By-Car Hire Guide To Sardinia

Sardinia lies about 120 miles west of the Italian peninsula and is the second largest island in the Mediterranean.

Sardinia Overview

Sardinia is a popular tourist spot due to its beautiful mountain scenery, warm climate, historical sites and beaches. It's also a perfect destination for sports enthusiasts as there are many activities to take part in, including sailing, diving, fishing, windsurfing, mountain biking, walking and hiking.

It also has some wonderful archaeological sites, where you can see the remains of settlements founded by the Nuraghians (the island's original inhabitants), the Romans and the Phoenicians.

One of the most popular destinations on Sardinia is the island's capital, Cágliari. It's a perfect base from which to explore Sardinia, as there's plenty to do in the city itself and you can reach most of the island's main attractions within a few hours if you hire a car here.

Most of Cágliari's attractions are based in the Castello quarter, the oldest area of the city. Here you can see Cathedral of Santa Maria, which was built during the 13th century, but which now displays a range of different architectural styles thanks to the many alterations that it has undergone over the centuries. The cathedral is located in the Piazza Palazzo, where you can also see the Archbishop's Palace and the 18th century Palazzo Vicergio (Governor's Palace).

There are a number of museums in Cágliari, four of which are housed in the Cittadella dei Musei (Citadel of Museums) in the Piazza dell'Arsenale. Here you'll find:

• the Museo Archeologico (Archaeological Museum), which houses collections of Roman, Phoenician, Carthaginian and Nuraghic artifacts.
• the Pinacoteca, which houses some beautiful works of Renaissance art.
• the Mostra di Cere Anatomiche, which has anatomical waxworks on display.
• the Museo d'Arte Siamese, which contains some beautiful Siamese, Chinese and Japanese items.

Other things to see in Cágliari include the Anfiteatro Romano (Roman Amphitheatre), the Orto Botánico (Botanical Gardens) and the remains of the Roman Villa di Tigellio.

If you really want to experience Sardinia, however, you'll need to hire a car. You can use your hire car to drive to some of the beautiful beaches near Cágliari, such as Poetto Beach or the stunning Chia Beach, where you can sunbathe, swim or take part in many different water sports.

You can also use your Cágliari hire car to reach the Roman remains at Nora or Tharros, the city of Oristano or the beautiful grottos near Dorgali. You could choose to break up your holiday by spending a few days exploring the Costa Smeralda, in the north west of the island, in your hire car.

You can find out more about some of the attractions in Sardinia that you can see if you hire a car in Cágliari here:

• Sardinia Car Hire - Attractions within one hour's drive of Cágliari
• Sardinia Car Hire - Attractions within one to two hours' drive of Cágliari
• Sardinia Car Hire - Attractions within two to three hours' drive of Cágliari
• Sardinia Car Hire - Attractions more than three hours' drive from Cágliari

Getting to Sardinia and Sardinia Car Hire

There are three airports in Sardinia, located in Cágliari, Olbia and Alghero, and you can hire a car from any of these. However, you could also hire a car in Italy and travel to Sardinia by ferry, taking your hire car with you. This will enable you to explore the Italian mainland as well as the island in one holiday!