Sardinia: Island retreat made for relaxing

A twin-centre break to glamorous Sardinia, exploring both its countryside and coast sounded perfect.

Travelling in low season we wanted to get off the beaten track and discover if the country air could be just as restorative as a sea breeze.

A 90-minute drive from Olbia airport through mountains, olive groves and vineyards brought us to our base for the first few days, Su Gologone country resort.

The whitewashed property sits among juniper and fig trees, in the shadow of the Supramonte mountains. Its interior has a rustic charm with old juniper beams, antique furniture and works by resident artists.

Our room had blue wooden doors, wrought-iron beds and a balcony - on which we enjoyed breakfasts of fresh pastries, fruit, ham and cheese - and incredible views of the mountains.

Su Gologone's restaurant takes its ingredients from the surrounding Barbagia region.

Meals are served on the flower-draped terrace overlooking the springwater pool or, if there is a chill in the air, in the dining room in front of the large fireplace, where the pork, veal and sausages are roasted on the spit.

Our favourite dish was the ravioli with fennel and "filindeu" (a type of pasta) soup, washed down with a bottle of fruity Corrasi Riserva from Oliena, the nearby village where old men gather in the shady square during siesta and women dress in embroidered shawls.

The Barbagia was once known for its bandits. These days you are more likely to find groups of walkers exploring its gorges, cliffs and caves.

We joined them, taking an excursion from the hotel with guide Gianni, who took us by jeep through Lanaitto valley's olive groves and regenerating forests to the foot of the 1,699ft Tiscali mountain.

The 90-minute walk to the summit is well worth it for the spectacular views across the valley and down into the "dolina", a hollow formed by the collapsed roof of a large cave.

Excavations have revealed the remains of a small village, thought to date from the fifth century BC.

Nearby is a spring from which the hotel takes its name. During the wettest months, the build-up of water is forced through a cleft, making a gurgling sound (Su Gologone roughly translates as "the gurgling") Hotel Capo D'Orso Thalasso & Spa is a five-star resort on the north-east coast around Palau and the popular Costa Smeralda.

A three-hour drive from Su Gologone, its rugged coastal setting couldn't be more diffirent.

Our suite was simply decorated in warming yellows with twin bedrooms and a livingarea with wooden shutters leading to a varnda.

On our first night, we headed to the Gli Olivastri, the most formal of the three restaurants.

Its menu changes daily and highlights included baked seabass and beef tagliata with a Cannonauwine sauce.

The hotel has two beaches. Both are small but sun worshippers can relax on one of the decks strategically placed along the shoreline or on sunbeds that sit round the two pools.

We spent a wonderful afternoon being pampered at L'Incantu, the hotel's spa.

We both had a full-body ayurvedic massage with hot oils in treatment rooms with doors open to the views.

Afterwards we enjoyed the late-afternoon sun as we worked our way through the spa's three interlinked pools equipped with jets of varying powers to further massage the body.

Capo D'Orso (Cape of the Bear) is so named because of a rock formation which at a distance looks like a bear keeping watch over the coastline.

It's a 10-minute walk from the hotel and a short but steep climb from there to the top from where you get great views out over the archipelago of Maddalena.

The nearby Costa Smeralda, or emerald coast, is famed for its crystalclear waters and seasonal crowds.

Far less busy but equally picturesque are the beaches that line the coast of La Maddalena island.

The largest landmass of the archipelago, it is accessed by car ferry leaving every 15 minutes from Palau.

IT'S best just to drive round the coast and stop off wherever you see a nice spot.

For us, it was Monte D'Arena beach, where we had a swim and then enjoyed a picnic of Parma ham, locally produced pecorino (ewe's milk) cheese, crackers and fresh fruit bought from a roadside stall.

After an afternoon exploring the narrow streets of La Maddalena, with its chic boutiques and pastel-coloured houses fanning out from a palm-lined marina, we took the ferry back to the main island, the sun setting on our wonderfully revitalising Sardinian break.

GETTING THERE

Just Sardinia (01202 484 858 / www.justsardinia.co.uk) offers a seven night package to Sardinia from £880pp (two sharing), including three nights half board at the Su Gologone country resort, four nights half board at the Hotel Capo d'Orso Thalasso & Spa, car hire and return flights with easyJet from Gatwick. Sardinia Tourism: www.sardegnaturismo.it