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Fancy a cheeky spritz, some pistachio ice cream and lazy swims in the Mediterranean under a blazing sun?
Nothing quite evokes a European summer like Italy, but let’s be honest: places like Amalfi, Cinque Terre and Sicily have gone a bit over the top.
Whether it’s the crazy prices in Positano or the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds in Riomaggiore, Italy’s top tourist hotspots are the last place you want to be if you’re looking for an idyllic, unhurried, sunny getaway.
Luckily for you – if you live in the United States –Delta will soon launch a new nonstop route from JFK to Sardinia, Italy’s most beautiful island, and an island most Americans have yet to discover, with service starting May 20, 2026.
This is what they call the Caribbean of Europe
White sandy beaches on a crystal clear sea, quaint inland towns where not much has changed in the last few hundred years, and that feeling of exclusivity that you just can’t find in mainland Italy until you spend a lot of money on it.
Welcome to Sardinia, the Caribbean of Europe.
Second only in size to Sicily, it is a fast-growing Mediterranean powerhouse that has been in the good graces of Northern Europeans for decades, even if it has yet to fully crack the market on the other side of the pond.
This could soon change, and we have Delta to thank for that.
The American airline will fly in just over a month New York (JFK) → Olbia-Costa Smeralda (OLB)connecting North America with Northern Sardinia for the first time. Now you may be wondering why they go to the… north of the island in particular, and not of Cagliari, the southern capital.
Although Cagliari is the cultural center and largest city on the island, Olbia is the gateway to the Emerald Coast.
Sardinia is quite big, about the size of the US states of Vermont and Rhode Island combined, so if you’ve been wondering where to find those postcard-like Caribbean beaches, they’re an easy half-hour drive from the airport.
And Delta scores again!
So no, you won’t get Cagliari, but you will 34 miles of pristine white sand beaches and turquoise seas to explore, with beaches like Spiaggia il Principe, Cappricioli and Liscia Ruja among the most beautiful on the old continent.
But we’ll get into that later. Let’s talk about those flights.
Everything you need to know about Delta’s flights to Sardinia
Here’s the full breakdown of Delta’s new direct JFK flights to Sardinia:
- Start date: May 20, 2026: Book your tickets before they sell out for the season!
- Frequency: 4x a week all summer (Mon/Tue/Thurs/Sat)
- Aircraft: Boeing 767-300ER
- Available cabins: Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort, Delta Main
The likely schedule is as follows:
- JFK → OLB: departs at 6:25 PM and arrives at 9:00 AM the next day
- OLB → JFK: departs at 11:00 AM, arrives at 2:35 PM the same day
Oh, and if you are indeed flying to Italy this summer, make sure you prepare in advance for possible delays at passport control:
Italy (as well as the broader European Union) is currently rolling out its new Entry/Exit system, which includes fingerprinting and digital registration of tourists, including Americans.
Later this year, the EU is also expected to have one mandatory travel authorization system. Be sure to check the latest entry requirements for Italy before your departure date to avoid any unpleasant surprises at the airport.
What to see in Northern Sardinia this season?
You already know that Northern Sardinia is beautiful, sandy, wide beaches, and that paradisiacal coastline that you can’t find in Europe, where it mainly consists of small pebble coves, but where exactly should you go when you come for that sun-drenched week in the high season?
Well, we did a few options have already prepared for you:
Top 10 destinations in northern Sardinia (PLUS a quiz to find your perfect match!)
Olbia
Olbia itself is an excellent base for Costa Smeralda. It is the largest city in Northeast Sardinia and it is quite convenient to fly in and out. Plus, it boasts a wide range of dining and entertainment options, and it’s not exactly the nicest, but the Historical Center should certainly not be missed.
In the center of town is San Simplicio Basilica, an important church with a striking Romanesque exterior, and if you like seafood, head to Da Bartolo. If they are still serving it, have their tagliatelle with squid ink and bottarga tuna. Thank us later.
Porto Cervo
The VIP spot on the coast. Not necessarily somewhere you go for the culture. Porto Cervo was only built in the early 1960s, precisely to cater to a growing European upper middle class that was not exactly welcome in the more elite circles of St. Tropez or Portofino.
This is for the girls who love the exclusive beach bars, a bit of vintage shopping after swimming and the glitzy feeling. Did we already mention the luxury yachts? Yes, rest assured, the billionaire Russians are still landing here, sanctions or no sanctions.
La Maddalena
For something more local and unusual, you might want to take the ferry from Palau harbor to the La Maddalena archipelago. A collective of islands just off the coast of Sardinia, known for their relaxed atmosphere, heritage of a fishing villageand virtually public-free beaches.
Budelli has a beautiful pink sand beach, Spargi has deserted crescent-shaped bays surrounded by blue-green seas, La Maddalena is the largest island with a colorful port town and Caprera, the neighboring island, is known as Garibaldi’s chosen home later in his life. You can even visit the rural bungalow where he lived.
Tempio Pausania
Tempio Pausania is located slightly inland from the coast lesser known medieval treasure most beach bums on the Costa Smeralda are looking forward. Every building here is made of local granite, and yes, the sidewalks are rainbow-colored.
Old World aesthetic with an Instagrammable touch, but the main attraction is the authentic Sardinian atmosphere: nonnos sipping their coffee in the main square, a family business trattoria where homemade pasta is served at every turn, and church bells ring in the distance.
Castelsardo
The crown jewel of Sardinia’s north coast, Castelsardo, is colorful cluster of fishermen’s houses gathered at the foot of an imposing fortress. The whole thing is just incredibly photogenic, especially along the coast lungomare point of view, but fair?
You should make an effort to come here just for Ristorante Il Cormorano. Absolute TOP eatery in Northern Sardinia for freshly caught fish, not just the average pasta pizza filler, and excellent service. We’ll be back.
Stintino (Spiaggia La Pelosa)
Stintino is a quiet, unassuming town on a headland where there doesn’t seem to be much to do, apart from a handful of bars and osterias catering to the overnight crowd, and the occasional Sardinian day tripper from Sassari.
But then again, it’s right on the doorstep of Sardinia’s most iconic beach. The only, the only Spiaggia La Pelosa, where powdery white sand seems to melt into translucent waterand the old watchtower in the background only adds to the perfect scene.
Porto Torres
Perhaps Northern Sardinia’s most hidden gem, Porto Torres is an important cultural stop on your drive to Stintino. Here you will find well-preserved Roman ruins, ancient streets and one of the oldest and largest Romanesque churches in Sardinia. That would be the Basilica of San Gavino.
If you have time for an archaeological visit, be sure to visit the Antiquarium Turritano, where you can marvel at beautiful 2000 year old mosaics and baths. It wasn’t exactly wiped out by a volcano like Pompeii, but it still gives off that tranquil, frozen ancient Roman atmosphere.
Sassari
Sassari, the unofficial ‘capital’ of northern Sardinia and the island’s second largest urban conurbation after Cagliari, is routinely skipped by beachgoers, despite being well worth a short transit. The grand piazze, the faded palazzi, the classic trattoria and pastry shops…
Ahhh… European summer dreamand the best thing about it is that there are no seasonal crowds on the coast. If you fancy a taste of Sardinia’s urban character, without the long drive to Cagliari, be sure to drop by and enjoy the subtle elegance of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II.
Bosa
This is the city everyone has been raving about lately. Located about an hour’s drive south of Sassari, Bosa is an inland settlement bisected by a scenic river, with brightly colored, skinny mansions stacked, basically along cobblestone alleys.
The restaurant scene is criminally underrated, with household names like Locanda di Corte putting their own modern twist on traditional Sardinian cuisine, and the monumental castle at the top of the hill is the icing on the cake.
Alghero
One of Travel Off Path’s ‘uncovered’ destinations in Italy for 2026
Did you have any idea that there is a town in Sardinia, Italy, where they speak a Catalan dialect? Like in the same language you’ve been trying to polish up, much to the dismay of the poor, overworked waiter at that overpriced bar on La Rambla?
A beautiful port city on the azure sea, Alghero was colonized by Catalans in the Middle Ages, and between their unique Sardo-Catalan dialect and the distinctly Gothic architecture of the old town, it really feels like Barcelona’s distant Sardinian cousin.
How safe is Italy now?
I’m not sure about you either, but we’ve been hesitant to book international travel lately, due to the terrible geopolitical situation worldwide and wars breaking out left, right and centre.
With all the beautiful beaches and timeless gems on the coast, maybe just now However, we are convinced to take our hesitant donkeys to Sardinia.
And hey, Italy was pretty chilly at the moment, as you can see from the website Safety index for travelers:
Yes, we come for that white sand and seafood risotto, amo’.
