Discover Turquoise Coves & Historic Treasures On Italy's Wildest Island - Sardinia

Wild and windswept, Italy’s second-largest island offers a weekend of active adventures, archaeological sites and some of the finest beaches in the Mediterranean.

- Adrian Phillips

Sardinia has a wildness about it. The Italian island’s north-east corner has craggy mountains and granite cliffs, and in the heat of summer its landscape feels dry enough to shatter beneath your feet like pane carasau, a crispy local flatbread. The wind can blow hard, whipping through the corridor between the northern tip of the island and nearby Corsica. And it’s not difficult to find isolation: Sardinia’s population density is just a third of the national average.

All this makes for a special break. The windy bay of Porto Pollo attracts watersports enthusiasts from all over the world, while the Maddalena archipelago offers stunning coastal hikes. And, for all the wildness, there’s culture, history and relaxation to be found here, too. The atmospheric towns of San Pantaleo, La Maddalena and Tempio Pausania are perfect for a drink. The sun shines, the food is good, there are scores of tiny islands and some wonderful beaches. People live for a long time here — Sardinia has the highest percentage of centenarians in the world — and with this quality of life, it’s easy to see why.

DAY ONE BEACH LIFE & ISLAND-HOPPING

MORNING

First things first: this is an island in the Med, so you’ll want to get acquainted with a beach or two, and there’s no shortage of options. If you’re after the spray on your skin and the wind in your hair, make for Porto Pollo, a world-class location for watersports, catering to novices and beginners alike.