Arbatax: remote east Sardinia, by boat and trail
Updated October 2026
Remote eastern Sardinia: boat trips in the Gulf of Orosei and wild trails.
Arbatax at a glance
- Best time
- June, September
- Price level
- moderate
- Getting around
- a car is practically essential
- Best for
- beaches, boating, hiking and wine
- The catch
- Remote, with few good restaurants. You need a car: from Cagliari it's about two hours on a newer road, from Olbia a winding mountain drive.
When to go
Temperatures are average daily highs in °F and °C (WeatherSpark). Ratings are our own. $ = cheapest, $$$ = most expensive. 🔥 = heat, ★ = big event.
Who Arbatax is for
Arbatax suits families and nature lovers who want boat trips and beaches. It’s remote for solo travelers, and hard to get around without a car. Walking is mostly flat.
When to go
The best months are June and September. May is good too. The weakest are March and August. From November to February many hotels and services are closed.
Getting around
A car is practically essential. Public transport is sparse, and the best beaches and coves are reached by car or boat.
What Arbatax costs
On a budget, about $100 to $140 per person per day. In comfort or luxury, about $330 to $380. The lower number is the quiet season, the higher one peak season.
Includes your stay, food, activities and local transport, not flights. Converted at about $1.10 per euro. Estimates only.
Flights from the US and Canada
Fly into: Cagliari (CAG). Typical economy fares per person, round trip, with a connection. Canadian fares are in Canadian dollars. Not live prices, so always check before you book.
What Arbatax does best
Its strengths: wine, beaches and swimming, boating, hiking and outdoor sports.
Day trips
With a car, Arbatax is the base for the Gulf of Orosei and the wild interior.
Cala Goloritzé, Cala Luna and other coves you can really only reach by boat. This is why people come to Arbatax.
We haven’t been here ourselves, so this is based on other travelers’ reports.
A rock tower rising from the sea, and a trail along the cliffs.
We haven’t been here ourselves, so this is based on other travelers’ reports.
One of Europe’s deepest gorges. The hike needs proper shoes.
We haven’t been here ourselves, so this is based on other travelers’ reports.
Where to eat
Breakfast and brunch
Lunch
Dinner
We picked these places from Google ratings and reviews in October 2026, and we haven’t eaten at all of them. Many Italian restaurants take reservations on WhatsApp, and a reservation only counts once they reply. The Map link opens the restaurant in Google Maps, where you’ll also find a booking button if they take online reservations. Opening hours change, so check before you go.
Food and wine
Sardinia on a plate: a typical four-course menu, and the wine to go with each.
Golf
There’s no golf course near Arbatax, and we couldn’t find a well-reviewed one within an hour’s drive.
Shopping
Honestly: there’s no shopping worth coming here for. You’ll find the basics, but save the shopping trip for somewhere else.
Plan it
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