Welcome to Sardinia!

Cagliari airport sits just minutes from this town. Once you've settled into your hotel, our guide will help you fine-tune your bike fit.

You'll then have plenty of time to wander the streets of the old town, enjoy an aperitivo, and savor a traditional dinner at one of the area's celebrated restaurants.

We begin the ride between Poetto, Cagliari's main beach, and the Molentargius Natural Park, renowned for its rare beauty and abundant birdlife, including pink flamingos.

From there, we head toward Villasimius, one of the main tourist resorts on the southeast coast. The road there is one of the most beautiful coastal roads on the island — a continuous up-and-down with breathtaking sea views.

That alone would be enough coastline to fill an entire trip, but from Villasimius we take on another stretch of coast, arguably even more stunning.

We then ride north on flat terrain along the marvelous Colostrai lagoon to Muravera, where we spend the night. Upon request, this stage can be shortened with a van transfer.

From Muravera, we ride through the typical Sardinian villages of Ballao and Escalaplano on our way to the small village of Orroli.

It's a stage full of up and downs with generally medium length climbs. Only the last stretch, right after Escalaplano, is rather long: about 7km inside a spectacular red granite canyon.

After the climb a rewarding view on the Mulargia lake. A must-see site to visit during the stage is right at the end of the main climb: the Nuraghe Arrubiu, a massive and unique structure dating back 4000 years.

And we can’t miss the Omu Axiu museum, which offers us a view of peasant history in Sardinia. Dinner and overnight in Orroli.

We rate this stage as super easy, as you can see from the specs there isn't much climbing and the meters down are more than the meters up.

This is designed to give you time to enjoy the sights along the way. After leaving Orroli, we pass through Nurri, Gerrei, Barumini and Collinas on our way to Villanovaforru. In Barumini, we visit the 'Su Nuraxi' nuraghic complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Guided visits are frequent and in many languages, a wonderful opportunity to get a better understanding of the unique history of the island.

In the village of Tuili we can visit the parish church with its lovely paintings.

Dinner and overnight in Villanovaforru not far from the UNESCO site at Barumini.

We leave central Sardinia behind and ride past grain fields and pastures toward the west coast — a fascinating area that is, surprisingly, completely flat.

As we approach the coast, a huge lagoon comes into view, where mullet fishing is still the main livelihood for thousands of families.

Bottarga production is the pride of this part of the island. We cross the bay, giving you the chance to sample the fruits of these small-scale fishing operations with a delicious fresh lunch in the fishing village of Marceddì.

After lunch, it's just a few more kilometers to our hotel, set near a lovely beach waiting to welcome you — but not before enjoying the view that opens up onto the sand dunes of Pistis and the Torre di Flumentorgiu, standing watch over the coastline. Overnight stay in Torre dei Corsari.

Today's ride crosses the mining heart of the Iglesiente, a region where nature is slowly reclaiming what industry once dominated. The route climbs inland to Montevecchio, once one of the largest lead and zinc mines in Europe.

Its abandoned headquarters still stand as a striking reminder of an industrial past now being overtaken by the wild Sardinian landscape.

From here, the road settles into a long, flat stretch that carries you toward the coast. Before the final climb to the hotel, the day's ride ends with a well-earned break on one of the wildest and most spectacular beaches in Sardinia: San Nicola.

A cold beer, the sea breeze, and stories of the day's adventure—with the option of a swim in its crystal-clear water—make for the perfect way to close out the ride before heading up to Portixeddu for dinner and the night.

Before leaving the hotel, make sure your smartphone has plenty of free memory!

This stage traces one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in Sardinia, where cliffs plunge dramatically into the sea and the mining past adds an extra layer of drama to the scenery.

The road along Buggerru, Masua and Nebida climbs and descends repeatedly, but the effort never feels tedious—the slower pace only gives you more time to take in views that etch themselves permanently into memory. At Nebida, the iconic Pan di Zucchero rock rises dramatically from the sea below.

A stop at Cala Domestica, tucked into a narrow inlet once used to ship out minerals, is a must before tackling the day's second climb. From here, the road flattens out for the second half of the stage as you make your way toward Sant'Antioco, a fishing island long known for its tuna and now a superb spot to sample bottarga, sea urchins and other delicacies from the sea—paired with a glass of Carignano del Sulcis, a robust red made from some of the oldest ungrafted vines in Europe, grown in the sandy soils of this corner of Sardinia.

Leaving Sant'Antioco, the day opens with a spectacular cycle path skirting the lagoon, with views over a Roman bridge and the salt pans where flamingos wade in the shallow pink-tinged water.

From here, the first section of the stage is relatively flat. From the moment you pass Porto Pino, though, you'll feel the constantly alternating ups and downs that define the rest of the ride. The stretch of coastal road between Porto Teulada and Chia is recognized as one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world.

The pale pastels of the rocks and cliffs, the deep greens of the vegetation, and the vivid blues and turquoises of the sea stand in stunning contrast to one another. Aragonese towers—remnants of the Spanish occupation of Sardinia, once built to defend the coastline from pirate raids—appear at multiple points along the way, standing sentinel over the same views you're riding through.

A journey this spectacular deserves nothing less than a spectacular final act, and this road delivers it in full, bringing the tour to a close with a well-earned overnight stay in Pula.

Transfer to Cagliari airport (when included in the package). End of services — and, we like to believe, the beginning of new friendships. Eight days, over 470 km, and a journey through the many faces of Sardinia — combining the east and west coasts, while cutting inland to savor traditional Sardinia and its intense flavors.