Bougainvillaea border the terrace

lluminating the night sky are hundreds of twinkling bright stars that you can admire from the garden of Villetta Buganvillea. By day, you can enjoy the beautiful views of the sea through the verdant foliage. The secluded semi-detached villetta is located in a rural part of San Pietro, not far from the island’s best beaches. The elegant town of Carloforte is a short drive away and here you will find some excellent restaurants serving up the traditional island specialities - fresh pasta with tomato or pesto, tuna steaks, couscous and fish soup.

Outdoors: A raised front terrace decked by lovely bougainvillaea and providing picturesque views of the surrounding countryside and the distant blue Mediterranean, offers an enchanting entry point to the front door as well as the prospect of time to relax, dine and gaze. The garden is extensive – mostly a mixture of soil and sand, a few plants and thriving conifers. There is a large built-in barbecue to the side of the dwelling and an external shower and clothes line at the rear.

Views across the garden to the sea

Enjoy sitting out on the terrace

Indoors: The living room with ceramic floor tiles and whitewashed walls consists of a round dining table, a leather arm chair and a large china hand-carved cabinet displaying the tableware. Off this main room are a modern well-equipped separate kitchen, a washroom with bidet, toilet and sink, and the curving marble staircase to the next floor. Here you’ll find the comfortable double-bedroom, with its fantastic sea views from a large picture window, then a twin bedroom, and the shower room. The upstairs floor is beautifully tiled throughout and all the Swedish pine bedroom furniture, like the cabinet downstairs, is handmade by the owner whose woodworking passion he indulges in now he is retired.

The master bedroom

The living/dining room

Surrounding Area: Besides La Conca Scogliera, the little rocky beach with natural swimming pool just 500m from the house, there are numerous other sandy and rocky beaches all within 4km of Villetta Buganvillea. The small sandy beach of Genio`, which also has flat rocks from which to sunbathe on, is within walking distance too. Carloforte, the only town on the island, is an easy drive away. Life in Carloforte is concentrated around a few tens of metres from the seafront esplanade lined with palms and Lateen sailing boats to the square where the ferries land. The buildings are characterised by pastel-coloured facades and wrought iron balconies. The town has both a good atmosphere and friendly inhabitants. In the main season, just a short walk from the villetta there is a good restaurant-pizzeria.

The dramatic Mezzaluna

The pretty cove of Genio

Inland the island is perfumed with the aroma of myrtle, lentisks, junipers and is covered with 16 endemic varieties of orchid. It is rich in Aleppo pines which the Phoenicians and Romans used to build their boats. In the cliffs of the north of the island you may be lucky enough to spot the rare and endangered species of Eleonora’s falcon, one of the most unusual European birds.

Should you wish to explore San Pietro’s offshore neighbour, Sant’Antioco Island, you can take a car ferry from Carloforte port to Calasetta, where you can spend a day on the beach there, or have a great evening meal out. The rest of the island is also worth exploring if you take your car over.

Carloforte harbour

Sightseeing: San Pietro island, Sant’Antioco island, South Sardinia

Italian Islands Insight: This villetta offers the opportunity for a peaceful and relaxing break in an unusual, unspoilt and naturally beautiful island. Other than its immediate neighbour, Villetta Hibiscus, there are few other houses around which means it is a quiet destination for the whole season. Villetta Buganvillea has its own private terrace and barbecue area but the large garden is not divided off in any way from the adjacent garden. This means that this, together with the neighbouring villetta would be an excellent choice for two families who want to holiday together. The main gate and ample drive (more than 100m or so from the villetta’s entrance) are also shared with whoever is staying in the villetta next door.

This is an ideal choice for 2 couples or a family and young children are sure to appreciate the natural sand pits in the garden. If you are looking for a tranquil and secluded property with wonderful views, close to beautiful untouched beaches and within an easy drive of an interesting and elegant town, then look no further than Villetta Buganvillea.