Four days in northeast Sardinia is enough to combine clear-water beaches, Costa Smeralda, Tavolara and the La Maddalena area without changing hotels every night. Olbia makes a practical base because the airport is close to town and roads fan out toward the main destinations of Gallura. The key is not to treat four days as permission to race around the entire island. Cagliari, Alghero and the Gulf of Orosei deserve separate trips; this itinerary stays focused on the northeast.
A rental car makes the plan considerably easier. Driving times in Sardinia can look short on a map but summer traffic, parking and winding coastal roads slow the day down, so each day below concentrates on one direction.
Day 1: Olbia, Pittulongu and an easy first swim
After arriving at Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport, collect the car, check into your accommodation and resist the temptation to drive straight to Costa Smeralda. The first afternoon is better used close to your base.
Start with central Olbia and Corso Umberto I, then see the Romanesque Basilica of San Simplicio and the waterfront area if time allows. Olbia is often treated only as an airport gateway, but spending a few hours here gives useful context before heading into the resort coast.
For the first swim, continue toward Pittulongu, the well-known beach area northeast of Olbia. Its sandy beaches and views across the gulf make it an easy introduction to the coast without committing to a long drive on arrival day. In high season, parking can still be busy, so do not assume that proximity to Olbia means an empty beach.
Return to Olbia for dinner. Keeping the first evening local also gives you flexibility if the inbound flight is delayed.
Day 2: Costa Smeralda without trying to see every cove
Dedicate the second day to Costa Smeralda. Drive north toward the Porto Cervo area and choose one or two beach stops rather than collecting beaches as if they were checkpoints. The coastline around Cala di Volpe, Capriccioli and Romazzino is famous for granite, pale sand and clear water, but parking and summer crowds can dictate which stop works best on the day.
Porto Cervo is worth seeing even if luxury shopping is not the purpose of your trip. Walk through the center and marina area, then continue to a beach or viewpoint. The attraction is partly the landscape: sculpted granite, low Mediterranean vegetation and protected-looking bays that helped define the international image of Costa Smeralda.
If you prefer a less structured day, use the morning for the coast and stop later in San Pantaleo, the small inland village set among dramatic granite formations. It provides a useful contrast with the marinas and resort architecture closer to the sea.
Do not plan an evening on La Maddalena after this. Return to Olbia, have dinner and save the archipelago for a dedicated day.
Day 3: Tavolara, Porto San Paolo and San Teodoro
Head south from Olbia toward Porto San Paolo, the mainland gateway facing the limestone mass of Tavolara. This part of the coast belongs to the Tavolara–Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Protected Area, so use authorized operators for regulated passenger transport and excursions. The protected area's management authority currently maintains an authorization system for operators working within the reserve.
If sea conditions are suitable, make Tavolara the centerpiece of the morning with an organized boat excursion or authorized transfer from the coast. Exact routes and stops depend on the operator and weather, so avoid building the day around a guaranteed swimming location. The island's steep profile is impressive even from the mainland if boating conditions are poor.
After the boat portion, continue south toward San Teodoro. La Cinta is the town's best-known long sandy beach and is convenient if you want an uncomplicated afternoon swim. During the busiest summer weeks, however, arriving later can mean parking pressure and crowds.
An alternative is to spend more time around the Capo Coda Cavallo area, subject to access and parking conditions, and skip San Teodoro entirely. Trying to do Tavolara, several beaches and a full evening in San Teodoro can turn a relaxed day into constant driving.
Return to Olbia for the night. If you want San Teodoro's summer nightlife, consider staying later, but arrange the drive responsibly and never plan to drive after drinking.
Day 4: Palau and La Maddalena
Use the final full day for the northernmost excursion. Drive from Olbia toward Palau and take the ferry to La Maddalena. Delcomar's current Palau–La Maddalena service runs frequently through the day, and the crossing itself is short; published schedules should still be checked for your exact travel date because seasonal timetables can change.
You can visit La Maddalena town on foot and then decide how much of the island you want to explore. Travelers taking a car across can continue around La Maddalena and toward Caprera, while those leaving the car in Palau can concentrate on the town or arrange a separate boat excursion.
Do not confuse the ferry to La Maddalena island with an archipelago boat tour. The ferry is public transport between Palau and La Maddalena; excursions that visit multiple islands, coves or swimming stops are separate products and are dependent on operator schedules and marine conditions.
If you want a boat tour of the archipelago, it may make sense to book that as the day's main activity from Palau instead of taking the ferry independently. If you prefer flexibility and less time on a boat, the ferry-and-island option is straightforward.
On the drive back, Palau itself offers views toward the islands and makes an easy stop before returning south. Allow plenty of time if this is also your departure day; a La Maddalena excursion is much better on a full day than squeezed in before a flight.
Where to stay in Olbia
Staying in or close to central Olbia works well if you want restaurants within walking distance in the evening. Accommodation nearer the northern side of town can reduce some driving toward Pittulongu and Costa Smeralda, while the airport side can be convenient for a very early departure.
There is no need to change hotels for this four-day route. That is the main advantage of using Olbia as a base: you unpack once and make day trips in different directions.
What to book before arriving
In peak season, reserve the rental car early and investigate boat trips before arrival, especially for Tavolara or the La Maddalena Archipelago. Ferry schedules between Palau and La Maddalena can be checked directly with the operator. Beach parking and access arrangements can change, so verify any regulated beach shortly before the visit rather than relying on an old travel blog.
Weather should remain flexible in the itinerary. If wind or sea conditions make a boat excursion unattractive, swap the marine day with Costa Smeralda or a land-based beach day. Four days are short enough that rigid reservations can become frustrating when the mistral arrives.
This itinerary works because each day has one main geographic direction: Olbia locally, Costa Smeralda to the north, Tavolara and San Teodoro to the south, and Palau/La Maddalena farther north. You will not see all of Sardinia in four days—and trying to do so would mostly mean seeing it through a windshield—but you can get a varied introduction to the northeast while still leaving time to swim, eat and enjoy the places you came to see.
