How about a holiday home in Sardinia? Ask typical sun-seeking Britons to name a beautiful Mediterranean island and Majorca, Ibiza and Cyprus will feature highly. They ignore Sardinia. The island, the second largest in the Med, is 115 miles west of the mainland and has little of the bling of those other destinations, which makes it attractive to discerning Britons seeking an unspoilt location and, best of all, keeps prices relatively low. In the north-east, Costa Smeralda, or Emerald Coast, where various celebrities reside, adds a little stardust to this otherwise-unassuming island. There is an international airport, Alghero, a rugged coast, good beaches and cobalt waters - reminiscent of Majorca before the developers. Unlike the rest of the island, this patch is expensive. For £1.5 million you get a four-bedroom villa with sea views. But waterfront villas cost upwards of £8 million. Don't expect much negotiation on prices, demand remains high," warns Gemma Bruce of Casa & Country, an Italian buying agency. A far more affordable area is southern Sardinia, a 90-minute drive from Cagliari airport. It was popular in pre-downturn days, but Bruce admits "British buyers are few and far between in recent years," and BA and Ryanair have ceased direct flights from the UK, leaving easyJet with a near monopoly. Villas for sale are few, but only 40 per cent of Costa Smeralda prices, so a three-bedroom villa can be as little as £200,000. Derelict houses can be around £30,000, although require as much again to be habitable. There is, however, a project at Is Molas golf resort: a five-star hotel and villas are being built. The first ones will cost from £1.52 million but later phases will be cheaper. The third area for potential buyers includes the capital city, Cagliari. The charming, historic port has plenty for sale. In the marina area a local developer, RUR, is turning a 19th-century mansion into apartments, for £231,150 to £1.5 m - the latter with dramatic port views. The city and the island are unspoilt, and a ban on new waterside development means Sardinia is destined to avoid the fate of Spain and its islands. Yet its charm is tempered by relative inaccessibility. There are few flights from the UK outside the summer months. In the northern half of the island, tourist ports close between September and June, not taking economic advantage of its year-round high temperatures and sunshine. Few British estate agents are there, and tourism remains stubbornly low. It's frustrating. Sardinia could be a holiday destination for 10 to 12 months a year, probably without changing its quiet, sophisticated tone," says Andrew Graham, British honorary consul in Cagliari for 34 years. Until then, Sardinia will remain uncrowded - a shame for tourism, but great for the canny few who buy there. Sardinian Sales Is Molas Three-bedroom villas in what will be Sardinia's largest golf resort some 45 minutes from Cagliari airport. Owners will also be able to use an on-site five-star hotel. From £1.52 million through Savills (020 7016 3740; savills.com). Cagliari Newly created apartments in a former post office building, some with dramatic views over the oldest part of the city. Prices from £231,150 to £1.5 million through Savills (as above). Costa Smeralda Four- bedroom, four-bathroom home with 1,500 square feet of internal space and 2,500 square feet of grounds boasting sea views. £963,250 from Hamptons International (020 7758 8488; hamptons-international.com).