A secluded oasis

Cala Cuncheddi serves up a true taste of Sardinian culture for JENNA CAMPBELL

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While The White Lotus effect may have drawn more visitors to Sicily, the turquoise waters and lush landscape of Italy’s second island, Sardinia, are also well worth exploring.

Cala Cuncheddi, a secluded oasis of a hotel on the northeast of the island, is the perfect base to strike out from.

Set among myrtle, centuries-old olive trees and Mediterranean scrub, and boasting its own private beach, it’s a 20-minute taxi ride from Olbia Costa Smeralda airport.

It’s part of the VRetreats Italian hotel collection, which prides itself on offering stays set in historic buildings with a “strong personality and sense of place”.

STYLE

This four-star property feels reminiscent of an upscale beach house and offers panoramic views from the poolside and many of the property’s suites and rooms. Wildflower landscaping, rustic paving stones and nods to the traditions of Sardinia - think animal masks and mosaics - create a serene air.