The main center of the Emerald Coast is Porto Cervo with its 200 inhabitants during winter time, while during summer time this number rises extremely. The Costa Smeralda is only 10 kilometers long but manages to offer an incredible 56-kilometre coastline of sandy beaches and rugged coves. The consortium, which the Aga Khan formed in the early sixties, has stuck firmly by one guiding principle. Any development should blend and enhance the superb scenery and not disfigure it in any way. Consequently there are no high-rise buildings and telephone wires and electrical cables have to be hidden underground. Some of the most prominent architects, such as Couelle and Vietti, have designed the hotels and villas on the Costa Smeralda in an inimitable yet homogenous neo-Mediterranean style. Their creations harmonies with the mountains, the vegetation, the 80 magical white-sanded beaches and the blue coves as in no other resort.

The Costa Smeralda is made for water sports and boating. Sailing, windsurfing and scuba-diving are available all along the coast and motor-boats (from dinghies to power boats) can be hired. Porto Cervo has one of the finest yachting marinas in Europe and hosts world-class races and regattas. Above the variety of Hotels and Resorts around the area, Luci di La Muntagna Hotel is a four star with a breath taking panorama worth a visiting.