Benvenuto to Sardinia!

Alghero airport sits just minutes from this historic 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 as the sun sets behind Capo Caccia, and savor a traditional dinner at one of the area's celebrated restaurants.

The road from Alghero to Bosa is no ordinary coastal road.

For over 42 kilometers it clings to the coastline in a continuous, demanding saliscendi, climbing and descending through more than 800 meters of elevation gain — a road that rewards every bit of effort it asks for.

What sets it apart is its sheer wildness: this is one of the last stretches of Sardinian coast left almost entirely untouched by human presence, with no villages, no buildings, nothing but rock, sea and sky for kilometer after kilometer.

Along the way, a stop at the Capo Marargiu belvedere adds yet another layer of natural drama, overlooking the sanctuary of one of Europe's last colonies of griffon vultures. It is, without question, one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world — but also one of the most uncompromising.

The effort is rewarded in Bosa, Sardinia's only river town, where the historic center — a maze of narrow lanes beneath the Malaspina castle — is best explored on foot before the day's ride continues. Leaving Bosa toward Cuglieri, look back one last time: the postcard view of the colorful houses and the castle rising above the river is one of the most photographed scenes in all of Sardinia.

From here, the stage begins its long climb averaging 5.9%, rewarded by sweeping views back over the colorful houses and the Castello Malaspina. We turn away from the coast and climb into the mountains of the Montiferru region, passing through a string of tiny villages — Modolo, Tinnura, Tresnuraghes, Sagama and Scano di Montiferro — each barely a few hundred souls, where rural traditions and a slower pace of life remain untouched by time.

The last major village before the summit is Cuglieri, home to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Neve, which you will see long before you reach the town. From Cuglieri, a long climb in the shadow of an oak forest leads you towards Santu Lussurgiu, a medieval village that is the perfect example of the culture, hospitality, gastronomic traditions and quality of life inland Sardinia has to offer — and where you'll stay overnight.

From the medieval village of Santu Lussurgiu, tucked in the hills of the Montiferru, the road descends toward Lake Omodeo, the starting point for our climb into the Gennargentu range.

Tackled from its western side, the ascent is long but gentle and progressive, never punishing, as it winds through a string of small inland villages perfect for a coffee stop or a quick sandwich along the way.

As we gain altitude, the mountains begin to reveal themselves, and we enter a countryside where nature — not the clock — sets the pace of life. The road continues to weave upward through the pristine green forests of Barbagia, Sardinia's wildest and most authentic heartland.

Arriving in Fonni, one of the island's few true centers of mountain tourism, there's nothing left to do but earn your dinner: a hearty local meal, a glass of the region's robust red wine, and a well-deserved night's rest at the hotel.

We leave Fonni and head north towards Nuoro, the largest city in central Sardinia and one of its administrative centers. The first 50 km are predominantly downhill, and despite two climbs, you will lose about 1,000 meters of elevation.

From there, we start the first of the day's two main climbs: 12 kilometers to Orune, followed by an impressive ascent along the—extraordinarily white—Monte Albo mountain range. Many peaks of this famous limestone massif rise over a thousand meters; all around you, evergreen Mediterranean shrubland thrives. After a long descent, you will reach the valley of Lake Torpè, today a natural park oasis featuring nearly 8,000 hectares of pristine forests, trails, springs, rivers, and "dunes" across the territories of Bitti, Lodè, and Posada.

Posada is another historic village featuring a charming old town and one of Sardinia's best-preserved medieval fortresses—Castello della Fava—which towers over the village and is steeped in ancient secrets and legends. Sounds impressive, right? That is why we have arranged a comfortable 3-star hotel for your stay in Posada.

We leave Posada and head south; the first half of the stage is quite relaxed. We pass through the village of Irgoli before reaching Galtellì. A stop in this wonderful old town lets us dive deep into the island's history. Galtellì has been awarded the Orange Flag by the Italian Touring Club for its excellence. The alleys, traditions, and atmosphere of the historic center inspired the author and Nobel Prize laureate Grazia Deledda when she wrote her book Reeds in the Wind (Canne al Vento) here. After a good cappuccino, we continue south.

Shortly after Dorgali, we reach the main climb of the day: about 20 km up to the Genna Silana Pass. For Strava KOM hunters: the KOM was set during a stage of the 2017 Giro d'Italia.

This is no joke: on that day in 2017, not only were 150 of the best professional cyclists out on the course, but there was also a strong tailwind. Any attempt to break the record—for the amusement of your Strava followers—will therefore almost certainly end in failure.

All joking aside: once at the top, you will be rewarded with lunch right in front of the Gorropu Gorge, Europe's deepest canyon.

An exciting descent brings us back to the coast, to Santa Maria Navarrese. Another great day of cycling ends with comfortable accommodation in a 3-star hotel.

Mark this day on your calendar: this is the queen stage of the tour. Today you will rack up nearly 3,000 meters of elevation gain, with more than a third of it concentrated in the initial section, the climb of Talana.

After years of riding in Sardinia, we can say without hesitation that this is one of the most beautiful and, at the same time, one of the hardest climbs we have here. In fact, the climb—which reaches 1,100 meters on Croce Boi pass—starts from a very low altitude, just 15 meters above sea level.

From there, it is about 17 km uphill; the first 5 km act as a nice, gradual warm-up, until the climb suddenly appears like a wall in front of us, leaving "only" 12 km with an average gradient of 6.9%—a walk in the park—and the island's only 'Hors Catégorie' climb, for those who love professional cycling statistics. Talana hurts the legs, but it is also a feast for the eyes: the views will take your breath away.

But the show doesn't stop here, because this stage also includes the incredible Mont'Arbu road, another gem among Sardinian roads. The old SS389 winds along the eastern flank of the Gennargentu mountain range. It is a very remote and wild stretch; there are not many roads like this in Europe.

Every time we ride it, we experience the true privilege of being cyclists, because we can take our time and enjoy all the beauty and freedom our sport has to offer. After this memorable stretch of asphalt, just a few more descents and climbs separate us from our destination: Orroli and its family-run albergo diffuso, where we will enjoy a traditional Sardinian dinner.

Not exactly a relaxing day, but certainly the easiest of the trip. Leaving Orroli, one of Sardinia's oldest settlements, we cross the far end of the island, riding through the Campidano plain — the island's only true stretch of flat land — before reaching the west coast that was once the cradle of 19th- and 20th-century Sardinian mining.

Along the way, we pass right by the Nuraghe Su Nuraxi in Barumini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site well worth a stop, and the medieval Las Plassas castle, perched on its distinctive cone-shaped hill. After crossing the thermal springs of Santa Maria is Acquas, the road climbs gently toward the former mining village of Montevecchio, now dotted with charming spots for a break, before tackling the spectacular Bidderdì pass, with the sea opening up ahead, and one of the most exhilarating descents of the entire trip.

The stage ends near Portisceddu beach, perfect for a swim before a final short, steep climb to the hotel, where a well-earned dinner awaits on a terrace overlooking the gulf.

If someone were to ask me which road to include in a dream cycling tour, I would struggle to choose between the western coastal road running through the ancient mining region between Fluminimaggiore and Nebida, and the long southern stretch from Porto Teulada to the stunning sandy beaches of Chia.

Rather than choosing, I combined them to create the final stage of Ultimate Sardinia. You will start and end the day riding these extraordinary rolling coastal roads. The central part of the route is easy, on flat roads or rolling terrain. It is difficult to describe what you will see without piling on adjectives, and doing so would be a disservice to this stage.

We truly believe this stage belongs on every cyclist's bucket list. This series of climbs and descents will take you past beaches, cliffs, and coves, with the magnificent turquoise sea as your constant companion.

The journey ends in Pula, home to our final hotel! Dinner will be a great opportunity to do something that often happens at the end of our trips: argue over which stage was the best. You will find that this debate can be just as exhausting as the tour's queen stage.