Island of Surprises

AS JET-SETTERS HAVE LONG DISCOVERED, THERE’S MORE TO SARDINIA THAN THE SAND. (BUT, OH, WHAT SAND!)

By Everett Potter

For more than 60 years, Sardinia, the Italian island that lies off the country’s west coast, has been famous as a celebrity haven. It has lured the rich and famous, from Elton John and Steven Spielberg to Bradley Cooper, Lindsay Lohan and the late Princess Diana, who spent her last summer on a private yacht that circled the island.

That struck me as remarkable the first time I glimpsed Sardinia, the second-largest island in the Mediterranean (the largest being Sicily). What I found was not a lush, tropical paradise of an island. Instead, it was rocky, dry, rugged and sun-baked, perfect for raising sheep and growing olive trees. The interior was mountainous and somewhat forbidding as I drove its length. This was paradise?

However, I learned that there was one significant, overwhelm-

Sardinia’s terrain is mainly dry and rocky, but it is indeed an island paradise. It’s a land of beautiful cliffside seascapes, white sand beaches, bright hilltop buildings and five-star resorts that cater to your every need and desire.

ing draw: the beaches: Not just any beaches, but what the Italians call spiagge bianche, or white beaches. Dazzling white beaches, in fact, of a fine sand that outlines much of the undulating rocky coastline. Unlike the rest of the Mediterranean, Sardinia possesses so many beaches that you can find yourself on a strand by yourself if you’re lucky, not packed like a sardine (despite the name) as you might be on the Italian mainland.

If you know anything about Sardinia, it’s likely because of the Aga Khan. One of the world’s wealthiest royals and a famed breeder and owner of racehorses, he is credited with “discovering” the island’s northeast coast in 1958.

The area he developed is called Costa Smeralda, or the Emerald Coast. Featuring possibly the most beautiful of all those talcum-powder white beaches, which offset the emerald-green sea, it not only inspired the Aga Khan. He was shrewd enough to buy an entire shore consisting of thousands of acres of undulating coastline. He went on to invite his wealthy and famous friends to come to pay and stay in what rapidly became a yacht-filled, celebrity-friendly environment. Princess Margaret led the charge, hotels were followed by lavish homes, and Costa Smeralda quickly became a byword for the emerging jet set of the 1960s. Think Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. It was la dolce vita writ large—exclusive, snobbish, challenging to reach and very, very expensive.

Today the beauty is undeniable, and this glitzy destination in the island’s northeast is a renowned jet-set playground—of course, renown has its complications. Bring on the exquisite small hotels, nightclubs and paparazzi. It’s little surprise that in recent decades, Costa Smeralda has been embraced by Russian oligarchs, who built lavish estates and anchor their mega-yachts here. Porto Cervo is the main town, headquarters for the uber-rich.

Yet Costa Smeralda is only part of Sardinia’s story. That small corner of celebrities aside, the island remains largely undiscovered by Americans, and its rugged charm and the lack of pretense on the rest of the island are worth savoring. The culture alone is a history lesson in ancient civilizations. This island in the Mediterranean lies at the

This page: Experience the full Sardinian billionaire lifestyle at the Hotel Cala di Volpe in the heart of the Emerald Coast. It dates back to the 1960s, when it was built by the Aga Khan, but it’s full of modern amenities and amazing sea premium suites. Nearby is Quattropassi al Pescatore, where you can enjoy chic seafood lunch. Opposite page: From basket weavers on the streets of Barbagia to reflections in La Maddalena harbor at sunset, Sardinia is never short of everyday charm and picturesque moments.

crossroads of many empires that have come and gone. The megalithic towers called “nuraghi,” beehive-shaped tombs that dot the landscape, are a vestige of the Nuragic civilization, which is considered the Mediterranean’s oldest culture. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans presided here in succession. The maritime republics of Genoa and Spain came later. Each one left its footprints and, not surprisingly, the countryside is a trove of archeological sites.

Even today, you can hear the cultural mix when a local speaks Sardinian, or Sardu, which is a Latin language closely related to Catalan. I can steer my way through Italian but I was immediately lost when I tried to puzzle out road and shop signs in Sardu. If nothing else, it added to the magical and somewhat mysterious quality of the place.

The capital city, Cagliari, is a throwback to a simpler time, unprepossessing and still a few steps behind the mainland. When I first visited in the early ’90s, I was shocked to see a much-faded painting of Mussolini, Il Duce himself, high up on the wall of a building, a remnant of 1930s Fascist rule. Change in much of Sardinia still comes very slowly.

Much more charming were the steep and narrow streets filled with restaurants offering local flavors and local wine. A food such as pane carasau, a thin flatbread, is the essence of the basic Sardinian peasant cuisine. There’s fregola, which is akin to couscous, often served with local clams or chickpeas. Roast suckling pig is a staple. The pastas are unique to the island, from malloreddus (Sardinian gnocchi) to hand-braided rings of pasta called lorighittas that date back to the 16th century. The latter was served to me in a rich, lamb-based tomato sauce in a tiny restaurant in Cagliari.

Given all of the sheep on the island, it’s little surprise that most of Italy’s pecorino Romano cheese comes from here. That ruby-red wine found every-

This page: There are plenty of ways to capture the view of the sea in Sardinia. One way is to soak in the cliffside scenery in Cagliari during sunset—but remember to take in the beauty of the crystal-clear water during the daytime too. Opposite page: The Baglioni Resort on Sardinia’s northeast coast features lush accommodations and plenty of opportunities to relax on the sea. Whether you’re on a boat or taking a dip, the water at Cala Napoletana in Caprera shouldn’t be missed. With colorful buildings, a hilltop castle and calm river, the town of Bosa is a must-see when visiting Sardinia.

where on the island is made with cannonau, a grape suited for hot, dry climates. This is not just wine for the locals. The Sardinians have earned a Cannonau di Sardegna DOC for both their red and rosé wines.

Pay attention to what the locals are eating, and not just for the sake of taste. Sardinia was the word’s first official Blue Zone, a designation that in 2004 began to single out regions of the world where lifestyles led to long lifespans. Sardinia has 10 times the number of centenarians per capita than the U.S.A. Credit a diet composed largely whole grains, vegetables and fruits, with moderate red wine consumption. Walking daily also helps, and having a rugged landscape out the door turns a short stroll into a Stairmaster routine.

While the glitterati congregate on the Costa Smeralda, there are many offthe-beaten path locations that are compelling for us mere mortals. Secretive and alluring, the rugged landscape reveals its pleasures slowly.

Sardinia offers limitless hiking and, for the fittest, road biking. Yet on island with a hot climate and little shade, I’d recommend taking exercise in the morning and then exploring by rental car, targeting an out-of-the-way village for lunch and taking in sights as you go. The island is 170 miles long and about 90 miles wide at its widest point, so there’s a lot of ground to explore.

Its west coast has many places worth exploring, such as Bosa, with its hilltop castle, Castelli Malaspina. There’s also charming Alghero. While hardly undiscovered, this town is filled with historic architecture and is close to Neptune’s Grotto, where sea caves have been carved by centuries of waves crashing against the limestone cliffs. Drive to nearby Caprera Island, a nature reserve with some of the same white sand beaches the island is known for. My favorite is San Pantaleo, a small town that

holds a Thursday market with antiques and traditional woven textiles.

When I first went to Sardinia, there were large, charmless resorts springing up in the southern part of the island. Forsake those and consider artful boutique hotels such as Su Gologone, an elegant mountain hotel in Barbagia. Or look at La Bitte, a charming seaside hotel in Arbatax on the east coast that has stunning views and affordable rates and has been around since 1967.

Of course, I can’t blame you if you want a taste of the Costa Smeralda experience. If your pockets are deep, then consider staying at Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel, in the heart of the Emerald Coast, a pink palace with roots dating back to the 1960s, when it was built by the Aga Khan. This is a rare chance to experience the full-bore, billionaire Sardinian lifestyle. The new Baglioni Resort Sardinia is the choice for a very manicured taste of five-star luxury. Then plan on one of the chic-est seafood lunches on the planet at the waterfront Quattropassi al Pescatore in Porto Cervo. Put on your shades and gaze out at the superyachts at anchor while waiting for the Aperol spritzes to arrive. Why should celebrities have all the fun?