Day 1 - Arrive Chia

Upon arrival at Cagliari airport you are welcomed to Sardinia by your local Guardian Angel as you exit customs into the arrivals hall, and transferred to your hotel where you are assisted with check-in procedures. 

The remainder of the day is at your leisure to enjoy the stunning location of Chia with its white sandy beaches and turquoise waters.

Overnight: Aquadolci Hotel, Chia

Day 2 - Cagliari & the Roman Settlement of Nora

Spend the morning with your driver and guide in the lively city of Cagliari, capital of the island of Sardinia. Castello, the city’s ancient quarter sits nestled amid towering walls overlooking the town below. Discover the imposing Tower of San Pancrazio and Tower of the Elephant, as well as the Santa Maria Cathedral. Trace the town’s history along the old streets reaching Bastione Saint Remy, a striking monument built atop an ancient fortified entrance to the castle. Enjoy lunch at leisure before continuing to Nora.

Located on a promontory dominated by a 16th-century Spanish tower, Nora rose as a commercial Phoenician stop, before becoming a notable Punic centre and finally a flourishing Roman town. At the end of the Roman Empire the town declined and disappeared but reminders of the ancient town still remain including the ruins of Punic warehouses, the buildings of Republican Rome, a Punic-Roman temple, wide Roman thermal baths and even a remarkably preserved theatre almost entirely intact. We recommend this visit not only for the historical-monumental interest, but also for the surrounding beauty of the area.

Overnight: Aquadolci Hotel, Chia

Meal Plan: B

Day 3 - Nuragic Sardinia & Oliena

Leave Chia today and head into the beautiful heart of central Sardinia where traditional Sardinian ways of life still prevail.  

Visit the Nuraghe of Barumini, the most important archaeological town of Sardinia, protected by UNESCO. The site dates from the 2nd Millennium BC and is composed of a central megalithic tower surrounded by a fortified court, additional towers and a village.  

Your journey continues into the stunning mountainous region of Barbagia. The approach to Oliena village from Nuoro offers a truly unforgettable site as the lights of the town illuminate the foot of the steep white mass of the Supramonte. Journey to the village through the carpet of vineyards where the famous Sardinian wine, Cannonau, is produced.

Spend the next two evenings in the unique and peaceful surroundings of Su Gologone, a haven for food and wine lovers. Su Gologone is one of Sardinia’s most famous and evocative hotels.

Overnight: Su Gologone, Oliena

Meal Plan: B

Day 4 - Central Sardinia by 4x4

Today you switch to an all-terrain vehicle to discover the Gennargentu National Park of the Gennargentu Mountains. The park extends over 60,000 hectares encompassing some of the wildest, most mountainous, landscape in Sardinia and includes the island’s highest peak, Punta La Marmora. The spectacular unspoilt nature of the park makes it a paradise for walkers, geologists, and nature-lovers alike.

Visit the village of Orgosolo, the most beautiful of central Sardinia, and discover the Sardinian life of a bygone age.

Overnight: Su Gologone, Oliena

Meal Plan: B,D

Day 5 - Western Sardinia & Alghero

Leave Oliena this morning and journey to the stunning coastline of western Sardinia. Stop en route at the colourful medieval town of Bosa, beautifully reflected in the Temo River on whose banks it sits. Enjoy a relaxing stroll through the picturesque quarter of Sa Costa and enjoy a taste of the local Malvasia, a delicious prize-winning dessert wine - one of the rarest in Italy!

After an exhilarating drive, discover the unique town of Alghero. Whispers of Spain greet you here as you admire the architecture, mosaic roofs and white-washed buildings, thanks to the Catalans who settled here during the 16th century. Enjoy a walking tour of the town before spending the night in your luxurious historic villa hotel right on the seafront.

Overnight: Villa las Tronas, Alghero

Meal Plan: B

Day 6 - Castelsardo, Arzachena & San Pantaleo

Today we travel to the lesser visited gem of Castelsardo. A medieval town located on the Gulf of Asinara in the north of Sardinia, Castelsardo’s position perched atop a promontory high above the sea has protected it from attacks and destruction over the centuries leaving this remarkable town well preserved and almost completely intact.  

Continue your journey to Arzachena, situated on the doorstep of the illustrious Costa Smerelda, where we have an invitation to one of the most important wineries of Sardinia for some special tastings; the Vermentino wines are particularly revered.

Your day ends in the tranquil setting of your hotel nestled high up in the hills with distant views across to Porto Cervo.

Overnight: Hotel Pitrizza, Costa Smeralda

Meal Plan: B

Day 7 - Costa Smeralda & La Maddalena by Sailing Boat

Take to the pristine waters of Sardinia today as you explore the stunning Maddalena Archipelago National Park aboard your beautiful vintage sailing boat. The striking marine park is made of up of wonderfully picturesque islands, islets and coves, lapped by crystal blue waters and abounding with unspoilt nature and immaculate sandy beaches. Relax and enjoy a traditional lunch served by the crew during your cruise as you admire the serene idyll that surrounds you. Spend the evening once again in San Pantaleo.

Overnight: Hotel Pitrizza, Costa Smeralda

Meal Plan: B,L

Day 8 - Sardinia - Bonifacio - Ajaccio

Meet your driver this morning and venture to the northern town of Santa Teresa di Gallura for a short ferry ride across the strait from Sardinia into Corsica. Corsica greets you with an unmissable panorama as you sail into Bonifacio.

The stunning port of Bonifacio is a star attraction in Corsica, drawing visitors from far and wide to marvel at its medieval houses precariously teetering on the edge of the imposing limestone cliffs. The town is an irregular grid of winding streets and narrow alleyways, with medieval townhouses five or six stories high, yet often just one room wide. The ancient walls of the citadel envelope the Old Town. 

Later, enjoy a stunning drive through the verdant mountainous scenery of western Corsica arriving at the town of Ajaccio.

Overnight: Hotel Les Mouettes, Ajaccio

Meal Plan: B

Day 9 - Ajaccio – Corte - Calanques of Piana - Calvi

Ajaccio is a city of two halves: the old city around the harbour area has plenty of narrow streets with attractive Mediterranean-style buildings and plenty of bars and shops, while the more modern area of the city lies along the main boulevard that follows the coastal road. Ajaccio is significant as the birthplace of Napoleon and the house where the Bonaparte family lived until the end of 1600 can be visited today. Enjoy a relaxed morning tour of Ajaccio before continuing your journey northwards, stopping in Corte. Corte is a small town in the heart of Corsica and was the capital of the island from 1755-1769 during the reign of Pasquale Paoli - a name you hear often in Corsica.  As well as being an interesting town in itself Corte is a great location from which to explore the mountains, valleys and scenery of central Corsica and the surrounding National Park.

Also see the amazing Calanques of Piana, a natural phenomenon of rock formations carved out by the wind and sea. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the area includes a coastline of astonishing beauty studded with offshore islets and sea pillars rising out of translucent waters.

Overnight: Hotel la Signoria, Calvi 

Meal Plan: B

Day 10 - Calvi, Ile Rousse & the Balagne Region

Your day begins in the ancient Genoese citadel of Calvi with its colourful narrow streets. Explore the restored palace of the Genoese governor, and the remains of a house that is rumoured to be the place where Christopher Columbus was born, before continuing out along the Bay of Calvi to Ile Rousse with its beautiful winding coast, sprinkled with pristine white sandy beaches and red granite rocks.

Heading off the beaten track inland, visit the beautiful hill-villages of the Balagne region such as Pigne. Balanced on the mountain edge this is a true haven which, free of cars, can only be visited on foot.

Return to your peaceful luxury hotel for the final evening on the amazing island of Corsica.

Overnight: Hotel la Signoria, Calvi 

Meal Plan: B

Day 11 - Depart Calvi

Privately transfer to the nearby Calvi Airport today.

Meal Plan: B