Why I Moved to Sardinia (and What the Island Did to Me)
A few years ago, I moved to Sardinia—not for work, not for the weather, but for love.
I followed my heart to this island, without realizing how deeply the island itself would touch me.
From "I'm moving for her" to "I'm in love with this island"
What started as a simple decision—to move with my partner—soon turned into something much bigger.
The peace, the space, the people, the food, the way life here still feels the way it’s supposed to. I hadn’t been here long when I realized that I’d fallen in love not only with a person, but also with a place.
Ever since then, I’ve been discovering new aspects of this island time and again: a hidden cove you can only reach on foot, an agriturismo where the owner lets you taste his own wine while he tells you about his family, a village festival that tourists rarely attend and where, within ten minutes, you’re already being invited for a glass of wine.
The response I kept getting over and over again
It wasn't until my previous job as a building inspector that I really realized just how few Dutch people actually know much about Sardinia.
Every day I visited at least two clients at their homes, and the conversation almost always turned to vacations at some point. As soon as I started talking about Sardinia—the water, the tranquility, the cuisine—I saw the same look of surprise time and time again: “I didn’t know Sardinia was that beautiful.”
That didn't happen just once. It happened time and time again, day in and day out. At some point, I realized: there are travelers all over the Netherlands who simply don't know what they're missing.
Why I'm Different from a Regular Travel Agency
There are travel agencies that offer Sardinia along with ten other Italian destinations. And there are local experts who work in five languages at once. I do neither.
I’m a Dutchman who moved to Sardinia for love—and ended up falling in love with the island myself along the way. No catalog, no call center—just someone who lives here, speaks your language, and understands exactly what a Dutch traveler is looking for.
What this means for you
I don't base my recommendations on a travel guide or a list I once read somewhere.
I offer advice based on my own daily life here: the beaches I go to myself, the restaurants where I eat myself, and the people I know personally.
That’s exactly why I started Sardegna Autentica: to show Dutch travelers the side of Sardinia that I’ve come to know and love—and that still surprises so many people.
My insider tip
Wondering what I can do to help with your trip?
Whether you're still deciding between destinations or already know that Sardinia will be your next trip—I'd be happy to help you plan, drawing on my own experience as someone who actually lives here.
Want to know how Sardinia can surprise you, too? I’d be happy to help you create an itinerary tailored to what you’re looking for—based on what I discover here myself, day in and day out.