Costa Smeralda

The Costa Smeralda, the Emerald Coast, is a coastal area of northern Sardinia running for some 20 kilometres, although the name originally applied only to a short stretch in the commune of Arzachena. White sand beaches, golf clubs, private jet and helicopter services and exclusive hotels have made it what it is. The granite here has been weathered into rounded shapes along the shore, and the water between the headlands is the colour the name claims, which is not always true of such names.