Most travelers start their acquaintance with Sardinia from the international airport. The largest and most famous on the island - the Costa Smeralda Airport in Olbia - annually serves up to 2 million passengers arriving on the Emerald Coast. That is how the expression of Costa Smeralda is translated from Italian.
Before World War II, the main air force bases of Italy were located in Sardinia, since from this island it was possible to transfer troops to the continent, Sicily or North Africa as soon as possible. In other words, there were no problems with military airfields.
History of the coast and airport
In 1928, one of them, Venafjorita, appeared 5 km south of Olbia. In 1937, the first passenger airport was opened in the south of the island - in Cagliari. The north of the island remained "unreached" until the 60s. last century. True, from the airport in Olbia, which received the status of a passenger in the late 40s., For some time, rare flights were also carried out towards continental Italy.
In 1962, the airfield in Olbia was reconstructed and renamed the Costa Smeralda Airport
In those years, Sardinia had little more than stunning landscapes and a mild climate, like Sardinia today. And certainly it was not considered a prestigious vacation spot for wealthy Europeans. Everything changed the case. The Arab sheikh (prince) Karim Aga Khan IV due to the breakdown of a yacht leaving his residence on the Cote d'Azur, was forced to land on the coast of Sardinia.
Having approached, the sheikh was literally struck by the beauties that opened before his gaze and, above all, the emerald sea framed by the purest white sand. So with his light hand the beaches of Sardinia on the northeast coast of the island got their name - Costa Smeralda.
I must say that initially Aga Khan IV was not at all going to equip Costa Smeralda according to the latest tourist fashion. His plans included the creation of a fashionable recreation area for himself and his friends and the construction of a small private airfield. For the sake of this "cabal", the prince even founded his own airline - Meridiana Fly.
Costa Smeraldado Airport annually serves about 4.5 million passengers
In 1962, the airfield in Olbia was reconstructed, after which it also received a new name - Costa Smeralda Airport (the international code is OLB), under which it still exists, despite the fact that both he and the Meridiana Fly company have long passed from the hands of Aga Khan IV to American hoteliers.
For 40 years Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia costed the old terminal. In 2002, a new one was built, with an area of 42,000 m2 and a capacity of up to 4.5 million passengers per year. In total, the Costa Smeralda Airport in Olbia occupies 300 hectares.
Buses from Costa Smeralda Airport to the city, resorts, hotels
All buses from Costa Smeralda Airport by the local company A.S.P.O go to the city center (including the train station on Gabriele D'Annunzio Street) in just 10-15 minutes. From Olbia Station, you can get to Cagliari, Sassari, Golfo Arranchi, Porto Torres as soon as possible.
Route 2 starts at 7.30 and ends at 20.00. The approximate interval of movement is 20-30 minutes. The first buses from the airport, following route No. 10 (roundabout, to Centro Martini and back) depart at 6.15, the last at 23.40 with an interval of 30-40 minutes.
Buses from the airport to the city center take only 10-15 minutes
There is also a private shuttle No. 3, whose services are offered by the Costa Smeralda Airport, also follows the center of Olbia.
In addition to city buses, there are buses going from the airport to other settlements in Sardinia. So, at 7.35 a bus leaves for Sassari, at 10.25 - to Santa Teresa de Gallura, at 14.00 - to Telti, at 15.42 - to Cagliari.
Airport Taxi
The fastest and most convenient way to get to Olbia or any other resort on the Emerald Coast from the Costa Smeralda Airport is by taxi.
You can try to catch a car right at the terminal, however, the issue price can vary significantly depending on the season and time of day. In addition, although the Italian authorities have been fighting this for many years, there are still cases in Italian airports where drivers try to “warm up” on unsuspecting tourists, clearly inflating the fare. Sometimes, however, even with an honest driver it is difficult to explain, due to the fact that many do not speak English.
In order not to risk either the language or the fare, in recent years, many arriving tourists have booked a taxi to the airport in advance via the Internet. Moreover, this service is inexpensive, and a simple car is not charged due to a flight delay or a long customs procedure.
Price of a taxi from Costa Smeralda airport depends on the season and time of day
The service company independently monitors all arriving flights and sends the car exactly to the arrival of the aircraft. A meeting with the driver takes place, as a rule, at the exit from the baggage claim area, however, the detailed meeting details, cost and estimated travel time are indicated in the process of placing the order and a confirmation letter to the passenger's e-mail.
Online order Taxi from Costa Smeralda Airport It is also convenient because in this way you can specify in advance that you need a car with pre-installed child seats or a voluminous trunk. Knowing this, the taxi company will send a car equipped in accordance with the request of the customer. You can place a taxi order online at this link. And in more detail about the service BlogoItaliano wrote in an article Taxi in Italy: how to order directly to the airport.
Rent a Car
Leading European car rental companies have long and successfully been operating on the island, serving both the Costa Smeralda Airport in Olbia and other airports in Sardinia. Cars can be taken on the spot or rented online, but it makes sense to say a few words about local features.
The number of cars available at the airport is quite large, however, as in all Mediterranean countries, seasonality is very pronounced. For example, from the end of October to mid-April, the cost of renting a car is unprecedentedly low, while in the summer - especially in July-August - it can increase significantly.
In the summer, in Sardinia, demand is especially high for economical and compact cars.
In the summer months, with the massive arrival of tourists on the island, the range of cars is also significantly reduced - the demand for economical and compact cars is especially great. Often, in the parking lots of distributors there are only cars intended for those who have booked in advance, and more expensive cars are used. Thus, along with a seasonal increase in prices, car hire at Costa Smeralda Airport in the summer can "fly out a pretty penny."
In order to somehow protect your budget and guarantee the availability of a car, you should reserve a car in advance and do it better through price comparison services. One of the most popular among Europeans is Rentalcars, which is directly related to the well-known hotel portal Booking.com.
Like its "big brother", Rentalcars is a convenient system for comparing car rental conditions, combined with an online booking system. Thus, with its help you can in a few minutes get acquainted with the offers of car rental companies at the Costa Smeralda Airport, choose the best price / quality point of view and book the option you like.
In the end, only one thing should be said: after finding a suitable option in the near-monthly months, it is better not to delay the reservation. All worthy options are on the account and diverge very quickly.
Useful links on the topic:
- The best hotels of Sardinia 3, 4 and 5 stars
- Car rental in Italy: 5 most useful sites for a trip
- All airports of Sardinia
Photos by: andrea.a, andrea.a, azu loves27, Alessandro Cani, Bob, m0rus.
