Olbia (Italian: [ˈɔlbja] ( listen), locally [ˈolbja]; Sardinian: Terranòa; Gallurese: Tarranòa) is a city and comune of 59,885 inhabitants (November 2016) in the Italian insular province of Sassari in northeastern Sardinia (Italy), in the Gallura sub-region. Called Olbia in the Roman age, Cività in the Middle Ages (Giudicati period) and Terranova Pausania before the 1940s, Olbia was again the official name of the city during the period of Fascism.
With 35 miles of glorious coastline along Sardinia’s northern shore, Costa Smerelda (or Emerald Coast) was created as a getaway for the rich and famous by Prince Karin Aga Khan IV in the early 1960s. Sailing, waterskiing, scuba diving, golfing, shopping, fine dining and partying are some of the area’s best activities. Hotel prices can be exorbitant, but that’s no problem for the area’s wealthy visitors, even less so since many arrive in their own private yachts. Porto Cervo is the main town.
Corsica is a laid-back French island, with a breezy vibe that’s part European weekend and part tropical honeymoon. The port city of Bastia flings its arms wide open to weary travelers disembarking from a long ferry trip. For a truly charming Corsican experience, catch a train through the mountains to the beach, passing by rustic villages and grazing cows along the way. Take a few hours or even a few weeks to explore the island’s famous walking trails, including the varsity-level GR 20.
Once an exclusive retreat for the crème de la crème of society, Porto Cervo is still one of the world’s most luxurious resorts, but thanks to the 2004 opening of an airport in nearby Olbia, you don’t have to own a megayacht to vacation here. You do, however, need to realize this is definitely not a backpack-and-Eurail Pass destination. Designer boutiques, luxury spas, fine restaurants and exclusive nightspots abound.
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