SARDINIA Wine Tour Itinerary

EIGHT Days | SEVEN Nights

Start: CaGLIARI City Center

FINISH: OLBIA Airport

(Please note: This is a sample itinerary. Each tour is unique.)

Day One: Cagliari

Make your way to our hotel and check in. We'll meet in the lobby of our hotel in the afternoon for a guided walking tour of Sardinia’s capital city, which a rich history of Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman and Aragonese influences. Dinner will follow in town.

Day Two: CANNONAU + NURAGHE + PECORINO CHEESE

Today we dedicate to Sardinia’s greatest hits: its most famous red wine, Cannonau, nuraghe (mysterious and ancient megalithic structures found scattered throughout the island) and pecorino cheese. Our first stop will be to one of the most respected wineries in Sardinia to taste through their line up of wines made mostly from native grape varieties. The tasting will be paired with tapas. We’ll then drive to the most extensive archaeological complex of nuraghe where we will be guided through the site. Then, we’ll drive to an artisanal producer of pecorino cheese before heading back to Cagliari to rest at the hotel. Dinner will be in town at a local favorite for seafood.

DAY THREE: Carginano + salt flats

This morning we drive west to the coast where the island’s best Carginano is made. We’ll visit a small winery and learn more about why the terroir is ideal for the grape variety. Lunch will be at a fantastic osteria with a view. Next up will be a visit to an important part of Sardinia’s history: the historic salt flats of Santa Gilla basin where “white gold” was produced for decades. There will be time to rest before our final dinner in Cagliari.

Day FOUR: Heart of Sardinia

Today we move into the mythical center of the island, where much of the island’s traditions were protected over the centuries. The island’s center is also where the most prestigious Cannonau is made. Our first stop will be small winery. We’ll learn more about the wine traditions in her town and taste her wines. Lunch will follow in Mamoaida and one of my favorite wine producers will join us. We’ll taste his wines alongside our beautifully prepared dishes. We’ll then walk over to the town’s museum dedicated to the masks of the Mediterranean. Next, we’ll check into our hotel for the next two nights. Dinner will be at one of their restaurants.

Day FIVE: NUORO

The nearby town of Nuoro has one of my favorite museums in all of Italy: the ethnographic museum of Sardinia. We' will have a guided tour of this incredible collection. Lunch will be a short downhill walk to a restaurant making some of the culinary art we just learned about. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Dinner will be a countryside affair with a surprise!

Day SIX: VERMENTINO

You might be thinking Sardinia makes only red wine, but today we are dedicating to its prized white wine: Vermentino di Gallura. We’ll make the two hour drive to our first winery where we will tour their vineyards followed by a wine-paired lunch. Then, we will drive to one more Vermentino winery before checking into our beautiful boutique hotel tucked into an idyllic natural setting. Unpack and enjoy an aperitivo by the pool. Dinner will be at the hotel’s restaurant.

Day SEVEN: COOKING CLASS + CATAMARAN RIDE

Following breakfast, we will begin our a cooking class at the hotel of a couple of traditional dishes. After lunch, we’ll drive to the port to meet the captain for our catamaran cruise of the stunning north coast. We’ll have an onboard aperitivo and you are welcome to jump into the emerald waters. Back at the hotel, shower off and get ready for our farewell dinner at the hotel.

DAY EIGHT: Drop off at OLBIA airport

For those who want to stay on to enjoy the Emerald Coast in Sardinia’s northeast, you can rent your car or organize transport to your resort of choice. For the rest, you can catch your onward flight from the Olbia airport.