Postcard from Sardinia
The world is wide and there's always more to see, and we know that keeping track of the wheres, whens, whats, and hows of travel is quite a task. But that's what we're here for! The Postcard is Local Foreigner's guide to the quick hits of a trip - the highlights we want to send back to travelers when we're on the ground in a place.
A yachting destination made famous by Prince Karin Aga Khan IV in the 1960s, Sardinia is best known for the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast), which is one of Europe's most exclusive vacation spots. Aga Khan's goal was to transform Sardinia into the ultimate jet-setter paradise, and with the addition of lavish hotels, villas, and shops, it is safe to say he succeeded beyond all expectations. Although high-end travelers tend to stick to the Emerald Coast, the ruggedly mountainous Sardinia is home to many other splendors. Travel northwest to the picturesque cobblestone town of Alghero or head south to see some of the island's most beautiful stretches of beach in Chia.
Though only a fixture on the international circuit since the swinging 60s, Sardinia is an island that defies time. Across its rugged interior, some 7,000 Bronze Age towers harken back to a civilization older than Rome, and its native language is considered the closest to ancient Latin. The vast cork forests that cloak the hills supply 80% of the corks for Italy's wine industry, and at its northeastern tip, the Costa Smeralda glitters like a jewel. Fifty-five kilometers of wild granite coastline constitute the Mediterranean's most glamorous retreat. Is it any coincidence that the island is said to be home to world's longest-lived men?
Sardinia's season is from mid-May to mid-September, with hotels, restaurants, and beach clubs all adhering to the same calendar, meaning this isn't really a place with a shoulder season. But you're coming to Sardinia to be in the middle of the scene, which starts this year with the return of the Sardinia Cup regatta on May 31.
Plus, Delta began new seasonal nonstop service between JFK and Olbia on May 20.
Since the island is currently one of the world's buzziest destinations, you’ll want to start planning at least 6 months ahead for the gorgeous summer season (June to August). If you add a couple more months, you’ll be sure to snag one of the best resorts like the ones outlined down below.
Hotel Pitrizza
About ten minutes' drive from Porto Cervo, Hotel Pitrizza is the Sardinian jewel box for travelers who value a place to retreat. Bungalow-style rooms are tucked into lush gardens, and villas with grass roofs that blend into the hillside, all adding to the hideaway feel. The architecture takes inspiration from nature, with curved walls, organic shapes, local stonework, and artisanal ceramics. Staff are warm, funny, and kind, and the food is another highlight - after a recent visit, Local Foreigner's James McLaren reported, "The pizza alone was so good I had it twice." Something to note: In 2027, Hotel Pitrizza will join the Cheval Blanc family. | See the hotel
Hotel Cala Di Volpe, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda
Hotel Cala di Volpe is a masterclass in Mediterranean glamour. Designed by Jacques Couëlle in the 1960s, its whimsical, village-like architecture and handcrafted interiors are somehow both elegantly rustic and vibrantly surreal. The hotel’s 121 rooms and suites are situated in a landscape so dramatic that it was famously the backdrop of The Spy Who Loved Me. Of all the hotels along the Costa Smeralda, Cala di Volpe is the one with main character energy - this is the place to see and be seen. | See the hotel
Romazzino, A Belmond Hotel
Romazzino was designed by the architect Savin Couelle, the maverick who gave the Costa Smeralda its signature sculptural aesthetic. The result is part Moorish village, part fever dream of the Mediterranean ideal. Whitewashed walls curve; bougainvillea riots. Belmond, which started managing the property in the 2024 season, has been quietly updating Romazzino for a new generation by restoring original hand-painted tilework, refreshing the interiors with locally sourced linen and Sardinian objects, and refining the culinary offerings. | See the hotel
San Lorenzo Blue Deer
The ultimate way to experience Sardinia is from the water, and one of our favorite vessels that spends its summers along the Italian coast is San Lorenzo Blue Deer. An airy, chic catamaran owned by the former CEO of Escada, Blue Deer was conceived as a floating lodge rather than your average boat for charter, and every space aboard has been considered with the same unhurried attention you'd find in the best coastal villas. Below deck, four cabins dressed in crisp cobalt and white linens and framed by large wave-level windows accommodate up to ten guests. | See the boat
Coming Soon
Belmond and Cheval Blanc aren't the only major brands putting out their welcome mats - Mandarin Oriental and Rocco Forte Hotels are both heading to the island in the coming years, and Aman's yacht, Amangati, will include the destination and its French neighbor to the north, Corsica, on its 8-day Livorno to Naples itinerary starting next summer.
LUNCH
Nikki Beach Costa Smeralda
You may think you know Nikki Beach, but the Sardinian outpost is in a category of its own. Arrive by boat into one of the Costa Smeralda's most secluded bays and surrender to a Sardinian afternoon done at full volume. You'll find breezy white daybeds, chilled rosé, a DJ pitched at precisely the right level of ambient. Stay for the sunset (you'll find you have very little choice).
Ristorante La Scogliera
La Scogliera means the reef, and the restaurant earns it: the sea is close enough to feel. The kitchen is classically Sardinian, with the archipelago's extraordinary larder at its disposal, on display in dishes like sea urchin pasta, grilled lobster, or freshly caught seabream served simply with olive oil and lemon. Come by boat, stay for the afternoon, and let the islands do what they do best.
Ristorante Tavolara
End your boat day in the protected waters of the Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Preserve with the extraordinary silhouette of Isola Tavolara rising from the sea ahead of you. The kitchen is resolutely local: fresh-caught fish grilled over open heat, spaghetti alle vongole made with clams caught that morning, sea urchin only when it's in season.
Ristorante Il Portolano
The locals know, and for a long time they preferred to keep it that way. Il Portolano sits off the tourist trail, with no fanfare: just a terrace that meets the water. Regulars arrive by boat and on foot, for whole grilled orata, fregola with clams and saffron, and swordfish carpaccio dressed with local olive oil and capers. Order the seafood antipasto to start.
La Ferme, Île de Cavallo
Okay technically La Ferme is in France, but spiritually it's somewhere outside of time entirely. On Île de Cavallo, a private island adrift in the straits between Sardinia and Corsica, the only way to reach the rocky coastline and umbrella pines is by boat. The menu draws from both sides of the strait, with fresh seafood at its center. There is genuinely nowhere else you need to be.
HAPPY HOUR
Bar Pitrizza
The Costa Smeralda has no shortage of places to watch the sun go down, but Bar Pitrizza has an argument for being the finest of all of them. The bar at Hotel Pitrizza, there's low music, cold drinks, and that specific golden light that makes everyone look good. Whether you're toasting with a perfectly made Aperol Spritz or a Sardinian Mirto Sour, the only obligation is to stay until the last light fades before heading into Porto Cervo for dinner.
DINNER
Quattro Passi
For years, Quattro Passi has been Porto Cervo's most accomplished fine dining address, with tasting menus built around Sardinian and Campanian ingredients. For 2026, word on the street is the restaurant will relaunch under the Langosteria banner, the Milan and Portofino institution bringing its signature blend of glam and gastronomy to the Costa Smeralda.
Zuma Porto Cervo
The Porto Cervo outpost of the global Japanese-inspired restaurant is a room that hums with the right kind of energy. The robata grill is the headline act, and you'll see black cod with miso, rock shrimp tempura, and wagyu on almost every table. On a warm August evening with the crowd at full tilt and the DJ finding their rhythm, it's hard to beat.
Agroturismo la Colti
Drive inland, away from the superyachts, the marble, the glamour, and Sardinia's true character reasserts itself. La Colti is a working farm that feeds you from its own land: roast suckling pig turned slowly over an open fire, hand-rolled pasta stuffed with potato and mint, sheep's cheese drizzled with local honey. There are cork oaks, granite outcrops, and a table long enough to seat everyone.
Giagonni in Piazza
Set in San Pantaleo, 15 minutes' drive inland from the buzzy coast, is one of Sardinia's most animated squares. The piazza, which looks like a movie set, does most of the work - it's one of those places where conversation spills between tables and then somehow, you're sharing a bottle of wine. Come hungry and stay later than you intended (or make a reservation Thursday or Sunday for their brunch.)
Two if by Sea
Sardinia and Corsica are a classic pairing, and offer two very different tastes of the Med. Both are also distinct from the nations to which they technically belong - charter a boat and choose your favorite.
Ready Set Hike
Sure, the water gets all the attention on Sardinia, but the island is also home to some fabulous hiking. If you're more boots than bikinis, connect from Olbia to Milan and on to the Dolomites for two of Italy's most scenic hiking landscapes.
Visual Learner
Sardinia's aesthetic culture is singular, with a little bit of 60s surrealism and a lot of fun. A nonstop flight will bring you to Vienna, another European aesthete's paradise that boomed in the 60s - the 1860s, that is.
