A Sardinia Summer

Sardinia in June before the charter boats fill the Costa Smeralda — a crewed yacht to the Maddalena archipelago's uninhabited granite islets, lunch at anchor above white sand, and the drive into the Gennargentu interior in the afternoon to reach the stone village where the shepherd has been making Pecorino Sardo since his father taught him. A private, tailored journey of 7 Days · 6 Nights in Sardinia, Italy, designed end to end by a Forest Travel advisor — with Virtuoso privileges at the finest luxury hotels, from US$12,500 per traveler.

Few countries reward the discerning traveler as generously as Italy, where art, coastline and the pleasures of the table meet at every turn.

When to go

May through June and September into October, when the light is golden, the crowds thin and the tables at the finest establishments open to those who know to ask. Your advisor times it to the light, the crowds and your own calendar.

The experiences

A sense of what this journey can hold — each one arranged privately and shaped to you:

• A private crewed yacht navigates the Maddalena archipelago's uninhabited granite islets, dropping anchor above shallow white-sand beds where you swim before a lunch of bottarga and sea urchin pasta prepared onboard.
• A working Pecorino Sardo producer in the Gennargentu highlands opens his aging caves for a private tasting led by a shepherd whose family has made this cheese across three generations.
• A marine biologist joins the yacht for a half-day to guide snorkeling in the protected waters of the Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena, identifying posidonia meadows and endemic fish.
• An early-morning drive through Barbagia brings you to a nuraghe site before other visitors arrive, with a local archaeologist explaining Bronze Age Sardinian civilization on-site.

A sense of the rhythm

Mornings belong to the sea — the yacht clears the marina at Porto Cervo or Palau before the charter flotillas have finished breakfast, giving you the archipelago in near-solitude. Afternoons pivot inland: the Gennargentu road climbs quickly into a different Sardinia of cork oak, granite villages, and unhurried hospitality. Evenings return to the coast, with dinner at a table on the water before the boat swings gently on its mooring.

Whether to base from Porto Cervo or anchor aboard the yacht each night

Staying aboard gives you the archipelago's uninhabited islets at dawn, before any day-trippers arrive, and the freedom to reposition with the wind. A shore base at the finest luxury hotels in the Costa Smeralda offers more comfort, a larger wardrobe, and easier access to the interior drives into Barbagia. Most of our clients in June choose a hybrid: three nights aboard and three nights ashore, which captures both the solitude of the open water and the pleasures of a proper terrace dinner overlooking the bay.

How to do it well

The counsel our advisors give travelers planning this journey:

• Commission your crewed yacht by February for June departures — the best bareboat and crewed vessels on the Costa Smeralda are fully reserved by March, and Maddalena National Park permits for certain anchorages have limited daily allocations.
• June is the ideal month: the mistral is calmer than July, sea temperature reaches 23–24 °C, and Porto Cervo has not yet reached peak-season density — restaurants including Phi Beach and Cala di Volpe's waterfront take reservations without a two-week wait.
• Arrange the Gennargentu interior visits through a Nuoro-based cultural guide rather than a coastal concierge — the shepherd producers and nuraghe access that matter are relationship-dependent and require lead time of at least six weeks.
• Pack a single carry-on for the yacht days and leave a larger bag at your shore hotel — storage aboard even a 50-foot crewed yacht is genuinely limited, and the finest luxury hotels in the area hold luggage between your sea and land segments without issue.

What only your advisor can open

The difference between a good trip and an unrepeatable one is access — and access is a relationship, not a booking. Every guide, room and moment is chosen and sequenced for you.

Who it's for

Travelers who value privacy, time and doing it once — beautifully — and who would rather have one trusted advisor orchestrate every detail than assemble it themselves.

Estimated investment

From US$12,500 per traveler, based on double occupancy — scaled to your dates, party size and level of privacy. A starting point, not a final quote; confirmed once your advisor tailors the itinerary.

Designed entirely around you

Nothing here is a package. A Forest Travel advisor shapes the whole journey and stays one message away before and throughout your trip.

Your Virtuoso privileges

As a Virtuoso member, Forest Travel includes benefits reserved for Virtuoso guests at the finest luxury hotels, at no added cost: a room upgrade on arrival when available, daily breakfast for two, a property credit toward dining or spa, and early check-in with late check-out when the hotel allows.

Continue exploring Sardinia

Part of our Sardinia travel guide. Related private journeys:

• The Sardinia Honeymoon
• Sardinia by Yacht
• A Private Villa in Sardinia

Begin the conversation

Tell a Forest Travel advisor how you like to travel and they will design A Sardinia Summer around you — privately, every Virtuoso privilege included. Request your private consultation →