Cagliari: San Pietro Island and Carloforte Tour

Benefit from hotel pick-up in the Domus de Maria and Chia area in the south of Sardinia, and then take a scenic drive towards Calasetta to board a ferry to San Pietro Island.

Carloforte, with its colorful sights and its harbor, is one of the most enchanting towns in Sardinia and will steal your heart any time of the year. The town preserves the language, customs and culture of Liguria because of its colonization by some families who were originally from Pegli but came from Tabarka, Tunisia.

The Church of Novelli Innocenti, dedicated to a tragic shipwreck, the cinema and theater Giuseppe Cavallera, known as "U Palassiu," and the church of Our Lady of the Castaway are fine examples of architectural beauty. On the seafront, it is particularly pleasant to photograph the monument to Carlo Emanuele III of Savoy, inaugurated in 1786, with the sea in the background.

The coasts in the vicinity are the jewel of the island. Bobba, wild and bright, or Cala Fico and its sea bed colorful with fish, are just some of the must see destinations. The Columns, two steep cliffs 16 meters high that plunge into the topaz sea, provide a perfect backdrop for pictures.

One of the best experiences you can have in Carloforte is undoubtedly enjoying the local specialties. Every year, between May and June, the city explodes in a festival of lights, music and live cooking competitions and events known as the Girotonno, in honor of the ruling fish of the island, made with thousands of imaginative recipes. In April, the picturesque Festival of Tabarkan Couscous, a historical Genoese interpretation of the delicious Tunisian dish, is also quite the event.

Upon arrival, take a tour on the island with a local guide, and get the chance to stop and swim in the sea. Take souvenir photos of the amazing landscape, from the picturesque beaches to the dramatic cliffs and rock formations of the sea. Formed by volcanic activity, the island boasts a hilly interior and typical Mediterranean flora of juniper and pine trees.

Visit the historical center of Carloforte, founded in the 18th century by around 30 families of coral fishers from Genoa. Learn more about the local traditions and get the chance to encounter dolphins and other wildlife including native falcons.

Your local guide will be keen to make the tour as personal as possible. He will assist you with his expertise and recall interesting anecdotes for you before driving you back to your hotel.