Is it worth it?

Is a boat tour in Cagliari worth it?

Yes, if you want to swim and see the coast. The trips leave from the city, last 2 to 3 hours and reach coves under the cliffs that the land side does not.

Three things make it work. The piers are in town: Molo Dogana is on the Via Roma waterfront, and the catamaran listing says its Su Siccu pier is easy to reach on foot from the cruise terminal. The coves are close, so most of the time goes on swimming, not sailing. And the price stays low, from $44 on this site.

The numbers back it up. The boat tour with 4 swim stops has 2,497 reviews and the Devil's Saddle rubber boat is rated 4.9 from 2,083 reviews. Tuck sailed in Oct 2026: "fantastic tour, swimming with the fish, locations and history. the skipper Stefano was fantastic. highly recommend very good value for money. made our trip."

What is the best boat tour in Sardinia?

It depends on where you stay. The island's most famous boat trips sail far from Cagliari, in the north-east and on the east coast; from Cagliari, the trip to choose is the one round the Devil's Saddle.

Sardinia is big, and its best-known boat days, the La Maddalena islands in the north-east and the Gulf of Orosei on the east coast, start from harbors far up the island. They are full-day trips, not something to do from Cagliari between breakfast and lunch.

From Cagliari, the choice is closer to home. Every trip here sails the coast of the Devil's Saddle, and the full day with lunch goes on east to Mari Pintau, Torre delle Stelle and Solanas. Capo Carbonara, the marine protected area at Villasimius, is about an hour's drive east; none of the trips on this site sail there. The best one is the one that fits your day.

What are some good boat trips from Cagliari?

Nine on this site: six 3-hour trips round the Devil's Saddle, a 2-hour zodiac, a full day with lunch and a self-drive rental, plus a kayak or paddleboard.

• The classic: 4 swim stops from Molo Dogana, snorkel gear and a glass of prosecco, $61.
• From Marina Piccola: the Devil's Saddle rubber boat with a spritz and chips, $61, with a free parking area.
• More space: the catamaran for 12 with a toilet on board, $75.
• Short and cheap: the 2-hour zodiac, $44.
• Evening: the sunset trip with prosecco and focaccia, $61.
• Quiet: the sailboat cruise with music and a skipper, $62.
• All day: 8 hours with lunch and a SUP board, $133.
• Your own boat: the self-drive rental at $193 per boat.

Prices, piers and inclusions for all nine are in Cagliari boat tour prices.

Which boat should you choose: rubber boat, catamaran or sailboat?

A rubber boat for speed and getting close to the cliffs, the catamaran for space and a toilet, the sailboat for a slow, quiet trip. All three swim in the same coves.

The boat types side by side, from the listings:

The classic's own listing says its 8 to 9 meter RIBs spend more time swimming than sailing and go closer to the coast. The catamaran's interior is for the crew who live on board; the WC is there when you ask.

Three hours on a catamaran for 12, with snorkel gear, a toilet and a fresh-water shower on board and a prosecco toast at the last stop.

★ 4.9 · 3 hours · from $75

Explore the catamaran tour → Tour details

How long is a Cagliari boat tour, and is it enough?

Most last 3 hours, the zodiac 2, the rental 4 and the full day 8. Three hours covers the whole Devil's Saddle coast with time for several swims.

• 2 hours: the zodiac tour, with 3 swim stops of about 25 minutes each.
• 3 hours: the boat tour with 4 swim stops, the rubber boat, the catamaran, the sunset trip and the sailboat.
• 4 hours: the rental and the kayak.
• 8 hours: the full day with lunch.

Three hours is the sweet spot for most people. Dirk took the catamaran in Oct 2026: "We had a really great tour. Not too long and not too short. Just right and what we expected." Pick the zodiac if you only have a morning, the full day if you never want to leave the water.

Will you get seasick on a Cagliari boat tour?

Some people do, and the listings say so. Book a morning slot, take your usual remedy before you board and pick a steadier boat if you are prone to it.

The boat tour with 4 swim stops and the zodiac are not suitable for people prone to seasickness, per their listings, and the catamaran listing does not recommend its trip for them either. The sailboat listing advises taking any motion sickness medication before departure, following your doctor or the leaflet.

The zodiac listing gives the most useful line: morning tours usually have calm water, lunchtime can bring a sea breeze, and afternoon tours may have some wind and waves. Vanessa's advice after the rental, in Sep 2026: "If you are prone to motion sickness, you should pack travel pills!" Swimming helps too: you spend much of the trip in the water, not on deck.

Will you see dolphins on a boat tour in Cagliari?

Maybe. Guests mention dolphins on several trips, some of them in the harbor, but no operator promises them.

The classic's listing puts it honestly: if you are lucky, you may spot dolphins. The sailboat listing says the same about dolphins and flamingos. Guests on several trips report sightings. Ina, on the boat tour with 4 swim stops in Oct 2026: "At the end, we even saw dolphins in the harbor." Martina, on the sunset trip in Sep 2026: "we also managed to see the dolphins at the harbor". Michał, on the full day in Sep 2026, saw "dolphins swimming literally right next to us!"

Treat it as a bonus. The cliffs, the coves and the swim are what you are paying for.

What do guests say after a Cagliari boat tour?

They talk about the swimming, the clear water and the skippers. These are 5-star reviews from the listings on this site.

Nonnuttaree, on the Devil's Saddle rubber boat in Nov 2026: "The boat tour today was the most memorable highlight of our 10 days trip in Cagliari. It was fun, spectacular and very safe."

Irmgard, on the boat tour with 4 swim stops in Oct 2026: "Even in mid-October, you can still enjoy wonderful [...] swimming and snorkeling in 75°F (24°C) water."

Robert, on the catamaran in Sep 2026: "A wonderful, relaxing excursion on a very well-maintained boat [...] I can really highly recommend this tour."

Fritz, on the sailboat in Oct 2026: "Six out of five stars!! [...] in addition to beautiful bays and opportunities for swimming and snorkeling, they also let us experience their enthusiasm for sailing."

Linda, on the full day in Aug 2026, liked that the captain kept it safe "for everyone, on board and in the water, from my 4-year-old son to my father-in-law, who is over 80."

Ready to pick? The Devil's Saddle by boat tells you what you will pass, and boat tours from the cruise port helps if you arrive by ship.

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