Flights to Cagliari in the south or Olbia in the north take approximately one hour. There are ferries to the island from a number of Italian mainland ports. The shortest trip is eight hours from Civitavecchia to Olbia. From Genoa, the ferry takes 13 hours, while the time from Naples to Cagliari is 16 hours. Bookings for travel in July and August must be made well in advance.
All ferries carry cars.
It is more economical to arrange for auto rental from the United States. We used Hertz after checking the ever-changing rates with all the usual companies. Car rentals and gasoline are monstrously expensive. July and August are very popular with European tourists, and hotels should be booked ahead. By Oct. 1, seaside hotels begin to close down.