Cagliari: Small-Group Gozzo Boat Tour with Sardinian Aperitif

4.93

(147 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We were already gliding past the old limestone cliffs when I realized how different this felt from every other boat tour I’ve done. The air off the Sardinian sea was salty but soft, and our captain—Marco, who grew up just outside Cagliari—was telling us about smugglers who used to hide in these coves (he winked at me when I asked if any still do). There were only seven of us on board, plenty of space to stretch out under the awning or let your legs dangle over the polished wood. Someone put on some mellow Italian pop—honestly, it fit.

First swim stop: water so clear you could see every ripple of sand below. Marco handed out snorkeling masks and pointed to where sea urchins cluster near the rocks. I tried diving down but mostly just floated, letting the sun warm my shoulders and listening to two locals argue gently about the best bakery in town (I caught “pane carasau” at least three times). When we climbed back aboard, there was an aperitivo waiting—salty pecorino, little slices of cured meat, olives that tasted like they’d been brined forever. The wine was cold and dry; maybe too easy to drink in that heat.

I didn’t expect to feel so relaxed—maybe it’s something about being away from crowds or maybe it’s just Sardinia itself. Marco shared a story about his grandfather fishing these waters before tourism was even a thing here. At one point he let me steer for a minute (not well—I zig-zagged embarrassingly close to another boat), and everyone laughed except the seagull that seemed determined to ignore us completely. We stopped again near a quieter bay for one last swim before heading back toward Cagliari’s port as the light got softer and gold around us.

It’s strange how quickly those hours went by. Even now I can remember the way my skin smelled faintly of salt and rosemary after rinsing off in the freshwater shower on deck—a small thing but it stuck with me. If you’re looking for a Cagliari sea experience that feels personal, not packaged…well, this is probably it.