USEFUL INFORMATION & LINKS

ITALY COUNTRY CODE: +39

When you are using the Italian landline network, you always need to dial the code before the number, even within the same area. Remember to dial the "0" before the local area code.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Fire 115
Ambulance 118
Police 113
SOS 112*
Coast Guard and Rescue at sea: 1530
Forestry and Fire Services: 1515
Road and traffic conditions: 1518
Road assistance: 116 (operated by the Italian Automobile Club (ACI)

HOSPITALS:

Click here for a complete list of hospitals & medical centers in Sardinia. In case of emergency, the closest medical help for basic problems is Guarda Medica di Valledoria. For more serious emergency, best to drive 45-50 minutes to hospital in Sassari Pronto Soccorso open 24/7.

EMBASSIES & HONORARY CONSULATES:

In case of emergency (lost passport, need of a consular assistance etc.) you can also contact the Embassy in Italy (usually the Consular section). Click here to find a list of Diplomatic missions in Italy.

SHOP OPENING HOURS:

Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 16:30 to 20:00. On Mondays many shops are only open in the afternoon. Large supermarkets are open throughout the day and mostly on Sundays, too. Outside the main holiday season, shops and supermarkets in many remote holiday areas are closed.

RESTAURANTS & BARS:

Cafés are open all day long. Most restaurants provide lunch and dinner service, between 12:00 and 14:00 and 19:00 and 23:00. Bars are open until late at night. By the sea and in high season, most establishments work continuously and some bars stay open until the early morning.

PHARMACIES:

Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00. Most pharmacies are closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. There is a system of emergency pharmacies operating out of normal opening hours - details of the emergency service can be found in the window of each pharmacy. In many tourist areas, the pharmacies only open during the holiday season and are closed from September to June.

BANKS:

Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 13:30 and in some cases from 15:00 to 16:00. The banks are closed all day Saturday and Sunday throughout the island. In many smaller resorts and more remote mountain villages there may not be a bank or cash machine.

POST OFFICES:

Post offices are usually open on Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 12:00. In larger towns they are also open in the afternoon on Monday to Friday and in some cases remain open all day up to 18:00.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS (shops and many restaurants are closed): 1 January (New Year), 6 January (Epiphany), Easter Monday, 25 April (Liberation Day), 1 May (Labour Day), 2 June (Italian Republic Day), 15 August (Assumption), 1 November (All Saints), 8 December (Immaculate Conception), 25 December (first day of Christmas), 26 December (second day of Christmas). Check also: https://www.holidays-info.com/italy/holidays/sardinia/

Useful contacts

1/1

AIRPORTS:

Alghero Airport (North-West): (+39) 079 935011 | www.aeroportodialghero.it/en

Cagliari Airport (South): (+39) 070 211 211 | www.sogaer.it/en

Olbia Airport (North-East): (+39) 0789 563444 | www.olbiaairport.com

In addition, there are regional airports at Tortolì (east) and Oristano (west). These are only used during the tourist season by charter companies.

FERRY PORTS:

There are ferry ports in Porto Torres (north-west), Golfo Aranci and Olbia (north-east), Arbatax (east coast) and Cagliari (south). Ferries run to Liguria, Latium and Tuscany from all the island's ports. In addition, there are ferries from Porto Torres to Corsica, Barcelona and Marseille and from Cagliari to Sicily. You can take a ship out to Sardinia's La Maddelana islands from Palau and to Carloforte from Calasetta and Portovesme. There are regular departures from Santa Teresa Gallura to Bonifacio on Corsica.

Book your ferry tickets via Directferries at: www.directferries.com

CAR RENTALS:

Sardinia is a great road trip destination, therefore renting a car is highly recommended.

Check the www.rentalcars.com or book your car rental via Hertz, AVIS, SIXT, Budget, Europcar, Thrifty and other trusted companies at www.discovercars.com. You also have the opportunity to rent our older car Fiat Punto Grande for 4+1 person at a convenient price, provided we agree on the conditions upfront. Click HERE for more details.

TAXI:

There's a base fare of about €3.50 and then €2.60 per kilometre for the first 5 kilometres and €1.90 after that. However, for routes longer than 35 km, the price per km comes down to €1 (rates are only informative and can be a subject to change). For boking a taxi service, please click here to find tips for local taxi companies. If you need a transfer from our location from/to airport, please contact us as we can recommend persons we know who provide transfers.

TRAVELLING BY BUS:

Not recommended if you are on a tight schedule but is a good option to discover the island if you are not in a rush. The places where you can buy a ticket are: designated shops, automatic machines, directly on the bus (you will pay extra %), tobacco/lotto or newspaper shops and have a sign on their windows as proof they will sell bus tickets.

Urban Buses: the links to the biggest cities' bus lines & timetable schedules (mostly in Italian) are: Cagliari, Oristano, Sassari, Nuoro, Olbia.

Intercity Buses (marked with ARST): click here for a timetable and for online ticketing system click here (both sites are only in Italian though).

TRAVELLING BY TRAIN:

Trains in Sardinia connect the main parts of the island and stretch to several smaller villages. They run less or more often depending on the ride’s importance. Taking trains in Sardinia is overall a relaxing experience and allows you to focus on the multiple views the island has to offer. Check Omio to buy tickets or just find out about the trains’ schedule.

MOTOR BOATS & MOTOR CYCLESS

You do not need a separate boat driving licence for a motor boat up to 25 PS. Smaller motor bikes up to 50 cc can also be driven on your normal licence. For anything larger, you will need a Class A licence. You must wear a helmet and keep your dipped lights on throughout the day.

PARKING:

There are charges for parking in many town centres. Public car parks cost around €0.50 an hour from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. except on Sundays and public holidays. Parking tickets are available from the automatic machines and from newspaper shops and tobacconists. Parking spaces where you have to pay are marked by a blue line, disabled parking by a yellow line and free parking by a white line.

During the tourist season, you will have to pay to park at many of the island's beaches. You can buy a ticket directly from the car park attendant.

FUEL:

Lead-free petrol (benzina verde/senza piombo) and diesel (gasolio) are available at all the island's petrol stations. Many petrol stations also have automatic pumps that take cash (up to 50 euro notes) and debit or credit cards. It is worth making a generous estimate of how much fuel you will need before starting your journey as distances are often greater than visitors think, and in many holiday areas there are relatively few petrol stations. There are only a few refuelling stations for vehicles running on LPG.

TRAFFIC RULES:

The speed limit is 50 km/h in urban areas and 90 km/h on main roads outside towns and in the countryside. Advance warning of speed controls is given on road signs. If you have an accident, you must wear a reflective jacket if you leave the car. The jacket should be kept in the passenger area ready for use. The alcohol limit is 0.5 g per litre (50 mg per 100 ml) of blood. For new drivers and drivers under 21 the limit is zero.

ATTENTION!

Since 2017, it is forbidden to collect sand, shells and pebbles from the shore as they were classed as protected resources in the fragile ecosystem. Controls at the airports and in the ports are very tight about this point and the fines are between €500 and €3,000

TOURISM IN SARDINIA - Internet information & sources:

Sardegna Turismo - an official website with Tips on Things to Do

& Places to See and Practical Information: www.sardegnaturismo.it

Visit Italy - Sardinia at www.visititaly.eu

Beaches in Sardinia - click here and here to discover beaches in Sardinia

Mountains, trekking, climbing - click here to learn more

Nature & Natural Parks - click here for more information

Archeological sites in Sardinia - click here to discover the sites

Attractions & tips & day trips, boat tours, museum visits etc. - click here

Sardinian food & wine - click here for more information

Wine regions - click here and here to learn more

Sardinia with kids - click here and here for tips

Sailing &Yacht Chartering (crewed or bareboat) - click here for the offers

Festivals & Events & Traditions - click here and here and here

Time in Jazz Festival - click here for more information

FESTIVALS IN SARDINIA: 17. January: Sant’Antonio Abate - the start of Carnival in Mamoiada; Carnival Sunday & Shrove Tuesday: Sa Sartiglia in Oristano; Shrove Monday: Su Lunis de sa Pudda in Santu Lussurgiu; Monday before Easter: Lu Lunissanti in Castelsardo; Good Friday: Su Descalvement Good Friday procession in Alghero; Easter Monday: Sagra del Torrone – honey nougat festival in Tonara; April: citrus fruit festival in Muravera; 1–4 May: Sagra di Sant' Efisio – pilgrimage and costume parade in honour of patron saint of Capoterra and the diocese of Cagliari; 6–7 July: S'Ardia – horse racing in Sedilo; mid-July: Sagra della Pesca – peach festival in San Sperate; 14 August: Faradda der Candelieri in Sassari; end of August: Su Redentore – pilgrimage and costume parade in Nuoro; first Sunday in September: Corsa degli Scalzi – barefoot racing in Cabras;