The general Sardinia article covers the destination broadly. This piece addresses what Sardinia asks of men specifically — the Costa Smeralda, the interior, Porto Cervo, and the specific visual culture of Italy's most glamorous island.

Sardinia's social register varies more dramatically than most Mediterranean destinations. Porto Cervo, the Cala di Volpe hotel, the beach clubs of the Costa Smeralda — these are among the most observed luxury venues in the Mediterranean, where the standard is international and the visual attention is intense. The interior of the island — the Nuraghe archaeological sites, the hill villages, the agricultural landscape — has an entirely different and more austere character.

For Porto Cervo and the Costa Smeralda. The marina, the Piazzetta, the beach clubs — a PP linen shirt in white or a composed oyster, with linen shorts and leather sandals, is the daytime combination that reads correctly at the Costa Smeralda's best venues. For the evening at Porto Cervo — the dinner at one of the terrace restaurants overlooking the marina — navy PP linen with linen trousers and leather loafers is the correct register.

For the beaches — Cala Corsara, Cala Brandinchi, the beaches of the Maddalena archipelago. The most beautiful beaches in Sardinia are accessed by boat or by difficult drives. A PP linen shirt over swim shorts — white or a light natural — for the boat trip and the beach, transitioning to the terrace lunch without adjustment.

For the interior. The ancient Nuraghe towers, the Barbagia hill country, the town of Orgosolo with its murals — the interior of Sardinia rewards earth tones and natural fabric. The contrast between the glamour of the coast and the authenticity of the interior is part of what makes Sardinia distinctive; dressing for the interior means acknowledging that distinction.

What to Wear in Sardinia  ·  What to Wear in Portofino  ·  Men's Linen Collection