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let the city I'll be doing. Hello, I am Claudia. I was born and raised in Sardinia and I still live here. I am the person behind both the Strictly Sardinia blog and this podcast where I share practical tips to help you plan your trip. In the last episode I talked about authentic Sardinia. Today we're covering what you should expect when visiting Sardinia in August. Before we start, make sure to check the episode description. That's where you'll find the link to the full blog post for this episode. On the blog I go into more detail. You'll find recommendations for your trip, tours to take, and all the practical information you need to plan. You'll also find the link to book a one hour consultation with me. Now let's get started. Common misconception, August is the most misunderstood month in Sardina. Whenever somebody asks me whether they should visit Sardinia in August, my answer is always the same. It depends. And I know that's not the answer people want. People want me to say either absolutely yes or absolutely not. But August is much more complicated than that because August is simultaneously one of the best and one of the most challenging times to visit Sardinia. Now, the sea is incredible. The beaches look exactly like the photos that convinced you to book your holiday to Sardinia. The days are long, everything is open, the islands feel very much alive. And yet August is also when prices are the highest, roads are busiest, beaches are most crowded, accommodation is hardest to find, not to mention most expensive. The best word I can think of to describe August in Sardinia is intense. And honestly, that's why opinions about August are so divided. Every year I see people saying these. This was the best holiday of my life. And then somebody else says I would never come back in August. What's interesting is that both people can be right. The difference is expectation. Now I think the biggest mistake people make actually happens before they arrive. The book Sardinia in August while imagining Sardinia in May. And those are two completely different experiences. The beaches are the same, the sea is the same, the landscapes are the same, but everything else changes. Every year I see comments from people saying we're looking for a quiet beach holiday in Sardinia in mid August. Honestly, that's where alarm bells start ringing for me, because quiet and August are not concepts I naturally associate with one another. August is the month when Italians travel, European travels. Families travel, you know, especially families that have children that are going to go back to school at the very beginning of September. And literally everybody is on holiday. If you're dreaming of empty beaches and complete solitude, August is probably not the month you should spend in Sardinia. But if you enjoy atmosphere, energy, people, events and warmer sea temperatures, August can be fantastic. To understand Sardinia in August, you need to understand something about Italy. August is a holiday month, especially around Ferragosto. Ferragosto falls on August 15, but realistically, the entire middle of the month revolves around it. For generations, Italians have taken holidays in August. Families travel, friends reunite people, people go to the beach. And Sardinia has always been one of the most desirable summer holiday destinations in Italy. That means that when you visit Sardinia in August, you're not just sharing the islands with international tourists, you're also sharing it with Italians, lots of Italians. And this is why accommodation fills up so quickly, why ferries become expensive, why flights become expensive, why the beaches become crowded, why restaurants book out. August is not simply tourist season, it's holiday season. Now let's talk about the reason people come anyway. The sea. Because honestly, August is when Sardinia looks exactly like the postcards. The water is warm, it's clear, it's inviting. This is one place where August genuinely shines. I always say that July is my favorite month for a beach holiday. But August absolutely wins when it comes to sea temperatures. If you come in May or June, the water is going to be freezing cold. Every complaints about people saying that the water is freezing cold in June. If you come in September, the temperatures are warm, but the days are short. You can hardly spend as much time at the beach. In August, you can spend hours swimming comfortably. And families with children especially appreciate this. One thing that surprises visitors is that Sardinia sea can still feel quite cold in June. As I said, by August, that's no longer an issue. The sea has had months to warm up and it shows. Now let's talk about the beaches, because this is where expectations and reality often collide. Yes, August is crowded, but not every beach looks like a packed subway station. What actually happens is that the most famous beaches become very crowded. Places like La Pelosa, Calabrandinki, Tuerreda, Porto Junco or Punta Molentis. They can be extremely busy. Honestly, that shouldn't surprise anybody. These beaches are famous because they're beautiful. People don't travel across the island to visit mediocre beaches, which, by the way, we do not have. All beaches in Sardinia are gorgeous. One thing social media has done is create though unrealistic expectations. People see photos of Cala Berndinki with three people on it and assume that's how how they will find it on August 12th at noon. That's not reality. Those photos were often taken early in the morning, outside peak season, sometimes in April or May. And with careful framing, the beach itself is still beautiful. The problem is expectations. I think many visitors interpret crowds as proof that the beach is overrated. But often the opposite is true. These beaches are crowded because they are spectacular. And honestly, one of the biggest mistakes visitors make is focusing only on the 10 most famous beaches that make it all the way to the other side of the world. Sardinia has hundreds of beaches. Hundreds. They are all gorgeous. South of Sardinia, gorgeous beaches north of Sardinia, gorgeous beaches east, west. Every single beach in Sardinia is unique and beautiful. Many beaches are quiet. You don't need to spend your entire holiday chasing Instagram. Now here's something many other visitors Parking. In August, parking becomes part of your daily plan. I'm serious. If you arrive at a famous beach at 11 in the morning, you will struggle, not because the beach is full, but because the parking lot is. That is why locals go early or late or at lunchtime. When people leave, they don't go early because they enjoy waking up at dawn. But because we know how August works, a single hour can completely change your day. So arrive at 8am, 9am at the latest. But really at the latest, you probably have a more relaxed experience. If you arrive at 11, you. You're suddenly driving around looking for parking. You know, August rewards early risers. Now Ferragoso deserves its own section. Ferragosu is different. Even within August, the days around August 15th are often the busiest, the most expensive and the most crowded. Roads are busy, restaurants are packed, beaches fill up quickly. But Ferragosi is also one of the most interesting times to be on the island, because that's when it really feels alive. There are village fest, concerts, celebrations, food events everywhere. You can spend an entire evening simply walking around a village festival, eating local food, listening to music, watching people enjoy summer. And honestly, this is one of the things that many tourists completely overlook. They focus so much on beaches that they forget there is an entire island behind them. Now, what I genuinely love about August. Listening to this episode so far, you may think that I dislike August. No, I don't. I actually really enjoy August. I simply enjoy it differently. Because August is not the month when I go looking for solitude. It's a month when Sardinia feels most alive. Friends come back from mainland Italy, from overseas. Families reunites, villages become busy again. Squares fill up, restaurants are full, children stay outside silent till late. There is an energy that simply does not exist in the winter. And remember, I am from the capital city and it's always busy. One thing I love the most about August is the evenings. The heat begins to fade, people leave the beach, town centres become alive. In Calerie, August evenings can be wonderful. The marina is busy, the old town is lively, and people are everywhere. There is a real Mediterranean atmosphere that many visitors fall in love with. Now, Sardinia is expensive in August. Let's be honest. Accommodation can easily cost double what it does in June, like 10 times what it costs in February. The same room, the same hotel, the same location, only the demand changes. The same happens with ferries, flights and car rental. And every year I see people asking, why are carrentos so expensive? Because everybody wants one at exactly the same time. That's August. This is why I always say August rewards planners. The people who book in generally have completely different experience from the people who start planning in July. So booking late for August is one of the biggest mistakes. Every year somebody asks, can anybody recommend a beachfront hotel for August? Usually in July. And honestly, by then, many of the best options are already gone. This is especially true for family resorts, beachfront hotels and popular destinations like, say, the Emerald Coast, La Madalena or Villa Simios in the south. If August is your travel month, book early. Like really early, like January or February at the latest. You'll save money and have better choices. I also want to talk about something else that people ask me. Is August too hot? Sometimes temperatures can exceed 35 degrees Celsius, 38 degrees Celsius and even 40 degrees Celsius. Honestly, that's not different from July or September. Most of the time, locals adapt we don't spend the hottest part of the day wandering around cities. We structure our days differently. Beach in the morning. Lunch usually at the beach. Slow afternoon, usually at the beach, under the shade. Swim later, dinner, evening activities. If you embrace this rhythm instead of fighting it, August becomes much easier to enjoy. And that's another thing I want to say. Don't try to plan and pack your day with activities. This is not the way to enjoy your time in Sardinia. Pick a beach, go there and spend entire day relaxing, napping, reading, listening to music, chatting to friends, taking photographs, doing crosswords, reading some more. Swimming, having a snack, perhaps a gelato, perhaps a drink. You know, that's how we spend our time at the beach in August. August is not the month for aggressive itineraries. Traffic exists, heat exists, crowds exist. Every summer I see people planning Callari, Alghero, Emerald Coast, Gulf of Rose, all in one week. Honestly, that's a nightmare. I don't understand why they do it. Why spend your holiday sitting in a car? August rewards low travel even more. Stay longer in one place, drive less, enjoy the sea more. August is also one of the best months for boat tours, snorkeling, sailing, catamaran trips. The sea temperature is excellent and visibility is fantastic. But book ahead, especially for the Gulf of Jose la Maddalena and Azinara and Villa Simios as well. Boat tours fill up clicky. So who should visit in August? Families. Definitely families. If you're tied to school holidays, I honestly wouldn't overthink it. The sea is warm, everything is operating, activities are running, restaurants are open, the island is functioning at full capacity, and people looking for atmosphere will love August too. Who should avoid August? If your dream holiday involves solitude, empty beaches, low prices, complete spontaneity, then August is not the right choice for you. There is nothing wrong with wanting those things. But August is simply the wrong month for them. Now, my honest local perspective. If somebody gave me complete freedom and asked me to choose one month for a beach holiday in Sardinia, I would choose July. Every single time. The sea is already warm, the days are incredibly long, everything is open, but there is still just a little bit more breathing room. For me, that's the perfect balance. But here's the thing. Most people don't have complete flexibility. They have school holidays, work schedules, family commitments. And if August is when you can travel, I genuinely don't think you should avoid Sardinia because of that. You simply need to understand what August looks like. Come expecting crowds, come expecting higher prices, Come expecting busy beaches, and then enjoy everything. August does exceptionally well, because there are things August offers that no other month quite replicates. The atmosphere, the warm sea, the festivals, long evenings, the energy. Now the final verdict. If somebody asked me, Claudia, should I cancel my August trip? My answer would be absolutely, absolutely not. I would simply tell them to stop expecting August to behave like May come prepare, book early, wake up early, slow down and enjoy Sardinia for what it is during that month. A busy, beautiful, noisy, energetic Mediterranean island at the height of summer. Because honestly, that's exactly what August is supposed to be. Now, before we finish, don't forget to check the episode description where you'll find the link to the full blog post for this episode. On the blog you'll find more details plus hotel options, tours, everything you need to plan your trip. You also find the link to book a one hour travel consultation with me if you need it. Now, next week I'll be comparing north and South Sardinia. If you found my podcast episode helpful, share with anyone planning a trip to Sardinia and feel free to leave a rating or review. And until next week, goodbye.
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