Second the best

While the White Lotus effect may have drawn more visitors to Sicily, it is Italy's second island Sardinia that's worth exploring.

- BY JENNA CAMPBELL

With its untrammeled coastline, turquoise waters and lush landscape, it is the ideal alternative - whether you're lying by the beach, hiking over soaring cliffs or discovering the island's long-held traditions.

You can do all of that from the Cala Cuncheddi, a secluded oasis of a hotel on the northeast of the island. Set among myrtle, centuries-old olive trees and Mediterranean scrub, and boasting its own private beach replete with golden sand and crystal-clear waters, it's just a 20-minute taxi from Olbia Costa Smeralda airport.

Part of the VRetreats Italian hotel collection, which prides itself on offering stays set within historic buildings with a “strong personality and sense of place”, the hotel is an idyllic bolthole to escape from the busier, well-trodden resorts, but still well-situated enough for those who want to rent a car and explore.

Style

Renovated just over 10 years ago, 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, mosaics and ocean-inspired installations - run throughout the hotel's grounds, providing a synergy between old and new, giving the experience a serene and calming air. Its infinity pool overlooking the glistening waters of Li Cuncheddi Bay is its calling card, but the hotel's 85 rooms and suites across three levels are beautifully designed to feel both contemporary and traditional with natural colour schemes, oak fixtures, and a mix of marble, Molteni&C and concrete furnishings.