By road, the Golfo di Marinella is just five kilometers from Porto Rotondo. Traveling by zodiac, you’ll appreciate the natural beauty of this sheltered bay whose curve of white sand is set against a backdrop of green hills. Your destination is the Hotel Abi D’oru, where you’ll enjoy several hours of relaxation on the resort’s beach. Stretch out on your reserved chair under the shade of an umbrella, overlooking the clear green-toned waters.
Play one of the most beautiful courses in Italy – and possible in the world – on Sardinia’s northeastern coast in the town of Porto Cervo. It’s a scenic drive along the coast to the Pevero Golf Club where Aga Khan commissioned American course architect Robert Trent Jones to design 18 holes in the early 1970s. The resulting course, covering some 6,100 meters, has been lauded as one of Jones’ most daring designs, set on the edge of the jagged, rugged Costa Smeralda. On clear days, the stunning sea views from the course can extend to Corsica.
It’s a scenic drive along the coast to the helipad near Porto Cervo, on the other side of the peninsula. There you’ll meet your helicopter pilot for the half-hour flight that will showcase the spectacular scenery in and around the Costa Smeralda, from mountainous inland areas to the protected islands of the Maddalena archipelago just off the coast and the turquoise coves and the deeper blues of the Straits of Bonifacio, which separates Sardinia from Corsica.
Go off road in the historic region of Gallura to explore northeastern Sardinia’s diverse landscapes and the longstanding traditions of its rural villages. Hop in the 4x4 for the drive from the Gulf of Cugnana that take you up a steep and winding road to the top of Monte Moro. At 422 meters above the sea, this granitic hill offers marvelous 360-degree views of the rugged hinterland and coast, fields and plains, and the turquoise waters that surround the Maddalena Archipelago just offshore. On clear days, you can see across the Strait of Bonifacio to the southern shores of Corsica.
Just five kilometers from Porto Rotondo, the Golfi di Marinella has one of the longest beaches on both the Gulf of Aranci and the Costa Smeralda. Green hills are a lovely backdrop for the white sand and clear waters imbued with the green overtones for which Sardinia’s Gallura region is famous. The sailing school was established in 1983 and its licensed instructors are intimately familiar with the currents and wind patterns. Whether you’re brand-new to windsurfing or looking to improve your skills, these local experts will lead the way.
Famous worldwide for gorgeous beaches and vistas of wild and untouched scenery, the coast and mountains of Sardinia have also helped create a renowned food and wine culture. This excursion unlocks the flavors of the northeastern Gallura region, beginning with the lovely vineyards of Surrau. From vines folded into sunny valleys and caressed by the winds of the Strait of Bonifacio come wines produced with dedication to both tradition and innovation. You will visit the modern winery where art merges with nature and discover the history of this unique terroir.
There are few better ways to start your day than to walk up to the 17-foot-tall David, Michelangelo’s masterpiece. This wonderful tour of Italy's Renaissance capital begins at the Galleria dell’Accademia and continues to the stunning Gothic architecture of the Piazza del Duomo, where you will see Florence Cathedral and the Baptistery. Then you’re off to the political center of town, the Piazza della Signoria, which is also a splendid open-air museum built on the site of a 1st-century Roman theater.
This tour lets you look before you leap into Florence. Start at the Piazzale Michelangelo, a wide terrace on a hill that affords superb views of this iconic city. Take in the panorama before being escorted to the Piazza Santa Croce, from which you will set off to discover whichever sights intrigue you most. Florence is a vibrant medieval city, and the town center is a compact labyrinth of alleys and piazzas begging you to stroll and explore. Check out the Uffizi, the Galleria dell’Accademia or the Bargello, among the world's greatest museums.
Experience all that is magical about Lucca in perhaps the best way to do so – by bicycle. Cars are mostly banned inside the city walls, making exploration by bike a true pleasure. Follow your guide into the heart of the city to see the Piazza San Michele, overlooked by the ornate Palazzo Pretorio and the ancient Church of San Michele in Foro. Riding on, you will visit the Piazza del Mercato, Cathedral of San Martino and Church of San Frediano, a melting pot of art and history. You will then enjoy a Tuscan snack atop Lucca's tree-lined walls.
The northern Tuscan city of Carrara has produced marble since the Roman era. In the city’s quarries, up in the Apuan Alps, you’ll explore the history and heritage around this celebrated material with a quarryman-guide. Relax on the drive up the coast from Livorno. In Carrara, you’ll transfer to 4x4 vehicles to head up to the mountain quarries, where you’ll meet your guide, Marco Bernacca. Bernacca’s family has worked here for four generations and now owns quarry 177, one of the oldest in the world.
