Advice On The Alternative Island Holiday: Sicily & Sardinia

posted on 06/23/2009

My husband and I are avid travelers, but we also like to get the most out of our trips for the best price. We had a late honeymoon (about a year after our wedding) and decided to go to Sicily in July of 2008. It was an unforgettable trip and this year we decided to take on Sardinia, hopefully next year, we will make it to Corsica. Our traveling style may not suit everyone, but if you are sick of the package holiday and do not want to follow the typical tourist route, take my advice.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, probably the most populated (about 5 million people) and has a rich history. Sardinia is the second largest, not nearly as popular as a tourist destination, but there must be a reason why the rich and famous sail to its coasts. Its coasts and beaches have been described as some of the most beautiful in the world.

Most North Americans do not consider trips to Europe for beach holidays as they seem too expensive compared to all-inclusive packages to Mexico or the Caribbean, but this does not have to be the case. First thing is finding a cheap flight to London, Paris or Milan. These cities are major transport hubs in Europe and you can generally find a flight between $500 and $800, depending on the season. From there, you can find cheap charter flights on airlines such as easyjet.com, ryanair.com, transavia.com among many others. If you book in time, you should be able to secure return flight to Palermo, Catania (Sicily) or Olbia, Alghero, Cagliari (Sardinia) for under $100.

Now, the beauty of traveling to an island is that it is small enough that you can move around and experience so much within a short period of time. Both times, we landed in one city, rented a car and made our way around the island to fly out of another. In Sicily, we landed in Palermo and flew out of Catania and in Sardinia we landed in Olbia and flew out of Cagliari. A weekly car rental with gas included cost about $400 (Fiat Punto, economy car)

We never stayed more than 2 days in one place because we could not wait to see what else was out there. In Sicily we decided to camp around the island. We brought a 2-person tent and some foam mattresses, all the luxury you need on a beach. If this sounds a little crazy, it's not. The camping culture in Europe is very sophisticated and the campsites have prime locations, private beaches, shower and toilet facilities, restaurants or cafes among other amenities. The prices range from €20-30/night, for two people and car parking. You can't even beat that at a hostel and the experience is priceless.

In Sardinia we decided to stay at B&B's and Agritourismo, because we went in early May and the nights were still a little chilly for camping. This option is about double the price, but on the bright side, breakfast is included and you get to meet local people, see how they live and maybe even make friends. You can also learn a lot about the area from the people you stay with, get dinner recommendations and travel advice. For lunch, we generally had picnics on the beaches along the way. Italian grocery stores carry amazing local produce and often ready made food at a fraction of what you would pay in a restaurant.

So here you have it, the alternative island holiday. It will be unique every time and I promise you will never forget it or regret it!