Sardinia’s Endless Summer 2026
Back on the island we love, sharing its thrilling mountain roads and beautiful sea with a group that made the week unforgettable.
Before we’d even left Rome, we knew this was going to be a good one. Once again, we had a full group with more riders hoping to join us. Around the lunch table was a wonderfully mixed crew of returning riders and new friends from Australia, Italy, England, the USA, Austria and Denmark.
Some were joining us for the first time. Five friends from England had come together after one of them met us at the Bike Shed Show. Our Danish friends were back for their second tour, one rider from the UK was on his third with us and his second in Sardinia, and our returning American rider had brought his brother-in-law along for the ride. A very good rider, as it turned out. This was going to be fun.
After lunch in the green surroundings of our favourite Rome restaurant, we headed out through the lakes and mountains towards the coast. The first seafood dinner of the trip followed, and then onto the overnight ferry. A few beers, plenty of introductions and a cabin for everyone. By the time we went to bed, the group was already getting along rather well.
There’s something about arriving in Sardinia by boat at sunrise. The light is soft, the roads are still quiet, and the island is just waking up as we ride towards the thick forests and granite country of Gallura. We’ve got a whole week ahead of us and, after the ferry crossing, it feels like we’ve properly got away.
That first day took us across the north of the island and down to Bosa, one of those places we’re always happy to come back to. The colourful houses, the old town, the beach nearby—and the light at sunset. A swim and a drink after a full day on the bikes? We didn’t need much convincing.
What we love about riding in Sardinia is how quickly a day can change. One minute we’re on a coastal road looking down at clear water; the next we’re climbing back into the mountains, where the bends seem to carry on forever.
And the roads were in seriously good condition. On one stretch we even rode past the crew laying fresh tarmac beneath some rather imposing peaks. Smooth new asphalt, mountains all around and a group of happy riders. Not a bad day at work.
Everyone in this group was a capable rider, and everyone rode safely at their own comfortable pace. That’s how we like to run our tours. There’s a tour leader to follow and a support vehicle on hand, but everyone also has the GPX routes, so riders who prefer a little space can enjoy the road in their own rhythm. We come back together for the stops, the swims, the meals and the evenings. It works beautifully when everyone’s idea of a good ride is a little different.
Of course, we made plenty of time for the sea. At one of our favourite swimming spots, some of us were diving off the rocks while Mike, who had travelled from Australia, met a 92-year-old man making wicker baskets in the traditional way. It turned out he’d lived in Australia for 20 years. The two had a chat and a photo together before we got back on the road. One of those encounters you couldn’t possibly put in a tour plan.
There was a stretch across the salt flats, a visit to an old Western film town, and a seafood lunch right by the lagoon. Then another afternoon in the mountains before arriving at our hotel, where the pool and a few cold beers were waiting.
The food kept pace with the riding. We had fish by the sea with Pan di Zucchero rising out of the water opposite us, generous plates of grilled meat up in the mountains, and one particularly lovely evening at an agriturismo surrounded by nature. Homemade Sardinian food kept coming to the table, wine was poured with dinner, and the mirto made an appearance too.
By this point the evenings had become every bit as lively as the riding days. Everyone coming together over a beer, comparing roads and laughing around the dinner table. The five friends from England, our returning riders and those who had only just met were all very much one group.
By the second or third day, the conversation had already turned to next year. People were asking about other tours, comparing plans and working out how they might ride together again. Some were even talking about coming back to Sardinia!
Sardinia has a way of drawing you inland, and this year we found ourselves in Dorgali during Autunno in Barbagia. The town was full of people celebrating local traditions, with food in the streets, wine and performances all around us. We couldn’t have asked for a better evening to be there, and the group loved it.
Deeper in the Supramonte, we visited Orgosolo, where the murals tell stories of local and national history, and then met a traditional mask maker in Mamoiada. He makes the wooden masks worn by the Mammutones. Some of the group bought masks, and one rider even got a portrait with the artist dressed in the full Mammutone outfit—minus the bells!
Then it was back into the mountains for more bends, a long lunch and one last descent towards the sea.
One last swim, then back on the bikes and towards the ferry. A pretty good way to finish a week in Sardinia.
To everyone who joined us: thank you for the rides, the swims, the dinners and all the laughter in between. What a brilliant group, and what a week.
