CONNECTIONS
FERRIES TO SARDINIA
Sardinia is connected to several Italian and Mediterranean ports including Barcellona, Toulon, Nice, Bonifacio, Genoa, Livorno, Piombino, Civitavecchia, Neaples, and Palermo.
If you are booking a ferry connection with your favourite cruise line, please look for ferries to Arbatax, Cagliari, Golfo Aranci, Olbia, or Porto Torres.
Cruise lines include BluNavy | GNV | Grimaldi Lines | Moby | Sardinia Ferries | Tirrenia
PASSPORTS
No matter how you are arriving in Sardinia, always carry valid travel documents.
TO GET INTO SARDINIA
- If you are travelling from Italy or a country belonging to the European Union, all you will need is your ID card or passport
- If you are travelling from a country outside the European Union please check on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if you need to apply for a VISA
CUSTOMS & DUTY
Like any country, we have rules about what you can bring in or out of Italy. But don’t worry, they aren’t complicated.
If you are travelling from another European Union country, please note some restrictions apply to what you can bring too.
WHAT ARE YOU BRINGING INTO ITALY?
- For information on bringing in alcohol and tobacco to Italy, please read the Traveller’s Customs Charter
- For information on bringing pets to Italy, please read the Traveller’s Customs Charter
- If you are carrying more than the equivalent of 10.000 Euro with you, you’ll need to make a declaration upon arrival. Don’t worry, no tax or charge is applied. You can find more information on the website of the European Commission
WHAT ARE YOU BRINGING BACK HOME?
- Whatever you do, avoid taking any sand or rocks away with you. All beaches are protected by law and heavy fines apply to transgressors
- Many plants in Sardinia are unique or rare species. They are protected so enjoy their perfume and leave them where they are
- You can take away any souvenir and food except uncertified products containing sheep or pig meat
MONEY
While credit cards are generally accepted everywhere, sometimes you might need Euros to pay for your cappuccino.
You can check here the value of Euro towards your country’s currency.
MEASUREMENT
Just like the rest of the European Union, Sardinia also uses the metric system.
Temperatures are all expressed in Celsius degrees. If you are used to Fahrenheit, bear in mind:
- 10°C is cold = 50°F
- 24°C perfect temperature corresponds to 75°F
- 38° Sardinian summer temperature during the day = 100°F
TIMEZONE
Sardinia uses the Central European Time (CET). It’s the time zone you would find in Rome, Frankfurt, Paris, Madrid and most of European Union countries.
- The UK uses the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), generally equal to CET – 1 hour
- Sardinia applies the EU Summer Time (Daylight Saving Time) Rule. From the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October clocks advance 1 hour
- You can check the current time in Europe on GreenwichMeanTime.com
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
Sardinian speak a language of their own, derived from the ancient Latin. Actually, their joke is that Italian is a dialect while Sardinian is a proper language.
SAY WHAT?
- English is spoken only in highly touristic areas
- In small villages, people might help you by using their body language making signs while speaking out information in Italian. They hope you’ll catch some similarity between a word that they are using and the one you would use in English
- French is more widespread than English, n’est pas?
- In Alghero, you can speak Catalan – a Spanish dialect
- Spanish and Italian are similar. However, bear in mind some words you might know in Spanish are completely different from their Italian counterparts
- People speak as loud as other Italians, i.e. twice as loud as any English person
WEATHER
Sardinian weather varies greatly from season to season.
SUMMER
- July and August are very warm with 30°C during the day and cooler temperatures at night
- You can usually enjoy a light breeze blowing from the sea in the afternoon
- It can get really windy – perfect for honing your windsurfing skills
- You will find sunny days all summer long as it usually never rains in July and August
WINTER
- The coldest months are January and February, with daytime temperatures averaging 10°C
- You can enjoy snowy days in January and February if you travel to Fonni, Desulo and other mountain villages
- It rains often but rarely for the whole day so you still can roam around enjoying the sun during wintertime
SPRING AND AUTUMN
- If you are an explorer, spring and autumn will give you plenty of sun time at the right temperature – around 20-25°C during the day
- Spring has the clearest air conditions so its perfect if you are a photographer
- Beaches are usually free and in Autumn the water is really warm