Capo Spartivento

The highlights

• Bespoke dining prepared to your needs by an expert local chef
• Within easy walking distance of the beaches of Cala Cipolla and Su Giudeu
• Huge garden area with terrace, crystal gazebos, dining areas and 18-metre infinity pool
• Around 1 hour from Sardinia’s vibrant capital Cagliari, with airport shuttle available
• Still a working lighthouse in a dramatic location – the site of more than 150 years of fascinating nautical history

You should know

• You will need to use the hotel shuttle service to access Capo Spartivento - vehicle traffic is forbidden on the promontory to help preserve this area of natural beauty.
• Transfers to bays including Tuerredda, Malfatano and Santa Margherita are available at an additional cost

The detail

Just over 1 hour’s drive from the Sardinian capital Cagliari, Faro Capo Spartivento once served solely as a beacon on the island’s southern coast, built by the Italian navy in 1856. It still illuminates the way for sailors, but it’s now also a luxurious and characterful guest house with a panoramic terrace, infinity pool, creative cuisine and – needless to say – the most amazing sea views.

Having undergone a true transformation, the lighthouse complex is now home to decadent suites which feature the best modern amenities and talking-point antique furnishings. The place has lost none of its nautical charm – with arched bare-brick ceilings, a central library and an elaborate cast iron spiral staircase among its appealing hallmarks. Murano crystal chandeliers, ornate mirrors and wooden floors immediately announce that Capo Spartivento is somewhere special.

The exterior is as impressive as the building itself, with 3000 square metres of garden to enjoy. A huge lawn with an ancient olive tree and 8 glass gazebos provides a peerless setting for an evening of outdoor dining, under the comforting glow of the rotating lighthouse lantern. A 14-metre long infinity pool with hydro-massage water jets is complemented by a spacious sunbathing deck, with loungers cleverly fashioned from ancient Turkish carts.

Some suites overlook the ocean, while others enjoy fine views of the green hills of southern Sardinia. Additional mini-flats separate from the main building occupy the block which once housed the lighthouse’s fuel tanks – it now features a spectacular glass roof to marvel at the atmospheric night sky before sinking into your inviting king-size bed.

Dining at this lighthouse is a personalised, bespoke affair. There is no set menu or restaurant hours – the chef will discuss your needs and offer you the finest Sardinian dishes and the best wines from the island. It’s all part of the impressive service at Capo Spartivento, which also includes a shuttle service to and from Cagliari-Elmas Airport and free transport to nearby Chia Beach.

There is plenty to see and do close to the lighthouse, including snorkelling, kite surfing and scuba diving, as well as horseback riding along Chia to the lagoon with its resident pink flamingos. If you fancy venturing further, take a mountain bike ride along the coast to the white sands of Tuerredda, explore the town of Domus di Maria or get in a leisurely round of golf at Is Molas… everything is possible at Faro Capo Spartivento.

Features

Essential