In an unspoilt area on the coast of Sardinia, the dream of building a glamorous resort off the northwest coast of Italy was born.
John Duncan Miller was fascinated by the place and conveyed his feelings to Prince Aga Khan IV,
Who had the vision of turning this part of Sardinia – which lies within the municipality of Arzacena and,
partly, Olbia, in the province of Sassari – into a beautiful place for himself.
Under his supervision and that of many famous architects, two large granite blocks were laid out.
The same local signage, engraved with the words Costa Smeralda and the consortium logo to mark the 1,800 hectares of land.
The Italian coastal resort was established in northern Sardinia,
and is considered part of the municipality of Arzachena in the province of Sassari, later to be the main center of the Costa Smeralda.
Now with a population of 421, Porto Cervo is ranked as one of the most expensive resorts in the world.
Besides being a magnet for superyachts and a playground for billionaires.
Porto Cervo website
The village is located on the southern and eastern shore of the natural harbour,
where there are shops, newsagents, bars, restaurants and supermarkets.
The other beaches of the bay boast the old and new marinas,
and later the club house of the exclusive yacht club Costa Smeralda.
At the end of the new marina there is a shipyard capable of repairing large luxury yachts.
In a study issued by the European luxury real estate brokerage,
Romazzino Bay in Porto Cervo is the most expensive location in Europe.
House prices reach 300 thousand euros per square meter.
In 2011, the Costa Smeralda had the second, fourth and sixth most expensive hotels in the world,
namely Hotel Pietrisa, Romazzino and Hotel Cala di Volpi.
In 2012, the Cala di Volpe hotel, which appeared in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, was included.
Ranked seventh on the list of the 15 most expensive hotel suites in the world compiled by CNN Go in 2012.
The hotel’s presidential suite costs approximately $32,736 per night.
Mediterranean architecture and landscape preservation
It was as if the prince wanted to emphasize that Pulto Selvo,
as the people of Gallura called it, was a place that belonged more to the world of dreams than to the world of reality.
Initially, he did not commission an Orthodox architect to develop the settlement buildings;
Rather, it is a scenographer, the Frenchman Jacques Cowell, also known as the “Billionaire Architect”.
His practice, which moves between architecture and sculpture, and which shares the organic principles of Antonio Gaudí,
is the result of studies on form and materials carried out since the mid-1940s by his Center for Research on Natural Structures .
Then the myth of affordable holidays was born by the rise of modern hotels that choked the concrete of the indigenous landscape,
and the Prince Imam of Gallura was determined to protect, and thus celebrate,
indigenous buildings, acting as guardians of the island’s millennium traditions and biodiversity.
All power lines were buried underground, and the Consorzio set up its own fire brigade, medical centre, garbage collection and security guards.
Among the illustrious architects commissioned over the years are Michele Busseri Vecchi, Antonio Simone Musa, Luigi Vitti,
Already responsible for the refurbishment of several Ligurian marinas,
as well as the luxury holiday destinations of Cortina d’Ampezzo and Portofino.
Safe Haven for International Aircraft Group
At Porto Cervo, the Aga Khan painted a bright side through the holiday architecture of the continental nobility.
Country chic became the dominant leisure style in the years when fields gave way to skyscrapers and crops to supermarkets.
All those urban places that purport to portray escape and authenticity are going in the opposite direction to that advertised by commercial publications.
In order to better welcome the guests of the founding members and the first vacationers,
in 1963 Consorzio Costa Smeralda promoted the birth of the airline Alessarda (later Meridiana and Airtale),
Chaired by another key figure in the Aga Khan’s entourage, lawyer Paolo Ricciardi. For more than twenty years.
Due to its poor connectivity to the island’s air access points,
Porto Cervo four years later was given its own airport, Olbia Costa Smeralda.
60th anniversary of Porto Cervo
Last summer, Consorzio Costa Smeralda completed sixty years in this place.
There were many appearances to mark the occasion, including a photo book commissioned by the consortium itself,
Which features gorgeous shots by Slim Aarons, rare photos of the likes of actor Ugo Tognazzi during dinner with friends, and details of Jacques Couëlle’s villa.
And this year, the same publishing house Assouline launched a new editorial project,
this time dedicated to the Cala di Volpe Hotel, a famous architectural landmark in Porto Cervo.
Today, Consorzio Costa Smeralda – of which Smeralda Holding is a major partner along with Hotel Cervo, owns
Hotel Cala di Volpe, Hotel Pitrizza and Hotel Romazzino – also have their own official press, the monthly CS magazine.
Porto Cervo combines charm and beauty
Porto Cervo is bright, modern and fun and manages to combine charm with relaxed cool.
Designer boutiques, luxury spas, fine dining and exclusive nightclubs abound.
The resort also has an impressive yacht club, which attracts many visitors from high society.
Many water sports are enjoyed, while green waters and pristine beaches popular with celebrities await.
Things to do in Porto Cervo
You can rent jet skis or go diving.
At night, the trendiest restaurants and clubs await,
as Romazzino Beach features crystal clear waters and is surrounded by rosemary bushes.
The shallowness of the water makes Romazzino an ideal place for families with young children.
If you want to relax or practice water activities such as diving and snorkeling, you can do that here.
Cala di Volpe is famous for its world-class restaurants, bars and nightclubs,
as the resort provides you with luxury, privacy and socializing.
Cala di Volpe remains the most charming retreat in the Mediterranean, located close to the famous Pevero Golf Club.
Whether you’re a sports fan or simply need pampering, this resort has it all.
