The best beaches and things to do on the southeast coast of Sardinia.
Costa Rei – Sardinia.
Halfway between the incredible beaches of Ogliastra and the deep south – Costa Rei will win you over with the extraordinary beauty of its coastline and the unspoiled nature of the Mediterranean scrub.
Miles of white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. But not only.
Just a few minutes from the coast you will have the opportunity to explore forests, ponds and ancient archaeological sites.
What can you do in Costa Rei?
The beauties of this region of Sardinia, the great beaches, the ponds with pink flamingos will leave you with indelible memories of your holiday in Sardinia. There’s a lot to see and things to do.
Here are the things you can’t miss in Costa Rei.
The beaches of Costa Rei
Let’s start with the most famous beaches. In this part of the coast there are particularly large and extensive beaches that stretch for kilometers.
As a rule, they are very windy and have not too cold waters. They are especially suitable for families with children, but also for snorkelers and for those who love peace and quiet – even in high season.
It’s really very difficult to choose the most beautiful ones, because there are so many, all with interesting peculiarities. Here are the best ones, in our opinion.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES OF COSTA REI
Porto Tramazzu beach
The most beautiful beach in the area of Porto Corallo with all services as well as bars and refreshment facilities. It’s also suitable for children because the water is shallow. It’s ideal for long walks in the water and can also be enjoyed at any time of the year.
Porto S’ilixi beach
This beach isn’t very easy to reach, because you’ve to walk about 300 meters downhill, which isn’t very practical. The beach is small but very nice with fine sand and clear water. There are no services like kiosks or bars. It’s suitable for those who don’t like particularly crowded and busy beaches.
Piscina Rei beach
It’s is the northern part of the very long coastline that goes from Capo Ferrato to Scoglio di Peppino. Consireded as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Compared to the southern stretches, this beach is never crowded and offers very large open spaces where you can relax and enjoy the sea.
The seabed slopes gently and the water is rather shallow for long stretches. Since it’s almost always windy, it’s has the advantage of never being crowded even in high season. The lake jumping behind it offers beautiful scenery and besides, you can admire the flamingos.
Free parking and kiosk bars with showers (0,50 €) and toilets.
Costa Rei Beach
One of the longest beaches in Sardinia. Very popular and equipped with every kind of service. If you go on foot, there are many free sections, so you can find the area that best suits your needs. It’s especially beautiful at sunset, when the sun sets behind the hills on the opposite side of the sea, creating very suggestive colors.
Ginestre beach
Light and fine sand that gently slopes into a crystal clear sea with intense blue tones. This is the southern part of the beach of Santa Giusta, which ends with the famous rock of Peppino.
This beach almost never get crowded. The very shallow water makes it one of the most popular beaches for children.
Parking is free, toilets and showers are available for a few cents.
Santa Giusta beach
It belongs to the municipality of Castiadas and can be reached from the paid parking lot with a walk of about 350 meters. You first arrive at the small cove below Punta S. Giusta and then you have to continue for another 200 meters along an internal path.
Two large rocky outcrops separate it from the other two beaches in the area. No service, small, hardly crowded.
Fine white sand and a sea with a shallow seabed. It’s preferred on mistral days because it’s protected by the dunes. It ends with the Rock of Peppino, which also marks the border with the municipality of Muravera.
Rock of Peppino
A small rock that can be reached both from the beach of Costa Rei and from the beach of Santa Giusta. The viewpoint is good for snorkeling, since it’s immersed in crystal clear waters. It’s also associated with a legend of two lovers and became the destination of many couples who vow eternal love at this point.
Beach Cala Monte Turno
Beautiful free beach with clear blue water. The presence of the mountain protects it from the wind, which is very frequent in these areas. Fine amber sand.
The parking lot is a few meters from the beach and costs €1 per hour (you can pay with coins or through the app, no banknotes are accepted). Arrive early in the morning because the beach is small and quickly crowded.
Pay attention to parking, because outside the allowed spaces it’s very easy to get fined.
Cala Sinzias
In the territory of the municipality of Castiadas. 14 km from Villasimius, after a beautiful panoramic road you’ll reach one of the most beautiful and longest white sand beaches in the southeast of Sardinia.
Fortunately, it’s protected from the mistral for long stretches and is a free beach, but there are facilities with bar, restaurant and services.
The crystal clear sea, almost always breezy, is a paradise for those who love to swim and even in the periods of greatest crowds it’s never full.
Cala Pira
Located towards the south, beautiful beach with fine white sand and spectacular waters with unique colors and shades. The sea remains clean throughout the day, especially on the opposite side of the beach where there are rocks.
This is also certainly one of the most beautiful beaches on the southeast coast. Shallow water, also suitable for children. Without a bar, but with a lifeguard service.
The BEST villages of Costa Rei
Muravera
Muravera is located a few kilometers from the coast, in the innermost part. Framed by hills and ponds, it’s the largest center between Villasimius and Tortoli. Muravera is famous for its proximity to the great beaches of San Giovanni and the Saline di Colostrai. The town has numerous archeological sites, including nuraghi and megalithic complexes (menhirs).
Leaving the village, you can stop in the forest of Baccu Arrodas, where you can have a picnic and enjoy pleasant walks in nature.
At the beginning of spring, the Citrus Festival takes place, celebrating the beginning of summer with traditional music, songs, dances and costumes. You shouldn’t miss it.
Castiadas
A small, ancient village that for many years was the seat of an agricultural penal colony (today it’s a museum). To visit is the nearby Baccu Sa Figu Park, where you can walk along the paths and have picnics.
From here you’ll have a beautiful view of the Sardinian Mediterranean macchia. Castiadas is also an excellent starting point for a trip to the mountain of the seven brothers.
Villaputzu and San Vito
The small hamlets in the area are also worth a visit. Here you can find the typical products of the place, especially local products such as artisan honey, wine and homemade desserts.
BEST Things to do in Costa Rei
The regional park of the Seven Brothers
A huge natural park, a few kilometers from Castiadas. There are many well-marked trails where both beginners and advanced hikers can discover the unspoiled nature. There are refreshment areas with tables and benches where you can stop for a picnic.
The 7 Brothers Park hosts impressive natural monuments surrounded by a shady forest where you can find the most important botanical species of Sardinia.
Each path holds a naturalistic and archeological surprise. Besides deer and fallow deer, you can also see different animals such as wild boars, eagles and others. Very funny is especially for the little ones to watch the deer approaching the observation point to take their meal.
A place to find yourself and stay in contact with nature.
How to get to Costa Rei
If you don’t have a car (in Sardinia it’s highly recommended to have a rental car, check the prices here), you can take the Arst bus from Cagliari or Villasimius to Muravera or Castiadas.
Ticket price start from 5.50€ from Cagliari and 3.70€ from Villasimius to Muravera (single ticket).
Arst bus lines: 101 | 103 | 135 (summer only)