.CASTELSARDO, THE HEART OF NORTHERN SARDINIA. Officially listed among the "Borghi più belli d'Italia", the most beautiful villages in Italy, Castelsardo sits on a rock above the sea, in the north of Sardinia. At the top stands a castle built by the Doria family in the 12th century. Below it, stone alleys, a cathedral on the cliffs, sea view homes, small artisan shops, Italian family restaurants, a marina, and white sandy beaches a few steps away.