Day 1 - Touchdown on the Emerald Coast

Touch down at Olbia Airport, where your private chauffeur waits to whisk you towards the glittering coastline of the Costa Smeralda. Within around forty minutes, northern Sardinia begins to reveal itself: sculpted granite, fragrant Mediterranean scrub and flashes of turquoise between the hills. Settle into a refined 5-star retreat overlooking the sea, where landscaped gardens, beautiful pools and easy access to the coast make the hotel part of the experience.

Keep your first afternoon deliciously unstructured. Swim in the Mediterranean, linger over seafood and crisp Vermentino, or recover from the journey beneath a parasol. As the heat softens, venture into Porto Cervo, wandering past polished yachts, flower-filled piazzas and elegant boutiques before finding a waterfront terrace for sunset aperitivo. Tonight, perhaps freshly grilled fish, handmade pasta with bottarga and your first taste of creamy Sardinian pecorino.

Day 2 - La Maddalena by Private Yacht

Step aboard your private yacht for one of Sardinia’s defining experiences: a day exploring the La Maddalena Archipelago, a protected marine world of granite islands, white beaches and extraordinarily clear water. Cruise between the islands while your skipper seeks out quieter coves away from the larger boats, stopping to swim, snorkel and drift into tiny bays framed by wind-carved granite and aromatic Mediterranean vegetation.

Lunch can be served onboard or enjoyed ashore, with chilled local wine, seafood and simple Sardinian flavours perfectly suited to a day at sea. There may be time to wander through La Maddalena’s little harbour or pause near Caprera, forever associated with Giuseppe Garibaldi, before sailing home. For a special celebration, upgrade to a larger luxury yacht with a private chef onboard.

Day 3 - Beach hopping & Afternoon leisure

Today deliberately slows the pace.

After a leisurely breakfast, discover the Costa Smeralda beyond its famous marina, perhaps with a private driver at your disposal for an easy day of beach hopping. Pause at Capriccioli, Spiaggia del Principe or a quieter local favourite, where emerald water meets smooth granite and the scent of juniper hangs in the air.

Later, return to your resort or settle into an elegant beach club for a long lunch that gently becomes the afternoon. Before dinner, wander through Porto Cervo’s tucked-away passages and Piazzetta, browsing Italian boutiques and stopping for an espresso, or head towards Porto Rotondo for sunset and a more intimate taste of coastal life.

Day 4 - Gallura Countryside, Wine & San Pantaleo

Leave the coast behind with your private guide and venture into Gallura, a rugged landscape of cork forests, granite hills and vineyards producing the celebrated Vermentino di Gallura. Visit a carefully chosen winery to walk through sun-drenched vines, meet local producers and taste elegant wines alongside Sardinian cheeses, breads, olive oil and seasonal produce. Depending on the estate, lunch may unfold among the vines or beneath a shaded farmhouse terrace.

Continue to San Pantaleo, a beautiful granite-backed village that feels worlds away from the yacht marinas below. Wander through its little piazza and artisan workshops filled with ceramics, textiles and handmade jewellery, stopping for coffee beneath the trees. On market day, stalls bring local crafts, cheeses and produce into the village streets. Return to the coast in the late afternoon for one final relaxed evening on the Costa Smeralda.

Day 5-  Journey West to Alghero's Historic Coast

After breakfast, leave the polished glamour of the Costa Smeralda as your private chauffeur carries you west towards Alghero. Pause along the way in a small inland village or at a panoramic viewpoint before the scenery changes once more and Alghero’s honey-coloured walls and sea-facing bastions appear on the horizon.

Settle into a stylish boutique hotel close to the historic centre, then head out independently to explore. Centuries of Catalan rule have shaped Alghero’s architecture, food and language, giving its narrow lanes a character found nowhere else on the island. Browse workshops selling the city’s famous red coral jewellery and follow the bastions as fishing boats return below. As sunset turns the stone walls golden, find a terrace for aperitivo before dinner in a tiny seafood restaurant hidden among the medieval streets.

Day 6 - Catalan Alghero, Capo Caccia & Neptune’s Grotto

Meet your private guide for a deeper introduction to Alghero’s historic heart, tracing its Catalan heritage through fortified lanes, churches, towers and waterfront bastions. Venture into quieter courtyards and family-run shops, perhaps pausing for local focaccia or a glass of Vermentino before travelling north along the spectacular coast towards Capo Caccia, where sheer limestone cliffs plunge into the sea.

Weather permitting, continue to Neptune’s Grotto, reached by boat or via the dramatic cliffside staircase for more active travellers. Inside, stalactites and underground pools reveal another side of Sardinia’s landscape. Return to Alghero with the afternoon free for a nearby beach, boutiques or a shady piazza before an evening sampling local specialities such as lobster Algherese-style, bottarga, grilled octopus and fresh pasta.

Day 8 - southbound: Ancient Ruins, Agriturismo & Cagliari

Leave Alghero with your private chauffeur and turn the journey to Cagliari into an exploration of Sardinia’s fascinating interior. Travel through farmland and quiet villages towards Su Nuraxi di Barumini, where the remains of the island’s ancient Nuragic civilisation reveal a history found nowhere else in Italy. With a specialist guide, explore the Bronze Age stone complex and discover the mysterious culture responsible for the thousands of nuraghi that still dot the Sardinian landscape.

Nearby, pause at an agriturismo or traditional farmhouse for a lunch rooted firmly in the land: handmade culurgiones, local vegetables, pecorino, pane carasau and traditional meats, finished with honeyed pastries and a glass of mirto. Continue south towards Cagliari, check into a sophisticated central hotel and spend the evening exploring the Marina district, where narrow streets are filled with wine bars, seafood restaurants and the easy rhythm of local life.

Day 10 - Private Boat in Villasimius & Porto Giunco

For your final full day, follow the coastal road towards Villasimius, where southern Sardinia offers one last spectacular stretch of coastline. Board a private boat to explore the protected marine area, gliding between white beaches, rocky headlands and water shifting from pale aquamarine to deep Mediterranean blue. Anchor in quiet bays for swimming and snorkelling before a relaxed lunch near the water.

Spend the afternoon barefoot at a stylish beach club, wander along Porto Giunco with its flamingo-filled lagoon behind the dunes, or simply stretch out beneath an umbrella. More adventurous travellers might choose kayaking, diving or a coastal hike, while a larger private yacht with champagne and lunch onboard makes a beautiful upgrade for a special occasion.

Return to Cagliari for one final aperitivo and a lingering Sardinian dinner.

Day 7 - Scenic Drive to Bosa & Wine Country Tasting

Set out with your private driver and guide along one of Sardinia’s loveliest coastal roads towards Bosa, winding above a wild coastline where cliffs tumble into deep blue water. Eventually, Bosa appears in a sweep of pastel houses lining the River Temo beneath the medieval Castello di Serravalle. Wander its steep cobbled lanes, colourful doorways and tiny artisan studios before lingering over lunch at a family-run restaurant, perhaps accompanied by a glass of local Malvasia.

Return towards Alghero through the surrounding wine country for a private tasting at Sella & Mosca or a smaller estate chosen to suit your tastes. Walk among the vines and discover how Sardinia’s sunshine, sea breezes and soils shape its wines before tasting regional varieties alongside pecorino, cured meats and olive oil. Alternatively, spend the afternoon getting hands-on with a private pasta workshop or farmhouse cooking experience before one final Alghero sunset.

Day 9 - Markets, Castello & the Delicious Heart of Cagliari

Spend the morning discovering Cagliari’s irresistible combination of history and food. Join your private guide in the hilltop Castello district, passing through ancient gates into narrow lanes, noble palazzi and panoramic terraces overlooking the rooftops, lagoons and distant sea. Pause at the Bastione di Saint Remy before descending towards the livelier neighbourhoods below.

Continue to San Benedetto Market, where stalls overflow with fresh fish, bottarga, cheeses, fruit and Sardinian specialities. Taste your way through the market with a guide who knows the vendors, stopping for small plates and local stories along the way. The afternoon is yours to wander the Marina district, browse for ceramics and local delicacies, relax on Poetto Beach, or seek out the pink flamingos that gather in the lagoons surprisingly close to the city.

Day 11 - Arrivederci Sardegna: Cagliari Departure

Enjoy a slow final breakfast and perhaps one last stroll through Cagliari’s sunlit streets, stopping for an espresso or picking up local olive oil, pane carasau or a bottle of Sardinian wine to take home. Your private chauffeur will then meet you at the hotel for the short transfer to Cagliari Airport.

Leave Sardinia with memories stretching far beyond its famous beaches: translucent seas, Catalan lanes glowing at sunset, vineyard lunches, ancient Nuragic stonework and wonderfully unhurried meals shared beneath the Mediterranean sun. Arrivederci Sardegna.