Hello Buoys! Sardinia's Costa Smeralda

Sardinia's Costa Smeralda is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. And I don't say that out of mere patriotism. In the 1960s, the Aga Khan was so enchanted by it that he sank much of his fortune into a project to build a resort there.

It is now glamour-on-sea, where the beautiful people hang out in kaftans and sandals, hopping from one luxury boat to another. The centre of all this activity is Porto Cervo, a little village nestled in a cove with the bluest water you can imagine and maritime pines that march up to the white-sand beaches.

Small wonder that the Loro Piana brothers, owners of the most luxurious cashmere brand in the world, decided to host a regatta in the delightful seas there. Personally, as soon as I spotted the warm azure waves, in a taxi heading from the airport to my hotel, I couldn't resist the temptation of a quick dip. The driver did look a bit shocked when I asked him to stop, but I simply had to have a bathe. He screeched to a halt in the middle of the road and, pointing to some dense undergrowth, told me that if I pressed on I would arrive at a deserted beach. Perfect for my little swim. The driver waited patiently and then whisked me off to the Hotel Pitrizza.

The Pitrizza is, together with the Hotel Cala di Volpe, one of the oldest in the area. Its simply decorated rooms are dotted around a landscaped park, amid flowers and olive trees. It also has its own private beach, complete with rocky outcrops and clear seas. Time for another dip, I thought.

The dress code for cocktails at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda was blazers. I was in heaven. I love men in blazers almost as much as I love wearing them myself. The club was created by the Aga Khan in 1967 and is a remnant of a golden past. It was here that Pierluigi and Sergio Loro Piana were hosting a dinner for all the regatta
participants. The terrace overlooked the harbour, so we could admire the super-yachts (the regatta was for boats no less than 78ft long, thank you very much). They looked like sleeping aquatic monsters in the soft light of the sunset over the Tyrrhenian Sea. I discussed the finer points of cashmere and vicuña with the brothers, who told
me that they are so boat-mad they now design monogrammed jackets for yacht owners and crews. And the yachts themselves can be upholstered in cashmere. What a dream.

Normally, in this part of Italy, the evening starts after a late dinner and carries on all night in one club or another. Here, everyone chatted about titanium fixtures and the chances of a breeze, and then the captains of the various boats left early so as to be ready for the big day. It was a refreshing change.

The next day, all the big boats were getting ready to sail. It was so nice to see all the crews in their chic white canvas shorts and polo shirts. The yachts' route was marked out by the little islands of the La Maddalena archipelago, acting as natural buoys. Snug in my red Loro Piana regatta jacket (microfibre, and wind- and storm-resistant), I chatted with my fellow boat-fanciers. But, disaster! My Song, the brothers' boat, had left the dock without me.

Some kind sailors took pity on me in my distress (truly there's a brotherhood of sailors) and we watched the regatta action from another yacht. This way I got a better view of the 29 boats sailing against each other, with their colourful spinnakers billowing in the wind, flying over the sea and jostling for position. And My Song didn't win anyway.

We were back in time for a stroll around Porto Cervo. Here La Piazzetta, the main square, is almost like a sitting room for the whole village, with benches and trees arranged as if in someone's house. Underneath the arches are some of the best designer shops in all Sardinia. I was charmed by the local linen and ceramics and bought a cushion cover, embroidered with a picture of coral, at a local shop called L'Isola.

A late-afternoon swim at Hotel Pitrizza was the best way to wind down after the excitement of the day. This was followed by dinner on the terrace of the Madai restaurant, where we enjoyed a plate of fregula – the local couscous – and a bottle of mirto, Sardinian sherry, watching the sun set over the archipelago, and that night I dreamed of a Loro Piana cashmere-lined sailing boat that would transport me across turquoise seas, all the way back to London.

Where to stay
The Hotel Pitrizza is a Costa Smeralda landmark. Tucked away in a little bay, with incomparable views over pristine white-sand beaches and the clear turquoise sea, it's a calm place to base yourself, especially during the summer when the whole area heaves with yachts and flashy cars. The 55 rooms are decorated in traditional Sardinian style, in shades of turquoise and coral red. The terrace restaurant overlooks the hotel's private beach and in the evenings a pianist tinkles the ivories (pitrizzahotel.com).