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In 2005, David and Tina invited us to stay in their wonderful villa in Sardinia at Elephant Beach on the Costa Smeralda. David’s father built the villa in the early 60’s. Jean Paul, a local architect, designed it as a delightful Guadiana-style concoction with sand coloured rendered walls and terracotta tiles. It nestles into the granite hillside overlooking Spiaggia dell’Elefante (Elephant Beach). The best times were in the early morning or the evening with the sun low over the bay of Cala di Volpe.
This is where the Aga Khan set up a consortium to buy an unspoilt stretch of coastline around a bay in northeastern Sardinia, and where the coast was christened Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) for its brilliant green-blue waters.
We went rock climbing on the compact limestone of Buddinetto near Cala Gonone and went walking in the rocky hills around San Pantaleo and Monte Corrasi. We also drove round the north coast and stayed in Castelsardu and Alghero.