A path bordered by dense foliage

nconspicuously nestling beneath craggy hilltops and immersed in a dense garden, Casa Anania is an ideal place to get away from it all and appreciate the tranquil Sardinian countryside.

The owner of Casa Anania has a passion for the traditions of regional architecture, and has endeavoured to restore these beautiful shepherds’ cabins using locally-sourced stone and juniper. Adding to the rustic flavour of these properties, rock protrudes from the floor and walls, as if to remind guests that nature still governs this region of Sardinia.

Casa submerged in greenery

Outdoors: Casa Anania, and its detached neighbour Cosima, are enclosed within 1500m² of grounds which are accessed via a dirt track. The central focus of these grounds is a shared, sunny courtyard with sun loungers. Trees border this area, offering shade to a small picnic area, and on the other side of the garden’s stone wall lie the owner’s vineyard and vegetable crops.

As the casa is built on a hillside, it enjoys tremendous views of the surrounding countryside. The peaks of the hills tower over one side of the garden, and from the higher reaches of these slopes, you can enjoy a sea view.

Shared courtyard fringed with flowers

Throughout the gardens, nature takes precedence over manmade structures - even the external shower has been hewed into the granite rocks. Blankets of flowers and a rich variety of Mediterranean plants make the grounds seem even larger than they are, by being dense enough to hide one section from the next.

Indoors: The entrance to Casa Anania is on the opposite side to Casa Cosima, thus affording privacy to its sheltered terrace. Throughout the house, pretty glazed tiles contrast with bare patches where the stonework of the exterior wall has become an embellishment of the interior. The choice of furniture also maintains the theme of smart, rustic charm.

Twin bedroom with ornate tiling

Arched entrance to Casa Anania

Casa Anania consists of living room, kitchen, shower room, double bedroom and twin bedroom.

The local countryside

Surrounding area: Casa Anania is situated near the hamlet of Sos Alinos, which has several useful shops and is on the way to the series of beaches and tourist facilities at Cala Liberotto. Some of these beaches are sandy and feature bars and sun loungers, while others are rocky coves with glittering clear waters. An excellent option for children is Sa Curcurica beach which has shallow warm waters.

The historic town of Orosei is a 10km drive from the Casa, and in addition to restaurants on little piazzas, it has a network of winding alleys that can be explored.

Porto Corallo – a nearby cove

This area of Sardinia remains very wild, and intrepid holidaymakers who prefer to do their exploring in the countryside will want to roam the Barbagia and Gennargentu regions to the south. Ramblers on the south side of the Gulf of Orosei will be rewarded by reaching untouched sections of the Sardinian coastline, which are only accessible by boat or through one of the tunnels that traverse the mountains.

Shower and steps integrated into stone

Italian Islands Insight: Casa Anania is suitable for a family who prize peace and nature, but who also want to be near a high standard of beaches and many tourist facilities. The enclosed grounds provide a magical space for children to run freely in and the house will also appeal to those who appreciate its rendition of traditional architecture.

In addition to his passion for rural buildings, the owner (who lives nearby in Orosei) is also a mine of information about local culture and cuisine. When introducing guests to the casa and its facilities in the grounds, he is always more than happy to recommend the finest places to eat and where to sample the best Sardinian wines.

Anania’s private outdoor dining area

Although they share a luscious garden and courtyard, Casa Anania and Casa Cosima are entirely independent, each retaining its own outdoor area with barbecue and external shower. However, since they are only 16m apart, renting Casa Cosima at the same time as Casa Anania is a great option for groups of up to eight, thus making the entire garden their own private paradise. Car hire is essential, and there is much to discover in this peaceful yet untamed corner of Sardinia.