Unsurprisingly given its rich history as the old city of Sulcis, ancient remains can be found everywhere in Sant’Antioco town. Perhaps the most unusual, if a little morbid, are the Christian catacombs below the ancient church of St. Antioco that sits above the town, and, just outside the town on a cliff overlooking the sea, the tophet and necropolis – a burial ground for stillborn babies and where children were sacrificed on stone slabs to Baal. The Antiquarium is a museum containing Phoenician and Roman earthenware, children’s toys and jewels as well as urns of ashes from the nearby tophet and a Hebrew tablet. Overlooking the town is the old red stone Castello Sabaudo which was rebuilt by the Aragonese in the 16th century. The new town is very different - located by the sea, it boasts a long tree-lined avenue, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, with shops, bars and gelaterias that really comes alive in the evenings. There is a little tourist port from where you can take boat trips round the island and its neighbour.

The second town of the island is one of wine producers and fishermen. Originally called Cala di Seta, it was founded in 1769 by some Ligurian families who had been living in Tabarca in Tunisia. The Ligurian heritage is visible even today as the people of Calasetta continue to maintain Genoese customs and dialect, which gives the town a very unique flavour. The straight streets are arranged in grid fashion with two-storey houses. Both the main square, which features an impressive church with an Arab bell tower, and the port are the hubbub of all activity. Calasetta is a great place for eating out as there are several good restaurants and pizzerie. The main beach, Sottotorre, is right in the heart of Calasetta, below the old Saracen tower.

Just 5 minutes drive from Calasetta heading south along the western coast takes you to the lovely family-friendly sandy beaches of Le Saline and Spiaggia Grande and further along, the coastline becomes deeply indented and rocky with cliffs and a lighthouse. Le Saline has fine sands and sheltered shallow waters. To the rear of the beach are tall dunes which separate it from a salt-water pool, home to a variety of birds, including pink flamingos at certain times of year. About a kilometre further on is the Spiaggia Grande, the longest beach on the island, with incredibly clear turquoise waters that are bordered by granite and tufa rocks. There is a Tonnara (a disused tuna fishery) at the far end and there are various facilities like beach bars. It is popular with windsurfers as well as those who like snorkelling. The rocky beach of Mangiabarche, “boat-eater,” has steep cliffs plunging into a sea of ever-changing hues. A lighthouse is set on a rock in front of the coast to help boats avoid being “eaten”! An attractive spot to visit and swim in nearby is the Nido dei Passeri, where impressive faraglioni tower out of the sea.

Cala Lunga is a stunningly beautiful hidden cove with soft sands and wild nature that is encircled by cliffs. It is in the North West of the island further down the coast from Nido dei Passeri and is in part reached by an unmade track which means that it remains relatively peaceful even in the high season. It is popular with scuba divers and snorkellers for its incredible underwater world. Set beneath a crest, Cala Sapone is further down the coast and is an unusual beach offering a sandy stretch with traces of sparkling pink thanks to fragments of coral and seashells. Smooth flat white rocks border the beach, ideal for sunbathing on or swimming from. There is a little trattoria opposite the beach.

The South East of Sant’Antioco island is particularly lovely and well worth exploring for its beaches and panoramas. Maladroxia is a small and pleasant beach resort just a short drive south of Sant’Antioco. The beautiful beach is long and sandy with crystalline sea and there are several bars, restaurants and holiday homes. Continuing further along the coast heading southwards is the lovely long sandy beach of Coaquaddus. The very southern tip of the island, just after the handsome pine forest and picnic spot of Peonia Rosa, is Capo Sperone which enjoys panoramic views of the azure sea and the three little islets off the coast, La Vacca, Il Vitello and Il Toro (the Cow, the Calf and the Bull).