Sardinia & Corsica

Fly to Olbia, in Sardinia's northeast corner, where our Tour Manager will be waiting to meet you. The hotel is just a short coach ride from the airport, and, depending on your time of arrival, you'll be free to spend the rest of the day relaxing or perhaps wandering into town.

After a relaxed breakfast, board the coach for a leisurely introduction to the sun-kissed playground of the Costa Smeralda. Over the last 50 years, this 20-kilometre stretch of reclaimed and tastefully developed coastline has grown to become one of the world’s most celebrated holiday playgrounds and a haven to the Mediterranean’s sailing and private yacht community.

Idyllic hidden coves; stunning beaches fringed by azure waters and backed by fragrant, herb-filled scrubland; tiny islets; and the ultra-chic capital of the region, Porto Cervo, whose church and shopping arcade were both designed by the same architect, all contribute to the allure of this unique location.

Today’s excursion sees you travel to historic Alghero, the principal town of Sardinia’s north and a thriving, long-standing fishing port. Here, the Old Quarter, with its 16th-century cathedral and its narrow, cobbled streets, is surrounded by the stout battlements that link seven defensive towers.

This being Italy, delicious ice cream can be sampled at any number of local gelatarie. The long, sweeping promenade stretches away past magnificent beaches, and looks out across the blue waters to distant Capo Caccia, a rocky promontory with a silhouette that looks for all the world like a sleeping giant.

After a marvellous day, you’ll return to Olbia for a last evening at your hotel.

Today you'll bid farewell to your Sardinian hosts, and head to the port at Santa Teresa di Gallura for your ferry crossing to Corsica. You'll disembark in the stunning natural harbour of Bonifacio, a fortified town set high upon wind- and wave-weathered cliffs, and one of the Mediterranean’s most spectacular locations. The tourist train will take you up to the haute ville to take in the stunning views. Perhaps enjoy a drink in one of the cafés that line the quayside, before boarding our coach to continue your journey north, through some stunning scenery, to your hotel in Ajaccio.

Today's half-day guided excursion introduces island capital Ajaccio, the city where, in 1769, Napoléon Bonaparte was born. Set on a stunning, sweeping bay, Ajaccio would be a fascinating place even without its associations with the "Little Emperor". Wander its ancient old town, filled with restaurants and cafés, and see its towering citadelle, which surveys the colourful vista below. After your tour, you'll have time free for further explorations, or to return to the hotel for a relaxing afternoon by the pool.

Your final included excursion takes you up Corsica's west coast to Scandola Nature Reserve, overlooking the blue Gulf of Porto, home to the twisting inlets and outcrops of the Calanques de Piana. Here, the elements and millennia have shaped and shifted the pink granite landscape into fantastical forms that seem almost alive.

Your route winds through the reserve from sleepy Piana, with its pink houses and spectacular views, down to exquisite Porto, a famous resort town with its tiny harbour and pebbly beach overlooked by an ancient watchtower. Spend some time enjoying the surroundings, then re-board the coach for the return journey to Ajaccio, or (more likely) join the optional 90-minute cruise back along the coast, a beautiful journey that boasts the best views of the towering calanques from the water.

Spend your last free day relaxing. Hire a bike from the hotel, head to the nearby beaches, make the most of your hotel's facilities or head back into Ajaccio to explore a little more. The choice is yours.

Bid farewell to your hotel, early this morning, as you begin your scenic journey back to Bonifacio, take the ferry back to Santa Teresa di Gallura on Sardinia and head back to Olbia to catch your flight home, at the end of a wonderful two-island holiday.