Mari Pintau Beach Guide: Tips & What to Expect

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Mari Pintau Beach, Sardinia

Mari Pintau translates as “Painted Sea” in the Sardinian language. It’s a visual word to describe the beautiful colours of the water, which fade from crystal-clear to light blue and gradually into deep blue. If you’re visiting the Southeast of Sardinia, Spiaggia di Mari Pintau is a fantastic beach to visit and one that is loved by locals and tourists alike.

The Stunning Beach and Sea

A beach or a swimming pool? The water here is so clear that it’s hard to tell the difference.

Mari Pintau is a crescent-shaped small beach made of a mixture of pebbles and sand. The water is shallow for some time and then gradually deepens. On the left-hand side, there is a hill that separates it from the nearby beautiful beach and small town of Geremeas. On the right-hand side is a long stretch of rocks often favoured by naturists and people who want to escape the crowds.

At the back of the beach is a cluster of pine trees that provides some much-needed shade in the hottest hours of the day.

Location of Mari Pintau Beach

Mari Pintau is part of Quartu Sant’Elena, Cagliari, located about 45 minutes drive from Cagliari and 33 minutes from the nearby town of Villasimius in the Southeast of Sardinia.

If you’re coming from Cagliari, you’ll reach a sharp bend near Mari Pintau. As you round the corner, the sea suddenly appears—its blue hues contrasting with the green hills nearby. You’ll be able to tell immediately how busy the beach is from the number of cars parked on the road.

Top tip: If you don’t like crowds, avoid visiting on the weekend. You’ll notice more cars lining the roadside then, as this beach is a favourite among locals too.

Amenities & Activities at Mari Pintau

• Parking: It’s free on the roadside that curves up to the beach. There is an additional lesser-known road uphill, a side road directly opposite the beach entrance — coming from Cagliari, it will be on your left, and coming from Villasimius, you’ll find it on your right — that goes uphill. A note of caution: this road is a little narrow, therefore it’s better to be an experienced driver to park there.
• Toilets & Showers: Toilets and a shower are available next to the beach.
• Beach Club: There is a beach club where you can rent sun loungers and umbrellas for the day on the right corner of the beach.
• Beach Access & Fees: As of 2025, the beach is free. There were ideas of making this a paid beach, but it didn’t happen. However, check regularly as it’s possible that this can change in the future.
• Lifeguard: There is a lifeguard on duty in the beach club sun-lounger area.
• Beach Bar: You’ll find a modest beach bar for some shade, lunchtime, and snacks and drinks available.
• Snorkelling: The beach is beautiful for snorkelling and quite safe due to the shallow sloping, calm waters and large swimming area. While not packed with variety, there are a good number of local fish to spot, such as Mullet fish and Seabream, and the visibility is extremely clear. As you’re underwater, the reflection of the light in the sea onto the seabed is quite mesmerising on a bright summer day.

Mari Pintau Local Tips

Most visitors will go to the left-hand side of the beach. If the beach is busy and you’re struggling to find space, head to the right-hand side of the beach as it’s less busy (due to there being more rocks) and it’s also a favourite area among naturists.

Boats aren’t allowed inside the cove, so you’ll often see them anchored farther out at sea. This means it’s generally safe to swim further out without worrying about boat traffic.

How to Get Here

By car: The main hubs around Mari Pintau are Cagliari—it’s about a 40-minute drive from there—and then from Villasimius, it’s about a 30-minute drive on the coastal road. Costa Rei and Muravera, which are the other nearby large towns, are 30 to 45 minutes drive away.

By public transport: Unfortunately getting to Mari Pintau by public transport is very difficult, we would not advise it. The best way is to rent a car.

Nearby Attractions

If you decide to make Mari Pintau your destination, the nearest villages will be Geremeas and Torre delle Stelle, also known as Maracalagonis.

Must-see nearby beaches: Porto Giunco, Porto Sa Ruxi, Scoglio di Peppino.

Where to stay nearby: Just 20 minutes away, Falkensteiner Capo Boi is one of the area’s top luxury resorts – perfect for families and beach lovers. Or couples, nearby Cruccùris Resort is an adults-only hideaway for a more romantic stay.

Best Time to Visit

For more solid weather, you should head there from June to September. If you prefer slightly cooler weather, then the months of April, May, and September up to the end of October might be more for you, although the weather can be inconsistent.

Things to Bring

We recommend bringing:

• A towel (some hotels provide beach towels). We don’t recommend the light towels as they easily fly away with the wind. And wind is a thing in Sardinia!
• Sun cream SPF 30-50
• Rock shoes
• Water
• An umbrella if you have one (you can also hire one there)
• A phone or camera to take photos

Beach Rules

• No dogs allowed.
• No smoking within 8 meters of the shore. (You can smoke behind that zone, but bring your own container for cigarette butts)
• Do not litter.
• Do not step on the dunes.
• No ball games.
• Boats must stay far from the shore—not beached.
• Vendors are not allowed to sell anything on the beach.
• Do not leave towels or umbrellas overnight. Take them with you after sunset.
• No fishing between sunrise and sunset.
• No underwater fishing.
• No massages allowed
• No loud speakers allowed.
• No fires or barbecues.
• Watch the flags: Yellow = warning, swimming not advised—be cautious.Red = no swimming at all.
• Lifeguard presence is uncertain outside the beach club area. If you’re not part of the club, assistance is not guaranteed.

Final Thoughts – is Mari Pintau Worth Visiting?

Mari Pintau is gem of the Southeastern coast of Sardinia. The crystal clear waters and large swimming area make it perfect for swimming and snorkelling safely for all ages and abiltiies. We’d recommend this stunning beach for both families and couples, however please note a hire car is required to reach here and there is a short walk required to access the beach from the parking.