Sardinia is a rugged Mediterranean island filled with natural surprises, sweeping coastlines and surrounded by a deep blue emerald sea. Lying between Italian Sicily and the French Corisca, many overlook this destination for its neighbours, but why so? Being a significantly large island, it is perfect for anyone who likes to explore just by renting a car and seeing where they head to or exploring mountainous regions that show off lofty alpines and are home to rustic cheeses. You could spend your time here exploring the interior of this island and its Tiscali’s nuragic ruins, learning about the unique lifestyle of Sardinian people, excavating ancient tombs and Roman ruins, or hiking up mountains and scoping out extraordinary rare wildlife in one of Sardinia’s national parks.

Or if adventure and history isn’t you thing, then no sweat. Sardinia has white sandy beaches that are perfect for any avid sun worshipper where the sand, sea and sun will seduce you, leaving you to blissfully lose time nestled behind unique rock formations and sheer looking cliffs. The great thing about the size of Sardinia is that you can easily take a day trip from your accommodation to find your own secluded private beach, away from other sightseers and visit a hidden restaurant serving fresh home-made pasta and smooth local white wine.

Coming here for a family holiday when I was a teenager, meant I explored white sand beaches with wind weathered rocks, local restaurants serving sweet limencello (“you are supposed to sip it Victoria”-I remember my Dad saying to me as I necked back the shot) and soaked up the toasty climate. Coming in August, meant that much of the island was thriving with anticipation of that summer holiday feeling, the air of excitement, as well as the whole of Italy flocked to this island, which made an impact on my stay here.

Another factor that affected my overall visit to this place was a quick drink at Costa Smeralda. The St. Tropez and Puerto Banus of Italy, I was taken aback by the amount of wealth that was flashed here, the place to be seen and to see others. Of course the beach was lovely in the area, as of most of Sardinia, but the port and the surrounding areas felt like a sore thumb compared to the rest of Sardinia. Where was the authentic traditional Italian beach holiday? Where families eat pizza on the beach and tourists are scolded for going topless? Definitely not here. Costa Smeralda is a flashy glossy area of Sardinia… with a staggering price tag. If you are the person who likes to drink Mojitos in style (which occasionally I do, I must admit), then book a luxury hotel and enjoy your time here, but if not, leave this area of Sardinia untouched and move further afield.

Although I didn’t personally see these sights (but I did get quite a nice tan), I have heard they are well worth the visit. Head to the most populated town in Sardinia, Cagliari, where stunning ancient churches are a plenty, Budoni for incredible beaches and Costa Verde for its wildlife and untamed beaches.