Enjoy the fun of high summer when the Romans and Milanese descend; bliss out on empty beaches the rest of the year. Or come for a long weekend: the airport is close and the driving is easy, through a rugged landscape of agave, broom, myrtle and prickly pear. Porto Rotondo is an upmarket resort on the Emerald Coast, a place of designer shops, restaurants and bars; stroll down to the harbour for a gelato and watch the boats go by. Your apartment, town-central but peaceful, is up a few steps in a two-storey complex painted burnt orange, quiet and secluded behind lush vegetation. Cool terracotta tiles and a nautical theme run throughout, pale greens and woven fabrics add local flavour and the views from the wicker chair’d terrace are gorgeous… down to the port and a glimpse of the sea; across to dense woodland ahead. There’s a residents’ pool close by (with a lifeguard – parents, relax!), and soft sands and turquoise waters to walk to: Dei Sassi, Marinella, Nuraghe. Large wardrobes, elegant bathrooms, rooms full of light – you couldn’t fail to be happy.
