TRAVEL
exfoliation awakened tired skin before warm honey and deeply nourishing massage movements restored softness and calm. It was grounding, restorative and deeply Sardinian in spirit; a wellness experience that wasn’ t just for show but actually really considered and invigorating, with the ritual elevated further by its location in wooden cabins surrounded by lush garden vegetation.
Evenings became again about food and entertainment, and often both! Dining across the resort feels almost absurdly abundant, with restaurants( of which there are 23 to choose from!) ranging from relaxed family favourites to Michelin-starred culinary experiences. Evening buffets at Cavalieri carried equal refinement to its breakfast offerings, Sardinian specialities sitting comfortably alongside beautifully prepared Italian classics.
At Ristorante Brasiliano, the atmosphere was breezy and informal, the focus firmly on expertly grilled meats rotating slowly over charcoal. Cuts arrived smoky, deeply savoury and beautifully tender, carved tableside against a soundtrack of family chatter and holiday ease.
Ristorante Sardo, overseen by Stefano Usai, offered a deeper immersion into the island’ s culinary identity. Sardinian cuisine is wonderfully complex, shaped by geography, history and centuries of cultural layering. Here, pasta dishes, local suckling pig, regional cheeses and traditional desserts showcased the island’ s flavours with authenticity and confidence, accompanied by local wines bursting with fresh salinity and gentle ageing.
Le Dune delivered a different mood entirely. Positioned with glorious Mediterranean views, the restaurant takes familiar Italian classics and subtly modernises them. Elegant rather than overly theatrical, it was the sort of meal where sea views, polished service and beautifully balanced cooking combined into effortless holiday dining.
Our standout evening, however, belonged unquestionably to Belvedere. Chef Giuseppe Molaro’ s gourmet restaurant sits elevated above the resort on a beautiful terrace and from the first plate it became clear this was a meal built around precision, creativity and emotion.
The wagyu carpaccio arrived almost impossibly delicate, the richness of the beef offset brilliantly by bright citrus tapioca pearls, salty-sweet ponzu and the gentle heat of wasabi mayonnaise. Scallop sashimi followed, translucent and pristine, lifted by bursts of trout-roe salinity and the sharp sweetness of pickled red onion.
The tagliatelle with seafood ragù and‘ nduja crumble balanced comfort with complexity; silky ribbons of pasta coated in deeply flavoured seafood sauce while the‘ nduja brought gentle warmth and smoky depth. Mr Ready’ s Iberico pork presa was beautifully judged, tender and deeply savoury, paired with fermented red cabbage that added acidity and intrigue, while my filet steak arrived with allium ash, peppery rocket cream and molten Parmesan fondue to become somehow both decadent and restrained.
Desserts were every bit as memorable. A warm chocolate fondant collapsed into molten richness beneath the spoon, while the tiramisu paired with white coffee ice cream was extraordinary, lighter than expected, beautifully bittersweet and impossibly elegant.
If wine is your thing, the wine tasting experience was a great offering. Guided through four Sardinian wines alongside crumbly pecorino and crisp bread crackers, the session was relaxed, informative and deeply enjoyable. Sardinian wines possess a fascinating minerality and freshness, and discovering them in this informal setting felt refreshingly unpretentious.
Once sated, we headed each evening to the open-air amphitheatre that brought house bands, visiting performers and that pleasant, slightly nostalgic holiday feeling of families gathering under warm night skies.
And yet it wasn’ t all fine dining or elevated buffets. Between beach, bikes and sporting exertions, casual dining offered that laid back holiday vibe. Beachside lunches drifted between fresh pizza, smashburgers and homestyle fries, punctuated by frequent, entirely justified gelato stops. In true Italian fashion, the gelato offering was impossible to ignore: intense pistachio, rich chocolate, and of course my firm favourite stracciatella, were the perfect cool down afternoon treat between activity fun.
Forte Village understands something many luxury resorts still struggle to master: that family travel need not compromise sophisticated dining, meaningful wellness or beautiful hospitality. Here, children can return exhilarated from football coaching while parents emerge floating from thalasso pools, and Michelin-level dinners coexist happily alongside beachside burgers. In essence, the whole experience feels generous, elevated and rather joyful.
It’ s understandable why we all felt reluctant to leave.
fortevillageresort. com fortevillage THE BEST WAY TO GET TO SARDINIA
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