Alghero
Alghero blends Catalan heritage, Gothic architecture, and Sardinian beaches into one of Italy's most unique and family-friendly destinations.
0 guides · SardiniaExplore →
🇮🇹Costa Smeralda
Costa Smeralda combines stunning turquoise beaches, Bronze Age nuraghi ruins, and incredible Sardinian food into one of the Mediterranean's most memorable family destinations.
Your family guide
Costa Smeralda: turquoise waters, ancient towers, and Sardinian magic for your family
“Where the sea is impossibly blue and every cove feels like a secret your family discovered alone.”
— San & Jo
Costa Smeralda stretches for about 55 km along the northeastern coast of Sardinia, and the moment you see those turquoise-green waters for the first time, you will understand why families keep coming back. Pink granite rocks tumble into the sea, white sand beaches curve between hidden coves, and the hills behind are dotted with ancient stone towers that have stood for thousands of years. It is genuinely one of the most beautiful coastlines in Europe.
Yes, Costa Smeralda has a reputation as a playground for the jet set, and Porto Cervo does have its share of superyachts and designer boutiques. But look a little further and you will find something much more interesting for your family: bohemian village markets, Bronze Age ruins, dolphin-spotting boat trips, and agriturismos where the porceddu comes straight off the wood fire. The luxury and the authentic Sardinian character exist side by side here, and that mix is what makes it special.
For families, the calm shallow waters at beaches like Capriccioli and Spiaggia del Principe are a dream, and the nearby La Maddalena Archipelago adds a whole extra layer of adventure. Add in the nuraghi ruins, the cork forests around San Pantaleo, and some of the freshest seafood you will ever taste, and you have a destination that genuinely offers something for every member of your family.
Gallura, SardiniaNortheastern coast of Sardinia, Italy
June to SeptemberBest season for families
Premium destinationOne of Europe's priciest coastlines
Best things to do
Why we love Costa Smeralda for families
Spiaggia del Principe
This crescent-shaped cove with soft white sand and crystal-clear water is one of the most beautiful beaches on the entire coastline. The granite rocks that frame it give kids something to scramble over, and the water is calm enough for younger swimmers. It tends to be quieter than the main beaches, which makes the whole experience feel like your own private discovery.
Arrive early to snag a spot before the crowds build
Half day
Day trip to La Maddalena Archipelago
A short boat ride from Costa Smeralda takes your family to one of the most unspoiled island groups in the Mediterranean. Cerulean coves, white-sand beaches, and granite islets make this a snorkelling and swimming paradise. The islands are sparsely inhabited, so it genuinely feels like an escape from everything.
Bring snorkelling gear for the kids: the underwater life here is extraordinary
Full day
Snorkelling and water sports
The waters around Costa Smeralda are home to dolphins, sea turtles, and even rare Mediterranean mobulas. Families can try kayaking, pedal boating, windsurfing, or join a sailing excursion. The calm, shallow conditions at many beaches make water sports accessible even for younger children.
Dolphin sightings are common on morning boat trips
2-3 hours
Nuraghe Albucciu near Arzachena
About 15 km from Porto Cervo, this Bronze Age stone tower built from local granite is part of the wider Arzachena archaeological complex. Nuraghi are found nowhere else in the world, which makes them genuinely fascinating to explain to curious kids. Walking around a structure that is thousands of years old and still standing is one of those moments that sticks.
Combine with a visit to the village of Arzachena for lunch
1-2 hours
San Pantaleo village and cork forests
Known as the town of artists, San Pantaleo has a bohemian character that feels refreshingly different from the coastal glamour of Porto Cervo. The Thursday market is a highlight, with artisan crafts and local produce. Trekking paths wind through cork forests nearby, giving your family a chance to stretch their legs in beautiful surroundings.
The Thursday market is the best day to visit
Half day
Porto Cervo marina and waterfront
Even if the designer boutiques are not your thing, walking the Porto Cervo waterfront with its extraordinary collection of superyachts is a spectacle that kids genuinely find impressive. The marina area has good gelato spots and a lively atmosphere, especially in the evenings. It is the elegant heart of Costa Smeralda and worth seeing at least once.
Evening is the best time for the full atmosphere without the midday heat
2-3 hours
Scenic inland route through Gallura
A scenic inland route of almost 100 km connects Olbia and La Maddalena, passing through the finest villages and coastlines of north-eastern Sardinia. For families who enjoy road trips, this is a wonderful way to see a completely different side of the region, with rolling hills, granite landscapes, and authentic Sardinian villages along the way.
Stop in Palau for a ferry view of La Maddalena before continuing
Full day
Our verdict
How Costa Smeralda scores for families
Kids
Calm shallow beaches, snorkelling, water sports, and ancient ruins to explore make this a genuinely exciting destination for children of all ages.
Culture
Bronze Age nuraghi, artisan markets in San Pantaleo, and the fascinating story of how this coastline was transformed in the 1960s give families real cultural depth.
Food
Fresh seafood, wood-fired porceddu, and honey-drizzled seadas make for memorable meals. Dining out is expensive, but the quality is consistently high.
Nature
The combination of turquoise sea, pink granite formations, cork forests, and marine wildlife is hard to beat anywhere in the Mediterranean.
Budget
Costa Smeralda is one of the most expensive destinations in Europe. Families on a tight budget will need to plan carefully, though free beaches and picnics help.
Planning your visit
How long should you stay in Costa Smeralda?
3
3 days
Quick taste
Hit the best beaches, walk Porto Cervo, and try the local food
sweet spot
5
5 days
Sweet spot
Beaches, a La Maddalena day trip, the nuraghi ruins, and San Pantaleo village at a relaxed pace
7
7 days
Full immersion
Explore the inland route, try multiple beaches, and really settle into the Sardinian rhythm
Fun facts
Things about Costa Smeralda your kids will remember
Built by a prince
Costa Smeralda was transformed from a wild, undeveloped coastline into a luxury destination in the 1960s by Prince Karim Aga Khan IV. He worked with French set designer Jacques Couelle to create something that felt like it had always belonged here, not a resort bolted onto the landscape.
Towers found nowhere else on Earth
The nuraghi scattered across Sardinia are megalithic cone-shaped stone towers built during the Bronze Age, and they exist nowhere else in the world. Nobody knows exactly why they were built or how ancient Sardinians constructed them without modern tools. There are thousands of them across the island.
The sea really is that colour
The name Costa Smeralda means Emerald Coast in Italian, and the water genuinely earns that name. The extraordinary turquoise-green colour comes from the combination of white sandy seabeds, clear unpolluted water, and the angle of the Sardinian sun. No filter required.
Taste Costa Smeralda
What to eat with your family in Costa Smeralda
Pane carasau
Kids love itAvailable at most local restaurants and markets across the region
This paper-thin, crispy Sardinian flatbread is a staple you will find on almost every table in the region. Kids love the satisfying crunch, and it works as a snack, a side dish, or scooped through dips. It is one of the easiest introductions to Sardinian food culture for the whole family.
Porceddu
Must tryLocal agriturismos in the Gallura hills around Arzachena
Slow-roasted suckling pig cooked over wood or with myrtle leaves is one of Sardinia's most celebrated dishes, and the version you get at a local agriturismo near Costa Smeralda is genuinely outstanding. The meat is tender, fragrant, and deeply flavourful. Worth planning a meal around.
Aragosta alla catalana
Local favouriteSpinnaker, road to Liscia di Vacca, near Porto Cervo
Spiny lobster served with tomatoes, onions, and lemon is a signature dish of the Costa Smeralda area. It is a splurge, but if your family loves seafood, this is the dish to order at least once. The freshness of the lobster here is on another level entirely.
Zuppa gallurese
Safe choiceConfusion Restaurant, Via Aga Khan, Porto Cervo
Layers of bread soaked in sheep broth with melted cheese on top, this is the ultimate comfort food of the Gallura region. It is warming, filling, and deeply savoury. A wonderful choice on a cooler evening or if you want something more substantial than seafood.
Seadas
Daily treatAvailable at most restaurants and pastry shops throughout Costa Smeralda
Fried pastry filled with fresh cheese and drizzled generously with local honey, seadas is the traditional Sardinian dessert that every child will immediately love. The combination of crispy pastry, slightly salty cheese, and sweet honey is one of those flavours you will be talking about long after you get home.
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