Italy — Costa Smeralda, Sardinia
Is it safe to travel to Porto Cervo?
Yes — Porto Cervo is a private-development resort town with almost no crime. Summer hazards are the sea breeze, boat traffic and the drive back from dinner on unlit roads.
Reviewed 16 September 2026 · iLuxuryTravels Editorial
The Costa Smeralda was master-planned as a low-density resort coast and it still operates that way: private estates, marina security, seasonal policing and a permanent population too small to sustain street crime. Visitors rarely encounter anything worse than a parking dispute in August.
On the water, the mistral can turn a flat morning into a two-metre chop by lunch. Charter with a licensed skipper, check the forecast before taking a tender to a beach, and treat the granite shorelines as unforgiving — several of the most photographed coves have no easy exit in swell.
The roads between Porto Cervo, Baja Sardinia and Porto Rotondo are narrow, winding and often unlit. Late-night driving after dinner is the realistic risk of a Sardinian week; use a driver.
Porto Cervo safety: the questions people actually ask
- Is it safe to travel to Porto Cervo?
- Yes. It is one of the safest resort towns in the Mediterranean — a planned, low-density development with private security and a seasonal police presence.
- Is crime a problem on the Costa Smeralda?
- Very little. Occasional opportunistic theft occurs around the marina and beach car parks in peak August. Lock nothing valuable in a car and leave jewellery in the property safe when beach-hopping.
- Is it safe to take a boat out in Sardinia?
- With a licensed skipper and a morning forecast check, yes. The mistral builds quickly in the afternoon and the granite coves offer little shelter. Independent charters should stay within the sheltered Maddalena waters in wind.
- When is the best time to visit for calm conditions?
- Late May to mid-June and September bring warm water, lighter wind and far less traffic than the August peak — safer boating and easier roads.
- Is the tap water safe in Sardinia?
- It is treated and safe, though many houses and restaurants serve bottled water by habit and taste. Either is fine.