Car Hire on Sardinia

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.

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 on Sardinia

• Small cars - starting at US$5 per day
• Medium cars - starting at US$8 per day
• SUVs - starting at US$9 per day
• Convertibles - starting at US$21 per day
• Large cars - starting at US$12 per day
• Station wagons - starting at US$13 per day
• People Carriers - starting at US$27 per day
• Premium cars - starting at US$58 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.