STUNNING SARDINIA

SOAK UP THE DISNEY PRINCESS DREAM ON THIS IDYLLIC ITALIAN ISLAND

- LYNNE HYLAND

WHY GO

If you've seen the new live action version of The Little Mermaid, you'll be fully aware of the rugged attraction that lured Ariel up from her underwater kingdom. And I don't just mean Prince Eric. The latest Disney blockbuster was filmed in northern Sardinia which has everything a princess could desire, from heart-stopping good looks to a sunny, laid-back outlook on life.

With its turquoise seas, golden sands, secluded coves and dramatic cliffs, it's the perfect backdrop to any love-at-first sight romance. Or, in our case, a family holiday. (Does that count as a "happy ever after"?)

Sardinia is the second largest of the Italian islands, and an easy 2.5 hour hop from the UK with EasyJet running regular budget flights to Olbia airport. And it really is as gorgeous as it looks on camera. Even Sebastian the Crab might struggle to stick to his "darling it's better down where it's wetter" mantra once he's popped up to see Sardinia's dreamy sunsets.

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed at Resort Valle dell'Erica Thalasso & Spa, a five-star Delphina resort set in the most splendid of isolation. It's a slice of wild paradise, where gates open into a peaceful botanical oasis set high above crystalline waters. The staff ensured we immediately felt part of their world, with a welcome as warming as the glass of local liquor pressed into our hands on arrival.