Delphina Hotels & Resorts carried away the title World’s Leading Green Independent Hotel Group at the World Travel Awards 2021.

“We are so proud of this award,” says Elena Muntoni, brand manager of Delphina Hotels & Resorts. “Our next goal is to continue innovating and improving sustainability. We care about our land, and are sure that respecting the environment is one of the ways to create value, especially in a region like Sardinia."

100% green energy and electric car charging ports

For years the company has been adopting eco-sustainable growth policies that respect the environment, culture and Sardinia’s food and wines. Delphina is the first Italian chain to use 100% green energy in all their properties, saving 3,536 tons of CO2 per year. The Gallura-based hotel chain is also synonymous with low visual impact structures, using as many materials as possible from local artisans. Great attention is also paid to sustainable travel with electric vehicles on site for guests within the resorts and charging points for electric cars.

Locally sourced food and less plastic waste

Delphina is also committed to using biodegradable materials, and ditching plastic. All Delphina guests receive a free bottle which can be refilled in the specially installed fountains, saving 68,700 plastic bottles per year. The food and wine on offer support healthy, good and fair cuisine, and are based around locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. In one of the Delphina facilities, the Le Dune Resort & Spa in Badesi, there is a 5-hectare vegetable garden. Delphina also promotes excursions to introduce guests to the nature, archaeology and history of Sardinia’s Gallura region.

Bluserena, founded in 1985 by Carlo Maresca, manages a portfolio of 13 hotels (eight of which it owns) in the main Italian tourist destinations including Sardinia, Sicily, Apulia, Abruzzo, Piedmont and Calabria. The Bluserean portfolio of over 4,200 rooms in eleven 4-star hotels and two 5-star resorts, has now been acquired by Azora which also holds entertainment services including beaches, swimming pools, animation and sports facilities, and clubs for children and young people.

“Covid has prompted a significant demand for travel”

"This transaction confirms Azora's belief that Covid has prompted a significant demand for travel, and that there will be a strong market recovery as vaccination programmes make headway in Europe,” commented Concha Osácar, Azora’s co-founder. By acquiring the Italian operator, Osácar continued, the Group confirms its commitment to the European hotel industry, and in particular to Italy where growing numbers of international tourists are choosing destinations such as Apulia, Sicily and Sardinia.

€30 million invested in renovations

The takeover includes both the hotels and the management company, which will continue to be based in Pescara. The objective is to enhance the Bluserena brand with a €30 million investment in renovations, acquire new hotels in Italy, and new lease and management contracts. “Azora seemed to us the most suitable partner to continue the history of Bluserena and boost  its growth – said Bluserena’s CEO Silvio Maresca – we can now start a new phase of a growth on the Italian market.” 

The Azora fund counts 31 hotels in Europe 

In September Azora closed its latest pan-European hotel investment fund at €815 million plus co-investment capital. With the acquisition of Bluserena, and now holding a portfolio of 31 hotels in Europe, it has committed 56% of its investment capacity. 

Bookings for GNV departures up to September 2022 opened in October, and they put Italy centre stage. Alessio Macri, GNV’s Italy & Albania Sales Coordinator said: "We have invested in further improving our service and increasing the number of ferries for next summer, especially towards Sardinia. We have confirmed the Civitavecchia-Olbia, and we have added four ships on the routes from Genoa to Olbia and Porto Torres. In Sicily we have services all year between Palermo and the ports of Genoa and Naples, and we will also have departures from Civitavecchia to Palermo and Termini Imerese, as well as from Naples to Termini Imerese.”

New routes linking the Spanish islands 

GNV is also stepping up its routes in Spain “In 2022 it will be possible to book a ferry from Valencia and Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza respectively, as well as to Palma de Mallorca and Ciutadella, and there will be direct services between the islands of Ibiza and Palma, and Palma and Menorca,” adds Macrì.

A loyalty programme aimed at agencies

On the agency front Macrì says that despite the difficulties arising from the pandemic GNV has maintained its partership with travel companies and that it recently renewed its sales structure. “For 2022 we are working on a new reward loyalty programme called Find the route which is aimed at agencies and operators. It will be a way to strengthen our bond, as well as improving the sales process and service.”

Il Mandorlo is a hotel in Baressa, in the province of Oristano, some 60 kilometres from Cagliari (Sardinia). The result of a careful renovation of ruins dating back to the 19th century, the property has the typical features of traditional rural Sardinian architecture, through the recovery of original materials such as stone and wood and the conservation of distinctive elements. 

Il Mandorlo’s old house dates back to the 19th century

Il Mandorlo is divided into two units: the main one with eight guest rooms and common areas, the loggias, the courtyard, the dining room with the lounge and bar, the reception, and the terrace with solarium. One hundred and eighty metres away stands a typical historic house called Casa Cossu, from the name of the family that lived there originally in the second half of the 19th century. All the rooms have private bathrooms and are furnished in the style of traditional Sardinian craftsmanship. They are completed with handcrafted furnishings and accessories that  echo the colours and symbols of Sardinia’s authentic textile traditions.

There is plenty to explore, from a UNESCO site to interesting parks 

Il Mandorlo hotel is located a short distance from the main points of interest: the Giara Naturalistic Park, the UNESCO heritage site "Su Nuraxi", the Sardinia in Miniature Park and the starred restaurant of well-known chef Roberto Petza. The many local wineries in the area allow guests to visit their vineyards and cellars for wine tasting paired with local products.

Among the proposals to boost tourism to Sardinia the Regional Council is promoting Isola dello Sport, 26 international sporting competitions and tournaments, from world tennis to the under-21 World Volleyball Championship and from water sports to motocross. Tourism Councillor Gianni Chessa said these sporting events are a great way to promote the island for the attention they have attracted worldwide. 

Volotea intends boosting flights

“We are also concentrating on other sectors like religious, gastronomic, experiential, cultural, archaeological, cycling and congress tourism. We need to boost the quality of services but are confident the direction taken by the president of the region and the council is a valid one and will bear fruit. Regarding transport – said Chessa - we are talking with Volotea which has confirmed its intent to boost flights and guarantee continuity. For now, due to EU laws, the programme is provisional but they are working to extend it from next May to October. The goal is to have flights 12 months a year.”

An archaeological exhibition in four great museums

“Archaeological tourism, which is the identity of Sardinia’s history, is currently in the world spotlight with the Island of Megaliths exhibition which is in four of the world’s most important museums. Berlin just closed with 96,000 visitors in three months, now it’s the turn of St. Petersburg for another three, then Thessaloniki and finally Naples.”

Creating opportunities for growth 

Italy’s second largest island is also investing in religious itineraries and in slow tourism. “We are committed to enhancing the interior of Sardinia which has 3,200 km of routes touching on 250 municipalities, but they need better accommodation facilities. This is a challenge for the region, a chance to create opportunities for growth in the area, and a breath of fresh air for the hinterland which remains isolated in the winter months,” added Chessa.

August was a bumper month is many areas

Sardinia bounced back this summer with between 15 and 18 million overnights from June to October, and with August surpassing 2019 figures in many areas, in particular those with the best tourism services. In pre-pandemic years visitors came for the most part from Germany, the rest of Italy, the UK, Switzerland, Belgium and America and with growing numbers of Russian arrivals.      

The online travel agency (OTA) Portale Sardegna, announces that it has created the company Welcomely S.r.l. with the aim of developing the non-hotel sector, in continuity with the growth and consolidation of Portale Sardegna Point and the Welcome to Italy project. The company was founded by two partners: l’Emittente, and Bentu Experience.

Network Expansion and strengthening connections

Welcomely's idea is to act as a driver of local innovation and to expand the network between holiday home owners and local Italian experts. The aim is to provide wide visibility and the necessary support to the members of the Welcome to Italy supply chain. Welcomely will create links and strengthen connections between the different "Welcome to Italy Points,” through their Local Experts and the local supply chain: owners of holiday apartments, Bed & Breakfasts, tour operators, organisers of leisure, cultural, gastronomic and wine experiences.

Confidence from the CEO of Portale Sardegna

Massimiliano Cossu, CEO of Portale Sardegna: "The great work that our Local Experts are doing on the island shows us that we are on the right track. We are confident that with Bentu Experience, as of today our new partner in Welcomely, we will significantly accelerate the objectives of the Welcome to Italy project in terms of hotel extras.  Marco Celani, CEO of Italianway: "We are delighted to continue supporting the development of the Local Expert network under the new Welcomely brand. We expect exponential growth both in the number of accommodations managed and in the value of bookings attracted.”

The latest creation of the Felix Hotels group, this contemporary and elegant 4-star superior establishment, is positioned as a new hospitality hub and the new reference point for superior catering and accommodation. Alongside the hotel, two new restaurants are also opening today from Felix Taste, the Group’s gastronomic branch.

Two restaurants and a bakery

With 70 rooms, a spa, an indoor and rooftop pool,  a panoramic terrace, two restaurants and a bakery, it is not just for tourists and travellers. There are meetings and event rooms for business events, the Felix Bistrot on the ground floor offers breakfast and brunch, and while enjoying an aperitif or dinner visitors can enjoy spectacular views from the Felix Rooftop.

Managing La Coluccia in Santa Teresa Gallura 

The president of Felix Hotels, Agostino Cicalò, explains “In 2021 we laid the foundations for an ever-growing project. We started from the properties, building the Hotel Felix Olbia and taking over the management of La Coluccia di Santa Teresa Gallura.”

There is an alternative way to discover the fabulous landscapes of Sardinia. Just tak the Trenino Verde (Little Green Train) that connects the coast to the hinterland. Traveling along the historic Trenino Verde railway line, that for 130 years has connected the interior of Sardinia to the coast, you will discover villages suspended in time, breathtaking landscapes and spectacular views along this journey to a very authentic and lesser-known side of the island.

Narrow-gauge tracks and unhurried journeys

The Trenino Verde is the longest tourist railway network in Europe, measures 438 kilometres and has five different branches. This line that will lead you to the heart of the region originates from the old narrow-gauge tracks built between the 19th and 20th centuries, days in which rail travel was unhurried and along winding routes towards marvellous landscaped areas.

There are five routes from the coast into the interior

During the 1980s these old complementary routes got a new lease of life with the Trenino Verde, so called because of the many stretches rich in vegetation encountered along the way.  There are five lines and the train operates all year round carrying passengers from the coastal areas towards the interior of Sardinia.

Palau

Palau - Tempio

This part of the route crosses the whole of the Gallura region along the Sassari-Palau railway line. The journey is 59 kilometres long and lasts about three and a half hours. The train leaves from Palau and arrives in Tempio, the highest point on the line at over 500 meters asl.

Bosa

Macomer - Bosa

This route is 46 kilometres long and takes an hour and fifty minutes. On the first part of the journey it passes through the Campeda Plateau, at over 500 meters asl, before descending towards Tresnuraghes and the sea at ​​Bosa.

Mandas - Laconi

The itinerary from Mandas to Laconi is 37 kilometres long and passes through the beautiful Sarcidano and Barbagia di Belvì areas, taking two hours and forty-five minutes.  

Mandas - Seui

This route is 72 kilometres long and takes three hours and forty minutes, passing through the Gennargentu mountain range, past the Flumendosa river and into the wild mountains of the Barbagia region.

Arbatax

Arbatax - Gairo

This 62-kilometre route takes three hours and a half with the Trenino Verde passing through the mountain villages of Elini and Lanusei, past the Lago Alto del Flumendosa lake and arriving in Gairo Taquisara, where you can experience the unusual and fascinating circumstance of visiting the ghost villages of Osini Vecchio and Gairo Vecchio. 

EasyJet is boosting its Italian network with the introduction of 8 new international routes which are already on sale through the carrier's distribution channels. The new routes include, from 1 December and throughout the winter season, Milan Linate to Berlin Brandenburg daily; Milan’s Linate city airport to Amsterdam which doubles to two frequencies per day, and routes to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly as well as to London Gatwick. A new daily Milan Malpensa to Porto route joins the one already on sale and will start on February 20.

New Father Christmas flights to Rovaniemi

In view of the Christmas holidays from 19 December the company will operate the new Milan Malpensa-Rovaniemi route twice weekly. Flights have also started from Brussels National Airport to Naples, Catania and Palermo, and from the Sicilian airports there will also be services to Zurich. In addition, capacity to and from Sardinia will be enhanced by boosting frquencies on the Milan Bergamo-Olbia starting from 17 December.

Twice weekly flights to Sharm el Sheikh

There are already flights from Naples to Tel Aviv and, starting from 31 October, also to Tenerife, from both of which there are also flights to Milan Malpensa. In addition starting on 31 October from Venice’s Marco Polo airport, and from 3 November from Naples Capodichino, there will be twice weekly flights to Sharm el Sheikh.

Hotels.com has rounded up a selection of the sexiest hotels in Italy. They are all winners of the Guests’ Favourites 2021, so whether you're booking a stay for next week or next year, Hotels.com makes it really easy to find just the right place.  For all these romantic hotels you can find more information and make reservations at Hotels.com.

Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita in UNESCO Matera 

Right in the heart of the ancient city of Matera, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Le Grotte della Civita has large, evocative rooms inside the ancient caves, and simple furnishings made from  recycled materials. A charming choice for unforgettable experiences. Prices at Sextantio Le Grotte della Civita start from € 258 per room per night.

I Morus Relais in Pula, a popular Sardinian seaside resort

Is Morus Relais, is one of the most enchanting resorts in Sardinia: seven hectares of paradise with direct access to a private beach, and suites and villas spread out among laurels, myrtles, junipers and olive trees. A perfect choice for intimate stays, and with discreet and exclusive service. Prices at Is Morus Relais start from 139 € per room per night.

Relais Castello Bevilacqua in Bevilacqua on the plains of Verona

You don’t have to be royalty to stay in this authentic and romantic 16th-century Italian castle. There are seven rooms with splendid antique furniture and museum-quality works of art, as well as a gym and exclusive limousine service. Prices at the Relais Castello Bevilacqua start from €147 per room per night.

Palazzina Grassi for romantic getaways in Venice 

With its fabled gondoliers and melancholic canals no list of romantic destinations would be complete without Venice. Just behind the Palazzo Grassi art gallery the Palazzina Grassi, Italy’s only hotel designed by French architect Philippe Starke, is perfect for romantic getaways. The Krug Lounge, overlooking the Grand Canal, is the place to relax with a glass of champagne. Prices at the Palazzina Grassi start from € 292 per room per night.

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in Sorrento on the Bay of Naples

Perched on the edge of a rocky ridge right in the heart of Sorrento, with breathtaking views of the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius, this charming, historical 5-star property offers guests luxury levels of service. With a Michelin-star restaurant, a boutique spa and fully equipped gym, prices at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria start from € 541 per room per night.

The summer season ended with a plus sign for Garibaldi Hotels, the Italian hotel group with 12 properties in the Apulia, Sicily, Sardinia, Latium and Trentino regions, even if it only lasted just over two months. Domestic tourism was a big player and the Trentino and Apulia regions, with highs of 90%, were the two most popular destinations for the Group. 

Apulia attracted many visitors thanks to its ease of access

"Despite the complexity of these difficult times the summer season was a positive one, albeit it with the difficulties of the very short seasonality and lack of consistent tourist flows from abroad,” said Fabrizio Prete, General Manager of Garibaldi Hotels. “The best results came from Apulia and Trentino. Apulia has been leading the field for years as a reference tourist destination for the South long before Covid. A trend that continued this year thanks also to the fact that it is easily accessible compared, for example, to the Italian islands. The Trentino and the mountains in general have benefited from the desire to spend ​ healthy holidays in the open air, and it always attracts strong flows from other northern Italian regions.”

The Santina Resort in Sardinia is the Garibaldi Hotels new entry 

Garibaldi Hotels opened the Santina Resort this summer.  This modern property in Valledoria in the province of Sassari is on the northern coast in the center of the Gulf of Asinara. “Work on the Santina took longer than expected,” said Prete,  “and we only managed to open in August. It’s difficult to judge after such a short period but we received a lot of positive feedback and hit the highest ADR (average daily rate) of all the Group's properties.” 

European operators are already planning for summer 2022

The Santina also aroused the interest of several foreign operators with German, Polish and Dutch operators visiting the new property with an eye to making substantial investments in 2022. “As far as the Italian market goes, it accounted for about 85% of the Santina’s turnover this summer and we are in talks with some of Italy’s main TOs. Opening the property turned out to be a useful test and we are confident and optimistic for next summer.”

Poltu Quatu, in the province of Olbia-Tempio on the north-east coast of Sardinia has had a highly successful summer season with very high occupancy rates. Poltu Quatu, from the Gallura dialect for "hidden port", is a small fishing village with a wide range of activities and services on a natural fjord of wind-sculpted rocks on the Costa Smeralda coast, facing the Maddalena Archipelago.

Rooms, suites and 66 apartments in the new The Reserve unit 

The heart of the village is the Grand Hotel Poltu Quatu, which opened in 2002 and is styled like a  typical fishing village. An oasis of peace and tranquility, it has 143 rooms and suites, 66 The Reserve apartments, restaurants and bars, a swimming pool, a wellness and fitness center, a private beach, tennis courts, new padel courts, and a congress center.  On the nearby promenade there are boutiques, restaurants and a bar at the private Blue Flag Marina dell'Orso tourist port, which has  305 berths and related services.

Ending the season on a high note 

We are happy with the results so far and will close the season on a high note - said Rafael Torres, ceo Girama Hospitality Management, which is managing Poltu Quatu this year in collaboration with associated companies -. Both the owners and the staff played a vital role in the success of the season at such a difficult time, making Poltu Quatu an exclusive point of reference for the Costa Smeralda.

Italians, but also European and American guests

From its opening at the end of May up to the closing scheduled for 10 October the number of visitors has almost doubled over last year with an average stay of 4/5 days and with a prevalence of couples.  Over 60% of guests were Italians (even outside the usual August period), followed by other European countries: France (over 7%) , Germany (almost 4%), Switzerland (2.86%), UK (2.24%), Holland (1.97%), Belgium (1.79%), Romania (1.43%), Spain (1.25%) and with 4.83% of Americans. Last-minute booking and same-day bookings were a regular feature, even for the best suites, and often made directly at the reception desk late in the evening. 

A new private beach and port for 2022 

The 2021 season kicked off with new totally refurbished rooms, and the new The Reserve Poltu Quatu unit,with 66 apartments designed as a private retreat, while more new projects are already under way for the 2022 season. From the collaboration with prestigious international brands for catering and entertainment, to the creation of an exclusive private beach in a protected bay a short distance away, and a new port.

Food tells the story of a place and in few places is this as true as it is in Sardinia. The quality of the raw materials and the preparation and flavours of the dishes go beyond your wildest dreams, and are the legacy of an age-old story. Sardinian cuisine today is not all that different from what it was many centuries ago, and it differs from one area to the other in terms of technique. Whether on the coast or inland Sardinia never ceases to amaze with its food, based on simple and genuine ingredients with strong and at the same time delicate flavours.

From home cooking to fine dining restaurants

Sardinia is home to many traditional products of the highest quality: from Pecorino to Fiore cheeses, spiny artichoke to saffron and from bottarga fish roe to great wines. In both family kitchens and fine restaurants you can find typical recipes and specialties. Starting with the bakeries which produce specialty breads such as Coccoi and Civraxu, f pan’e gherda and Carasau. There are also many tasty bread-based dishes like Pane Frattau and Gallura Soup. And then delicious pasta dishes such as Fregula and Malloreddus and fresh pasta favourites like Culurgiones, Filindeu and Lorighittas.

A wealth of local specialties

The main courses are meats such as roast pork, lamb or kid, cordula lamb entrails and boiled lamb. Among the fish we find shellfish, sea bass, sea bream, grilled eels and tuna cooked in a thousand ways. Then come the cheeses: aged or fresh Pecorino, kid Rennet and Casu Marzu, as well as cheese-based desserts such as Seadas and Pardulas, and confectionery with almonds and honey.

Year-round festivals and wine trails

You can find genuine products and traditional dishes everywhere on the island, especially at the many food and wine festivals and events which are organized throughout the year like the Primavere in Baronìa spring festival in Gallura and Sulcis or the Autunno in Barbagia. Or let yourself be carried away by the various typical restaurants or along the wine trails. Each part of the island has one, or more than one, famous wine. From the Vermentino in Gallura, the Torbato and Cagnulari in Alghero, the Carignano in Sulcis, the Cannonau in Ogliastra and in the Nuorese, to the Monica, the Nuragus in Campidano, the Vernaccia in Orristanese and the famous Malvasia in Bosa.