Strictly Sardinia – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Should You Use Cash or Card In Sardinia?
Host: Claudia Tavani
Date: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode addresses one of the most common travel questions about Sardinia: Should you use cash or card on the island? Host Claudia Tavani, a Sardinian local, provides practical guidance for visitors on handling payments, currency exchange, ATMs, and tipping culture. Along the way, she shares insider tips for booking essentials in advance to ensure a smooth trip.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Essentials to Pre-Book and Prepay

• Flights:
  • Book well in advance (about 6 months before summer).
  • Last-minute deals possible but limited, especially due to regulations affecting flight availability from Milan or Rome.
• Ferries:
  • Pre-booking recommended, especially for overnight cabins from Spain, France, or Italy.
• Car Rentals:
  • Book 6–8 months ahead for summer, especially if you want an automatic car.
  • More flexibility for off-season trips (e.g., October or winter).
• Accommodation:
  • Book early for summer, ideally by January or February for peak August trips.
  • Off-season deals available (October–May).
  • Note: Many hotels close for the winter and don't list rooms until prices for the new season are set.
• Boat Trips and Tours:
  • Especially for Maddalena Archipelago and Baunei coast—pre-book these about two weeks in advance.
  • Be prepared for schedule changes due to weather.

“If you're traveling to Sardinia in August, have your room secured in January or February at the latest.”
— Claudia (02:23)

2. Currency & Payment Methods in Sardinia

Currency:

• Sardinia, like the rest of Italy, uses the euro.

Cards vs. Cash:

• Cards are widely accepted—credit and debit—nearly everywhere across the island.
• Exceptionally rare to need cash; in some places, paying with cash is actually difficult due to lack of change.
• Beach entry, kiosks, and beach clubs accept card payments.
• Some remote hiking trails (e.g., Gorropu Gorge, Tiscali archaeological site) require cash due to poor phone reception and lack of card machine connectivity.

“We rarely use cash. I certainly do not use cash. And even in some places it's difficult to pay with cash because stores don't carry much in the way of change.”
— Claudia (04:30)

3. Using ATMs (“Bancomat”) in Sardinia

• All three airports (Cagliari Elmas, Olbia Costa Smeralda, Alghero Fertilia) have ATMs and currency exchange services.
• Currency exchange rates at airports are typically unfavorable.
• ATMs are widely available in towns and cities; they generally offer better rates.
• Best ATM choice: BNL (Banca Nazionale del Lavoro) often does not charge extra fees for international cards.
• AVOID ATMs from Travelex, Euronet, Your Cash, Card Point, and Cash Zone—these charge high fees and are often freestanding outside shops.
• Always use ATMs that are directly affiliated with banks.

“ATMs provided by Travelex, Euronet, Your Cash, Card Point and Cash Zone should be avoided like the plague. They charge huge fees regardless of your card provider.”
— Claudia (06:05)

4. Payment for Transport and Tickets

• Public transport tickets from airports can be purchased with cards at vending machines or online in advance.
• Most major expenses (transport, accommodation, tours) can and should be paid by card.

5. Tipping Culture

• Tipping is not customary in Sardinia or Italy in general.
• If anything, people may round up the bill, but large tips (15–30%) expected in North America are not appropriate.
• No need to tip taxi drivers, hotel staff, hairdressers, or manicurists.
• Over-tipping is discouraged as it undermines local work and tax culture.

“Tipping is not in the Italian culture. At most we round up the bills and that's what you should do too... That is absolutely not needed.”
— Claudia (07:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On pre-booking for peak season:
  “Don't be surprised if you're visiting in the summer and you're trying to book your room in October the year before and nothing is available.”
  — Claudia (02:41)

• On reliable ATMs:
  “You want to use an ATM that is by a bank. Those are the ones that are good to use.”
  — Claudia (06:18)

• On card acceptance:
  “Even at our protected beaches where there's a small fee to access, you can pay for access online, and you can pay at the entrance by cash. They will have kiosks that can be paid by or beach clubs where you can pay by card.”
  — Claudia (06:31)

• On the cultural perspective regarding tipping:
  “The tipping habit kind of destroys our culture for work, our culture for taxes, which is already quite, quite weak, you may know. So avoid, avoid doing that.”
  — Claudia (08:00)

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:41 | Episode intro and overview of cash/card topic | | 01:13 | What to pre-book for your Sardinian trip | | 03:56 | Pre-booking key attractions: boat tours, hiking | | 04:25 | Currency, general payment practices (cash vs. card) | | 04:55 | ATM and currency exchange guidance | | 06:18 | Warnings about high-fee ATMs | | 06:43 | Beach/kiosk/card payment specifics | | 07:13 | Exceptions: remote hiking trails require cash | | 07:20 | Tipping customs in Sardinia | | 08:21 | Episode wrap-up |

Conclusion & Resources

Claudia emphasizes that Sardinia is a card-friendly destination, with very little need for cash outside of remote rural sites. Visitors are encouraged to pre-book major components of their trip—especially in high season—and to avoid over-tipping. For further advice, Claudia directs listeners to her blog, Strictly Sardinia, and the Strictly Sardinia Travel Tips Facebook group.

For those planning their trip, Claudia offers a one-hour travel consultation and invites listeners to tune in next week for tips on "Cagliari Hidden Gems".