild corner of the southwest coast of Sardinia between white high limestone cliffs, Spiaggia di Cala Domestica delights visitors with its beach covered with fine sand mixed with gravel, and dunes dotted by rich vegetation.

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So, these were the very best beaches southern Sardinia has to offer. Keep scrolling down get the map, and find out more useful Sardinia info.  

Map of the Best South Sardinia Beaches

To get the free map of the 15 best beaches south Sardinia has to offer, simply click on the image below to open it in Google Maps. Then click on the “star” icon to save it to your own maps.

Visit Sardinia

Going to Sardinia? Here are further readings that will help you plan your trip to Sardinia: 

👉 Here is the main travel guide: 7 Days Itinerary in Sardinia (with free map)

If you are looking for Sardinia’s best beaches, here are other dedicated guides:  

• All the Most Beautiful Beaches in Sardinia
• The Best Beaches in North Sardinia 
• The Best Spots to Snorkeling Sardinia
• The Most Beautiful Beaches in La Maddalena
• The Best Beaches Near Olbia

Also, find below my guides to discovering some of Sardinia’s best attractions: 

• The Best Things to Do in Olbia 
• Visit Cala Goloritze in the Gulf of Orosei
• Hiking Guide to Cala Napoletana, La Maddalena
• Visit Laveria Lamarmora
• Discovering Porto Flavia & Pan di Zucchero
• Visit the archeological site of Tharros 
• Hiking Capo San Marco
• Visit Neptune’s Grotto
• Complete Guide to di Cala Li Cossi Beach

Finally, if you’re looking for a home base in Sardinia, you will find my best accommodation recommendations below:

• The Best Areas to Stay in Sardinia
• The Best Place to Stay in Sardinia for Couples
• The Best Places for Nightlife in Sardinia

I hope you enjoy your trip to Sardinia; if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below. 

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