OlbiaSardinia · Italy

All About Olbia

While Olbia’s outskirts might be a little industrial in places, this important city in Sardinia has an attractive city center speckled with sunny piazzas containing lovingly authentic cafes and small independent stores. Sitting at the end of a narrow channel of water in the northeast of Sardinia, Olbia is close to the Costa Smeralda tourist resorts that have drawn visitors to the region for decades through their combination of beaches, unique island culture, and historic places to visit.

Getting here is easy, with ferry tickets to Olbia available for a number of alternative routes from mainland Italy, alongside plenty of options for reaching the rest of the island from Olbia. Use Ferryscanner, and you can compare routes and book ferry tickets to Olbia in a matter of clicks.
 

Routes and Ferries to Olbia

With four different sea routes connecting Olbia to the Italian Peninsula, there is no shortage of ferry tickets to Olbia on offer. Together there are up to 70 sailings per week, although these routes remain so popular that ferries are often fully booked during the peak season of May to the end of September each year.

The shortest sea connection between Olbia and Italy is with the port of Piombino, which lies on the west coast of Italy close to the major destinations of Rome, Florence, and Pisa. Operated by Tirrenia, this sailing is scheduled to last 5.5 hours and is offered up to six times per week. The price of an adult joining the voyage as a foot passenger is between €27 and €60. Motor vehicles from motorbikes up to small campervans are also welcome on board.

Even closer to the Italian capital, the route between Olbia and Civitavecchia is handled by Grimaldi Lines. One of Europe’s best-known ferry companies, this direct service lasts approximately six hours, with an impressive 26 sailings per week possible in either direction during peak season. Competitively priced, adult tickets range from €17-45.

Another nearby sea route links Olbia with Livorno, sometimes considered the port of Pisa. These ferries take slightly longer to reach their destination, with services lasting eight hours. However, due to the number of sailings per week – up to 28 – these ferries operated by Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) are still worth considering. Tickets begin at €55.

Finally, Moby Lines has up to 14 sailings per week between Genoa (Genova) in northern Italy and Olbia, putting the Sardinian city within reach of both Milan and even the cities of southwest France. These ferries complete the route in ten hours, with Moby Lines boasting up to 14 sailings per week. Tickets start at €35 and reach up to €85 dependent on demand.

Aeroporto Olbia Costa Smeralda lies to the south of the city. It receives scheduled and charter flights from major cities right across Europe, many of which operate on a seasonal basis in the summer months alone. Additionally, a high-speed rail line connects Olbia with Cagliari, the island’s provincial capital far to the south. A branch line also connects Olbia with Porto Torres on the west coast of the island, while the city is also well connected to other destinations in Sardinia by road.
 

Port of Olbia

The port of Olbia is officially known by the name of Olbia-Isola Bianca, and this is the wording you might find on any ferry tickets to Olbia that you purchase. The ferry port of Olbia is located on a thin arm of land that stretches out into the impressive natural harbor that has provided safe anchorage for ships for thousands of years. At the end of this arm is the beginning of Olbia’s old town district, where you will find many impressive structures from former ages in addition to the train station and many attractive places to stop and soak up the local atmosphere of the city.

Best Beaches

Situated in the central Mediterranean, Olbia has an excellent climate, with mild winters and warm summers typified by long hours of bright sunshine. Its coastal location means it avoids the overbearing heat of elsewhere in Italy even in the height of summer. All in all, the city is a great place to enjoy splashing in the Med. Here’s a pick of some of the very best beaches nearby.

Vecchie Saline

Stretching for some 1.4 kilometers La Spiaggia delle Vecchie Saline is surrounded by an area important to native wildlife species and sees a blend of bedrock and sand sweep gently towards its warm waters. It is a popular spot for windsurfers and kite surfers when the conditions are right.

Pittulongu

Roughly the same length as Vecchie Saline in total, Pittulongu is made up of four separately named beaches – La Playa, Squalo, Pellicano, and Mare e Rocce. Not only do they offer fantastic views of the offshore island of Tavolara, but also fine sweeps of sand and a great range of facilities.

Dottore Beach

Although it requires a 15-minute walk from the nearest parking spots, Dottore Beach is worth the effort. Its short but relatively wide ribbon of sand and multicolored pebbles is as attractive as any on the island. In addition, the sea here is a delightful blue in color, and an excellent choice for those with a taste for snorkeling.

Punta Molara

This beach is another beach close to Olbia which demonstrates the very best of what Sardinia has to offer the holidaymaker. Secluded and often overlooked, it nonetheless has the perfect mix of white sand, light blue seas, and verdant foliage all within a small protected cove.
 

Places to Visit

If you can drag yourself away from the best beaches of Olbia for long enough, this typically Sardinian-Italian town has plenty of secrets worth uncovering.

Corso Umberto I

Named after the late nineteenth-century king nicknamed ‘the good’, this main avenue cuts the historic parts of Olbia into two as it runs west-east towards the port. A thriving shopping area at any time of day, come nightfall motor vehicles are banned, allowing citizens to enjoy their traditional passeggiata evening stroll in peace.

Archeological Museum

Occupying a small island within the port of Olbia, it’s hard to miss the city’s Archeological Museum. The most important museum in the city, its exhibits date back to ancient Roman times and helps to detail life throughout the ages.

Ruota Panoramica

Located in gardens close to the Archeological Museum, this Ferris wheel is easy to spot as your ferry comes in to dock. Providing spectacular vistas across the city, it takes on a whole new side come nightfall, when its structure is lit up in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Basilica of Saint Simplicio

Also within the bounds of the old town of Olbia, this ancient church has stood at the cultural heart of the city for centuries. Inside you’ll find a wealth of treasures, not least of which are frescoes depicting Saint Simplicio dating back to the thirteenth century. The basilica is the focus of celebrations of the patron saint’s festival over three days each May.
 

Transportation Around Olbia

If you take the sensible option and arrive to Olbia by sea, you’ll find yourself back on dry land right where you want to be – in the center of town. This means it’s perfectly feasible to wander its pretty streets on foot without the need for other transport. To get to the beaches, you can opt for a taxi or the bus network. The tourist information center can provide up-to-date timetables since some buses are much more frequent than others. Buy tickets at newsagents before boarding, and be sure to validate them on board at the automated machines to avoid being fined. A single ticket lasts 90 minutes and costs less than €1.50.

It’s worth considering renting a vehicle or bringing one to the island on the ferry if you plan on exploring more of Sardinia. However, it should be noted that parking spaces in central Olbia can be hard to come by.