A six-night accompanied private trip in northern Sardegna, for small groups.
This island is one of the Mediterranean's richest troves of scenery, history and gastronomy.
From the colourful fishing town of Bosa to the extinct volcanoes of the Valle dei Nuraghi, to the pink granite and azure seas which frame the Gallura vineyards, this trip reveals some of the island's infinite treasures.
The word undiscovered is over-used, but it does apply to Sardegna. Did you know, that of the island’s 8,000 Nuraghic Bronze Age settlements, only a hundred have been restored? The rest, the vast wealth of an entire ancient civilisation, are just there, unchanged in 4,000 years.
Meanwhile, the small coastal towns of Bosa and Oristano produce some of Italy’s rarest wines. Elsewhere, the decomposed granite of the mountainous inland regions give voice to some of the world’s finest Grenache-driven reds (Grenache is known as Cannonau here). Sardinia’s sheep and goat cheeses are the best in the world.
Your Northern Sardegna trip follows a course from Alghero in the west, to Palau in the east. Along the way, visit pretty towns, dramatic volcanic scenery and beautiful coastline. Discover the island’s best food and wine, and get up close to the ancient civilisation. The trip includes some optional hikes.
Per person, based on two sharing:
€2995 in a group of six to eight.
The single occupancy supplement is €400.
Do you have a smaller or larger group? Our Italy su Misura programme is for you. Contact us with your requirements today.
This trip is all-inclusive apart from flights, insurance and your arrival transfer to Alghero city centre.
The last full day – exploring Palau and the option of a short boat ride to the Maddalena Archipelago – includes only dinner (not lunch or the boat trip).
This means six nights bed and breakfast in quality accommodation; all other transfers as described; typical meals with wine; at least three winery visits; a legendary Cinzia Long picnic and tutored cheese tasting; and a tutored wine tasting with James MacNay, IWA.
We stay in three typical accommodations, all high quality but very different in style, one to the next.
The history of Sardegna bears its cuisine. Surprisingly, for an island, it has its roots more in the aromatic herbs, vegetables, meats and cheeses of the inland areas, rather than the fruits of the sea: this is because, until recently, the coast was considered an undesirable place to live, as it had historically been subjected to raids by Moorish pirates. Cinzia chooses all the menus, to paint the full picture of the finest typical regional cuisine, seafood included.
In addition, she prepares one of her legendary picnics and tutored cheese tastings, which we enjoy in the vineyard; this is accompanied with a tutored wine tasting by James or the winemaker.
We happily accommodate dietary requirements, but please do indicate your requests on the form when we send it.
In wine, prestigious appellazioni include Malvasia di Bosa, Vernaccia di Oristano, Carignano del Sulcis and Vermentino di Gallura, as well as the island-wide Isola dei Nuraghi, which gives growers creative freedom to produce quality wines from unusual grapes, blends and techniques.
We visit and/or have the chance to taste the DOCG appellation of Vermentino di Gallura; and the following DOC’s: Alghero, Malvasia di Bosa, Vernaccia di Oristano, Arborea, Isola dei Nuraghi, Nepente di Oliena, Sardegna; and the following grapes: Vermentino, Cannonau (Grenache), Carignano, Moscaddedu, Malvasia, Vernaccia, Bovale Sardo, Monica… and many more…
Book for Spring (April, May, June) and Autumn/Fall (September, October).
Meet in Alghero city centre on the first morning of the trip, so plan to arrive the day before, or earlier.
Depart from Olbia (the final transfer to the airport is included).
Volotea, Ryanair, Easyjet, Wizz, ITA and Air Serbia operate domestic and European flights.
There are daily sailings from Olbia ferry terminal to Livorno and Genova.
If you need help or advice organising your travel, do just let us know and we will be happy to help.
If you would like to stay extra nights to explore more of Alghero or Olbia, let us know.
Otherwise, you might like to organise another accompanied trip or self-catering accommodation here or elsewhere in Italy. Keen walkers can extend with one of our self-guided walking itineraries.
All the wines we taste are available to order in the UK at preferential rates through MacNay Travel & Wine.
Price lists and order forms are included with your tasting sheets.
MTW require a 20% non-refundable deposit payment to confirm your place.
Payment of the balance is due sixty days before the trip commences, and this can be made in one, two or three instalments.
Meet at our hotel in the centre of Alghero.
If the weather is good, we take a short boat ride from the touristic port to famous local caves. Walkers can take the 630 steps from the cliff top above. In case of adverse weather, we visit one of the city’s fascinating museums.
Take a light lunch together in a typical osteria, before a second visit to a tower above the town.
Transfer to the colourful harbour town of Bosa, where we check in to our accommodation, an albergo diffuso, which is to say, a hotel spread across different locations through the town.
Enjoy an excellent dinner in a typical restaurant, where we taste some Vernaccia di Oristano wines from along the coast. One of these wineries, Cantine Remedio, won conveted ‘winery of the year’ and ‘sparkling white wine of the year’ in the 2025 Five Star Wines guide.
Today’s first visit is to a Malvasia di Bosa winery. Producers here make a range of quality wines from named villages spread inland from the coast. The wines here are often made in an ‘oxidative’ – sherry-like – style, with the most prestigious, not to say highest priced, being the sweet Passito versions.
After a light lunch, we explore one of the town’s historical highlights, after which you can enjoy the hotel and explore the town at your leisure. Or join James for a 5km circular hike through local vineyards.
Dinner is in a typical restaurant in the town, over which we will continue our exploration of the island’s wines.
We check out of our hotel and bid a fond farewell to Bosa.
Our destination is inland: we pass through the Valle dei Nuraghi with its extinct volcanoes and myriad prehistoric settlements. We are aiming for Mamoiada, which, with its decomposed granite soils, has been a source of premium quality wine for hundreds of years. A winery visit awaits us, followed by lunch.
Another twenty-minute drive takes to our next destination: an agriturismo farm in a beautiful and tranquil setting, where we enjoy our evening meal.
Our morning destination is the great freshwater spring of Su Gologone. Here 8000 litres of water, collected over millions of years, exit each second from the vast network of limestone caves beneath your feet.
Another wine tasting awaits us, in one of the heartlands for the production of high quality Cannonau (a.k.a. Grenache). The combination of high water drainage, heat retention and mineral content in the decomposed granitic soils of the area is perfect for the vine to develop its aromatic compounds and sugars, while retaining acidity. These are some of the world’s best Grenache wines.
After the tasting we enjoy a traditional lunch over an open fire, al fresco.
Spend the afternoon relaxing back at the agriturismo, enjoying the unique scenery and solitude of the Sardinian countryside, before dinner.
We check out and continue our journey east into the historical region called Gallura, stopping first at a Vermentino vineyard overlooking the sea (see the top image). Our visit takes in a tour of the vineyards and a tutored tasting of its wines, either with James or with the winemaker. Cinzia accompanies her picnic with a masterclass presentation of Sardinian cheeses.
After lunch, we arrive at the pretty coastal town of Palau. Nestled between the local pink-hued granite and the deep blue of the waters of the Maddalena National Park, this town is the perfect setting to finish our trip.
Our boutique hotel is in the town centre, and we enjoy a delicious fish dinner close by.
Today you are free to explore Palau, pick up some gifts and mementos in the local shops, and enjoy a glass of wine by the sea.
The ferry to the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago and National Park, where Garibaldi spent his last 26 years, departs regularly. Pay locally for the ferry and lunch.
In the afternoon James leads a hike in the coastal hills and vineyards.
We enjoy a special final meal in a local restaurant, and this is included in the trip fee.
Our final transfer is to Olbia airport to meet the day’s flights to domestic and European destinations.
Enquire to extend your trip, either in Sardinia (we can help with transfers to Olbia city centre and ferry terminals) or elsewhere in Italy.
