Villa Cannonau

Villa Cannonau is long, low and white, laid out along a lawn with a curving pool at its feet. A stone entrance with a conical stone tower gives a nod to the old buildings of Sardinia, but everything beyond it is open, light and modern.

The living room is enormous, floored in polished marble, with cream sofas scattered with bright orange cushions and walls of glass to the garden. A cosier lounge has a built-in sofa behind a lattice screen. Meals can be round a glossy table under the wall units, or at a long stone table beneath timber beams, and the steel kitchen is fit for a professional cook. As a luxury villa rental in Sardinia, it offers a great deal of space for a small party.

Villa Cannonau has two bedrooms. One has softly lit green niches above the bed, the other a chaise longue and warm orange bedding. A bathroom wrapped in glowing onyx has a freestanding tub.

Outside, a pergola colonnade runs along the house, with loungers in the shade beside the pool and a green lawn beyond. Sardinia is one of the great island escapes of Italy, known for clear water and long sunny days. This villa is ideal for two couples, or for a couple who want a great deal of room to themselves.