Hello First name / friend!
Last month, I spent nine days in Sardinia trying to solve a puzzle that’s been bugging me for years: why do so many people leave this island disappointed?
Normally, I can catch the essence of a place without visiting, planning great trips through local partners. But Sardinia is different. It looks stunning in photos but can underwhelm if you don’t know what you’re getting into. So I went to see for myself.
What became clear
The tourism boom of the ’50s and ’60s created a bizarre split. Billionaires carved out Costa Smeralda as a private escape, while the island’s real culture stayed inland, where shepherding communities have lived for centuries among Bronze Age ruins.
These worlds don’t overlap. Glossy coastal resorts and rugged mountain guesthouses speak to totally different travelers. And unlike Sicily or the Greek islands, Sardinia doesn’t have old fishing villages to tie them together – the coast was mostly uninhabitable until the mosquitos were wiped out…yes, by the billionaires.
Now what?
That was super abbreviated but the gist is that while it took some digging, I’ve got your itinerary. Whether you’re in for the yacht-and-champagne vibe or want something grounded and soulful. You can blend coast and countryside, base in one area and day-trip, or go full immersion.
I’m excited to help you experience this island in a way that will mark your memory in the best way.
[Scroll down for my hotel picks.]
A few highlights from the trip:
- Lunch with shepherds in the mountains – Fresh pecorino, suckling pig, and honey on cork plates while hearing how they’ve lived this way for centuries. Finished with my new favorite after-dinner drink: mirto.
- Days and nights at Cascioni – Nineteen rooms surrounded by wild beauty and 3,000 olive trees. Nearly everything you touch, taste, and smell comes from the land.
- Capichera Winery – One of the most picturesque vineyards you'll see in this lifetime, with native Sardinian grapes and Bronze Age ruins right on the property.
- The Farmhouse – Indoor/outdoor vineyard dining with nose-to-tail, root-to-flower cooking. That dreamy, rom-com setup where everyone eats under the trees and is jolly and familiar? That’s this place.
- Maddalena boat trip – We got rained out, but locals and travelers swear by it. From the fly over and drive by, I see why. (Tip: book boats early in your trip so you’ve got backup days in case of weather.)
