What to do in Sardinia with children?
What to see in Sardinia with children? 5 top places
We at Sardinia Unlimited know very well, from personal experience, how beautiful, fun and rewarding it is to spend our holidays with children. Spending some time in the company of the little ones can also be challenging; you must always find a way to stimulate their imagination, to get them involved in playful and educational activities. A holiday in Sardinia provides endless opportunities for relaxation and recreation, in enchanting natural settings, but offers also a lot of attractions for families. This magical island is not just turquoise sea, beautiful beaches and dream landscapes: it has much more to say, even for the youngest. Below we list five of the main Sardinian attractions for children of all ages, tested directly by our little ones.
Donnortei Natural Park.
Donnortei Park is a real gem, almost a secret place that we would like to suggest to anyone visiting Sardinia, at any time of the year. It is a wonderful natural park set in a unique mountain context, in the territory of Fonni, part of the Barbagia di Ollolai. The park is private, and is managed by the family that owns these lands, as well as the homonymous farmhouse. The management of the park is done in collaboration with several Italian and Sardinian universities, which study the unique flora and fauna present within the park itself, including various endemic species. In the farmhouse you can try the typical dishes of Sardinian and Barbagian cuisine and you can stay overnight in comfortable rooms. But the main reason why we suggest visiting this wonderful structure is the possibility of booking a guided excursion inside the park itself, which is not otherwise accessible since it is fenced.
The excursion is a unique experience, to live at least once in a lifetime. A long trekking path, which winds through a dense forest of native oaks on the steep slopes of a mountain, leads to the heart of the park. An expert guide explains the natural wonders of this majestic landscape, accompanying the visitors into a little valley. Here the magic takes place every day, leaving no one indifferent - from the oldest to the youngest -. Attracted by food distributed by the guide, dozens of fallow deers, fawns and Sardinian deers materialize in front of the incredulous children, as in a fairy forest. Males with sumptuous antlers, shy females and cute "bambies", approach visitors, eating directly from their hands, despite living in the wild. Few other experiences restore harmony with nature like this, which can be experienced just a few steps from the iconic Gennargentu Mountain.
Absolutely not to be missed!
Aquarium of Cala Gonone.
Not far from the wonderful coves of the Gulf of Orosei, such as Cala Luna and Cala Goloritzé, and the spectacular Bue Marino caves, there is the Cala Gonone aquarium. If you happen to be here with children - but also without! -, take the opportunity to visit this interesting attraction. The modern structure houses 25 exhibition tanks, representing a path that crosses different seas and aquatic areas of the world. About 300 marine species live in them, from piranhas to loggerhead turtles. Educational play activities can also be carried out, to teach about respect for the oceans. Halfway through, the cute fox Rosa Fumetta, mascot of the aquarium, raises awareness of the victims of wildfires, which she miraculously survived. At the end of the visit, it is possible to play with some species in the tactile tank. There is also an outdoor playground, snack bar and ample parking.
Didactic and playful. Kids will love it!
Sardegna in Miniatura Park.
The Miniature Sardinia Park, as stated on their website, is a real integrated scientific pole, spread over an area of about 50,000 square meters. It is a complex of various attractions and theme parks of great interest, and of undoubted charm for children. The park is located near the nuragic village of Su Nuraxi in Barumini, not far from the Giara di Tuili. The first nucleus of the park, which dates back to 1999, is made up of Sardinia in miniature, where it is possible to walk along scale reproductions of some Sardinian monuments and sites. It is even possible to circumnavigate the attraction by boat. Furthermore, at the nuragic pavilion, it is possible to relive the customs and traditions of the nuragic populations during the iron age. All this by visiting the reconstruction of a typical village of the Nuragic civilization, dating back to 3,000 years ago.
An interesting Nature Park is also part of the complex. It hosts a biosphere and a tunnel aquarium, unique in Sardinia, which allows you to visit a tropical ecosystem, while learning the importance of respecting the environment. A tank with large koj carps will surely please the little ones, who will be fascinated by the wonderful colorful fish. The amazement of the children will also be great in front of the kaleidoscopic birds that cheer up the parrot aviary, followed by the oasis of succulents.
There is also an astronomy museum, a real scientific research center, where you can experiment with different activities and learn notions of astronomy and astrophysics. Of great interest is the dome of 11 meters in diameter, under which the planetarium is projected, countrywide one of the largest and most technological.
The highlight is in our opinion the Dinosaur Park, the largest of its kind in Italy, which will leave the youngest visitors speechless. The little ones of the house will certainly have fun in this part of the park, and the adults will like it too. Kids and parents will be amazed by the huge animatronic reproductions of Tyrannosaurus-rex, Apatosaurs and other Jurassic species, including baby dinosaurs, who really move and roar! You cannot miss a visit to the Megalodon, the king of the seas of prehistory, and to the recent area dedicated to the ice age, where mammoths and large prehistoric cats dominate. Are you ready to go back in time and feel like in a Hollywood blockbuster?
Top educational and fun for your children!
BittiRex.
If you are in the north of Sardinia, and you have little time available, or if Tuili and Barumini seem too distant and you don't feel like tackling such a long journey with children, we have a valid alternative for you. Near Bitti, in the historical region of Barbagia, on the border with the province of Sassari, there is BittiRex. It is another small theme park displaying real-size statues of dinosaurs. If your little ones are also passionate about paleontology and the living beings that preceded us on earth, then it is definitely worth visiting this park.
100% recommended!
Water Parks of Sardinia.
On windy summer days, when the sea is too rough and dangerous to swim safely, why not visit one of the many water parks on the island? There are several, scattered throughout the Sardinian territory. Children love sliding down the the tubes and feel the water gliding during those exciting descents. In addition, several parks offer refreshment and entertainment services, involving adults and children with fun activities, choreography and music. The largest water amusement parks, from north to south Sardinia, are: Aquafantasy in Isola Rossa, Trinità d’Agultu e Vignola; Water Paradise in Eden Beach, Sorso; Aquadream in Baja Sardinia; Parco acquatico in Baradili; BluFan in Sarroch; Diverland in Quartucciu.
Cool off by diving into the blue swimming pools!
Holidays in Sardinia with children, our villas for everyone!
In our portfolio there are many villas for rent in Sardinia suitable for families with children. All the holiday homes are equipped with every comfort and are located not far from wonderful beaches and attractions for the little ones.
Take a look at the following properties, distributed throughout the Sardinian territory:
Costa Paradiso – Villa Porta sul Mare.
Stintino - Il Rifuio del Bandito