Sardinia & Corsica: Islands of Italy and France

Most people come to the Mediterranean expecting the familiar. Sardinia and Corsica will surprise them. Wander the Catalan-built streets of Alghero and the basket-weaving lanes of Castelsardo before crossing the often-turbulent Strait of Bonifacio to Corsica's dramatic cliff-top citadel. Back in Sardinia, settle into the Gallura coastline for a winery tour and tasting lunch, then spend a full day cruising the turquoise waters of the La Maddalena Archipelago. From there, trade the coast for the mountains: the Barbagia countryside is shepherd country, shaped by centuries of isolation and self-sufficiency. Cook a Sardinian meal from scratch, eat lunch at a working shepherd's hut, and gather for a Blue Zone dinner rooted in the ancestral rhythms that have helped make this island home to one of the world's highest concentrations of centenarians. Nothing like you expected.