Sardinia SUP Hike Yoga Week - Everything you need to Know!
We’ve put together this detailed guide to our SUP & Yoga Weeklong Retreat in Sardinia to give you all the info you may need before booking and for simple planning, once you’ve confirmed your spot!
We’ll be covering:
Destination
Logistics - flights and transfers
Arrival day
Itinerary
Accommodation
Food and Drink
Free time
Paddling
Hiking
Yoga
Packing list
DESTINATION
We’ll be staying in Bosa, one of Italy’s most picturesque villages just a stone’s throw from the coast. This pretty medieval town is set along the River Temo; its pastel coloured houses stacked along the hillside below its own castle, with cobblestone streets and lively piazzas. It’s the perfect base for accessing wilderness and coastal locations by standup paddleboard and on foot, with beautiful coastlines and sea caves to explore, secluded bays and hidden beaches and with easy access to Sardina’s only navigable river, the tranquil Temo, on which we’ll meander into the countryside on our river tour.
FLIGHTS
We ask that you arrive at the time and place that we've earmarked for each trip - the specific airport and transfer timings vary depending on your retreat date. Please check these carefully!
If it is an Alghero week, your only UK option will be the Ryanair flights specified.
If it is an Olbia week, you can choose any flight that gets you to Olbia prior to the pick up time specified. E.g. For a 4pm pick up at Olbia you could take EasyJet from London Gatwick arriving at 15.20 or EasyJet from Bristol arriving at 15.40.
The Gutsy Girls team will meet you at the specified airport and transfer you to our hotel in Bosa.
Flights are not included in the cost of the trip.
Tues 14 June - Tues 24 June | Olbia Airport
Arrival airport transfer from Olbia Airport at 4pm.
Departure transfer arrives at Olbia Airport at 10am.
Flights are available from London, Bristol and other UK airports to Olbia airport.
Tues 21 June - Tues 28 June | Olbia Airport
Arrival airport transfer from Olbia Airport at 4pm.
Departure transfer arrives at Olbia Airport at 10am.
Flights are available from London, Bristol and other UK airports to Olbia airport.
Tues 5 July - Tues 12 July | Alghero
Ryanair London Stansted to Alghero
Arrival: Ryanair FR232 London Stansted 07:30 > Alghero 10:55.
Departure: Ryanair FR231 Alghero 11:25 > London Stansted 12:50.
Fri 22 July - Fri 29 July
Arrival airport transfer from Olbia Airport at 5pm.
Departure transfer arrives at Olbia Airport at 2.30pm.
Flights are available from London, Manchester and other UK airports to Olbia airport
Tues 2 Aug - Tues 9 Aug | Olbia
Arrival airport transfer from Olbia Airport at 4pm.
Departure transfer arrives at Olbia Airport at 10am.
Flights are available from London, Bristol and other UK airports to Olbia airport.
Tues 23 Aug - Tues 30 Aug | Olbia
Arrival airport transfer from Olbia Airport at 4pm.
Departure transfer arrives at Olbia Airport at 10am.
Flights are available from London, Bristol and other UK airports to Olbia airport.
Tues 6 Sept - Tues 13 Sept | Olbia Airport
Arrival airport transfer from Olbia Airport at 4pm.
Departure transfer arrives at Olbia Airport at 1:30pm.
Flights are available from London, Bristol and other UK airports to Olbia airport.
TRAVELLING TO BOSA WITHOUT OUR TRANSFER
We cannot provide individual transfers for anyone arriving at different times / airports. You are welcome to arrive on a different flight, but if the times do not match up with the flights / times specified above, you will have to make your own way to Bosa. Some ideas for this are below but please do your own research and make your own arrangements.
No discount is available for not using our transfer. Please ensure you are in Bosa by the early evening of the arrival day to avoid missing the first day activities!
If you need to make your own way from Alghero airport to Bosa, this is easy - there is a bus service running a few times a day; Line 9312. The timetable is here: http://www.arstspa.info/9312.pdf.
Getting from other Sardinian airports to Bosa without our transfer is time-consuming. There is a train from Cagliari airport to Macomer, where you’ll need to change for a bus to Bosa. Or the same train runs in the opposite direction from Olbia (town centre; so you’d need to take a bus from the airport) to Macomer, where you’ll need to change for a bus to Bosa. Both of these journeys are likely to take at least 4 hours.
Taxis from Alghero are approx 90€ and Olbia 200€. You could organise to share a taxi to Bosa if a few of you are flying into the same alternative airport or on alternative flights.
WHATSAPP GROUP
We will create a WhatsApp group for your trip; if you wish you can use this to plan any travel together.
Many guests arrange to meet at the airport before flying to us or arrange sharing taxis to or from the airport. Some choose to share a hotel at the airport in the UK before an early flight or after a late one!
You’ll only be able to access the WhatsApp group once you have confirmed your booking with us.
ARRIVAL DAY
To help you ease into the trip and so that you know what to expect, here’s what generally happens on your first day.
We meet you at the airport and drive to Bosa (1hr from Alghero, 2 hrs from Olbia)
Check into the hotel; there’ll be time for a quick shower.
July trip, we’ll have lunch and a short SUP or Hike on the first afternoon
Evening wine tasting at the wine cave of Giovanni Battista Columbu, a local award-winning wine producer in the area. You’ll learn about the geology of the area, climate and the traditional wine production of Malvasia di Bosa DOC.
Dinner together at a fantastic local restaurant and an early night ready for the next day of adventure.
ITINERARY
The itinerary on our trip page is very much a guide; see it taster of the adventures you’ll have when you join us in Sardinia. We will arrange our timetable for the week based on weather, wind and sea conditions.
We are likely to make changes to the itinerary to ensure you have the best possible experience with us and to make the most of local conditions!
We have a little rule in place, that we don’t discuss what’s happening the next day until we’ve eaten dinner! This allows us to check for the most recent forecast and keeps you present in the moment.
It is also worth noting that in the unlikely event that weather conditions prohibit us from paddling, we will arrange alternative activities - sadly we cannot control the weather but we can keep our fingers firmly crossed!
ACCOMMODATION
The hotel we stay in is a family run three star hotel in the town, overlooking a little piazza in the historic centre. The rooms are simple but comfortable and Mediterranean in style with tiled floors and each room has a little fridge and air conditioning.
There is wifi in the main hotel lounge and in the breakfast area, however not in most of the rooms.
The hotel has hairdryers, although not particularly strong ones!
FOOD & DRINK
The tap water in Bosa is not recommended for drinking, but we will collect bottled drinking water from the local supermarket together on our day of arrival, and you can keep this in the fridge in your room. Restocking at the supermarket is easy whenever you need to.
Food is a big part of this holiday as we’re in Italy - culinary capital of the world! We eat very well and try lots of delicious local food. It’s a great place to eat fish, but if you don’t you’ll still have plenty of options.
We can cater for all food requirements, however do be aware that Bosa is not a big tourist destination (that’s why we chose it!), so this does mean that there won’t always be a huge selection of vegan options on menus. We will always do our utmost to accommodate your dietary needs but we may also need a level of flexibility or understanding from you.
Breakfast at the hotel is continental, and includes fruit, yogurt, bread, cheese, meats, cereals, croissants etc, as well as great coffee of course!
Lunch will either be a fresh packed lunch which we’ll stop and eat while we’re out on an activity, for example fresh pasta salad, or at times we stop for lunch at a restaurant.
Dinners will be at local restaurants - this will sometimes be a set menu that we’ve created with the restaurant, or sometimes you’ll choose your own from a menu with one drink included. We’ll have one evening at an Agriturismo (farm stay) to have a lesson in how to make ravioli from real Sardinian nonnas (grandmothers), which we’ll sit down to enjoy together overlooking the stunning farmland.
We’ll also have two evenings of wine tasting paired with delicious cheeses at a local wine cellar and vineyard.
Please note that we can't provide discounts for guests who choose not to partake in the wine tasting or wine with dinner.
FREE TIME
There will be a little bit of free time every afternoon (2-3 hours) for you to do as you please. This is a conscious decision to ensure you have the best time with us, you may feel tired - that good kind of tired - after our activities, so it’s a chance for you to rest your body! Some guests may choose to spend this time alone which we fully support; it’s your holiday!
You could walk down to the nearest beach, which takes about half an hour, or we can assist in booking a taxi to it or to other nearby beaches.
Many of our guests opt to take it easy in one of Bosa’s piazzas with a gelato (you can’t go wrong with Italian ice cream!) and a good book, or take a little afternoon nap.
We can also arrange massages too, we can arrange this when you arrive in Bosa.
STAND UP PADDLING
We provide:
Stand up paddleboard
Paddle
Leash
Small dry bags
Personal Floatation Device (waist belt ones)
You will need:
Water shoes for getting on and off the board, NOT flip flops.
Raincoats in case we are unlucky with the weather!
We don’t provide wetsuits, so if you have a shorty or spring suit for the shoulder months (May and October) you might like to bring it - but it is not really required.
The hotel can provide beach towels
A sunhat
Sunglasses
Sunblock
UV long-sleeved top to cover up in the midday sun - this is non-negotiable - no heat stroke on our trips!
HIKING
Our hikes take us to very remote places, you must have proper hiking shoes or boots with good ankle support and grip. Running trainers do not have suitable grip or support. Trail running shoes are ok, but we would prefer you have proper ankle support from hiking boots.
You will not be allowed to join our hikes if you come in Converse style trainers.
Make sure you also have a long sleeved top to cover up in the midday sun, a sunhat, sunscreen and a backpack to carry water and clothes in!
YOGA
Our fantastic yoga instructor will guide us in daily practices, which are suitable for all level yogis. Yoga is fantastic not only for improving flexibility, strength and balance (very useful for paddle boarding), but it’s also a great way to unwind and reconnect with yourself. Our yoga sessions will be in our studio overlooking the river and if the conditions are right, we may even try some on our SUPs.
You do not need specialist clothing, just normal gym wear will do fine! Anything that's comfortable and flexible for yoga is perfect.
PACKING LIST
We'll keep it pretty casual, mostly we will live in active/sports wear. Some guests do like to wear
Day bag (Rucksack for carrying belongings on day hikes)
Swimwear
Water shoes (shoes you can get wet for exiting the water on sharp rocks). Avoid wetsuit booties as these are a nightmare to put on and flip flops are not secure enough.
Quick drying leggings / or shorts
Long sleeve top - To protect arms from bushes when hiking and to protect you from the sun
T-shirt - Ideally a UV protection t-shirt / rash vest to wear in midday heat.
Cap/Hat - essential!
Sunglasses
Hiking shoes/boots - hiking boots/shoes/trail running trainers with good grip and ankle support. This is for your safety and comfort.
Yoga clothes
1-2 litre water bottle
Suncream
Towel - a lightweight one is fine, just for taking to the beach
Rain coat (just in case)
Light jacket for the evenings
Jumper for the evenings
Insect repellent
Shorty wetsuit/long john wetsuit - optional but recommended for October trips.
Waterproof case for phone
Sunglasses strap - to keep them safe
