Find your forte
This Sardinian resort blends luxury with entertainment and an abundance of activities for a trip you’ll want to return to again and again
THERE’S not many places I’ve travelled to that I’ve desperately wanted to revisit. However, when my daughters were small, we went to Sardinia’s Forte Village and I just knew that somehow, some time in the future, I simply had to return.
It was one of those holidays that you daydream about for years afterwards and as luck would have it, four years later, I found myself returning to this dream destination.
This time around, I was travelling without my daughters — and, I won’t lie, I was excited to experience the resort with no smallies in tow.
First off, my journey was a lot easier, as Ryanair now flies direct from Dublin to Cagliari and after a 45-minute transfer south from the airport — Santa Margherita di Pula to be exact — I had arrived at Forte Village.
It was named World’s Leading Resort at the world travel awards last year and from the get-go, it’s easy to see why.
It’s essentially a luxury holiday village, comprising eight hotels and a selection of villas, set in over 50 hectares of tropical gardens. The lush surroundings merge with the white sand on the Sardinian coastline — and the resort’s private beach — and it’s a delight to just wander about this place and take it all in.
This is a luxury resort for sure, but there is a variety of accommodation to suit families and smaller four-star budgets too. Last time I stayed in a deluxe bungalow at Hotel Castello; this time, I was in the resort’s freshly-refurbished five-star Villa del Parco, which is set amid a pine grove alongside the resort’s Acquaforte Thalasso and Spa, where I spent a lot of time.
It’s a really tranquil and elegant space — breakfast is served on the leafy patio, where you never know who you might see. I almost choked on my eggs Benedict when I realised that the Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri was sitting behind me one morning.
Indeed, the resort is full of beautiful, wealthy people, which makes it prime peoplewatching territory. Not that there’s any overt ostentatiousness — this is more hushed luxury and understated glamour. However, when you’ve got numerous restaurants — 21 in high season — to try, and 11 swimming pools to lounge beside, I would advise to come dressed for the occasion.
Food is a particular highlight at Forte Village, and home-grown produce is highlighted on menus, with much of the fruit and vegetables coming from its own garden. Sardinia is celebrated as a Blue Zone — recently highlighted on the Netflix series — a place where people live longer, healthier lives, and many of the islanders follow a plant-based diet.
At the resort, however, there’s something for everyone. I dined at the more rustic, ethnic Sardo, which serves traditional Sardinian fare, like local pasta dishes, meats, vegetables and local cheeses. Then it was a complete 180 experience at Heinz Beck, the restaurant by the multiple Michelin-starred German chef. This was more along the lines of a Willy Wonka-style nine-course theatrical food adventure.
I also loved Tiki, the funky Polynesian-themed bar and eatery for sushi and delectable drinks overlooking the ocean; the pizzeria with its very own Mozzerella di Bufala bar; and the romantic Belvedere restaurant with its terrace setting overlooking the park.
Parents will be thrilled to know that there’s a designated children’s restaurant too, catering for little tummies earlier in the evening. I didn’t have to avail this time around but there is endless entertainment for children here, from the Wonderland kids’ club with Barbie house, true-to-scale play village, pools, nightly disco and several sports academies, which the resort is famous for.
There’s soccer with coaches from the Fundación Real Madrid; basketball alongside Ettore Messina, the head coach of Olimpia Milano; then there’s a biking academy, boxing training and rugby coaching — the list is endless. You can also brush up on swimming, fencing, netball, dance, plus all types of tennis — traditional, padel and table. New for 2024 is a Pickle Ball Academy — for the uninitiated, this is an American game resembling tennis. In fact, there’s so much to do here, the only problem you might have is getting time to do it all.
I chose to dip in and out of all that’s on offer, making sure I still had lots of time to soak up the Sardinian rays.
If you want some fun, you can head to Leisureland, the resort’s entertainment park, with it’s own go-kart track and bowling alley. There’s also trampolines, video game stations, free-climbing walls and even a nightclub where you can party until dawn. I didn’t get there myself — I think those days are behind me — but in the balmy evenings, I did enjoy bowling, strolling on the beach, meandering through the boutiques and just soaking up the atmosphere of the resort’s charming piazza.
I also opted for a few visits to the resort’s gym, which has an impressive two floors worth of equipment, and took in a couple of outdoor fitness classes at the Sport Area — Pilates in the morning and a
HIIT-style class to work off all that grub.
I also tried out the high performance method studio at Forte, which is used by many of the world-famous athletes who holiday or coach there. Now I’m far from the latter, but as an avid gym-goer I was keen to see if this system could show me how to train better.
Through a series of tests, you’re assessed on everything from postural to cognitive performance to provide a more complete picture of your body, its strengths and where you could improve.
My assessment was quite telling — mainly that I’m not symmetrical and that, due to an old injury in my left foot, I vastly over-compensate on my right side, which skews my balance greatly. This would explain why I tend to fall over a lot.
I have a 20 per cent gait difference through my right side when I stand with my eyes open; strangely though, with my eyes shut, this reduces to about 4 per cent. Apparently, this is subconscious behaviour that can be worked on through a number of exercises to make my body more balanced. Who knew!
Now if all that sounds like too much work, there’s always the option of taking it easy. An ideal place to do that is at the jewel in this resort’s crown — the Acquaforte Thalasso & Spa, which dates back to the time when ancient Romans built thermal baths. This one consists of six pure Sardinian seawater pools, each with different temperatures and saline densities.
The entire circuit takes 90 minutes to complete, and is said to restore balance with anti-ageing, weight loss and detox benefits. Needless to say, after I recovered from the initial shock of sliding into the first pool of hot, murky sea oil water, I visited most days. My weight didn’t change, but that has to count for something, since I spent five days eating like an actual Roman emperor.
I felt both invigorated yet relaxed, which is a good way to feel after a holiday.
I also experienced the spa’s signature salt and honey exfoliation and massage and it was pure bliss, leaving my skin baby-soft for days.
Alongside all the wellness and fitness, you can feel even more virtuous here in the knowledge that your holiday is the greenest it can be. The resort has been certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and it has many initiatives in place to reduce environmental impact, from sourcing local produce to using ‘grey water waste’ — about 800 cubic meters daily — to irrigate its gardens and grounds. Forte also has ongoing local charity projects such as fundraising for a Cancer Awareness Van, with the aim of developing a mobile clinic to bring healthcare to remote areas of the island with limited hospital access.
I have to also mention Forte Arena, the open-air Romanstyle theatre. This oval, 5,000-seater space has played host to many big names and famous productions and this summer is set to welcome Sting to its stage on August 3, in case you want to merge a gig with your holiday.
Make time too to venture out of the resort, as the area of Santa Margherita di Pula is a peaceful idyll of almost uninnterrupted bays and beaches. Or you can check out the Roman ruins at Nora, about 14km away. The area was the first Phoenician city of Sardinia and some magnificent ruins of the Archaeological Park of Pula remain, such as ancient baths, colonial temples, the necropolis and an ampitheatre.
My second trip to this place was even better than my first, and I came back from my Sardinian holiday feeling rested and content.
There’s a reason why merch is emblazoned with the plea: ‘Take me back to Forte Village’, as it’s exactly how I feel about this special place too.
TRAVEL FACTS
Flights from Dublin to Cagliari from €79 return on ryanair.com. Forte Village Sardinia is open from March to November, from €360 per room per night based on two adults sharing a deluxe bungalow on a half-board basis, excluding drinks. See fortevillageresort.com.