Spiaggia del Principe hides behind a screen of juniper and mastic bushes, accessible only by a ten-minute descent on a narrow dirt trail. Two small beaches face each other across a rocky spine, each no more than fifty meters long. The granite here has weathered into sculptural forms—smooth domes, tilted slabs, and balanced rocks that look arranged by a giant's hand. Sage and rockrose cling to crevices, their sharp scent mixing with salt air.
“The twin-cove layout sculpted by ancient granite creates two distinct beaches in one location, each with its own microclimate and water depth.”
Credit: UnsplashPalm trees framing a sunset shore
The northern cove attracts swimmers who wade into water so clear you'll count individual pebbles three meters down. Families with small children prefer the southern crescent, where the entry is gentler and granite boulders create shallow pools that warm in the midday sun. By noon, both beaches fill to capacity—perhaps sixty people squeezed onto sand the color of raw silk. No beach clubs, no umbrellas for rent, no chiringuitos selling cold drinks. You carry everything in and pack everything out.
The bay's name allegedly honors Prince Aga Khan, who developed much of the Costa Smeralda in the 1960s and favored this spot for private swims. Whether the story holds truth matters less than the view: those rust-streaked granite formations against water that shifts from mint to teal as clouds pass overhead. Arrive before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to claim sand space and photograph the coves without strangers in every frame.
