Situated in the prime location of Porto Cervo Village with it’s historic yacht marina is the five star Cervo Hotel Costa Smerelda Resort offering a luxurious way to spend your holiday. Boasting its own private beach the hotel has all the amenities that you would expect from resort of this reputation. The rooms are delightfully rustic, with wooden furniture and handmade Sardinian textiles, each one with a fabulous view of the grounds, the town or the marina.

For those on a slightly smaller budget the convenience of a self catering apartment is perfect. The small Picale apartment complex in the historic coastal town of Alghero is centrally placed with bars, restaurants and shops all close by. Opposite the beautiful beach, these apartments may be simple but they are perfect for a great sun soaked holiday.

Try something completely different and hire a yacht or a catamaran for the week. Your skipper will know all the fabulous hidden beaches and coves, or for something completely different will take you across to the French island of Corsica. Readily available at Il Porto Marina in the north of the island these yachts are the perfect way to see the natural beauty of the real Sardinia.

Sardinia is huge on seafood, natural produce, herbs grown in the mountainous regions and game. Food is full of flavoursome goodness, bursting with mint, basil, oregano and juicy sun ripened tomatoes. Wild Boar is a must try experience, served with a tomato and herb ragu it is the real taste of Sardinia. Excellent local wines complement every meal perfectly.

Tatore in the coastal town of Bosa serves the best of the local fresh seafood caught daily. Served as stew, pasta or soup the simple ingredients sparkle like gems. The menu constantly changes to reflect the use of seasonal ingredients.

For the best Sardinian recipes cooked excellently look no further than the relaxed and informal Osteria Taverna Paradiso in Alghero. The owner of this friendly taverna loves good food and it shows in every dish sent out from the kitchens.

No visit to anywhere Italian is complete without sampling the local ice cream and Sardinia is no exception. Ostario’s Gelateria Pinna serves all the flavours that you would expect and couple of innovations that you may not – for a revelation in taste be sure to try the wine flavoured ice cream.

One of the unexpected delights of Sardinia is a visit to a vineyard. Easily reached from the coastal resort of Alghero is the Sella & Mosca vineyard, one of the largest on the island this vineyard offers informative and interesting tours around the estate, but perhaps more importantly they offer excellent wine tasting too.

The capital of Cagliari is definitely worth visiting with it’s history covering 3500 years, it’s beautiful winding streets and it’s vibrant marina. Soak up the culture and history by visiting the Chiesa di Sant’Efisio. This church dating back to the 1600’s has been the scene of much of the islands colourful past – cannonballs are still embedded in the walls from the thwarted Napoleonic invasion. Right next door to this historic building is a cavern that can trace it’s history even further back. The Cripta di Santa with it’s eerie atmosphere used as a place of pagan worship prior to the 5th century still has a feel of spiritualism and calm.

Cagliari may be the cultural capital of Sardinia but it is also the place to relax the night away. The narrow streets with their historic buildings are beautiful by night with the gaily lit up marina providing the perfect place to dine well whilst soaking up the vibrant atmosphere.

Sardinia has plenty of long hot summer days with temperatures settled at around 80F, this coupled with the cooling Mediterranean breezes makes it a perfect summertime destination.

Those wishing to experience all the natural beauty that the island offers may want to consider travelling during March or April when the pleasantly warm days bring all the islands flowers to life.