Eliot Stein - Sardinia: Alghero & the North Footprint Focus Guide; Includes Costa Smerelda

The northeast is best known as the location of the world-famous Costa Smeralda, known as the Costa Rubata (stolen coast) by locals. Developed by Arabs with Mediterranean panache, theres hardly anything Sardinian about this 55-km stretch of coast between Liscia Ruja and Poltu Cuatu, but it remains fabulous nonetheless. Pop Cristal with Russian oligarchs at Club Billionaire and tan next to football stars along the coasts kaleidoscope of shimmering beaches.

Elsewhere, nature has carved Galluras coastline with deep, dramatic bays and sculpted its granite into supple, wind-whipped natural art. Nowhere is this more evident than around Santa Teresa, where spring erupts in a palette of wild flowers, and around the La Maddalena Archipelago, a national park of seven uninhabited islands with universal appeal.

Long before the Costa Smeralda was developed, the northwestern province of Sassari was the Italians favourite Sardinian destination. It has all the trappings of the medieval mainland: a proud provincial capital, Sassari, with a corkscrew cobblestone centre and crumbling walls; the citadel of Castelsardo spilling over a rocky bluff, and a string of Romanesque churches frozen in time in the golden wheat fields of the Logudoro. But the region also possesses some curious cultural relics that could only be found in Sardinia. Theres romantic Alghero, a piece of Iberia that sailed over to its seaside setting in Sardinia with the Catalan-Aragonese in the 13th century; Monte dAccodi, a bewildering Neolithic monument resembling a Mesopotamian ziggurat, and Santu Antine, Sardinias Sistine Chapel of Nuraghic engineering.

To the east, the provinces of Nuoro and Ogliastra tuck their towns in to the craggy nooks and crevices of the Supramonte and Gennargentu mountain ranges, which shield them from too much outside attention. The tall massifs serve as a bastion, protecting some of Sardinias ancient rites and traditions, which modernity has yet to sweep away. You can see examples of native costumes in the ethnographic museum in Nuoro. Elsewhere, Orgosolo is Sardinias bandit capital, famous for harbouring and hiding outlaws in its mountainous folds; now it is equally known for the abstract murals on its cinderblock walls. Sardinias two best hiking routes will take you deep into the islands interior: up to the mystifying settlement of Tiscali buried inside a mountainous sinkhole, and into the depths of Gola Gorroppu, Europes deepest ravine. If you only have one day to stretch out on Sardinias shores, take a boat trip along the Golfo di Orosei.

Costa Smeralda Iron your Versace (or Levis) shirt, wash your Lamborghini convertible (or Fiat) and head to the world-famous Costa Smeralda resort. This playboy playground isnt Sardinian but its faux-Arabian villas are certainly unique and its sparkling beaches are drop-dead gorgeous. Whats more: you no longer need to be a millionaire to live it up here. .

La Maddalena Archipelago Unlike the Costa Smeralda, these seven dazzling islands sprinkled off Sardinias northeast coast remain largely uninhabited and off the radar for European celebrities, with the exception of Italys most famous warhorse, Giuseppe Garibaldi. Spend a day puttering from island to island in your own boat or someone elses. .

Monte dAccodi Climb the ramp to one of Sardinias anthropological mysteries and archaeological masterpieces: the western worlds only Neolithic truncated pyramid temple. Monte dAccodi is a cross between a Mesopotamian ziggurat and an Aztec temple. .

Alghero Stroll the cobblestone lanes, try the spicy paella and whip out your Catalan dictionary in Sardinias most attractive town. Four hundred years of Iberian rule have rendered this seaside settlement a virtual Spanish colony; its residents cling proudly to their ancient language and their newfound nickname, Little Barcelona..

Grotta di Nettuno Marvel at the stalactites, stalagmites, columns and fanciful colours in one of the worlds great caves. Half the fun is getting there: visitors must come by boat from Alghero or descend the 656-step Escala del Cabirol! .

La Pelosa Wade through Evian-clear water at one of Sardinias most perfect (and popular) beaches. While youre tanning, peer across the strait at Asinara Island, named after the worlds only species of albino donkey. .

Castelsardo Blessed with a picture-perfect setting high above a rocky bluff, Castelsardo may be more gorgeous than functional these days. But thanks to its medieval castle, famous handicrafts and a killer sunset, youll see why locals linger on despite the steep climbs. .

Hiking the Supramonte and Gola Gorroppu Lace up your boots to hike in the bald Supramonte mountains. Descend through a sinkhole to discover the huts at Tiscali. Nearby in Ogliastra, trek down to Europes deepest ravine, Gola Gorroppu. .

Golfo di Orosei Explore this magnificent stretch of coastline which is also Sardinias least accessible. For some 40 km, limestone cliffs dive dramatically into the emerald sea. There are no roads, so the only way to see them is to hop aboard a boat and cruise around for the day. .

Trenino Verde Pack a copy of DH Lawrences Sea and Sardinia and pierce Sardinias mountainous backbone aboard Italys most popular tourist train. For five hours, the .

From UK and Ireland Alitalia-Air One fly regularly to Cagliari from London-Heathrow by way of Rome, touching down in Sardinia in five hours. British Airways flies direct from London-Gatwick to Cagliari between April and October. Ryanair run a brisk trade, flying from Liverpool, London Stansted and East Midlands to Alghero, from Edinburgh, Dublin and Manchester to Cagliari, and from Birmingham to Olbia. Jet2 offers flights to Olbia from Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester. ThomsonFly flies to Alghero from Birmingham and to Alghero and Olbia from London Gatwick. EasyJet goes from London Luton to Cagliari.

From North America The cheapest option from North America is to book a transatlantic flight into a European city that has discount flights to one of Sardinias three airports (see below) whichbudget.com or europebyair.com are both good resources. Note: you may have to transfer airports within the city you fly into and you should be sure to check the connecting airlines luggage requirements beforehand. The most convenient options are either to book a flight with Eurofly from New York into Rome, Palermo or Naples and take one of the many daily flights into Sardinia, or to fly with