Car Hire on Sardinia
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Cheapest Car Hire Rates
Cagliari Airport
Mini Elite
Fiat 500
or comparable
£1.56
per day
Olbia Airport
Mini
Toyota Aygo
or comparable
£2.02
per day
Olbia Airport
Economy
Fiat Panda
or comparable
£2.62
per day
Cagliari Airport
Economy Elite
Peugeot 208
or comparable
£3.20
per day
Most Popular Car Hire Deals
Cagliari Airport
Compact
Fiat 500L
or comparable
£3.27
per day
Alghero Fertilia Airport
Compact Elite
Fiat 500X
or comparable
£3.66
per day
Olbia Airport
Intermediate
Fiat 500X
or comparable
£5.25
per day
Cagliari Airport
Intermediate Elite
Audi A3
or comparable
£6.92
per day
The above prices are only approximate and were last updated at 16:56 on 09/12/2024. Prices may vary based on the booking dates, length of rental, and car class.
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Travel Information
Languages
Italian
Currency
EUR
Drive on
Right-hand side
Dialing code
+39
Average car hire price
£4 per day
Average car hire length
7 days
Speed limit within city centre
50 - 70 km/h or 31 - 43 mph
Speed limit out of city centre
90 - 130 km/h or 56 - 81 mph
Acceptable limit of BAC
0.05%
Average petrol price
£1.49 per litre or £5.64 per gallon
Lowest petrol price
£1.41 per litre or £5.35 per gallon
Highest petrol price
£1.64 per litre or £6.20 per gallon
Why hire a car on Sardinia?
The island of Sardinia is one of the most interesting regions of Italy. Culturally distinct and home to many proud traditions, it is also home to some of the finest beaches. From its classy capital, Cagliari, to the northern beach resorts around Alghero and Sassari, hiring a car will let you experience all that Sardinia has to offer.
Note: This article is about the Italian island of Sardinia. Read the individual articles about the Italian mainland or Sicily to learn more about these parts of the country.
One-way Car Hire on Sardinia
Here are the most popular one-way car hire options for pickup on Sardinia and drop off in another country:
- From Sardinia to Italy - 124 offers from £34.14 per day
Top ways to enter Sardinia
- Cagliari Airport. Serving Sardinia’s southwestern capital, Cagliari Elmas serves about 4.7 million travellers a year, making it the busiest airport on the island.
- Olbia Airport. The main air hub of the island’s northeast, Olbia Airport handles almost three million travellers annually. The airport is served by a number of low-cost carriers including easyJet and Volotea.
- Alghero Airport. The third international airport of Sardinia, Alghero-Fertilia serves the island’s northwestern coast.
Top cities and places to visit
- Cagliari. It’s not only for the sake of convenience that the capital of Sardinia is also the island’s most visited destination. Home to a well-preserved historical centre, Cagliari boasts architectural gems such as its Neo-Gothic cathedral and three Pisan towers, as well as even older heritage like the Roman amphitheatre, San Saturno Basilica, and artefacts in the National Archaeological Museum.
- Costa Smeralda. Taking up some 20 km (12 miles), Costa Smeralda is the most popular coastal area of Sardinia. Some visitors find the area too busy, others enjoy its joyful atmosphere and fun nightlife, but nobody can argue against the natural beauty of the region. Costa Smeralda is located in the northeast of the island, with the city of Olbia being its main port of entry.
- Alghero. Located in the northwest of the island, Alghero is a lovely place to visit as it combines access to beautiful beaches with scenic architecture and a relaxed atmosphere. This part of the island shares a strong cultural affinity with the Catalonia region of Spain, and not just Italian and Sardinian, but also Catalan can frequently be heard on the streets of Alghero.
Most popular hire car
The most popular car is the Kia Rio, followed by the Lancia Ypsilon and the Fiat 500. The most popular car types are mini, economy, and compact.
Driving licence requirements
- Italy accepts all driving licences issued in the European Union (EU).
- You can only use a driving licence issued outside of the EU if you've been in the EU for less than six months. If you’ve been in the EU longer, you’ll need a driving licence issued by an EU country.
- If your driving licence is printed in a non-Latin alphabet (Cyrillic, Arabic, etc.), you’ll need an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an official translation of your licence into English or, preferably, Italian.
- You must carry your driving licence, not its copy, with you at all times.
- You need to have had your driving licence for at least one or two years, depending on the car provider’s requirements.
- There may be additional requirements depending on the supplier and car category, so make sure to check the terms and conditions before booking.
Crossing borders
Some car hire companies allow their cars to be taken to mainland Italy — most often as a one-way trip dropping off the car in Rome.
Many wonder if a car can be taken to the neighbouring French island of Corsica. Very few car hire companies allow this — instead, think about dropping off your car before taking the ferry and picking up another on Corsica.
Almost no car hire companies allow their cars to be taken on the long ferry journey to Sicily.
Top driving routes
- Nuoro. Most visitors of Sardinia tend to stick to the coasts and completely overlook the mountainous inland part of the island. But if you’re curious enough to get off the beaten track, you’ll be rewarded with stunning hikes, plenty of hospitality, and a completely different atmosphere than that of the most popular tourist resorts. Nuoro, the largest town of the inland and a good hub for exploring the rest of it, is less than a two-hour drive from either Cagliari, Sassari, Olbia, or Alghero.
- Asinara. Located just off the main island’s northern coast, little Asinara is one of Sardinia’s most interesting travel destinations. Former home of various civilizations and later a maximum-security prison, nowadays it has been turned into a wildlife and marine reserve and is known for its population of albino donkeys. There are ferries from both Porto Torres and Stintino, and while you cannot bring a car with you, the island is small enough to explore on either foot or by bike — and you can pick up your vehicle after the return to the main island.
Car hire prices
- Convertibles - starting at £8 per day
- Station wagons - starting at £6 per day
- Large cars - starting at £4 per day
- Medium cars - starting at £3 per day
- People Carriers - starting at £9 per day
- Premium cars - starting at £22 per day
- Small cars - starting at £2 per day
- SUVs - starting at £4 per day
How can I save money on my hire car?
There are several good methods to find a cheaper car for hire:
- Compare rates of different car hire providers
- Book your vehicle well in advance
- Plan your route before you go
- Know your fuel and mileage requirements
- Visit in the month when the prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Sardinia is the cheapest in March when hiring a car is about 46% cheaper than the yearly average.
The 3 most popular cities on Sardinia
Top 3 Most Popular Locations on Sardinia
Map of Car Hire Destinations
In which month is car hire on Sardinia the most affordable?
Prices for hiring a car on Sardinia fluctuate depending on the time of year. This table and graph can help you find the best bargain.
Average price for hiring a car per day on Sardinia
The best month to hire a car on Sardinia is February — when the average price for a hire is £4.67 per day. This is 71% less than the yearly average and 87% less than hiring a car in August (when the average price is £36.02 per day).
This information can help you determine the low season. But note that these prices are only averages. The cost of your hire is determined by the type of car you select, the length of time you hire it for and how much in advance you book. Simply type in your dates in the form at the top of the page in order to find out the exact prices.
This information can help you determine the low season. But note that these prices are only averages. The cost of your hire is determined by the type of car you select, the length of time you hire it for and how much in advance you book. Simply type in your dates in the form at the top of the page in order to find out the exact prices.
How many days do people keep their hire cars, on average, on Sardinia?
How long renters typically keep their vehicle sometimes varies depending on the time of year. Travelers tend to keep their rental cars longer in January — an average of 7 days. They tend to keep them for a shorter time in April — an average of 6 days.
Average number of hire days on Sardinia
Which month is most favoured for hiring a car on Sardinia?
Given the number of customers searching for a car on Sardinia, August is the most popular, while January is the month that sees the lowest demand.
Monthly Car Hire Searches on Sardinia Compared to the Yearly Average
Car hire information
| Car hire locations | 20 |
| Airport locations | 3 |
| Popular suppliers | GaldieriRent, RentalPlus, Felirent, Moventur, RentSmart24 |
| Popular car categories | Small cars, Medium cars, SUVs, Large cars |
| Lowest price | £2 per day |
| Cheapest supplier | GaldieriRent |
Most popular car models of suppliers
| Hire Agency | Model | Doors | Luggage | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GaldieriRent | Lancia Ypsilon | 4 | 2 | Small cars |
| Felirent | Fiat Panda | 4 | 2 | Small cars |
| RentalPlus | Fiat Panda | 5 | 1 | Medium cars |
| RentalPlus | Fiat 500 | 3 | 1 | Small cars |
| GaldieriRent | Fiat 500 | 3 | 1 | Small cars |
| Viaggiare | Fiat Panda | 4 | 1 | Small cars |
| Goldcar | Fiat Panda | 3 | 2 | Small cars |
| GaldieriRent | Fiat 500X | 5 | 2 | SUVs |
| Brent | Toyota Aygo | 5 | 2 | Small cars |
| Moventur | Peugeot 108 | 3 | 1 | Small cars |
Our customers' reviews
Because we want to make sure each review listed here is left by a real customer, we don’t have the option to post a review here. Instead, we ask each and every customer to leave a review after they return their rental car. This way, you know that all reviews are authentic.
KD
United Kingdom
Opel Astra
03/10/2024
Some lovely beaches around Cannagione area
AG
United Kingdom
Opel Karl
04/09/2024
Good hiking and beaches
NP
United Kingdom
Fiat 500
17/08/2024
Beaches hotel and food great 😊
LK
United Kingdom
Ford Fiesta
11/08/2024
Restaurants, activities...
NM
United Kingdom
Peugeot 107
05/07/2024
Beautiful beaches, amazing food and stunning nature.
BM
Italy
Fiat 500X
25/06/2024
Fantastic places and sea 
RZ
United Kingdom
Renault Captur
24/06/2024
Sardinia always nice, we did enjoy to drive by coastal areas. 
JT
United Kingdom
Lancia Ypsilon
23/06/2024
Plenty of time chilling on the beach
AV
United Kingdom
Fiat 500
14/06/2024
It was great having a fast, economy efficient and nippy Fiat Panda for Sardinia. We were able to do regular long journeys daily without any problems and covered most of South Sardinia with ease! 
LD
United Kingdom
Fiat 500X
06/06/2024 
PA
United Kingdom
Kia Sportage
04/06/2024
Sardinia is beautiful with wonderfully friendly people
IE
United Kingdom
Volkswagen Golf
30/05/2024
Sardinia is a beautiful place
KC
Slovenia
Lancia Ypsilon
07/05/2024
Sardginia is amazing. Deffenitly would recomand to have a rented car, since is big and has many spots you can't reach by foot or bus. Some of the roads might be in bad shape and parking in cities can be difficult. 
DZ
United Kingdom
Hyundai i20
03/04/2024
Rock climbing, hiking and swimming!
FW
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
27/10/2023
We mainly had days by the beach
CH
United Kingdom
VW Golf
15/10/2023
Great weather, hospitable local people
AM
United Kingdom
Renault Clio
13/10/2023
First visit to Sardinia and the chap who gave us the car gave us some places to visit on our tour. People and country lovely
SB
United Kingdom
Opel Astra
06/10/2023
Great beaches.
KP
United Kingdom
Ford Focus
21/09/2023
Traveled all around the northern parts of Sardinia. 
PC
United Kingdom
Hyundai i20
20/09/2023
Pick up and drop off back to the airport was very timely. Nothing negative to say really.
ME
United Kingdom
Lancia Ypsilon
20/09/2023
Nice hotel, clean room beautiful beach all around nice food we looking forward to come back 
SP
United Kingdom
Citro?n C3
17/09/2023
Great hikes, food and weather
PK
United Kingdom
Citroen C3
15/09/2023
Respect the locals, they will embrace you.
JW
United Kingdom
Opel Karl
04/09/2023
Beautiful beaches
JD
United Kingdom
Citro?n C3
30/08/2023
Driving around Sardinia, beautiful island
RH
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
14/08/2023
Lovely island. Amazing beaches that have to be visited.
RP
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
12/07/2023
gorropu gorge - very hot walking but beautiful place and definitely worth waking at 0530 to get to it early and beat the midday sun and crowds. we had the gorge all to ourselves in the morning!
Berretti winery - quick visit to taste wine and talk to extremely knowledgeable staff about wine and the history of the vineyard.
Orosei gulf visit with private self-drive hire boat from Cala Gonone via Azzura - beautiful coastline, amongst the best beaches in the Mediterranean
seafood in Cala Gonone - Il pescatore restaurant: great view, very good staff and amazing food.
JC
Ireland
Volkswagen Up
06/07/2023
Fantastic experience in and around Cagliari, with amazing coastline and phenomenal gastronomy
VO
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
22/06/2023
Essential to have a car, whist recognising it’s features ie hybrid. I would seriously think about a automatic knowing what I know now. On major roads it’s fine but changing gears in town was something to get use too again.
Sardinia has some fantastic beaches and beautiful country.
YM
United Kingdom
Peugeot 108
19/06/2023
Sardinia is a beautiful place people are very friendly, food is excellent wherever we ate and not silly expensive. Local wines and beers are all very good.
JL
United Kingdom
Citroen C3
02/06/2023
Sardinia has amazing beaches to explore
GP
United Kingdom
Fiat 500
27/05/2023
Amazing beaches and restaurants.
CS
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
23/04/2023
Great experience
SP
United Kingdom
Fiat 500
10/04/2023
Nature mostly
RB
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
01/11/2022
Sardinia is beautiful. It was the end of their tourist season but we still had great weather, snorkelling, beaches to ourselves & trips to the caves. Friendly locals and a very relaxing holiday.
PW
United Kingdom
Fiat 500
01/11/2022
Out if season so roads were quieter.
BK
United Kingdom
BMW X3
29/10/2022
If you like solitude and zero crowds, I can highly recommend Sardegna east coast as a holiday location. Food was somewhat difficult to come by as it was pretty much end of the season but not a real complaint.
CB
United Kingdom
VW Up
22/10/2022
Sardinia is an island for active people - it's not a place for those seeking a 'lazy' time on the beach. The countryside is mountainous, so walking there is strenuous. The roads are excellent, they are very quiet too, so touring by car is a good option, but there are steep hills and hairpin bends, so drivers need to be alert.
JB
United Kingdom
Jeep Renegade
17/10/2022
Fabulous beaches in Sardinia and the food we ate everywhere was first class.
DS
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
16/10/2022
Renting a car definitely helped us enjoy Northern Sardinia more
SL
United Kingdom
Renault Clio
16/10/2022
Great experience
MS
United Kingdom
VW Golf
05/10/2022
Drove up to the West Coast of Sardinia from Cagliari - it was stunning and the roads were a delight (despite the crazy Italian drivers... LOL)
RC
United Kingdom
Fiat 500
28/09/2022
The apartment was up a very steep hill with the town up another hill so hard walk home after dinner! Castelsardo was lovely but not if disability due to hill! We visited a few lovely towns inland including Tempio Pausania and Aggius both with beautiful old towns and Aggius with a lovely free guided walk following painted foot prints and costal including Costa Paradiso where we found a beautiful rock pools to sunbath and swim (not Li Cossi Spiaggia but from a lane through the houses) . Beautiful island but local drivers drive fast, tailgate significantly and overtake on dangerous bends!
Scored 7 on enjoyment due to apartment location at top of very steep hill, getting food poisoning and loss of water in apartment (and whole town) for a whole day! Other that that had a wonderful time and didn't even scratch the surface of Sardinia!
JH
United Kingdom
Hyundai i20
23/09/2022
Beaches are lovely,food was great,but some restaurants are better than others as expected.
PR
United Kingdom
Toyota Aygo
12/09/2022
Beautiful nature, good roads.
GM
United Kingdom
Fiat 500L
01/09/2022
Beautiful beaches. Lovely island.
CG
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
22/08/2022
Trip was great had no issues with the car and the Sardegna is a lovely place to holiday with family. Kind locals and lovely people.
SW
United Kingdom
Mercedes Vito
16/08/2022
We visited some fantastic beaches, experienced authentic local food and had a great boat trip where we saw dolphins.
SL
United Kingdom
Lancia Ypsilon
12/08/2022
Sardinia beautiful
DP
United Kingdom
Fiat Panda
09/08/2022
Driving along the coastline was wonderful and stopping off at the different beaches was great.
Car Hire Statistics
Highest-rated company
Locauto
9.4 / 10
Lowest-rated company
Surprice
6.6 / 10
Total number of reviews
702
Total rental companies
44
Average daily price
£3.56
Lowest daily price
£1.56
Total cars available
2669
Top 44 suppliers on Sardinia in 2024
Locauto
4 locations
£9 - £202
NOLAUTO.IT
1 location
£13 - £93
Alamo
3 locations
£11 - £17
Rhrent
3 locations
£17 - £58
Key'n Go
1 location
£20 - £22
Budget
3 locations
£15 - £31
Maggiore
7 locations
£13 - £24
Europcar
10 locations
£14 - £88
Ciarent
1 location
£22 - £223
Moventur
3 locations
£3 - £341
Keddy
9 locations
£11 - £25
Avis
9 locations
£14 - £49
Enterprise
3 locations
£12 - £142
RentSmart24
3 locations
£3 - £10
Record-go
2 locations
£3 - £31
Vettura
2 locations
£9 - £76
RentalPlus
3 locations
£8 - £49
Goldcar
2 locations
£3 - £5
Centauro
2 locations
£124 - £136
SIXT
4 locations
£18 - £89
GaldieriRent
3 locations
£2 - £77
Sicily By Car
3 locations
£6 - £70
Viaggiare
3 locations
£3 - £53
ABBYCAR
1 location
£19 - £41
GreenMotion
3 locations
£4 - £706
Felirent
4 locations
£3 - £68
Autovia
3 locations
£3 - £94
Flizzr
3 locations
£16 - £25
Ecovia
3 locations
£3 - £89
OTOQ
2 locations
£48 - £526
National
3 locations
£15 - £145
Thrifty
6 locations
£14 - £34
Brent
3 locations
£2 - £44
Hertz
4 locations
£15 - £47
Noleggiare
5 locations
£6 - £1,095
Dollar
5 locations
£14 - £21
Rental4leisure
2 locations
£4 - £134
Welcome Cars
5 locations
£4 - £6
Drivalia
3 locations
£12 - £159
Target Rent
4 locations
£8 - £134
WheeGo
1 location
£8 - £134
Italy Car Rent
3 locations
£5 - £125
Optimo Rent
3 locations
£4 - £17
Surprice
2 locations
£3 - £71
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