Blue heaven: Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda
Enjoy turquoise waters, secluded beaches and charming seaside towns in this rustic corner of the Mediterranean
It’s a common misconception that Eskimos have 50 words for snow. On a recent trip to Sardinia, it struck me that visitors need almost as many words for blue.
Azure and cerulean are useful, but they don’t quite go far enough in describing the myriad stunning hues of the sea that laps the shores of this Italian island in the Mediterranean.
On a late summer’s holiday to Sardinia’s famous Costa Smeralda, blues of many hues were in evidence on a motor boat excursion laid on by our hotel, Cala di Falco. We were headed to the Maddalena Islands to the northeast, a protected marine park of seven islands (only two are inhabited) and 55 islets. Cutting through the wide, flat expanse of the Gulf of Arzachena, the mix of dark, turquoise and greeny-blues was endlessly diverting, as was the sight of dolphins, sea turtles and gulls that swooped and dived repeatedly into the crystal waters.
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After a half hour of travel, our boat slowed to a crawl about 50 yards from the shore. This is what we had come to experience – Cala Soraya, on the uninhabited island of Spargi, an unsullied beach almost devoid of sunbathers. Our skipper, a cheerful, aged Sardinian with very little English, dropped anchor and gestured for us to dive in and swim to the beach.
Its arc of white sand curved around a rocky natural pool of the clearest water, through which we could observe small fish scooting around our ankles. One of our party swam to the beach and disappeared into the lush vegetation that encircled it, returning minutes later with a handful of fresh rosemary to complement the fresh sea bass we’d purchased earlier for dinner. Briefly, it all felt a bit Swiss Family Robinson.
Eventually we climbed aboard the boat and the skipper made his way to another unspoilt marvel on the nearby island of Budelli. Spiaggia del Cavaliere (Knight’s Beach) is a haven for nature lovers as well as swimmers with its stunning rock formations and exotic flora. Our idyllic afternoon passed swiftly, and after our last dip, the boat’s first mate produced a bottle of Prosecco and a plate of antipasti for us to enjoy as we motored around the islands.
The most striking sight was of the pink beach, Spiaggia Rosa, also on Budelli; the sand’s unusual colour - created by crushed coral, fossils and dead sea creatures - gives it an exceptional sunset hue that’s made it a tourist attraction. Daytrippers looting sand for souvenirs led the government to close off access to the beach, but its shoreline remains an arresting sight.
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The boat trip was one highlight of a week on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda. Once a Sardinian backwater, this 55-km stretch of coastline was discovered and developed by the Aga Khan, Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini, in the early 1960s. Bewitched by its natural beauty and those azure waters, he and a group of businessmen turned this corner of northern Sardinia into a millionaire’s playground that still attracts Hollywood royalty, politicians and oligarchs, who park their superyachts in the town of Porto Cervo and flash their bling at the five-star Cala Di Volpe.
But the Costa’s stunning beaches aren’t just for A-listers. A range of affordable accommodation and restaurants meant we could also take advantage of this slice of la dolce vita. We were based in the town of Cannigione, technically outside the Costa, but only by a stone’s throw. The town boasts an attractive stretch of coastline, a nightly summer market of stalls selling nougat and wooden crafts, and a church in a pretty cobbled square where free concerts are held.
Myriad excellent restaurants were within walking distance: our favourites were La Vecchia Lampara – ask for a window seat to catch the sunset – and La Randa, on the main street, where the squid ink tagliatelle with salt cod was unbeatable. Leave room for Sardinia’s speciality dessert, the seada, a deep-fried dumpling covered in honey and sugar but filled with melting Pecorino cheese – its sweet-and-savoury tang was a big hit with my family.
Our hotel, the four-star Cala di Falco, part of the family-owned Delphina Group, proved a perfect base from which to explore the Costa Smeralda’s beaches and swish towns. Its 105 rooms are spread out attractively over various buildings – villas, apartments and hotel – and verdant greenery, affording guests ample privacy and the feeling of a more exclusive resort. Our roomy villa was simply furnished in rustic Sardinian style and our walk to breakfast each morning through bougainvillea-lined paths a pleasure.
The hotel’s common areas, including its main restaurant, open to face the hotel swimming pool and provide an indoor-outdoor feel, not to mention views of the twinkling Bay of Cannigione. Breakfast is served here and quite an event, with made-to-order crepe- and omelette stations and groaning buffets of pastries, cakes, charcuterie and fresh fruit.
We did the rounds of the Costa’s pretty villages – Porto Cervo, where the white-hot jet set hang out, is a charming enclave of alleys and squares, balconies and flowers, full of designer boutiques and chic eateries where the elite flash their Amex Black Cards. It’s the place to celebrity-spot over an alfresco coffee and ogle the floating gin palaces in the marina. Porto Rotondo is another swish village with a charming seafront promenade and shop-lined piazzas.
Palau is more down-to-earth, with an attractive high street full of cafes and shops selling souvenirs, sailing gear and homeware. Our favourite village was San Pantaleo, a cobbled artists’ haven high up on the hills with a regular Thursday market that drew crowds – we spent a pleasant few hours browsing stalls selling local honey, artisan jewellery and, despite the hot weather, fine knitwear.
But searching out the Costa’s most fabulous beaches was our main obsession, for a daily dip in a paradise and take in the views of granite coves and sparkling sea. The Costa’s beaches are light years away from the highly developed variety you find on the mainland with their rows of sunbeds-for-hire, playgrounds, gelaterias and promenades.
The Costa favours a natural vibe, with few facilities to spoil the idyll. A few minutes’ trek from the car park to a hidden beach, hemmed in by granite boulders, is more likely. Our favourite beaches were Liscia Ruja, a pristine stretch of white sand just a few kilometres from Porto Cervo. Drinks and fine dining are available at Long Beach Café, right on the sand. The Prince’s Beach (Spiaggia del Principe), named after the Aga Khan, is in a calm rocky cove perfect for snorkelling or bobbing in saltier-than-usual water. It was hard to tear ourselves away from Mannena beach, an arc of pristine coastline only ten minutes up the road from our hotel – Cala di Falco runs a regular shuttle.
We’d pitch our towels on the sand or fork out for a sunbed and stretch out with a book in the expectation of getting in a good few hours’ reading. But invariably our gaze would be drawn to those bluest of seas and the lure of that cool water.
The four-star resort Cala di Falco in Cannigione has rooms starting at £98 per person per night in a double room with half-board. See www.delphinahotels.co.uk, Sixt’s rental car fleet in Sardinia is comprised mostly of BMWs and is available at Olbia Airport. See sixt.co.uk.
Vicki Power is an experienced journalist who has written about television and interviewed celebrities for national British newspapers and magazines for decades. But in general, she’d rather be travelling, and as a sideline, she’s done a significant amount of travel writing, making jaunts mostly around Europe and the US. She favours gentle walks in alpine destinations, wellness breaks in swanky beach hotels, ski trips for mid-lifers and multigenerational holidays, and writes about travel regularly for The Week, The Scotsman, Tempus Magazine and The Travel Magazine. She also has another career as a talk therapist for individuals and couples, based in southeast London.