Beaches First, or Beaches Plus Mountains
Sardinia's beaches are its calling card. The sea is clean and calm through most of the summer. The coastline has hundreds of coves, many reachable only by boat. The La Maddalena archipelago, a national park of granite islands north of the Costa Smeralda, is one of the best places in Europe to swim off a boat. On the east coast, Cala Goloritzè and Cala Luna sit below dramatic limestone cliffs.
Corsica's beaches are just as beautiful in the south. Palombaggia and Santa Giulia have pale sand and clear shallows backed by red rocks and umbrella pines. Rondinara is a nearly closed shell-shaped bay. But Corsica's identity is as much about mountains. You can swim in the sea in the morning and in a river pool below the Bavella needles in the afternoon, or hike the Restonica valley to mountain lakes.
If you want to lie on sand and swim for a week, Sardinia does it better. If one of you would get restless after two beach days, Corsica gives you more to do.
Hotels and How Much They Cost
Sardinia has the bigger range. The Costa Smeralda is the classic luxury choice, with Hotel Cala di Volpe on a sheltered bay and its smaller sister hotels Romazzino and Pitrizza nearby. In July and August it ranks among the priciest places in the Mediterranean, but rates drop significantly in June and September. Inland, Su Gologone near Oliena is a craft-filled country hotel below the Supramonte cliffs, known for fire-roasted food, from roughly $350 a night in shoulder season. San Pantaleo, Cala Gonone and Alghero have quieter boutique stays.
Corsica has fewer hotels and no high-rise resorts. Casadelmar, on the gulf of Porto-Vecchio, has 34 rooms and suites that all face the sea and a two-Michelin-star restaurant, from about $1,100 a night. Domaine de Murtoli near Sartène is a private estate of restored stone farmhouses, many with their own pools. Stone guesthouses in the hills offer character for far less.
All prices are approximate. In Corsica's high summer, a villa with a pool can be better value than a hotel.
Flights, Ferries and Long Roads
Sardinia is easier to reach from the US. Delta has flown seasonal nonstops from New York JFK to Olbia (OLB), about 30 minutes from Porto Cervo, so check whether the route is running for your dates. Otherwise connect through Rome, Milan or a European hub to Olbia, Cagliari (CAG) or Alghero (AHO).
Corsica has no nonstops from the US. Fly to Paris or Nice, then take a one to one and a half hour flight to Figari (FSC) for the south, or Ajaccio (AJA), Bastia (BIA) or Calvi (CLY). Overnight ferries from Marseille, Toulon and Nice suit couples who already have a car.
Both islands need a rental car. Both are bigger than they look. Olbia to Cagliari takes about three and a half hours. In Corsica, expect to average 25 to 30 miles an hour on winding roads, sometimes with goats or cows standing in them. Crossing from the east coast to the west can take most of a day. Pick one or two bases on either island. Book a small car early for summer.
On the Water
In Sardinia, charter a boat in La Maddalena and anchor in turquoise coves. Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli, famous for its pink sand, can be viewed only from the water to protect it. In the Gulf of Orosei, boats from Cala Gonone reach Cala Luna. Cala Goloritzè, with its limestone spire, is reached by a steep hike with summer access capped by advance booking. In the northwest, visit Neptune's Grotto at Capo Caccia by boat or down a long cliff staircase.
In Corsica, take a boat from Bonifacio's harbor along the white cliffs and into the sea caves, then continue to the Lavezzi Islands to swim among granite boulders. On the west coast, sail from Porto into the Scandola reserve, past red cliffs and sea arches to Girolata, a village with no road access.
Wind shapes boat days on both islands. The mistral can whip up the sea in the north of Sardinia and across Corsica, so book boat trips early in your stay with a backup day. Choose sheltered bays when it blows.
Two Island Kitchens
Sardinian food draws from land and sea. Culurgiones are plump dumplings filled with potato, pecorino and mint, sealed with a pleated edge. Malloreddus are small ridged gnocchi with sausage ragù. Porceddu, suckling pig slow-roasted over myrtle wood, is a feast dish. On the coast, spaghetti with bottarga, cured mullet roe, is the order. Drink Vermentino di Gallura with seafood or Cannonau with meat. Finish with seadas, honey-drizzled cheese pastries, plus a glass of mirto.
Corsican food is mountain cooking meeting the sea. Charcuterie from free-roaming pigs includes lonzu, a cured pork loin. Figatellu, a smoked liver sausage, is grilled in winter. Brocciu, a fresh sheep or goat cheese, appears in omelets and in the cheesecake called fiadone. Wild boar stew and chestnut flour cakes come from the hills. Wines from vermentinu, sciaccarellu and Patrimonio are better than many visitors expect.
Many Corsican beach restaurants open only for lunch, so plan dinners in town. Village restaurants often serve good-value fixed menus.
Timing Your Trip
June and September are the sweet spots on both islands, with warm water, open hotels and calmer roads. Late May is lovely for hiking, especially in Corsica, though the sea is still cool. Early October can be warm and settled, but seasonal hotels start closing by mid-month.
July is hot and busy. August is the peak of Italian and French holidays, with full ferries, the highest prices and crowded beaches by mid-morning. On the Costa Smeralda, yachts crowd Porto Cervo. In Corsica, parking at popular beaches fills by 11 a.m. If August is your only option, book early and plan early starts.
From November to March or April, much of both coasts shuts down and ferries thin out.
A few rules apply on both. Sardinia fines anyone taking sand, pebbles or shells from beaches. Many beaches on both islands have rocky entries, so bring water shoes. Exposed Corsican beaches can have surf and often no lifeguard outside high summer, so pick sheltered bays on windy days. The reflected light off white sand is intense, so pack serious sun protection.
Crossing the Strait
Combining the two islands is easier than many couples expect. Ferries cross the Strait of Bonifacio between Santa Teresa Gallura in northern Sardinia and Bonifacio in southern Corsica in about an hour in season. Check whether your rental contract allows the car on the ferry. Many couples drop one car and pick up another on the far side.
A balanced ten-night plan is four or five nights in northeast Sardinia for La Maddalena and the Costa Smeralda, then four or five around Porto-Vecchio and Bonifacio. Fly into Olbia and out of Figari via Paris or Nice, or the reverse.
With a week, choose one island and two bases at most. Sardinia suits a beach-focused week. Corsica suits couples who want a mix of beaches, cliffs and mountains. In Corsica, learning to say bonghjornu for hello is a nice touch that locals appreciate.
