When in the 1960s the coastal areas of southern Italy were favored for the construction of refineries and petrochemical plants, in Costa Smeralda® * the right colors and shapes were found to harmonize villas and hotels with the Mediterranean scrub .

It is one of the most exclusive places in the Mediterranean, the symbol of luxury, once discreet and almost hidden and today exhibited like a trophy.

It is known for its beaches, crystal clear waters and Mediterranean vegetation that has remained intact for long stretches.

It is the cradle of a new style of contemporary architecture, which with its clean lines brings together architectural elements of the cultures of the Mediterranean basin, today copied almost everywhere

It is an example of respect for the territory, in which its creator preferred to place not a hotel but a church in the most panoramic place of Porto Cervo.

It is a place-non-place (in fact it is neither a toponym nor a municipality) almost separated from the rest of Sardinia and yet extremely integrated in its economy, having been the driving force for the tourist development of the north-east of Sardinia, still the richest area of the ‘island.

All this is the Costa Smeralda® *.

Credits Sardegna Digital Library

But why in Sardinia and why in Gallura? Let’s start from the territory.

The area known, later thanks to a song by Fabrizio de Andrè, as Monti di Mola was a large, very sparsely inhabited area in the coastal part of the municipality of Arzachena. The territory, whose lack of importance was certified by the absence of coastal towers, had economically remained stuck to the economy of the stazzi.
Exceptional from a landscape point of view, it was much less attractive for livestock farming, the most recurring activity for those who lived there.

The creator and founder of the Costa Smeralda® *, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, and a group of international investors led by the Englishman John Duncan Miller chose the place exclusively because they were fascinated by an almost intact nature. The light, the colors of the sea and the transparency of the water, the shapes of the granite rocks softened by marine erosion, the scent of the juniper and the silence of an almost uninhabited area were the best business card to present to those looking for a a place out of the ordinary, where you can create something unique and exclusive.

Credits Sardegna Digital Library

The Costa Smeralda® * was a complex but organic project from the beginning.

What the Costa Smeralda® * should have been was immediately clear in the minds of its creators: to create a high-level tourist destination that could compete with the most exclusive seaside resorts in the world.

It still represents a rare combination of entrepreneurial vision and refined expression of architecture, a forerunner of the concepts of attention and respect for the environment. And when in the 1960s in many parts of southern Italy the coastal areas were preferred for the construction of refineries and petrochemical plants, here internationally renowned architects such as Jacques Couelle and Antoni Simon Mossa from Alghero discussed how find the right colors to harmonize the buildings (rarely over two floors) with the Mediterranean scrub.

Another aspect that makes Costa Smeralda® * a truly singular example in the Italian tourism panorama is that its Consortium was personally involved in the creation of public infrastructures and they are not private ones. In fact, when the public ones did not guarantee the standards that the Consortium required, it took charge of its creation, as in the case of the Fire Prevention Service.

 
Credits Sardegna Turismo

Why are the Costa Smeralda® * buildings so special?

The integrated construction of hotels, villas, tourist ports, golf courses and other luxury structures that began in those years had as its common thread a new and distinctive architectural style, the one today defined as Costa Smeralda® *.

It can be summarized in three fundamental points:

A Modern Mediterranean design: the architecture of the Costa Smeralda® * is inspired by the combination of traditional elements with clean lines, geometric shapes and contemporary materials. The houses and buildings often feature white facades, flat or domed roofs, and large windows and terraces that blend harmoniously into the surrounding landscape.
The use of local materials. The architects of the Costa Smeralda® * have often used local materials in the construction of their works, such as natural stone, wood and granite. These materials give a distinctive and authentic character to buildings.
Harmony with the landscape. A key element of the architecture of the Costa Smeralda® * is the harmonious integration of the buildings with the surrounding landscape. The buildings are designed to respect the topography of the land and to blend in with the surrounding nature, contributing to the creation of an environment permeated by balance in forms and a general sense of beauty.

Do you know why the Costa Smeralda® *  is called that?

There are some hypotheses regarding the name: the most obvious would be the one inherent to the color of its coast. The most romantic and most accredited one in Porto Cervo seems to be due to the name of a girl, Esmeralda, in fact.

Why has the Costa Smeralda® *  had continued success over time?

A tourist destination rarely remains in vogue for a long time without a combination of favorable elements that fuel a virtuous cycle. Here we focus on the main ones. The order in which we place them, however, is not intended as important and in an absolute sense, but rather as a set of factors thanks to which the Costa Smeralda® *  is what it is today.

– Natural Element: the area offers breathtaking landscapes, with truly enchanting color combinations of white sand beaches, crystal clear waters and the intense green of the Mediterranean scrub which has remained almost in its original state. This natural beauty attracts visitors from all over the world seeking a truly special environment.
– Exclusivity and Luxury: since the original project, the Costa Smeralda® * has been associated with luxury and an exclusive lifestyle. The luxury facilities, resorts, villas and high-quality services have attracted wealthy clients and celebrities, helping to consolidate the region’s reputation as an elite destination.
– Architectural Design: the efforts to preserve the natural appearance of the coast and to integrate the buildings with the surrounding environment have made the Costa Smeralda® *  an example of extremely refined but environmentally friendly architectural design. This helped maintain an atmosphere of exclusivity and beauty.
– Marketing and Advertising: Costa Smeralda® *  has been successfully promoted internationally as a luxury destination through targeted marketing campaigns and a constant media presence. This visibility has helped keep the area’s attractiveness alive over time.
– High Quality Services: in addition to luxury accommodation facilities, the Costa Smeralda® *  offers a wide range of high quality services, including gourmet restaurants, fashion boutiques, golf courses and wellness centres. These amenities complete the luxury experience for visitors.
– Sustainable Development: if in particular in the last twenty years there has been growing attention to environmental sustainability and respect for the territory in the management of tourism development, the Costa Smeralda® * can well be said to be an absolute precursor of its times. This commitment to sustainability has contributed significantly to maintaining the area’s long-term attractiveness, ensuring its natural beauty for future generations.

Which Felix Hotels are closest to the Costa Smeralda® *?

In the Arzachena area, Felix hotel has two solutions.
The hotel Airone in Baja Sardinia and the Country Resort Parco degli Ulivi in the countryside of Arzachena.

The hotel Airone, nestled among the greenery of the large surrounding park and overlooking the Gulf of Cannigione, is located a short distance from Baja Sardinia. The quiet of nature, combined with the evocative views, offers an experience of total relaxation just a stone’s throw from the magnificent beaches of the Costa Smeralda® *.

The Country Resort Parco degli Ulivi is the ideal focal point to discover the charm of Gallura, enjoy the wonderful crystalline sea of the Costa Smeralda® * and at the same time stop time, relax in the large swimming pool, taste the refined dishes of the gourmet restaurant and let yourself be enchanted and pampered by all the comforts of a high quality holiday, where the tradition of hospitality blends with the innovation and imagination of the services.

 
————-

*
The name “Costa Smeralda®” does not represent a toponym, but rather specifically identifies and delineates the territorial areas of the properties affiliated with the Costa Smeralda® Consortium. The name and brand Costa Smeralda® are registered trademarks at the Central Patent Office of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce since 10 June 1963.