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Table of Contents:
How to get to Porto Cervo from Olbia
When to travel to Porto Cervo
Porto Cervo is the largest resort on the Costa Smeralda shore located in the north-eastern part of Sardinia. For relaxation, there is everything you need, including a well-developed infrastructure, a lot of entertainment from active sports to quality shopping and gourmet restaurants, spacious sandy beaches, natural beauty and much more. Porto Cervo is perhaps one of the top three resorts in Sardinia in terms of popularity.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Porto Cervo. I figured out how to get to the resort, where to stay & what to do there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Porto Cervo.
Most tourists visit Porto Cervo during the summertime. Extensive beach line and warm turquoise sea attract travellers from all over the world. Local climate is mild and sunny and perfectly suitable for a beach holiday. Actually, the swimming season lasts from May to October incl. The other months Porto Cervo is less-visited tourist destination as its main attractions are white-sandy beaches and sea, not architecture and historical sights.
How to get to Porto Cervo
Where do you fly into to get to Porto Cervo? You can get to Porto Cervo from Olbia, where the nearest international airport is located. There are both direct and connecting flights to Olbia from various cities around the world. The current flight timetable can be checked via specialized online services such as Aviasales and others. I often use Aviasales when planning my trips, because it can compare a great variety of available flight options.
How to get to Porto Cervo from Olbia
By public transport: The distance between Olbia and Porto Cervo is approximately 30 km. Public transport is poorly developed on the island, so the only way to get from the airport of Olbia to Porto Cervo is to use regular buses, and you need to change at the Olbia Stazione ARST station, from where regular buses go directly to the resorts of the Costa Smeralda, including to Porto Cervo. Transportation is carried out by ARST company several times a day.
By taxi: The easiest way to get to Porto Cervo without making a change is by taxi, which can be found at the exit from the airport, or you can order transfer services in advance. For comparison, you can get from the airport to the resort by taxi or transfer in just half an hour, while by bus it will take about an hour and a half (including the time of changing). You can book a transfer in advance on different international services such as Kiwitaxi and other similar ones. Based on my research, Kiwitaxi has a lot of positive reviews that is why I can recommend it. For sure, there are a lot of other taxi services available at the airport.
By rented car: Another convenient option for getting from Olbia airport to Porto Cervo is to rent a car upon arrival. A car is useful not only to get to the desired hotel, but also to move around the island, because public transport between the towns is poorly developed. In addition, a car is almost the only way to see all the beauties of the Costa Smeralda shore, because hotels are often located a fair distance from the beaches. The travel time by car from the airport to Porto Cervo usually does not take more than half an hour (see on the map). You can book the desired class of car in advance via various online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings, etc. Based on my experience, both online services are good. I would recommend comparing them to find out the best available variants.
Where to stay in Porto Cervo
Porto Cervo has one of the most developed hotel infrastructures on the island. As I found out, here you can stay in hotels of various star categories, rent apartments, or choose more “exotic” accommodation options, for example, vacation homes. By the way, bed and breakfast hotels can also be found at the resort. When choosing a hotel, I would recommend paying attention to such a parameter as distance from the beach area, because not all hotels are located on the first beach line, and often you have to drive to get to the beaches.
In terms of pricing policy, hotels with access to the beach and sea almost always cost more, so it makes sense to calculate in advance what will be more economical – rent a hotel room by the sea or a hotel room far from the sea + rent a car for trips to the beach (there is no public transport). According to my research, the following accommodation options are popular in Porto Cervo:
Hotel Monti di Mola 4* is located in close proximity to Porto Cervo and is surrounded by gardens. The hotel has a swimming pool, a spa area, a restaurant and a bar. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Breakfast is included. Wired internet is available in the hotel rooms and is free of charge. Free public parking is provided on site. The front desk is open 24 hours a day. Luggage storage and an ATM can be found at the reception;
Grand Hotel Poltu Quatu 5* is located in a picturesque place, surrounded by the Mediterranean countryside. The hotel offers a free shuttle to the private beach. Guests can also enjoy a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a sauna, and a gym. There is a restaurant and a bar. You can stay in rooms of various categories or apartments. Breakfast is included in the price. Wi-Fi is provided in public areas and is free of charge. Public parking can be found nearby. The front desk is open 24 hours a day; currency exchange and luggage storage options are available here;
Bagaglino I Giardini di Porto Cervo 4* is located on the first beach line. There is a beach volleyball court, a football pitch and surfing and windsurfing equipment rentals. There is also an à la carte restaurant. Guests can stay in apartments of various sizes. Breakfast is included upon request. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that free public parking is available on site. The front desk is staffed 24 hours a day and provides luggage storage services;
Cervo Hotel Costa Smeralda Resort 5* has a convenient location and is ready to offer such services as a tennis court, a wellness center and a gym with an outdoor pool. The hotel has a restaurant. Guests can stay in rooms of various categories, including family rooms. Meal type is breakfast or half board. Wi-Fi is available in public areas and is free of charge. Free private parking is provided on site. The front desk serves guests 24 hours a day. There is a luggage storage area available.
What to see in Porto Cervo
Porto Cervo is located in a beautiful place on the Costa Smeralda shore, and therefore the main attractions of the resort are natural. The entire shore of the Costa Smeralda is divided on small cozy gulfs, where white sandy beaches are hidden. The entrance to the water on the beaches is gentle and most convenient for swimming. The water is emerald, which is why the shore received the name Costa Smeralda, which means “Emerald Shore”.
As I discovered, the most picturesque beaches of the Costa Smeralda include Cala Granu, Celvia, Dolce Sposa, Piccolo Romazzino, Mortorio and others. All of them stretch along the shore from the resort of Porto Cervo to the resort of Porto Rotondo, i.e. you can reach them by following the road No. SP94 by car. Some of Porto Cervo’s sandy beaches are surrounded with giant boulders, making the resort look like an exotic island paradise. These, for example, include Capriccioli beach, which is located 8 km from Porto Cervo.
On the beaches of Piccolo Pevero, Grande Pevero and Calo di Volpe, the main feature is the picturesque forests and gardens that surround the beaches and consist of Mediterranean plants, trees and bushes. Most often, these are juniper and coniferous groves. It is difficult to get to most of these beaches on foot, so many tourists rent a car to easily move around the shore.
In my opinion, the big advantage of the beaches of Sardinia and the beaches of Porto Cervo in particular is that they are, for the most part, free (not counting private beach areas at hotels). If we compare with mainland Italy, where almost all beaches are paid, and the cost of using such beaches reaches 20-25 euros per day, it becomes obvious that the beaches of Sardinia are still an untouched corner of beauty.
In addition to the beaches in Porto Cervo, you can visit Cape called Capo Ferro, where its rocky shore juts straight into the sea and where an old lighthouse can be found. The place is considered to be very romantic; it offers panoramic views not only of the sea and snow-white yachts sailing past, but also of the entire Porto Cervo.
Porto Cervo also offers more different activities. The doors of local restaurants are open almost 24/7; here you can always try fresh fish and seafood. Shopping lovers will be interested in the pedestrian street called Sotto Piazza, where designer boutiques and fashion brands are concentrated. Sardinia, and Porto Cervo in particular, is a favorite destination for golfers and divers. For both those and others, there are all conditions for sports.
You can go to the nearest islands, which are visible even from the shore; boats and ships run to them daily during the summertime. A trip to Olbia, the largest town in the Northern part of Sardinia, where many historical attractions have been preserved, will also be definitely interesting. I would definitely recommend visiting Olbia and, if you have enough time, Cagliari, which is located on the opposite side of the island.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Italy, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Martin Cox
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…