Costa Smeralda

The Costa Smeralda consists of 88 km of coastline with exquisite inlets, striking promontories and many islands, including the Maddalena archipelago, accessible by boat trips from Baja Sardinia or Palau. The coast of north-east Sardinia offers delightful hotels such as the 4-star Hotel Nibaru which stands in amidst the maquis near Baja Sardinia and the Gulf of Arzachena, on the splendid Cala di Volpe. The hotel, in the most refined local architectural style, is surrounded by a large, fragrant garden of typically Mediterranean trees and flowers. The clear waters of the Costa Smeralda, where the sea takes on marvellous shades of green and turquoise and the beaches are of the finest white sand, also host the international Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute, which carries out research, conservation and educational activities focusing on this and related species.

As well as its intrinsic natural beauty, the Costa Smeralda is also famous as a jet-set haunt. This length of Sardinian coastline has always been a famous seaside location for VIPs and wealthy holiday-makers, especially Porto Cervo, a resort which has one of the best equipped marinas anywhere on the Mediterranean (where the yachts of many celebrities are moored). Porto Cervo's most beautiful beaches include Pevero, the large beach at Liscia Ruja, Petra Ruja bay and the Principe beach.

Hotel Nibaru is at Cala di Volpe, on one of the loveliest stretches of coastline of the whole Gallura area, offering quiet holidays in the most uncontaminated natural surroundings. Cala di Volpe is a wonderful inlet protected by the Capriccioli promontory, which also gives its name to the splendid beach beneath it, sheltered from the winds and therefore a favourite with families with children. The Capriccioli and Petra Marina beaches are just 900 metres from the Hotel Nibaru.

The bay of Cala di Volpe is easily accessed from Arzachena along the main road to Olbia. As well as offering seaside tourism, the Costa Smeralda, like the whole of Sardinia, is rich in archaeological sites. Visitors are advised to head for Arzachena and the surrounding district to view "nurago" huts, temples, tombs and other prehistoric finds.