La Coluccia, Sardinia

With its rock cliffs and rugged landscape, Sardinia has a history of repelling invaders as well as the occasional tourist. Visitors to most parts of the island quickly realize that despite their shared language, Sardinia is by no means mainland Italy. Driving along the coastal roads in the South near Cagliari, there is the occasional traffic jam caused by marauding herds of goats.

And then there is the Sardinia of Costa Smeralda. Ever since Prince Aga Khan IV, the Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, started buying up large tracts of land along the northeastern coast in the sixties, the green waters of Porto Cervo have been attracting a jet-set crowd comparable to the likes of St. Tropez. Since the completion of a new airport in nearby Olbia in 2004, Costa Smeralda has never seemed more accessible.

Hotel La Coluccia in Santa Teresa di Gallura is an hour’s drive from Olbia. Far enough from the crowds of the Billionaire Club, but close enough to visit the collection of Warhol and Basquiat at the Louise Alexandra Gallery in Porto Cervo, La Coluccia offers an ideal balance between the two extremes of the island.

The hotel is located on the La Maddalena Marine Reserve and offers stunning views of Spargi Island. Even amid such natural beauty, La Coluccia still maintains an urban élan, having recently been described as a “gem stolen from the fashion world and its magazines.” Julio César Ayllòn, the architect, was able to achieve a contemporary design that mimicked the flowing lines and natural beauty of the coast. His vision was echoed by interior designer, Alvin Grassi, who opted for a sleek and minimalist décor in each room.

For more information, visit www.lacoluccia.eu.

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by Trafton Kenney
Gloobbi Travel

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