Il Nido, a City Apartment in Cagliari, Sardinia

We are so excited about our 2012 Sardinia villa collection. As well as our favorites which have been delighting our guests for three seasons now, we have some great new properties now available for holiday rentals on the island.

Most of the holiday accommodation we offer are of course villas near the beach or with swimming pools. But Sardinia isn't just about the beaches you know. There's a rich culture and history in this stunning corner of the Mediterranean and where better to discover it than in Cagliari, our island's capital city.

Il Nido is an architect-designed apartment tucked away on a quiet cobbled street just 50m from the bustling Via Roma, Cagliari's most famous street. Dating from the 1880's, Via Roma is lined on one side by elegant apartment buildings in a dazzling array of colors and on the other by Cagliari marina and the Mediterranean sea. There's always something happening here... just about every parade and feast day procession passes this way and it's crammed with bars, restaurants and boutiques selling everything from the latest fashions by top designer labels to Sardinian handicrafts and delicacies.

Il Nido is only now available for holiday rentals as the owners has been lovingly restoring and modernising it for the last year, with work completed just a few short weeks ago.

The main attraction has to be the wonderful outdoor terrace with the panoramic views over the city to the sea. When the owners originally purchased the apartment, this was actually a bedroom but now, with the walls and roof removed and beautiful wooden decking laid this area has become the heart of the house. How many other city apartments can offer the luxury of your own private barbeque for alfresco dinners under the stars whilst sipping a chilled glass of wine and gazing out towards the Mediterranean sea?

Inside, the living area also boasts those sea views and (if you ever tire of looking out the window) you'll find it crammed with technology such as a flat screen TV, DVD, CD and Blu-ray player and of course wifi internet access. There's an office corner and a double sofa bed for extra guests. The kitchen is a masterpiece of elegance and technology and the brand new bathroom boasts a double shower with mood lighting. The double bedroom is light and airy and, although set in the heart of Cagliari it's remarkably quiet and peaceful of an evening.

The whole apartment is beautifully furnished in a minimalist style but with plenty of quirky little touches by a local artist which make it feel both homely and elegant.

Back outside, Cagliari's ancient historic centre is just a short walk away where you can stroll down narrow cobbled streets lined with beautiful pastel-coloured buildings and feel like you've gone back in time a few hundred years. Stop for lunch at one of the many mouth-watering restaurants and then an aperitivo atop the famous Bastione San Remy whilst gazing out across the city and sea.

There's no need at all to hire a car when staying at Il Nido as Cagliari's many boutiques, art galleries, museums, cathedrals and botanical gardens are all within a stone's throw of the apartment and, because no trip to Sardinia would be complete without at least one day at the seaside, the wide sandy beach at Poetto, beloved by the locals is just 3km away. There's great bus links leaving almost from your front door to the beach and Poetto is so long there's a full 10 bus stops along it so you can try a different section every day.

Poetto is lined with a myriad of beach bars and restaurants where you can grab anything from a snack to a full meal at any time of the day. At the far end is the famous "Sella del Diavolo" which, as any local will tell you, is where Lucifer fell to Earth after being thrown out of heaven.

So if you're looking for a city break with a difference there are few spots better than Cagliari, whichever time of year you choose to go. And when in Cagliari there's simply nowhere we would rather stay that at Il Nido.

Prices run from 550-775€ per week for up to 4 guests and Il Nido is available all year round.

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