Sardinia’s climate is mild: it is 7°C on average warmer than London and just 2°C cooler than the Costa Blanca, a favoured winter destination for cycling, climbing, and walking. In the summer months of June, July and August, the temperature reaches 30°C, but for cyclists in Ogliastra climbing up to 1000 metres means a 7°C reduction in temperature and there’s always the cooling breeze in one of Italy’s windiest regions. Click here to view a PDF file recorded by Peter’s HAC4PLus heart rate monitor with temperatures from sea level to 1000m recorded on New Year’s Day 2006: you see just how mild it is. 

Click on the graphs to see them more clearly

These graphs of Sardinia’s climate DON’t tell you that the NW mistral wind can sometimes blow quite strongly, particularly on the mountain tops and where it’s funneled by mountain passes, and you need to plan your days accordingly. The Ogliastra region, in particular, has a mild climate and is sheltered from the mistral, with oranges and lemons growing in abundance on the coastal plain. So Ogliastra and Sardinia’s climate is ideal for cycling, climbing, and walking.

You may hear people say that it’s too hot in summer for walking, cycling and climbing in Sardinia. This may be true in some parts of the island, but in Ogliastra: you simply go high up and/or in the shade. We have road cycling races and mountain biking trips all summer. See our videos of lots of summer Sardinia climbing and mountain biking. In fact, many people come here to combine a summer beach holiday with climbing and mountain biking!

In winter, the temperature in the mountains (highest point 1834m) can fall below 0°C, and, for a few weeks a year, the tops of the mountains are snow-covered. You can JUST see the snow on the Gennargentu from our roof. Here is Anne at the beach on 30 December….no sign of rain.

Through the year, Sardinia has 3 hours more sunshine per day than London and only slightly less than the Costa Blanca.

Sardinia’s average rainfall, at 1½ inches a month, is just over half London’s, and just ¼” per month more than that of the Costa Blanca. In Ogliastra and in general in Sardinia, the rainiest month is December, followed by November. October is irregular: some years are very rainy and others are dry. The same is true for the months from January to April. From May to October Sardinia’s rainfall is the same by month as southern Spain’s, and the extra rain is concentrated mainly in the months of November and December. From January to April, Sardinia’s rainfall is less than that of an English summer! It hardly rains in Sardinia from late April—for the last two years on the Giro of Sardinia we have had no rain -  to September, but the extra winter rain makes the region much greener and more lush than more arid parts of the Mediterranean. Having said this, we frequently have stunning clear blue skies and great days for walking, climbing and cycling  in December.

Click here for a 5-day forecast

SEA TEMPERATURES IN SARDINIA

The Sardinian sea not only looks beautiful but it stays warm all year. Even in the coldest months, January to March, the sea temperature does not fall below 13°C . From June to September it is 21-23°C and in July and August it is 24°C. So it is comparable with other Mediterranean destinations like Mallorca and a lot warmer than the UK where the English Channel is 10°C in winter and 19°C in August.

The other factor that makes Sardinia so popular with water sports enthusiasts is the sea breeze. Winds such as the Scirocco, the Mistral and the Levant vary from coast to coast and have made Sardinia a top destination for surfers, windsurfers and sailors.

In our accommodation we provide the rolling 5-day weather forecasts which we use to plan our activities and make the most of Sardinia’s climate. You can open one such forecast  here.

Back to Ogliastra, Sardinia ….