Costa Smeralda and Porto Cervo

The Costa Smeralda, on Sardinia's northeastern Gallura coast, is the island's most glamorous stretch, a 20-km run of indented granite coastline and emerald coves developed from the early 1960s by a consortium led by the Aga Khan. It begins about 25 km from Olbia, a 30-minute drive, and a car is essential to move between the scattered beaches and villages. Although the resort is synonymous with luxury, the scenery, beaches, and people-watching cost nothing, making it accessible well beyond its yacht-owning clientele. Porto Cervo is the heart of it, a purpose-built village whose architect Luigi Vietti blended Mediterranean and Moorish styles into pastel arcades around a marina that fills with superyachts in summer. The Piazzetta and the boutique-lined Promenade du Port draw window-shoppers and aperitivo crowds, while the nearby Stella Maris church holds a small painting attributed to El Greco. The beaches are the real draw: Spiaggia del Principe, a sheltered crescent named for the Aga Khan, and Liscia Ruja, the coast's longest strand, both edged by the smooth granite boulders and juniper that define the Gallura shore. Smaller coves such as Capriccioli and Romazzino sit close by. A relaxed day might start at a beach in the morning before parking fills, move to a long lunch at a beach club or in one of the inland villages, and end with an early-evening stroll through Porto Cervo when the marina lights come on and the village is at its liveliest. Beach facilities such as loungers and umbrellas are available at a premium, but the sand itself is free to use. The best months are June and September, when the weather is reliably warm but the resort is calmer; July and August bring international crowds, peak prices, and heavy traffic on the narrow approach roads. Parking at the beaches is free but limited and fills early, so an early arrival pays off. There is little natural shade on the granite-backed beaches, making sun protection and water worth packing for the day.