OLBIA, SARDINIA, ITALY -

COSTA SMERALDA,

WHERE THE ULTRA RICH PLAY!

Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 6 AM, Temp. 57 Degrees, Humidity 82%, W - SW @ 12.7 mph

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea after Sicily. Olbia is a busy port city on the northeast coast of Sardinia. We were the only cruise ship, but there were many ferries for people and cars. Many with “MOBY” broadly printed on their side and cartoon figures. One had the drawing of a whale, which I thought was particularly clever; the others had Tweedie Bird, Sylvester the Cat, and the Wolf (not sure the connection there). Moby Lines is an Italian shipping company that operates ferries and cruise ferries between Italy and France to Elba, Sardinia, and Corsica – one followed us from Naples! I read Sardinia is offering to pay $15,000 to anyone willing to move into the rural interior of Sardinia and rehabilitate and then live in an existing abandoned house. John said he was interested since Pitcairn had rejected him for relocation for being too old (over 80), plus they drive on the correct side of the road!

We really didn’t know anything about Costa Smeralda when we signed up for the tour, but it fit our “tour length” parameters (4 hours is our “sweet spot” unless it’s the pyramids!) and would take us out of the city. We learned that Costa Smeralda (the Emerald Coast) is an amazing story – the ultimate planned luxury enclave created to be a spot where the international jet set could find relaxation and privacy in an area of beautiful pristine beaches surrounded by rock hillside covered with Mediterranean scrub brush - John thought the area reminded him of what we saw in Southern Colorado and Sante Fe, New Mexico.

Costa Smeralda has 34 miles of exceptional, unspoiled beaches and approximately 8,650 acres of surrounding property. It was purchased 60 years ago by a group of investors headed by Aga Khan. Khan was a Muslim prince, recognized as a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, who had been raised in Geneva and was a Harvard graduate. Did I mention, incredibly wealthy and already a “citizen of the world,” hounded by Paparazzi before that word existed. He was only 24 years old when he first came to Sardinia and recognized what this remote area could be! One “legend” says it was one of the Rockefellers who first discovered Sardinia and brought Khan to visit, but this has never been substantiated. It is true that the Rockefellers undoubtedly were a part of Khan's very exclusive social set. The area is not a municipality, but private territories managed by a consortium. The entrance on the road from Olbia (and the exit on the other side as you leave) isn’t marked with a sign but a large boulder. No security cameras in sight, but our Guide said cars coming into Costa Smeralda are under surveillance 24/7.      

There is nothing “spontaneous” about Costa Smeralda. A handful of visionary entrepreneurs saw a unique and beautiful secluded place on the emerald sea and set out to create a place where a select few could find refuge from the “real world”. They created a village, Porto Cervo, complete with a central square and church (the Stella Maris Church contains an original El Greco). Architects and renowned city planners set standards – a style which came to be known as “emerald style” - but they were also environmentally minded before it was “in”. Only 4% of the land is developed, and most of the seacoast is untouched. Landscaping must be all native plants; no introduced plants allowed. It is a town of white and pink stucco and stone villas characterized by arches. They built streets, brought in electricity, and created businesses to make the tile and building materials they needed for their city. They created spaces for shops and other necessities. They built an airport. By design, no building can be taller than a tree (we saw that same regulation in some areas of Indonesia). Exclusive hotels and restaurants present unassuming facades (low slung in the front, although often many stories down the backside of the hillside). In the 60s, Jackie Kennedy, Princess Margaret, Grace Kelly, and Brigitte Bardot stayed there. The Shah of Iran and his family would spend the “season” at a $ 20,000-a-night hotel. Supposedly, this was the last place Princess Diana and Dody Fayad stayed before their tragic death in that Paris tunnel (being a Royalty junky, I found that fascinating but someone I told about it had no idea who I was talking about!). Today, Mark Zuckerberg, Beyonce, and Jay-Z are staying there. Our guide said Denzel Washington has a villa there (Bill Gates recently sold his), and Vladimir Putin does too! The Yacht Club is the summer home to many yachts and a world-famous series of sailing yacht races. Prince Felipe of Spain (and now his son) raced there for years. It is said during the summer sailing season, it should be called the White Coast rather than the Emerald Coast - there are so many sailboats in the harbor you can't even see the emerald water. We toured the area in a small “train” that didn’t fit into Porto Cervo's image!

Leaving Costa Emeralda behind (we saw the big rock), we traveled a few miles down the coast to Baia Sardinia, another planned community on a more modest scale. It was developed as an alternative to its ultra-expensive neighbors. It has its own town square (actually a circle) and stone walkway through the village street to a sculpture of a sailboat standing in front of the striking emerald sea. The sailboat is made of granite; Sardinia is known for its granite. There were shops and several restaurants on its charming main street. I was determined to eat “real” pizza before we left Italy – this was my last chance! We stopped at a pizzeria to buy a slice when one of our fellow “excursioners” stopped us. She had intended to buy two slices of pizza and ended up with two whole margarita pizzas (2 pizzas and 2 beers had been $25)! She generously shared with us! It was simple, fresh tomato sauce and cheese (we’re used to so much more on our pizza), but it was delicious and authentic!!