Olbia

Olbia sits on Sardinia's northeast coast, and the Isola Bianca pier has a free shuttle running into town in about 10 minutes. The town itself has a compact old centre with a Romanesque church (San Simplicio) and pedestrian shopping streets. The real draw, though, is what's around it: the Costa Smeralda coastline with some of the clearest water in the Mediterranean. Porto Cervo, the Costa Smeralda's main resort, is about 30 minutes north and famous for its marina full of superyachts. The beaches here (Spiaggia del Principe, Liscia Ruja) have white sand and turquoise water. For something more accessible, Porto Istana near Olbia is a good beach. Sardinian food is distinctive: porcheddu (roast suckling pig), culurgiones (stuffed pasta), and pane carasau (crispy flatbread). Vermentino is the local white wine. Car rental gives the most flexibility for reaching the beaches.