Travel tips: Best places to stay in Sardinia (besides the big resorts)

WE'RE A FAMILY WITH AN 11-YEAR-OLD, AND LIKE WATERSPORTS, SMALL LOCAL TOWNS, MARKETS AND HOTELS WITH POOLS. WE ARE NOT SO KEEN ON BIG RESORTS. OUR BUDGET IS ROBUST. IS THERE ANYWHERE IN SARDINIA YOU WOULD SUGGEST? J. McCROSSIN, ST KILDA EAST VIC

June is pretty nice in Sardinia: it's warmish rather than hot and you're ahead of the crowds of high summer. You can expect maximum daytime temperatures around 26 degrees, with sea temperature of around 20. There are plenty of high-end resorts around Porto Cervo, in the island's north-east, and if you're looking for a not-so-large resort with a great pool and all the trimmings this is a good bet. Porto Cervo is close the dazzlingly gorgeous Costa Smeralda and if you want to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous, this is the place. At the very least, check it out. If you're looking for something quieter, then the Costa Verde on the south-west coast has the best beaches. On the island's north-west coast, Alghero is another possibility. It is one of the island's most popular tourist areas and is built around a pretty town with a treasury of historic architecture. Don't miss Neptune's Grotto, where the sea has gnawed phantasmagorical caves from the limestone cliffs. Nearby Bosa is a gorgeous town with pastel-coloured houses mirrored in its river and cobblestoned squares dominated by the 12th Century citadel of Castell Malaspina. The town is big enough to have a decent choice of cafes and hotels but small enough for two-footed exploration.

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