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FOR idyllic beaches and bucketloads of romance, you can’t beat Sardinia, says Deputy Editor Gayle Schoales.
Cruising through crystal-clear waters, dolphins leaping alongside us, we drop anchor in the kind of white-sandy cove you only ever see in movies.
It’s so breathtakingly beautiful, I have to pinch myself that I’m actually in Europe, rather than thousands of miles across the Atlantic in Antigua.
Grabbing our snorkelling gear, my husband Nick and I dive into the sea, scattering breadcrumbs to attract shoals of iridescent fish.
After our dip, Captain Salvatore gathers us and the six other passengers on deck for a sensational three-course lunch with ice-cold rosé, followed by a sing-song led by first mate Jonathan on the accordion.
As everyone belts out Mambo Italiano, I wonder if this is actually what heaven is like: onboard the 100-year-old wooden sailing vessel Il Pulcinella, pootling around La Maddalena Archipelago National Park – a cluster of untouched islands off Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda.
All-day excursions cost from £146 per person ().
A-listers, ahoy!
Beloved by celebs including Beyoncé, Adele and the Beckhams, Sardinia has long been an A-lister magnet, and as soon as Nick and I arrive on our honeymoon, we can see why.
Our base for five days is the magical Hotel Capo d’Orso, overlooking La Maddalena Archipelago in the Gallura region of northern Sardinia – and the most gorgeous place we’ve ever stayed.
Brimming with olive and juniper trees, jasmine, myrtle and exotic blooms, it’s the wildest and lushest of Mediterranean backdrops, with its own private marina, two idyllic beaches, including a sandy one, wooden jetties perfect for sunbathing, a saltwater pool, and countless secluded nooks with double hammocks.
Our Junior Suite, with traditional Sardinian decor, is super-stylish and includes a private veranda complete with a killer sea view, sunloungers, and even an outside shower.
Feeling the need to bliss out even more, one day we head to the on-site Thalasso Wellness Centre And Spa for a couples’ massage, £65 for 20 minutes, before lounging around in the alfresco Jacuzzi.
Sea food, eat it
With four restaurants, we’re spoilt for choice. The buffet breakfast of dreams is accompanied by a harpist (yes, really!), while dinner at Gli Olivastri – included in the half-board option – is MasterChef-level fine dining, with a four-course menu full of regional produce that changes daily.
Our highlights include pan-seared calamari with asparagus and an orange and anchovy sauce, plus Mediterranean-style swordfish steak.
Since it would be rude not to sample the local tipple, an after-dinner glass of mirto – a liqueur made from myrtle berries, £7 – is a must. Be warned, though, it’s dangerously moreish!
Meanwhile, L’Approdo serves up sensational wood-fired pizza, but the standout meal of our stay comes courtesy of Il Paguro.
The only one of the hotel’s restaurants open to non-guests, it’s perched over the marina and is a popular pit stop for passing yachts.
As well as – yep, you’ve guessed it – dreamy views, the seafood is divine, and the service from our waiter Antonio is second to none.
Don’t miss the seared octopus with rosemary and black garlic, £27, or the spaghetti vongole with clams and bottarga fish roe, £27, washed down with a Hugo – a zingy mix of mint, lime, St Germain, soda and prosecco, £12.
To work off all that five-star food, we take a stroll to Roccia dell’Orso, AKA Bear Rock.
Granite carved by centuries of wind and seawater into the shape of a bear, this natural monument was used by ancient mariners to aid their navigation.
Though just 20 minutes’ walk away, it’s mostly uphill – followed by a steep 120m climb to the top – so is best attempted in the evening when it’s cooler, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Watching the sun go down over the bay is unforgettable. Entry cost £2.50 for adults.
Another evening, we tear ourselves away from Capo d’Orso to the village of Palau, two-and-a-half miles away, and find dozens of buzzing restaurants, bars and cute boutiques lining the harbour.
The night market, which runs every evening during summer from 8pm, is fab for picking up local goodies like olive oil, honey, nougat, handmade jewellery, leather goods and much more.
To refuel after shopping, we swing by restaurant Tipiko for a to-die-for meat and cheese board for two, £17, topped off with a glass or three of Sardinian red, £3.50, in Rosso & Bianco wine bar.
Cobbles together
It’s often overlooked in favour of its more glamorous neighbours, but the port city of Olbia, 40km away, proves well worth exploring before our flight home.
The postcard-pretty Old Town is a labyrinth of cobbled streets and shuttered balconies trailing with bougainvillea, cute little eateries and boutiques.
We pick up one-of-a-kind ceramics in The Green Life () before swinging by Harry’s Cocktail Bar for the best cacio e pepe pasta I’ve ever eaten, £14.
Afterwards, we head down to the port for souvenir stalls and a spin on the La Maestosa ferris wheel, £8.60, to glimpse one last Sardinian sunset – and I wonder yet again why anyone would travel all the way to the Caribbean when this paradise is just a two-hour flight away.
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