Chia

More a collection of hotels, holiday homes and campgrounds than a traditional village, Chia is surrounded by rusty-red hills tufted with tough macchia. Its beaches are hugely popular, drawing an annual influx of sunseekers, windsurfers and water-sports enthusiasts. To see what all the fuss is about, head up to the Spanish watchtower and look to the west to Spiaggia Sa Colonia, the area's largest and busiest beach, and to the east to the smaller Spiaggia Su Portu.