We jetted off to Sardinia for a long weekend at the start of October. Between wedding season and visiting my family in Portland, we wanted to spend a few days relaxing in the sun before the months of gloomy winter weather set in! Turns out, October is the perfect time to visit Sardinia.

Sunny and warm enough to wear shorts but free from the crowds of tourists that come with summer, we spent our days wandering around, eating seafood caught that day and swimming in the sea. Sardinia has a sort of ‘old world’ Italian feel to it that I haven’t felt from other cities on the mainland. English isn’t as widely spoken and the shopfronts seemed unchanged for centuries.

We stayed in a lovely Airbnb at the top of the city by the Bastione di Saint Remy- a massive terraced monument that provides fantastic views over the city. Directly behind it is the medieval district, full of winding alleys and tucked away cafes. Perfect for wandering. There’s also a fantastic bar called Libarium Nostrum looking over the city that serves amazing Negroni’s and sunset views in equal measure (see last photo!)

On the warmest day we hired a little car and left Cagliari for the sea. During our first day we visited the state beach Poetto on the fringe of Cagliari. It was nice, with crystal clear water and fine sand, but we found it very windy and maybe not as clean as we hoped.

Venturing out armed with a picnic and miniature bottles of Aperol sodas, we discovered a beach called Spiaggia Mari Pintau. I really don’t think photos do this place justice. It boasted the clearest water in the brightest aquamarine I had ever seen, as warm as a bath. Although it was a bit windy, we didn’t let that deter us and spent the day alternating between lazing in the sun and swimming. Ideal. A must visit if you’re in the area.