OLBIA in Sardinia was recently named one of the ‘best places to travel to in 2026’ by Lonely Planet, and it’s arguably the easiest beach city break destination in the world.
Located on the northeast coast of the island, the city has a charming old town, ruins and white sandy bays, it also has one of the best transfer times – just 3 minutes drive from the airport to the town centre.
British Airways will soon launch a new service, with flights running twice a week on Saturdays and Sundays from London Stansted to Olbia – starting on May 23 and ending on September 27, 2026.
The journey takes two and a half hours and a one-way ticket starts from £127.
Olbia has a great mix of pretty beaches, Roman and Greek history, and plenty of bars and restaurants.
Be sure to try the local dish of bread lasagne,made of cheese and bread soaked in broth.
Crispy Sardinian flatbread, mussels, stuffed dumplings and pecorino cheese also feature heavily on the menu, washed down with locally-made wine like Cannonau.
Late spring is a great time to visit, with highs of between 22 and 24C and rooms from £31pp a night.
For proper sunbathing weather, average highs reach the early 30s in July and August, when tourists head to the beach to cool down – two of the most beautiful are Costa Corallina and Porto Istana Beach, which has fine white sand.
Porto Istana also has views across to Tavolara Island which is a sought-after snorkelling spot where you’ll see shipwrecks and plenty of colourful fish.
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Then, hop onto a boat for an excursion towards Figarolo and the Golfo Aranci for bottlenose dolphin-spotting.
Dolphin tours generally start at £30 per person.
For souvenirs as well as boutiques and gelato spots head down Corso Umberto which is the main shopping street that stretches from the train station down to the waterfront.
When it comes to staying in Olbia, you can book a seven-night stay at the Olbia City Hotel & Spa from May 23 to May 30, 2026 for £217pp – or £31 per night.
Just a five-minute drive from the city centre, the 4-star hotel has a garden, a bar, small swimming pool and air-conditioned rooms.
Lonely Planet named Sardinia as one of its best places to travel to in 2026 thanks to its “pristine beaches”.
Sardinia was also named as a Destination of the Year by Expedia Group’s Unpack ’26: The Trends in Travel report.
If you fancy exploring more of Sardinia, one must-see is the beach called Cala Goloritzè, which is two hours south of Olbia.
Cala Goloritzè is tucked away in-between enormous limestone cliffs and was awarded the title of being 2025’s best beach in the world.
For more inspiration, Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding headed to Sardinia last year where she ventured to the south side of the island.
She said: “Most travellers head to Olbia in the north of the island, but Cagliari in the south – the capital of the island – is also a great destination to explore.
“The south of the island and around Cagliari is full of quaint villages, rocky hills and breathtaking beaches. You can also do a number of activities from the resort, including a two-hour horse ride up into the island’s hills.
“The city is small, but even on a sunny Saturday at the end of August, its streets were quiet, free from hordes of tourists.”
For more on island holidays, here are five island-hopping holidays across Europe and the Maldives.
And see what one Sun Writer got up to when he went to a barely-visited Greek island with Hawaii-like beaches that wants Brits.