Set on the island of Sardinia, the Hotel I Giardini di Alice is a three-star hotel in a valley of outstanding natural beauty.

Lying only a short distance from the beach at Santa Margherita di Pula and the archeological area of Nora, this is an oasis ideal for people wanting to spend their holiday in contact with nature.

At the heart of the gardens lies the old villa with its elegant bedrooms; all with bathrooms, TV, heating, and telephone. Rooms are also available in several outbuildings which surround a small square.

All the rooms have spectacular views overlooking the gardens or the valley and, if you enjoy the sea, you'll be delighted to find some of the most beautiful beaches on the south coast within easy reach. The surrounding park is a botanic garden, with planting from all parts of the world.

The hotel has a pizzeria, ice-cream parlour and a disco bar. There is a restaurant serving Sardinian specialties, especially meat, game and fish. There is Mediterranean and international cuisine, and pizzas from the wood-fired oven. The dining rooms and the little dining piazzas can accommodate up to 1000 guests. Lunches and dinners can also be arranged in the main square and in the park itself.

The centre has a large number of thoroughbred horses, its own stables with riding school and horse-jumping facilities. You can also enjoy trekking and excursions in the nearby hills either on horseback or in a horse and trap. Expert instructors are available for beginners.

[ local map | map of region ]

Pula lies at the extreme south of this most exotic of Italian Mediterranean islands. Sardinia has been described as being caught between Italy and Africa - it lies only slightly closer to its European parent than to Tunisia on the north African coast. Being a full 200km from Italy, it has never suffered from mass tourism, and its beaches are clean and uncrowded.

Near your hotel you'll find the capital, Cagliari. This is well worth a visit, with its Castello quarter, one of the older parts of the city, a complex maze of alleyways lined with thick walls. There is the archaeological site at Nora. A great deal of the Roman and Carthaginian ruins are now under the Mediterranean, but the mosaics, baths and theatre which remain are testament to how major a centre this once was.

There are the remarkable prehistoric nuraghi, conical stone buildings, clustered in groups on the hills, and a mysterious remnant of an earlier civilisation. And there is Tiscali - a vast cave containing the remainder of a prehistoric village.

And when you're hungry from sightseeing you'll find some of Italy's finest cuisine - simple, fresh and swiftly cooked with lobster, suckling pig, cured meats and fish stews featuring large on the menu.

For more details on this perfect spot on unspoiled Sardinia - a hotel near Cagliari, just click the link below.