He who has always considered the island a sort of "buen retiro", a place to find peace and privacy away from the business and political life and the frenzy of the buildings and offices in Rome and Milan.

His favorite place was, of course, Villa Certosa, a 4,500 square meter residence with a 120-hectare park near Punta Lada, in Porto Rotondo, a favorite destination for rest and relaxation, where the Knight over the years has also hosted of state and government, such as George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin, Josè Zapatero and Josè Maria Aznar.

The photos of the latter's stay on the Costa Smeralda went around the world, for the entertainment organized by the histrionic Cav, who improvised some songs from the Italian popular tradition with his trusty Apicella on the guitar.

A fortress – Villa Certosa – almost impenetrable to prying eyes. Almost, because someone succeeded: the photographer Antonello Zappadu, who captured dozens of shots of what was happening inside, collected in a book entitled: "I present to you Berlusconilandia".

A volume, Zappadu himself said in 2019, «which in addition to the trials cost me searches, seizures of computers, photographic cards and various material. But I did it for that damned ideal of always reporting the truth, always in the front row, as a good journalist must do, even at the cost of hurting himself».

But the relationship between Silvio Berlusconi and Sardinia was also marked by repeated crowds during the electoral campaigns: from the political to the regional ones, passing through the administrative ones, over and over again the Knight traveled the island from north to south, participating in rallies and conferences, including souvenir photos, applause and protests.

Without missing the surprise "blitzes", such as in Cagliari, in the Pirri district, to taste one of the pastas from the Mariuccia bar, accompanied by coffee, smiles and handshakes.

(Unioneonline)