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- [00:01]
Radio Host
Oh, I have had no luck lately. Wait.
- [00:04]
Claudia
Lady Luck Bretzky.
- [00:06]
Lady Luck Bretzky
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- [00:18]
Radio Host
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- [00:22]
Spinquest Announcer
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- [00:32]
Radio Host
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- [01:13]
Claudia
Hello, I am Claudia. I was born and raised in Sardinia and I still live here. I'm the person behind both a strictly Sardinia blog and this podcast where I share practical tips and to help you plan your trip to my wonderful island. In the last episode, I talked about visiting Sardinia in August. In this episode we're covering why I think many visitors are planning Sardinia completely the wrong way. Now, before we start, make sure to check the episode description. That's where you'll find links to my blog. On the blog you'll find more details that will help you plan your trip, including hotel recommendations, tour tours, and all the practical information you need for your trip. You'll also find a link to book a one hour consultation with me. Now let's get started. A few weeks ago, I was at Olbiader Airport waiting for the bus to go into town when an American couple who had just landed on the direct Delta flight started chatting with me. They wanted to know which bus they should take into town. They told me they were planning to buy a carnet of 12 bus tickets so they could get around during the stay. At that point, I asked a very simple question, where are you staying? And they said, ovia. Then I asked another question, have you rented a car? And they said no. And then I asked the question that really matters. Why did you choose Obia? And the answer was immediate. Because we heard the best beaches in Sardinia are in the north. And honestly, the answer perfectly sums up one of the biggest misconceptions I see every year. Because there Are actually two separate issues hidden in that statement. The first is practical. The second is philosophical. Let's start with the practical one. If you're staying in Obia without a car, you're not really going to need 12 bus tickets. Obia is not a large city, and most of the town can be explored on foot. Despite what many visitors assume, public transportation to the beaches here works quite well. But you can only reach a handful of beaches like Porto Stana and the beaches of the area Opetulongo. You cannot explore the Emerald coast by bus. You cannot get all the way to San Teodoro by bus. So beyond these beaches, your options become increasingly limited. And this is why I often tell people that Olbia works best as a gateway. It's an airport city, a transport hub, a practical place, a place from which you can explore Galura, Santiago, the Emerald Coast, Palau, even La Madalena Archipelago if you want, and many other areas. But it only really works if you have a car. Without one, the experience is different. You can explore the local beaches more. But that's when the second issue comes in. The idea that the best beaches in Sardinia are in the north. Because, honestly, every time I hear that statement, I smile. Not because the north isn't beautiful, it absolutely is, but because this statement itself, itself does not really make sense. And that's what this episode is about. Not whether the north is beautiful, not whether the south is beautiful, not whether one beach is better than another. But why I think people are asking the wrong question in the first place. One thing I noticed, after years of helping people plan trips, is that many visitors choose where to stay based on beach rankings. They start by asking where are the best beaches? And then they choose the accommodation accordingly. And honestly, I think this is a bit backwards, because a beach is only a part of a holiday. What matters just as much is how you actually want to travel. Do you have a car? Do you want nightlife? Do you want restaurants within walking distance? Do you want a city atmosphere? Boat trips? Do you want to stay in one place or move around? These questions often matter much more than the beach itself. Now, let's go back to the couple at Olbia airport. They hadn't chosen O Bia because it suited the way they wanted to travel. They had chosen it because of something they've heard online. A ranking, an idea, a reputation. But travel isn't experienced through rankings. It's experienced through logistics, through convenience, through the way your day actually unfolds. And that's why I think, so many people end up disappointed. Not Because Sardinia fails to meet their expectations, but because they've chosen the wrong base for the kind of holiday they want. Now, let's talk about the statement itself. The best beaches in Sardinia are in the north. Honestly, most locals would never say that. In fact, many of us laugh every time we hear that. Not because the northern beaches aren't beautiful. They are. But because the idea that one area has all the best beaches simply does not reflect reality. And I think the reason this myth survives is actually quite simple. People confuse their favorite beach with the objectively best beach. Let's imagine somebody spends a week in the Emerald Coast. They visit beautiful beaches, they have fantastic weather, they love their trip. They return home and tell everyone the best beaches in Sardinia are in the north. But what if the same person has spent a week in Kia or in Villasimius Costere, the Gulf of Orose? They probably come back saying exactly the same thing about those places. And that's because Sardinia isn't a destination where beauty is concentrated in one corner. It's spread across the entire island. The north is beautiful, the south is beautiful, the east is beautiful, and the west is beautiful. They're simply beautiful in different ways. Honestly, that's one of the things I love the most about Sardinia. There isn't one correct answer. There isn't one superior coast. There isn't one area that wins. What exists in Said is an extraordinary variety of landscapes. And that's why locals rarely spend times debating what part of Sardinia is best. Most of us know that the answer depends entirely on what we're looking for. I think social media has made this issue much worse, because social media rewards certainty, rewards rankings, rewards absolutes. People love titles like the 10 best bitches in Sardinia. Bitches you cannot meet miss the ultimate Sardinia bucket List. Those headlines get clicks, but they also create a problem. They encourage people to think of travel as a checklist. Instead of asking, what kind of holiday do I want? People start asking, which famous places am I supposed to visit? And those are very different questions. I see this all the time. People arrive with a list of beaches they've collected over months of. Of research. Every beach has been saved, every beach has been pinned, Every beach has been added to a bucket list. And now they feel the pressure to see them all. Not because they genuinely want to, but because they feel they should. Because that's what social media has told them. And the result is often a holiday. They feel strangely stressful. Instead of discovering places, naturally, people feel obliged to chase these names instead of enjoying where they are. They're Thinking about where they're going to go next. And that's how a relaxing holiday slowly turns into a project. One thing I think many first time visitors underestimate is just how large Sardinia actually is. People see an island on a map and assume it must be relatively small. Well, Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean. The coastline stretches for almost 2,000 kilometers. 2,000 kilometers. That's an extraordinary amount of coastline. And along that coastline you'll find hundreds of beaches. Not thousands, but hundreds long sandy beaches, tiny coves, granite bays, cliffs backed beaches, dune systems, white sand, golden sand, shallow water, deep water, urban beaches, remote beaches, protected beaches, wild beaches. The variety is incredible. Honestly, that's why locals don't spend much time debating which beach is the best, because the question itself feels too simplistic. It's a bit asking, what's the best restaurant in Italy? Or what's the best town in Sardinia? There isn't one answer. There are hundreds of possible answers. What surprises me is that many visitors arrive already convinced that only a handful of beaches matter. As if Sardinia were defined by six or seven famous names. But the reality is very different. The famous beaches are simply the beaches you've heard about most. They are not the only beautiful beaches, they are not the only beaches worth visiting. And they certainly aren't the only places where you can have an amazing day. I think often, once people understand how much coastline Sardinia actually has, something changes. They stop obsessing over rankings, they stop worrying about whether they're seeing the best beach, and they start realizing something much more useful. Beautiful beaches are everywhere, not just in the places that appear most often on social media. And that's a much better starting point for planning a trip. Now we get to the part that some people don't like hearing the uncomfortable truth about crowds. Because every summer I see exactly the same questions. Will La Pelosa be crowded? Is Cala branding worth it? Will Calamariolo be busy? Where can I find a hidden gem? Rich beaches are less touristy. And every summer I see the exact same complaints. There were too many people, we couldn't find parking, the beach was overcrowded. We expected something differently. Different. Honestly, I understand the frustration. Nobody flies to Sardinia dreaming about sitting in traffic. Nobody imagines spending half an hour looking for a parking space. Nobody fantasizes about sharing a beach with hundreds of other people. I get it. But I also think we need to be honest about something. Most of these situations are completely predictable. Let's take La Pelosa. It's one of the most photographed Beaches in Europe. Millions of people have seen photos of it, millions have read about it, millions of people have have added it to their bucket list. It's featured on blogs, my blog as well, guidebooks, YouTube videos, TikToks, Facebook groups, and every Best beaches in Sardinia article ever written. Why exactly would it be empty? That crowds are not an accident. The crowds are the consequence of popularity. And the same applies to Calabrandinki, to Hereda, Punta Molenti's Cala Goloriza. These places are famous, and famous places attract people. That's literally what fame means. Yet every Tamil people arrive at these beaches and seem genuinely surprised that thousands of other visitors had exactly the same idea. I find this contradiction fascinating. People spend months researching, they read articles, watch videos, save Instagram posts, create bucket lists. And somehow they never stop to consider that everybody else is doing the exact same thing. The Internet has made travel information very accessible, but it also has created a strange form of collective behavior. Everybody follows the same recommendations most of the time. Not by a local, I must say. Then everybody ends up in the same place. Then everybody complains that everybody else is there. Now here's the part that always makes me smile. People tell me I want a hidden gem. And honestly, most of the time I don't believe them. Not because they're lying, but because what they say they want and what they actually want are two absolutely different things. I see this all the time in my Facebook groups. Somebody asked, can anybody recommend a hidden gem? Or which beaches are less touristy? So I suggest somewhere less famous. A beach that doesn't appear on every Instagram account. A place that locals genuinely enjoy. A place that isn't on every tourist checklist. And do you know what often happens? They're not interested. The conversation immediately returns to the usual names. La Pelosa Calabrandinki, Cala Golorisa, blah, blah, blah. Every single time. And that's when I realized something. They don't actually want a hidden gem. What they want is reassurance. They want somebody to tell them that this speeches already on their bucket list are worth visiting. And honestly, that is completely fine. There is nothing wrong with wanting to visit a famous place. I've visited them myself many times. I recommend them all the time. But please don't ask me for hidden gems if what you really want is somebody to confirm your bucket list. Because these are two completely different conversations. When I suggest a hidden gems and you immediately reply, yes, but what about Cala Mariolo? Then we're wasting both our time. I'm trying to answer the question you asked, you're looking for reassurance that your original plan was correct. Again, there is nothing wrong with that. But let's at least be on.
- [13:22]
Spinquest Player
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- [13:42]
Spinquest Announcer
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- [13:52]
Carvana Seller
I sold my car in Carvana last night.
- [13:54]
Claudia
Well, that's cool.
- [13:54]
Carvana Seller
No, you don't understand. It went perfectly. Real offer down to the penny. They're picking it up tomorrow. Nothing went wrong.
- [14:01]
AutoTrader Enthusiast
So what's the problem?
- [14:02]
Carvana Seller
That is the problem. Nothing in my life goes this mood smoothly. I'm waiting for the catch.
- [14:06]
AutoTrader Enthusiast
Maybe there's no catch.
- [14:07]
Carvana Seller
That's exactly what a catch would want me to think.
- [14:10]
AutoTrader Enthusiast
Wow, you need to relax.
- [14:11]
Carvana Seller
I need to knock on wood. Do we have wood? Is this table wood?
- [14:13]
AutoTrader Enthusiast
I think it's laminate.
- [14:14]
Carvana Seller
Okay. Yeah, that's good. That's close enough.
- [14:16]
AutoTrader Enthusiast
Car selling without a catch. Sell your car today on Carvana. Pick up fees may apply.
- [14:21]
Claudia
It's about it. Because hidden gems and bucket list beaches are not the same thing. And I think social media has blurred this distinction. People say they want unique experiences, but then they choose exactly the same beaches, exactly the same boat tours and exactly the same itineraries everybody else is choosing every year. I suggest places like Casina and Tavolara, places that we locals genuinely love. Places that are beautiful, unique and memorable. And the response is often, yes, but we really wanted to go to La Maddalena or we're looking for something special. And honestly, this makes me laugh because Azinara is special. Tavolara is special. They're not second rate alternatives because you couldn't get to La Maddalena. They're excellent, extraordinary places in their own right. But because people have seen La Maddalena and the Baunai coast dozens of times online, they become convinced that those are the experiences that matter, the experiences that count. The experiences they need in order to have a proper Sardinia holiday. And that's how thousands of visitors end up chasing the exact same beaches, the exact same boat tours and the exact same itineraries every summer. Then they arrive and discover that everybody else is doing the exact same same thing. And they're suddenly surprised by the crowds but that's the contradiction. The more famous a place becomes, the less likely it is to feel hidden. The more people put it on their bucket list, the more crowded it becomes. That's not a failure of the destination. That's simply the consequence of popularity. Now, I think the next statement might sound provocative, but I genuinely believe it's true. If you don't want the crowd, stop being the crowd. And what I mean by that is very simple. Every summer, I see remarkably similar itineraries. People flying to Sardinia, and they spend the next week trying to visit the exact same places. Same beaches, same boat tours, same viewpoints, same attraction. Honestly, it's not because they're making bad choices. Many of those places are beautiful. The problem is that everybody else is making the exact same choices. If 10,000 people all decide they must absolutely visit the same beach, that beach will be crowded. There is no mystery here. That's simply how popularity works. What fascinates me is that many visitors seem to believe they can somehow avoid the consequences of popularity. They want famous beaches, they don't want crowds, they want bucket list destinations. But they want them to feel undiscovered. They want iconic places, but they want them all to themselves. Unfortunately, those things are incompatible. The very reason a place becomes famous is because lots of people want to visit. Which means lots of people eventually do. That's why I always tell people to think carefully about what matters most. Do you want to visit the most famous places or do you want to avoid the crowds? Because sometimes you can have both, but often you can. And there's nothing wrong with choosing famous places. Just don't be surprised when thousands of other people had exactly the same idea. Now, here's the conclusion. I've arrived after a lifetime of living in Sardinia and years of helping visitors planning their trips. The best beach in Sardinia is often the beach closest to where you're staying. And I know that sounds almost disappointingly simple, but people want a more exciting answer. They want to meet, to reveal a secret beach, a hidden cove, a place nobody knows about. But honestly, the longer I spend talking to visitors, the more convinced I become that proximity matters far more than people realize. Let's imagine two. First one, you've spent weeks planning a visit to a famous beach. You've seen photos, online, blog posts, watch videos. You decided that this beach is absolutely essential. So you wake up early, drive for an hour and a half. You sit in traffic, you struggle to park. You carry all your beach gear for 20 minutes, and you eventually arrive. In the second scenario, you wake up, have breakfast, drive 10 minutes, maybe even walk. Then spend the day swimming, Stay as long as you want and then return to your accommodation without spending half the afternoon in the car. Which one sounds more relaxing? Because last time I checked, most people come to Sardinia for a holiday, not for a logistical challenge. And yet, every summer I see visitors doing exact same opposite thing. They stay in one part of Sardina and they spend the entire holiday driving somewhere else. People say in Alguero and ask about day trips to La Madarena happened. They vary. Other day in my group, people say in Costa Ri and ask whether they should drive to La Pelosa. People say in Cali. Didn't ask if they can visit Calabrandinki for the day or even the Bau Nai coast as a day trip. Technically, yes, these things are possible. That's not the question I ask myself. My question is why? Why spend three, four, five hours in a car when there are beautiful beaches that are much closer? I think this obsession with famous names causes people to underestimate something important, the difference between a beautiful beach and an enjoyable beach day. Because they're not the same thing. A beach can be stunning and still provide a stressful experience. Too much driving, too much traffic, parking, anxiety. Meanwhile, a beach that nobody has ever heard of can provide one of the best beach days of your holiday, because it's easy, it's convenient, it's relaxed, because you're actually enjoying yourself. So social media has convinced people that the objective of a certain holiday is to find the best beach. But I don't think that's true. I think the objective is to have the best holiday. And those are two completely different things. The best holiday is not necessarily the one where you visited the most famous beaches. It's the one where you spent less time worrying and more time enjoying yourself. The one where you were constantly looking at Google Maps when you were trying to optimize every minute. The one when you were treating your holiday like a competition. Because there's something I genuinely believe. If you dropped most visitors onto a beautiful beach without telling them its name, they'd probably have a wonderful day. It's only when people know they're standing on a famous beach that they start comparing, ranking, evaluating, wondering whether another beach might have been better, wondering whether they're missing out. And honestly, that's one of the fastest ways to ruin a holiday. The fear of missing out, the feeling that there is always a better beach somewhere else. The truth is that Sardinia is full, full of beautiful places you don't need to visit them all. You don't need to visit the most famous ones. You just need to enjoy where you are. I think all of this leads to a bigger problem. And that problem isn't really about beaches. It's about the way people approach Sardinia. Because somewhere along the way, many visitors have started treating Sardinia like something they need to complete. Honestly, this is one of the fastest ways to ruin your holiday. Every summer, I see itineraries that make me tired just reading them. People in Albia, they want to see La Madarena, the Emerald Coast, Calamariolo, Cala, Gruzza, Tuer, Redaquilla, La Pelosa, Alghiero, Calri. And they want to do all of that in seven days, sometimes 10 if they're lucky. And every time I see those itineraries, I find myself asking the same question. When exactly are you planning to enjoy yourself? Because all I can see is driving, driving, more driving, and even more driving. And I think the real problem is that people underestimate how long things take. Distances may look short on a map, but roads are slower than you may expect. Parking takes time, beach access takes time. And before you know it, a large part of the day has disappeared. That's why I often look at ambitious itineraries and wonder whether people have left themselves enough time to simply enjoy the places they're visiting. Because a holiday isn't about reaching places, it's about experiencing them. Cerdina rewards the exact opposite approach. Sardinia rewards people who slow down, people who stay longer, people who stop trying to optimize, optimized every minute of every day. People who allow themselves to spend an entire afternoon at the same beach without feeling guilty that they're missing something else. You're not supposed to see all of Sardinia. Not in one trip, not in two trips, not in five trips. I've lived here all my life, and there are still places that I haven't visited, beaches that I haven't seen, and villages that I haven't explored. And that's perfectly normal. The island is large, diverse, not designed to be completed. One of the reasons I love it, because every time I think I've seen everything, I discover something new. A different place, a different trail, a different village, a different corner of the island. It's not a destination you conquer, it's a destination you experience. So after everything I've said in this episode, you may be wondering, okay, Claudia, if I shouldn't choose my base Betties on somebody else's ranking of the best beaches, how should I choose it? I think the answer is much Simpler than people choose your base based on how you want to travel. Not based on beach rankings, not based on an Instagram reel on a TikTok video, based on how you actually want to spend your days. So I always ask people, are you renting a car? Because that one decision changes everything. If you're renting a car, suddenly your options become much wider. You can stay in smaller places, you can explore independently. You can reach beaches that aren't connected by public transport. But if you're not renting a car, that's fine too. You need to choose your base accordingly. So let's go back to the American couple I met at Olbia airport. They chose Olbia because they heard the best beaches are nearby, but they weren't renting a car. So they weren't really choosing Olbia. They were choosing a version of Olbia that only exists if they have a car. And those are two completely different experiences. This is why I often tell people that if they're not renting a car, they should consider places like Calhe or Alghero. Not because the beaches are better, but because the overall experience often works better. You can walk around, you have restaurants, bars, things to do in the evenings, public transport. The second question I always ask is, what do you actually enjoy doing? Because not everybody wants the same holiday. Some people love boat trips, others don't care about them. Some people want nightlife, others want peace and quiet. Some people want to spend all day at the beach. Other want a mix of beaches, villages and sightseeing. The difference matter way more than people realize. I think people sometimes imagine that choosing where to stay is primarily about geography, and reality is often about also lifestyle. How do you want your days to look? How do you want your evenings to look? How much driving are you willing to do? Because once you answer those questions, the right destination usually becomes much clearer. Honestly, that's one of the biggest advantages of slowing down. Instead of asking, where are the best beaches? You'll start asking, where will I enjoy myself most? And that's a much better question. So if there's one thing I hope you remember from this episode is this. There is no single best beach in Sardinia. No single best coast, no single best area. Honestly, that's one of the things I love the most about this island. The question isn't where are the best beaches? The question is, how do I want to travel? Because once you answer that question, planning Sardinia becomes much easier. You choose a better base, you spend less time driving, you'll stop worrying about rankings. You'll probably want end up enjoying your holiday a lot more. Sardina is a big island, one that rewards curiosity, flexibility and slowing down. Perhaps the biggest lesson I've learned after a lifetime here is the best beach in Sardinia is the one where you spend, not the one where you spent six months researching. It's the one where you had the best day. And those two things are very different now. Before we finish, don't forget to check the episode description where you find the link to my blog for more details, hotel options, tours, everything you need to plan your trip to Sardinia. You'll also find a link to book a one hour travel consultation with me next week. We'll be talking about how to choose the right basin in Sardinia, comparing Cagliari, Alghero and Olbia, and explaining which one is likely to work best depending on how you travel. Now, if you found my podcast episode helpful, share with anyone planning a trip to Sardinia and feel free to leave a rating or a review. And until next week, goodbye.
- [26:44]
Lady Luck Bretzky
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- [27:07]
Spinquest Announcer
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- [27:13]
AutoTrader Enthusiast
Are you really buying a car online on Autotrader right now? Really? I can get super specific with dealer listings and see cars based on my budget. You can really have it delivered or pick it up. Mommy's mom I think kid is walking up the slide.
- [27:25]
Claudia
Really?
- [27:26]
AutoTrader Enthusiast
Auto trader? Buy your car online? Really.