Chia is a village and coastline at the southern tip of Sardinia. It’s also home to some of the best beaches in Italy. They all run to a theme, too – white sands, forested headlands, heaped dunes and full-width Tyrrhenian Sea views.
Most people make a beeline for Chia Beach, which drapes itself beside a salt lagoon and juniper forests. Little chioscos serve up Aperol spritzes and snacks, while a beach club tops the sands with lounge beds. Mount Cogoni Beach also has a lagoon (a hideaway for breeding flamingos), along with spacious sands and views of ancient Chia Tower.
There’s a clutch of smaller bays, too, including Cala Cipolla and Morto. You’ll often see salt-crusted surfers heading here to catch the short, sharp waves.
The village centre is set back from the coastline, tucked between forested foothills. Here, rural roads ramble between a whitewashed church, family-run restaurants and acres of fruit orchards and fig groves.
