Villa Carretero occupies a granite hillside in the Costa Smeralda area of Sardinia, built directly into a landscape of pale rounded boulders that emerge through the garden and form the natural boundary walls of the lower terraces. The villa itself is constructed from the same local granite as the outcrop it stands on, laid in rough dry-stone courses so the building reads as a continuation of the rock around it. Old maquis shrubs, yellow lantana, and red valerian fill the crevices between the boulders, and cultivated bougainvillea climbs the stone walls facing the sea, and is available to book through The Luxury Rental.

The covered outdoor terrace is the main living and dining space of the property. It is sheltered by a pergola structure whose columns are formed by smooth-barked old stone-pine trunks, their upper branches left intact and spreading above the roofline as a natural canopy. Under the pergola, a long stainless-steel outdoor kitchen with twin sinks and a full gas range runs along one wall. A white marble dining table with painted chairs in turquoise, white, and lavender stands at the centre of the space. Low linen sofas face south through the boulder formations toward the water. The terrace decking is wide-plank iroko wood, with the granite rock surface left exposed through the boards where it rises from the ground rather than being cut away.

The swimming pool is set into a lower granite terrace approximately four metres below the main outdoor area. Smooth stone coping surrounds the pool on three sides, and cushioned teak chaise lounges are arranged in two rows along its length. A second lounge seating area with wide grey outdoor sofas looks down over the pool from the upper terrace. The garden on both levels is planted with rosemary, rock-rose, and native maquis species that carry colour through both the spring flowering months and the dry heat of summer and into the early weeks of autumn.

Inside the villa, the same material language continues throughout: rough stone walls, traditional terracotta floor tiles, and heavy timber ceiling beams in the main reception and dining rooms. Two stone fireplaces in the main living area are used on cooler evenings in the shoulder months of spring and autumn. The kitchen is fitted for a private chef with professional appliances and a large central prep island. Bedrooms on the upper levels each have private bathrooms and windows positioned to capture the sea view through the rocky terrain below. Rooms are furnished with bleached timber pieces and handwoven textiles in the natural palette of the site.

A private boat mooring on the lower section of the property gives direct water access. The mooring serves as a starting point for day trips by boat to Caprera and the La Maddalena archipelago, 30 kilometres to the north. Villa Carretero is managed by The Luxury Rental with daily housekeeping and a private chef included in the rental rate. Olbia airport is 45 kilometres south on the Sardinia road network and handles direct summer flights from London, Paris, and other European cities.