The second largest island in the Mediterranean and farthest from the mainland, Sardinia has a personality and atmosphere all of its own. The Sards still proudly retain their customs and language, and place names testify to their determination to remain firstly Sardinian and secondly Italian. An island of secrets, Sardinia has so much for the traveller to discover. You will stumble upon the famous prehistoric towers and settlements, called “nuraghi”. These are mysterious, built of stone and they are uniquely Sardinian. Of the 30,000 originally built, only 7,000 remain and they scatter the landscape.

In the south, Nora has remains of a Punic-Roman city and white sandy beaches. Along the coast, the landscape becomes unspoilt and rugged. Oristano and the National Park of the Sinis Peninsular, on the west, are flatter, and with a wild sort of beauty, salt-water lagoons, flamingos, white quartz beaches and rare flora - Sardinia's hidden secret.

Inland, little villages, like Oliena, which still retain the old Sard traditions and crafts, are surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery; steep-sided hills, caverns and gorges; lakes, more reminiscent of Scotland .

On the east, in the Gennargentu and Sarrabus regions, the mountains drop steeply to the sea. There are little bays and hidden coves, many only reachable by boat. Cala Gonone is a charming resort. Arbatax is a somewhat hidden corner, with a small town and working harbour. With pinewood-backed coastline, renowned for its golden sands and crystal clear water, the Costa Rei and Villasimius are stunning.

Just south of Olbia, sandy bays and transparent, aquamarine waters are dominated by the islands of Molara and Tavolara. Beautiful headlands look down on one of the most stunning spots on the Mediterranean, a turquoise, sweeping bay, backed by yellow broom-covered hillsides – just like a Hawaiian atoll or lagoon.

Just north of Olbia, the resort of Golfo Aranci has a delightful little port, where fishermen still work to this day, and further north still is the famous Costa Smeralda, with the chic port of Porto Cervo, at its heart. A rich man's invention, nothing can prepare you for the somewhat surreal qualities of parts of this area. Some places are very manmade, and yet, undeniably beautiful, not overdeveloped, and possibly everyone's picture postcard ideal of a tasteful holiday destination, with fabulous beaches, yachting marinas, intriguing rock formations and dense greenery. This area has a designer label and the price tag to go with it, but no visit to Sardinia would be quite complete without it. Just beyond is the resort of Baia Sardinia and towards the northern tip of the island you will find the very real port of Palau, a stepping stone to the Maddalena archipelago, which stretches enticingly towards the island of Corsica.

Alghero, in the north-west, was founded by the Arabs and later controlled by the Aragonese. With a strong Spanish flavour and staunchly proud of its Catalan links, this captivating walled town and port still has most of its fortifications intact and its huge towers, with their monumental proportions, dominate the narrow, cobbled streets. This is a delightfully picturesque old town, where people live all year round and life is not just geared to the tourist season. Alghero has lovely, sandy beaches on both sides. Go north towards the craggy outcrop of Capo Caccia, or journey down the impressive coastal road to the old town of Bosa, and you will find a varied landscape, dotted with many unspoilt beaches.