Contained in the Glamorous Italian Resort The place Sports activities Stars Have a good time Championships in Non-public Pool Villas

In Europe, soccer stars are like royalty. So for an Italian resort, being the go-to trip vacation spot for soccer stars celebrating a profession excessive notice — a championship win — is the last word praise.

However for Resort Pitrizza, a Luxurious Assortment Resort on Sardinia’s elegant Costa Smeralda, internet hosting prime athletes is simply one other day on the job.

Final week, Manuel Locatelli, midfielder for the Euro Cup-winning Italy nationwide crew, posted celebrations on the lodge on his Instagram account, together with girlfriend Thessa Lacovich and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Even non-sportsfans who do not know Locatelli for his key objectives all through the sequence would possibly know him from his viral second sitting within the grass on the telephone with Lacovich whereas the remainder of his teammates celebrated the large victory over England collectively. Followers had been gushing over the romantic on-field second, however that they had no thought what romance was to come back for the pair on their post-game journey to Sardinia.

Locatelli and Lacovich posted photographs throughout luxurious purchasing, eating, and yachting vacation spot Porto Cervo, together with at famend waterfront seafood restaurant Quattropassi al Pescatore, the place you may watch fish swim beside superyachts out of your desk. (Strive the tagliatelle di calamaro — squid skillfully sliced as skinny as pasta with bottarga and lemon — and the fritto misto for presumably the tastiest fried seafood sampler on the planet.)

Their lodge of selection, like so many stars earlier than them, was unsurprisingly Resort Pitrizza, identified for its exceptionally non-public luxurious villas — much more of a treasured commodity now, within the age of COVID-19, as vacationers search seclusion greater than ever.

Modeled after nuraghi, stone towers distinctive to Sardinia’s historical historical past, the stone villas and their grass-lined rooftops mix into the gorgeous seafront panorama on Sardinia’s northeastern coast, as do the lodge’s immaculately manicured gardens and flower-filled grounds.

All the setting feels straight out of a dream, however when you're inside your villa, you're actually in a world of your personal. To sum it up in a phrase, as Locatelli and Lacovich did: Calma.

All six two- and three-bedroom villas include sea-view swimming pools, however just one, Villa Pino, consists of its personal non-public seaside. It is for that reason that Pino, on-site sources say, is essentially the most sought-after villa amongst Europe’s wealthy and well-known. It does not harm that it additionally has a separate bed room, rest room, and mini-kitchen good for a bodyguard or nanny. The common day by day price in excessive season (July and August) is €21,000 per evening.

The villas take full benefit of Sardinian sunshine, with eating areas, residing rooms, and rain showers each indoors and out. Some villas boast a tub with a view, and all promise king-size beds made up with textiles hand-crafted by native artisans.

There's no want to go away your villa — after all, in rooms like this, room service is inspired — and there's a lot house for eating, you'll be tempted to name all of your closest buddies over for a cocktail party instantly upon entry. However must you select to benefit from the lodge's services past your villa, employees will tour you across the property by way of golf cart.

Nothing beats a personal pool, however the lodge's most important pool will get shut, with its granite rock formations, thatched umbrellas, and views over Liscia di Vacca bay.

The outside, sea-view fitness center is ideal for athletes trying to sustain their routines, or simply vacationers who want somewhat further motivation to maneuver on trip. Above it, the trendy bar — the property's finest aperitivo spot — serves cocktails which can be typically accompanied by music from a stay pianist.

Pitrizza Restaurant serves recent seafood and conventional Sardinian pasta and meat dishes by evening and barbecue by day.

Ideally located overlooking the pool and bay, it's tough to maintain your eyes off the horizon whilst you eat, particularly because the sky turns pink at sundown — however at Resort Pitrizza, don't neglect to go searching you. You by no means know who might be sitting on the subsequent desk.

Nina Ruggiero is Journey + Leisure’s deputy digital editor. A New Yorker residing in Los Angeles, she’s happiest on a seaside, a cobblestone avenue, or in a lodge bathtub with a view. Discover her on Instagram @ninamarienyc.