Sardinia is one of the best places in the Mediterranean for a group trip. The water is clear, the coastline is long enough that you can always find space, and the island is built around long days at sea followed by long dinners on land.
It's also big. Getting from one coast to the other takes hours, so the best Sardinia trips pick a base or two and go deep rather than trying to see everything. This guide covers the best things to do in Sardinia with friends, organised by area, plus when to go, how to get around and how to keep the money side easy.
For a group trip, June and September are the best months. The sea is warm, boat trips run every day and beaches are noticeably quieter than in peak summer. July and August are hot and busy, especially around Costa Smeralda and La Maddalena, and prices rise with demand.
Most boat trips run from around May to early October. Weather can change routes on the day, so leave a spare day in your plans in case a boat trip is moved.
The north-east (Olbia, Palau, San Teodoro) is the classic choice: easy flights into Olbia, the La Maddalena islands on your doorstep, and some of Sardinia's best-known beaches.
The east (Cala Gonone and the Gulf of Orosei) is for groups who want dramatic coves and the island's most famous boat days.
The south (Cagliari and Villasimius) gives you a real city with bars and restaurants, plus beaches within easy reach.
The north-west (Alghero) has a lively old town, sunset sailing and good food and wine, which makes it a strong base for a mixed group.
We picked these experiences ourselves for how well they work for groups. If you book through our links, Cino earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
A boat day around La Maddalena is the Sardinia trip most people come for: island after island, swim stops in very clear water and a lazy pace. The La Maddalena archipelago full-day boat tour is the most-reviewed option and one of the cheapest, which helps when you're getting a big group to agree.
For something more relaxed, the La Maddalena island-hopping sailing tour with lunch puts you on a yacht with lunch on board and hotel pickup.
Group tips: book a few weeks ahead for summer. A small landing tax for the archipelago, higher in peak summer, is added to the tour price.
The Palau catamaran tour with sunset takes a maximum of 12 people, so a group of eight or ten can almost fill it. It's a premium option, but it's the kind of evening the whole trip will remember.
The Gulf of Orosei is where Sardinia's coastline gets dramatic, with limestone cliffs dropping into turquoise coves that are hard or impossible to reach on foot. A skippered rubber dinghy is the classic way to see them. The Cala Gonone dinghy excursion to Cala Mariolu and Cala Goloritzè is the most popular choice, and the Gulf of Orosei dinghy cruise with swim stops is a small-group alternative with up to 12 people.
Group tips: some tours add a small environmental fee, often paid in cash on the day, so check your booking. Bring water shoes, as many coves are pebbly.
For a confident group, boat hire in Sardinia is the ultimate day out: your own boat, your own stops, your own schedule. The Cala Gonone 6-metre dinghy rental doesn't need a boat licence and is priced per boat for up to 10 people, so it gets cheap per person when you fill it.
Group tips: this one has fewer reviews than the guided trips, so read recent ones first. Agree who's driving before you leave the harbour, and keep an eye on the weather.
If you're based in the south, the Cagliari boat tour with four swim stops, snorkelling and prosecco is a cheap and very well-reviewed half day, with up to 12 people on board. It's one of the best things to do in Cagliari if you only have a few days.
The Villasimius marine park tour with snorkelling and drinks takes you into the protected waters around Capo Carbonara, with snorkel stops and drinks on board.
Tavolara is the huge rock island off the north-east coast, surrounded by shallow natural pools. From San Teodoro, the Tavolara archipelago dinghy grand tour has a private-group option, so you can book the boat just for your group. From Olbia, the half-day traditional boat tour to Tavolara and Molara is a slower, wooden-boat version.
The Golfo Aranci kayak tour with dolphins and aperitivo pairs people up in two-person kayaks (transparent ones are an option) and ends with a drink. Dolphins live in the gulf and are often spotted, though sightings aren't guaranteed. The paddle is worth it either way.
One of the best things to do in Alghero is the Alghero sunset sailing aperitif experience: two hours on the water, a drink in hand, then straight into the old town for dinner.
The Alghero mini yacht excursion with snorkelling and food can be booked privately or as a small group. The boat takes up to nine including the skipper, which makes it a good fit for a group of six to eight.
The Alghero wine and olive oil tasting at a boutique winery is short, inexpensive and an easy afternoon plan between beach days.
The Alghero Sardinian home-cooking class and meal takes a maximum of 10 people, so a small group can practically have it to themselves. You cook in a local home and finish with a four-course meal.
Not every day needs a booking. Some of the best Sardinia beaches are easy to reach by car and great for a lazy group day:
Arrive early in July and August, take shade and plenty of water, and agree on a lunch plan before you leave.
Flights: Sardinia has three main airports: Olbia in the north-east, Cagliari in the south and Alghero in the north-west. Pick the one closest to your base.
Ferries: ferries run all year from Livorno and Civitavecchia (near Rome) to Olbia, with extra summer sailings from Genoa. They're handy if you're bringing a car.
Car hire: for a group, hiring a car (or two) is close to essential. Public transport between beaches is limited, and many of the best spots need a short drive. Book early for summer, and check whether your group needs a bigger vehicle for luggage.
Local boats: short ferries link Palau to La Maddalena island, and most boat tours include pickup or leave from a central harbour.
A Sardinia trip has a lot of shared costs: the villa, the hire cars, petrol, the dinghy, the long dinners. Usually one person ends up paying for each and then chasing everyone else for weeks.
With Cino, the group pays together. Set up a shared card, choose how to split it, and pay for the boat or the car with it. Each person is charged only their share, instantly, at the moment of payment, so nobody has to front the bill.
Planning a trip with friends? Get Cino at getcino.com.
The north-east around Olbia, Palau and San Teodoro is the easiest for most groups, with direct flights, the La Maddalena islands and well-known beaches nearby. The Gulf of Orosei is best for boat days, and Alghero suits groups who want a lively town.
June and September are ideal for a group: warm sea, boat trips running daily and fewer crowds than July and August.
For most groups, yes. Public transport between beaches and towns is limited, and a hire car makes it much easier to reach the best spots.
Yes, some rental boats and dinghies can be driven without a licence, such as the 6-metre dinghies available in Cala Gonone. Rules depend on engine size, so check the conditions when you book.
The simplest way is to pay together with a shared card like Cino, which charges each person their share at the moment of payment. Nobody has to front the bill or chase payments later.
Pick a base, book one big boat day, and leave the rest of the trip for beaches and long dinners. If your group is still choosing between destinations, have a look at our guides to the Amalfi Coast with friends and island hopping in Greece.
And to keep the money side easy from day one: get Cino at getcino.com.
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