Costa Smeralda is the most exclusive stretch of coastline in the Mediterranean — but its sea is for everyone. The secret to enjoying it without breaking the bank is simple: sleep outside, get into the beaches, and choose the right experiences. Here’s the practical guide to the luxury... of not spending too much.
The strategy: sleep in Olbia, enjoy the Costa
The single biggest saving is accommodation: the same nights in Porto Cervo cost three-digit sums, while in Olbia (25-30 minutes by car) they cost half or a third. The center of Olbia adds reasonably priced restaurants, a real nightlife, and a base for boat excursions. The winning scheme: breakfast in Olbia, a day among the beaches of the Costa, sunset aperitif where you can (even a beer on the rocks at Capriccioli is worth more than the bar in Porto Cervo) and dinner in a local trattoria.
The beaches: free by definition
In Italy, the sea is public, even the emerald one. Capriccioli, Grande and Piccolo Pevero, Liscia Ruja, Celvia: all have free access and stretches of free beach next to beach clubs charging €100 per sunbed. The real costs are parking (5-10€ per day): arrive by 9 AM to find a spot and enjoy the beaches at their best. Bring your own umbrella and packed lunch: the kiosks in the Costa have prices... consistent with the context. In September, parking often returns to being free.
The experiences worth the expense
Paradoxically, the cheapest way to enjoy the luxury of Costa Smeralda is from the sea: a sunset cruise with an aperitif costs as much as two cocktails at the square in Porto Cervo, and gives you the coastline seen from the water — villas, yachts, and pink granite included. From Olbia and Porto Rotondo, half-day tours also depart that stop for swimming in coves accessible only by boat. The evening stroll in Porto Cervo, however, is free: the square, the old port, and the spectacle of yachts don’t require a ticket.
Eating (and drinking) without a mortgage
The rule: packed lunch or at bars in the inland villages (San Pantaleo on Wednesdays, with the market, is a festival), dinner in Olbia or in trattorias outside the tourist circuit — Abbiadori and Baja Sardinia hide honest eateries. Do the 'emerald' aperitif just once, for the sake of it, choosing sunset: the bill will still be lower than dinner. And the vermentino bought directly from the winery at €8-12 a bottle is the same that on the menu costs €40.