Considered the oldest landmass in Europe, there’s much more to Sardinia than meets the eye. Steeped in history, culture and beautiful backdrops, this picturesque Italian island is a designated Blue Zone, a region where the people live longer and healthier lives than anywhere else on the planet.
Italy’s second largest island is both a glamorous playground and a rugged holdout of traditional life.
Costa Smeralda, a 34-mile tract of boulder-strewn coast in the north-east, attracts the super-rich and world famous.
A castaway ambiance prevails on the seven unspoiled islands of Maddalena Archipelago National Park, easily accessed by boat from the north coast.
Narrow streets wind past old churches and palaces in the attractive walled port of Alghero, tucked among pines and palms along the north-west coast.
Along the bay at Chia, on the south-west coast, towering sand dunes and centuries-old junipers run down to pale-sand beaches with gently shelving waters perfect for swimming.
Cagliari, Sardinia’s historic capital, is a glorious profusion of golden-hued palazzi, Pisan fortifications and colourful facades. A short drive away is the fabulous Poetto beach, while lagoons nearby provide habitats for cranes, cormorants and flamingos. South of the capital is Forte Village, one of the best family resorts in Europe, beyond which lie the beaches around Chia, famous for their shallow, turquoise water, soft, fine sand and tumbling sand dunes cloaked in fragrant juniper.
In the north, the Costa Smeralda’s powder-soft beaches and limpid blue waters have been a playground for the super-rich since the 1960s, yet much of the north still feels light years apart from glitzy resort towns like Porto Cervo and Porto Rotondo. Marooned off the northernmost point of Sardinia, the Maddalena Islands are lapped by some of the clearest waters in the Mediterranean. While the walled port of Alghero, perhaps the prettiest town on the island, hides Neptune’s Grotto, a stunning sea cave set into the towering cliffs, full of stalactites, stalagmites and eccentric rock formations.
An icon of the Costa Smeralda, Romazzino, A Belmond Hotel, offers refined luxury beside one of Sardinia’s most exclusive beaches, with elegant suites, exceptional dining and immersive experiences on land and sea.
Not only is Il Castello one of the most luxurious hotels in the Forte Village portfolio, it’s also the most traditionally Sardinian in design, with an exterior hewn from the island’s red stone and a wide range of rooms that are simple but elegant, combining a cream and white palette with splashes of turquoise, hand-woven rugs and local ceramics.
On sunny Sardinia’s south coast you will find the impressive Forte Village Resort, a vast collection of hotels and villas that are widely regarded as among Europe’s best family resorts. Among the properties lies the fabulous 5-star Le Dune, offering world-class service, a rooftop pool with panoramic sea views, and a dedicated à la carte restaurant.
Perched on the southernmost tip of Sardinia, overlooking Chia Bay and a natural lagoon where pink flamingos congregate, the sophisticated Conrad Chia Laguna enjoys an enviable location between two of Italy’s most breathtaking beaches: Dune di Campana and Monte Cogoni.
Set in landscaped gardens and flanked by rolling hills, soft white sand and crystal-clear water, this child-friendly yet romantic resort exudes charm and classic elegance. It enjoys a 5-star feel with delicious dining and modern amenities, while still retaining the glamour of the 1960s when it first opened its doors to guests.
Hotel Bouganville lies at the heart of the vast Forte Village resort – a sprawling collection of hotels, restaurants and swimming pools on Sardinia’s southern coast with a huge range of activities and facilities aimed primarily at families.