Budget Sardinia? Why you don't have to be Flavio Briatore to enjoy the celebs' hangout

By DAVID LEWIS

Deep blue: Sardinia's crystal clear coastlines attract celebrities to its shores every year


'Doesn't Flavio Briatore own the Billionaire nightclub in Sardinia?' my girlfriend casually enquiries as she flicks through her in-flight magazine.

I try to disguise my foreboding as I confirm that, yes, the Italian businessman who buys football clubs for fun, does indeed own one of Europe's most luxurious clubs on the island.

This might not quite be the cheap break I had been planning.

Sardinia has long been a holiday favourite for the rich and famous. Cristiano Ronaldo has topped up his walnut tan in a tiny pair of shorts here and Geri Halliwell spiced up her boyfriend Henry Beckwith's life with a visit in 2009.

Keen to sample the island's delights without taking out a second mortgage, I had managed to persuade my girlfriend to holiday there out of season.

But if she keeps looking at the millionaires' hangouts the way she is looking at this magazine article, I could be in trouble.

Our destination is a luxurious villa on the Costa Smeralda which, due to our May booking, is costing us less than half its peak season price.

If I can just keep an eye out for some other off-season bargains, the 250 euros I take out from the Olbia airport cashpoint should last me well.

Of course, my first attempt at penny-pinching fails miserably. Rates on island hire cars remain pretty consistent year-round and I end up parting with 240 euros for the week (and heading straight back to the ATM to raid my already-sparse bank account again).


Spring bloom: David's villa cost a fraction of price charged during peak season


More depressingly, the spring-time heavens open as we leave the airport and we end up driving in silence through the bucketing rain.

At least the property doesn't disappoint. A traditional Mediterranean building, it is surrounded on all sides by beautifully manicured gardens, colourful local flowers, a private swimming pool and even its own small vineyard.

We are in the well-known Arzachena region on the northeastern side of the island, a quiet, rustic area tucked away amongst the mountains.

As if sensing our cautious optimism, the sun slowly burns through the clouds and we leave our beautiful villa to make haste to the beach.

The coastal sands at Liscia Ruja are only a 15-minute drive away along snaking roads and I waste no time donning my trunks for a dip.

I manage to waddle into the shimmering turquoise waters until about knee height, before wimping out and beating a retreat back to my towel. One drawback to visiting so early in the year is that the sea can be bitterly cold.

'Well, you can’t have it all,' my bronzing partner points out. 'At least we have almost the whole beach to ourselves.' She's right – it's not a bad trade off.


Deceptive: While the water may look inviting, in May it hasn't yet had much chance to warm up from the winter


In our bid to keep costs low, we had decided to cook for ourselves for the week, although my other half makes her thoughts abundantly clear as I suggest we head back to the supermarket we passed to do some shopping.

'OK, well I know you are writing a piece on this, but I am not eating muck for the week!'

Luckily supermarkets across Sardinia cater for all different wallets and we leave laden with fresh fruit and vegetables, delicious cuts of meat and inky red wines - all well within budget. My highlight purchase is a pungent island cheese, casu marzu, fermented using maggots. Well, when in Rome...

With each day that passes, warm spring sun replaces the blustery rain and we are soon enjoying - albeit bracing - afternoon dips in the pool.

The temperatures are warm enough for us to enjoy drying off in the sunshine and I can't help but think (as I pat my far-from-empty wallet) that our low-season risk is paying off.

As the days stretch on we – OK, she – soon tires of cooking so we decide to venture to a new agriturismo restaurant.

The very name - meaning agricultural tourism - conjures up ideas of rich meats, tangy cheeses and vegetables grown by local farmers. But it proves to be a bitter disappointment.



La dolce vita: Davdi enjoyed a beautiful, and tasty, stop-off at the quaint town of Tempio


The service is swift and the atmosphere pleasantly informal, but the food is shabby. My lamb - cooked from frozen - looks charred, and the oily vegetables look like they were plucked from the earth long ago.

The jaw-dropping 90 euro bill compounds our frustration, and we vow to return to home-cooked ravioli the next night.

For a treat on our last day we drive north to Porto Cervo. The renowned beachside stop-off is a favourite for the jet set (including numerous Premier League footballers, who own local boltholes).

We stroll around the swanky boutiques, cradling our double scoops of gelati and gawping at the designer clothes. You would definitely need a footballers’ salary to indulge in the Gucci loafers and Prada handbags on display around here.
Instead we slink back to the car and decide to treat ourselves to another meal out - hopefully an edible one this time.

A pretty pizzeria in the quaint, cobble-laned town of Tempio catches our eye. About half an hour away from our villa, we sit al fresco in the piazza and feel positively Sardinian.

Most importantly, my crispy frutti di mare melts in the mouth – absolutely delicious.

Boarding our plane for the return journey, I think my girlfriend has just about forgiven me for imposing a budget holiday on her.

The mercurial weather has been a constant frustration, but with a cut-price luxury villa and the beginnings of a spring suntan, we certainly look like we have been living la dolce vita.

And I haven't had an irate call from my bank manager yet...


Travel Facts
David travelled with specialist tour operator, Sardinian Places (0845 330 2050 / www.sardinianplaces.co.uk).

Seven nights at Villa Oro Verde, which sleeps six, starts from £1,480 based on selected travel dates in October.

A seven night holiday at Hotel Corallo on a bed and breakfast basis, starts from £399 per person, based on selected travel dates in September.

Flights and Car Hire can also be quoted.


source: dailymail