The Costa Smeralda has a problem called August. For four weeks the corner of Gallura that the Aga Khan designed in the 1960s to be quiet and private becomes the most crowded, noisy and expensive place in the Mediterranean: yachts moored three deep in Porto Cervo, tables impossible to find, roads at a standstill. Then, on the first Monday of September, the tide goes out. And from the second week of September to mid-October — with the warmest sea of the year, the lowest light and the great hotels still open — the Costa Smeralda goes back to being what it was born for: a coastline. This piece explains when to go, what changes and how to build the right stay for a discerning guest.
One reading from our own network on the same ground: ItalyPlanner’s Costa Smeralda guide. The way we work with tour operators and colleagues is set out in our network manifesto.
What changes after 31 August
| August | September – mid-October | |
|---|---|---|
| Sea | warm, but crowded in every reachable cove | at its warmest, coves half empty on weekdays |
| Hotels | full, top rates, waiting lists | occupancy falling, suites available, rates dropping week by week |
| Restaurants | bookings impossible, service under pressure | tables can be found; the kitchens work better |
| Boats | charters sold out, moorings unobtainable | real availability; the skippers have time |
| Roads and harbour | gridlock between Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo | flowing; Porto Cervo becomes a village again |
| Closures | everything open | gradual closures from late September to late October: check |
The hotels: when half is better than full
The Costa’s great names — the Cala di Volpe, the Pitrizza, the Romazzino, the Cervo, all born with the 1960s consortium and today in the Marriott group as Luxury Collection — usually close between the end of September and the beginning of October, with dates that change every year. The September weeks, when they run at half occupancy, are the best of the year: the staff is the same as in August, the pace is not. Those who want October choose private villas with staff — the Costa is full of them, and off season they rent on terms unthinkable in summer — or the hotels that stay open until the end of the month.
The sea, at last
- The Costa’s coves — Capriccioli, Liscia Ruja, Il Principe, Romazzino — become reachable and liveable again on weekdays; on September weekends the Sardinians take them back.
- The boat is the reason one comes: in September a tender or motorboat with skipper can be found for the La Maddalena Archipelago and the beaches of Budelli and Spargi, with the flat sea of autumn mornings (we cover it in a dedicated piece).
- The wind: the autumn mistral blows more often; the advisor keeps boat days flexible and land alternatives ready.
- The Gallura hinterland: the granite, the nuraghi, the Vermentino wineries around Arzachena and Luogosanto, the stazzi farmhouses turned into tables: it is the Sardinia no one sees in August.
Porto Cervo without August
The village designed by Luigi Vietti, Jacques Couëlle and Michele Busiri Vici as a Mediterranean stage set becomes a little square again, with its shops, the boutiques of the fashion houses that stay open until the end of September, the harbour with the boats preparing for winter storage. The Stella Maris, Busiri Vici’s church above the harbour, is visited in silence. The evenings are those of a seaside village at the end of the season, and for a guest who has seen Porto Cervo in August the astonishment is guaranteed.
For the high-end guest
The reference stay: seven nights between the second and third week of September, in a seafront suite at one of the historic hotels while they are open, or in a villa with staff; a boat with skipper for three days, with the Archipelago and the north coast; a day in the hinterland with lunch at a stazzo and a Vermentino winery; a sunset at the Pevero with golf for those who play; dinners at the restaurants that in August were unapproachable. Olbia airport half an hour away, chauffeured car, tender from the hotel. The advisor checks closing dates week by week: on the Costa Smeralda, after August, the calendar is everything.
Frequently asked questions
Until when can you swim?
The sea is at its warmest between late August and mid-September, and stays pleasant until mid-October on windless days.
Are the Costa Smeralda hotels open in October?
The great historic hotels usually close between late September and early October, with variable dates; some properties stay open until the end of October. Check every year.
When is it best?
The second and third week of September: warm sea, everything open, half the crowds, falling rates.
How do you get there?
Olbia Costa Smeralda airport, about half an hour by car; in September international connections are still running.
Piece based on the editorial team’s direct experience. Seasonal closing dates and availability change every year: check the hotels’ official websites and the Costa Smeralda Consortium. For the Archipelago, the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park.
TourLeaderPro Network — contact us for the Costa Smeralda after August.