🏖️ Sardinia loop — 20-25 Jun 2026

Why this shape: the wishes sit at opposite ends of the island, so the loop runs clockwise — north-east first (Brandinchi while the booking is easy to plan), down the wild east coast, the flamingo–beach double in the south, then one long hop up the SS131 to Alghero so the 07:00 port deadline is a 35-minute morning drive instead of a 4-hour gamble.

⚠️ The two bookings that can break the trip: (1) Cala Brandinchi needs an online reservation in June (santeodorospiagge.it, €2 pp, max 6 per booking) — book as soon as the date is fixed; parking at the beach lot is ~€25/day, the Lu Impostu municipal lot + footpath is the cheaper local move. (2) Tuerredda is capped at 1,100 people/day and can only be booked within 24 h of the visit (€3 pp, one booking per person per day) — set an alarm for the morning of 22 Jun.

Cost breakdown (two people, room shared, ferries excluded — he books those): hotels 5 nights ~€590 · food ~€350 · beach bookings + parking ~€55 · fuel ~€130 (own car, ~950 km) · misc ~€50. ≈ €1,200 total / €600 each / ≈ CHF 1,100. Optional Orosei boat day adds ~€100 for two.

Honest flag: day 2 and day 3 carry the long drives (~2¾ h max). If they'd rather laze, the Gulf of Orosei night is the one to sacrifice — go San Teodoro → Villasimius direct and gain a slow south-coast day.

🥇 How to use the gold menu: it's deliberately oversized — pick 1-2 per day, not all. The no-brainers (zero detour): Gorropu viewpoint on day 3, Nora on day 4, Santu Antine + Sella & Mosca on day 5. The wine ladder runs north→south: Vermentino (Surrau) → Cannonau (Oliena) → Carignano (Santadi). If they take exactly one big detour, make it Su Nuraxi di Barumini; if they want the lost place, Argentiera at sunset — just mind the 05:45 alarm that follows it.

🚭 Vape / nicotine: legal and sold everywhere in Italy, Sardinia included. No border or transit issues — domestic Italian roads and their own ferry.