Agriturismo in Sardinia with Restaurant, Riding

Farm stays in Sardinia are rooted in sheep farming. The island has more sheep than people, and pecorino, ricotta and lamb sit at the centre of the table on most farms. Away from the resort coast, the interior is one of the emptiest and least commercial parts of Italy.

Where to base yourself

The Barbagia, in the mountainous centre around Nuoro and Orgosolo, is the most traditional area: shepherding, granite peaks and villages where Sardinian is still the everyday language. The Ogliastra on the east coast combines the Gennargentu mountains with the beaches of Cala Gonone and Baunei. In the north-west, the Nurra and Planargia around Alghero and Bosa mix vineyards with a Catalan-influenced coast. The south, around the Sulcis and the Costa Verde, has dunes, wetlands and old mining country.

What these farms offer

• Pecorino sardo and ricotta made on site, and the pane carasau baked to go with them
• Cannonau and Vermentino di Gallura from farms that grow their own grapes
• Long farm dinners built around roast meat and seasonal vegetables
• Horse riding, and walks into the Supramonte gorges and nuraghe sites
• Inland locations twenty to forty minutes from beaches, at a fraction of coastal prices

Timing and access

May, June, September and October are the best months, with warm sea in autumn and wildflowers in spring. July and August are hot and the coast is expensive and full; inland farms stay far better value. Winter is mild but many coastal businesses close, while the interior stays open and cold at night.

Ferries run from Genoa, Livorno and Civitavecchia; airports at Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero take direct European flights. A car is essential — public transport in the interior is minimal, and distances between the coast and the mountain villages are longer than they look.

In Sardinia we have 147 farmhouses, including 52 with swimming pool, 101 with restaurant and 69 pet friendly.