Wild & Wonderful

If you want to find some great beaches in the Mediterranean that are off the beaten track, then Sardinia is your must-visit destination this summer, says Vesna Maric. Photography by Rafael Estefania

I’ve always been crazy about wild beaches, and wherever we go on holiday my partner and our daughter love the feeling of escaping the crowds and often having a stretch of beach all to ourselves. It’s easier than you’d think, too – and if you’re prepared to drive a bit further, walk over some dusty paths or take a small boat to a sheltered bay, the rewards can be amazing. Which is why I’ve come to Sardinia, one of the best places in the Med to do just that.

Renowned for having some of the world’s most idyllic beaches – with mile upon mile of pearly white sands dipping into waters of dazzling aquamarine, and with numerous deserted coves even in the height of summer – we needed no more persuasion.

Once we land at the northern port of Alghero, a lovely town of calm beauty, food and history, we know that we have made the right decision. After touring the town for a day or two we rent a car and head south, down the rocky western coast and along the serpentine road from Alghero to the picturesque town of Bosa. On the way the impeccable, unspoilt nature and dramatic views force us to keep stopping to breathe in the fresh, fragrant air and admire the indigo-blue sea.

We are heading for the Sinis Peninsula, on the west coast, away from the jetsetting resorts of the Costa Smeralda on the east, and home to some of Sardinia’s most fabled beaches. As we round every clifftop bend we want to stop – at the gorgeous resort towns of Santa Caterina and S’Archittu for instance – itching to get into the shimmering sea below. But we have a very special destination in mind, a place talked about by locals and foreigners alike in hushed tones of awe.

The place we are heading to is called Is Aruttas, and once we arrive at Camping Is Aruttas (www.campingisaruttas.it) we know it has been worth the wait. Down at the beach, or rather series of beaches – several sparkling white crescents standing alongside each other with very few souls around – we know we have found what we are looking for. Our 18-month- old quickly applies herself to exploring the fine quartz sand (it’s delicious apparently), and we all spend hours swimming and dipping and jumping in the incredibly clear sea. Who needs the Caribbean when you have Sardinia?

Exploring the area, we check out the nearby Putzu Idu beach, a haven for surfers and kitesurfers, as well as divers and snorkelers. If you want action this is the place to come to. A further day trip sees us visit the area’s three salt lakes, Stagno Sale Porcus, Stagno Is Benas and Stagno di Cabras, home to flocks of flamingos in winter and spring and all baked down to salty white crusts in the hot summer sun.

On leaving Is Aruttas a few days later to travel further down the coast we stop at a little fishermen’s cooperative restaurant recommended to us by a local – Sa Peschiera

Mar’e Pontis (tel: +39 0783 391774). Here we eat fish from the gods in abundant servings, grilled on smoking barbecues by sun-baked island fishermen cracking jokes and telling tales.

In great need to digest we move on to the ancient Phoenician site of Tharros, dating back to the 8th century BC; strolling around its lopsided ruins and again hitting the extremely quiet and rather windy beaches.

And yet still to come are the Holy Grail of Sardinian wild and unexplored beaches on the island’s most remote stretch of coast, the Costa Verde. Arguably the most beautiful – as we are told by everyone from the local tourist board to the attendants at a nearby gas station – we are determined to stop and swim at the two most famous beaches here: Spiaggia Piscinas and Spiaggia Scivu.

Referred to as “Sardinia’s desert”, and often compared to the vast stretches of Australia’s remote coast, during the drive along the curving roads and kilometres of dirt track that lead to the beaches we see why these sands are relatively empty even at the height of summer. It takes determination to get here.

We drive south on the SS131 highway to the town of Arbus, turning off and following a narrow road through a valley where a deserted 19th-century mining settlement sits, abandoned buildings creating an eerie stillness in the air. The area is totally uninhabited, with only pines, juniper and prickly pears standing tall; and all around a thick mantle of aromatic herbs, macchia (Mediterranean maquis), covers the land and perfumes the air.

Eventually, we reach the magnificent beach of Piscinas and the tough journey is worth it – even the nagging toddler in the car. Thirty- metre sand dunes face an endless sea and all our dizziness disappears as we take to the sand and the surf with not another soul around. Our daughter has, I think, her best day ever, digging up the golden beach and paddling in the water. It’s hard to say goodbye to the beauty and the serenity, but we want to catch the sunset at the other wild beauty, Spiaggia Scivu. It’s just 4km down the road then 10km driving on a gentler path among peaceful shrubby hills, where we say hello to a herd of grazing goats.

At the end of the road we stand atop gigantic sand dunes that overlook a beach even more perfect than the last. We watch the big copper coin of the sun dip into the sea, happy to know that we have many more days of peaceful, fun times with our little daughter to spend at Sardinia’s secret coves. We couldn’t have imagined the wild beaches we’d find on this incredible Italian isle before we came, but we know we’ll be back again next year. And no doubt the year after that too.

Top beaches near Alghero

PORTO CONTE This spot is known as the Baia delle Ninfe (“Bay of the Nymphs”), a small, unspoilt bay with a huddle of sailboats, shaded by mimosa and eucalyptus trees.

SPIAGGIA MUGONI A super-popular stretch of perfect white sand, with an array of watersports.

PORTO FERRO A wild, sandy stretch, shaded by thick pines.

SPIAGGIA DELLA PELOSA A long stretch of white sand and turquoise waters at the north- western peak of the island, close to the hamlet of Stintino.

NORTH-WEST COAST East of Porto Torres, towards Castelsardo, is a long stretch of sea, sand and silence. All you’ll have for company are an occasional fisherman and some horseback riders.

Fast facts

GETTING THERE:
Alghero airport is 12km from the city centre, and buses from the arrivals terminal to the town take 20 minutes and cost just 70 cents. Taxis take 15 minutes and cost €15–€20. Alternatively, Hertz (www.hertz.com) is Ryanair’s exclusive car rental partner, with special rates for passengers when you book your flight.

STAYING THERE:
HOTEL EL FARO
If you have cash to burn, stay at this lush, extravagant place that sits lonesome on a cliff, with views of the southern tip of the Bay of the Nymphs and an ancient Catalano- Aragonese tower. www.ELFAROHOTEL.IT

HOTEL LUCREZIA
This has to be one of the most gorgeous hotels on the entire island, full of character, and with antique furniture and a fantastically fragrant garden. The beautifully restored farmhouse is located at Riola Sardo, on the Sinis Peninsula. www.HOTELLUCREZIA.IT

CAMPING IS ARUTTAS
Well worth a stay, this incredible and great-value campsite is located near one of the island’s best beaches. www.CAMPINGISARUTTAS.IT