Carloforte , Isola Di San Pietro and the Sardinian coast up to the beautiful dunes of piscinas. In this article I would like to analyze an area that is in many ways wild and that we personally liked it very much. The Island of San Pietro is of clear volcanic origin with high, rocky coasts and which hides fantastic inlets with sandy parts. The Sardinian coast that goes from Portoscuso (a small port city that connects Carloforte with Sardinia by ferries and boats) to the north is very rich. History, wild nature and places in some ways unexplored by mass tourism. Let's analyze Carloforte as the main HUB and then what there is to see in the surroundings not only on the island of San Pietro but also along the Sardinian coast.
What to see in Carloforte
INDEX
1) CARLOFORTE, NEBIDA AND MASUA
Before saying what there is to see in this city, we need to take a step back in time, essential to understand how different this place is from the rest of Sardinia. At the beginning of the 18th century Sardinia passed from Spain to the Savoy and the inhabitants of an islet in Tunisia , which was a Ligurian colony, were transferred to the island of San Pietro. Thus they began to build the castle with the walls first and then the village was formed, right in front of the port. The history of Carloforte began and it is currently the only town on the Island of San Pietro. The first thing we recommend is to admire the walls of the old city, perhaps turning in the middle of the small alleys, between churches and ducal buildings. The marina is also worth seeing, perhaps early in the morning when local fishermen arrive. It will also be in those moments that through the dialect, lifestyle and habits you will realize that the island has a Ligurian tradition. We advise you to get to La Punta, the view over the whole island will be breathtaking.
On the Sardinian coast , on the other hand, some towns should be noted, the first being Portoscuso , located in the center of Sulsic and the main port that connects Sardinia with the island of San Pietro. In this area, naturalistic pearls and archaeological sites make it sa mistress. Continuing north I must absolutely recommend two locations that have aroused enormous interest on our part. There are some of the most beautiful beaches in the South West, but not only that, there is also the authenticity of the village and tradition linked to the mines: Masua and Nebida . The first is the land of Porto Flavia , the tunnel mine of about 600 meters that comes out directly into the sea and which was essential for the transport of the minerals obtained from the excavations in the rocks of the hinterland. These were in fact transferred through the tunnel directly to the ships for sale in northern Europe. Porto Flavia, as well as an incredibly suspended work between the sky and the sea, was a stroke of genius that drastically reduced the costs of transporting minerals. Another place to see is Nebida , home to one of the most significant examples of industrial archeology, Laveria La Marmora , located in front of one of the most beautiful natural monuments in Sardinia, the Pan Di Zucchero.
2) THE BEACHES IN THE AREA
The Island of San Pietro is known for its indented coast which preserves and preserves however, beautiful sandy coves or with medium-sized grains. A beach that we point out above all on the west coast is La Caletta . In addition to this also Bobba and Girin , nearby it is possible to admire the beautiful stacks of trachyte, called Columns . Moving from Carloforte and the island of San Pietro we go to see some interesting beaches on the Sardinian coast, first of all the Buggerru area, a beach of very fine sand overlooking the blue sea, is one of the main beaches of the mining Sulcis Iglesiente. Another noteworthy location that brings many tourists every year are the majestic dunes of Piscinas , the pearl of the green coast, a yellow-ocher desert that is constantly moved by the wind and shaded by the luxuriant Mediterranean scrub. It is a landscape that leaves you breathless with its colors and shapes, the dunes reach 60 meters and extend several kilometers until they dive into the sea, here the mistral is the undisputed king of the coast.
These beaches just mentioned are not the only ones, on the contrary, they are the most popular. Below you will see a sequence of remote beaches that can be reached by car or through trekking and which are located in the immediate vicinity of Carloforte, so they are inevitably worth seeing and exploring. Don't forget us travel planner we absolutely encourage the discovery of remote and off the beaten track areas, but not only that, we also recommend choosing a beach based on the weather condition (may or may not be exposed to winds), based on kind of travellers (perhaps if you are a family I would prefer to recommend a beach with services rather than a remote one that can be reached after 50 minutes of trekking) and at your needs and passions. Choosing our service will be fundamental, before and during your vacation. Enjoy the show.
3) WHAT TO DO (OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES)
What to see in Carloforte and surroundings, but beyond that, what activities to do? It is clear that, as in the whole Sardinian coast, it will be possible to make excursions by boat or by raft , a very interesting one that lasts a few hours is the one in the Masua area. In many beaches they also rent SUPs and canoes to explore the coast well and maybe get closer to the various natural monuments, see Pan Di Zucchero . In Carloforte and therefore on the island of San Pietro we have some advice on activities to do such as a visit to the trap of Carloforte that we recommend with a guide (you will discover many curiosities), trekking near the Nasca pool and admire the columns of Carloforte , also easily reachable by car. We have not yet mentioned the splendid piscinas dunes on the Sardinian coast, here a horseback ride with the sunset will be an experience that you will carry with you for a long time.
4) ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
On the island of San Pietro it is certainly interesting to see the walls of the historic part of Carloforte and the various military fortresses used during the Second World War, many located along the coast. In the coastal area of Sardinia up to the dunes, there are some archaeological sites of incredible importance, including domus de janas, necropolis and nuragic complexes such as the Monte Sirai nuragic park . Among all, however, there is a very interesting path that unfortunately we have not yet had the opportunity to do but it is in our Bucket list, it is the Sulcis Iglesiante mining route, a series of treks totaling nearly 400 km that take you to explore abandoned mining villages, geological formations, archaeological remains, mining structures and lots of nature that in some cases has taken over. It is an interesting route that we have officially included in our itineraries, for those who clearly will be interested in it.
5) TYPICAL DISHES
Carloforte is synonymous with Red Tuna , in fact almost everyone knows the very famous Girotonno di Carloforte which is usually held in the last days of June. An ancient tradition in which the millenary culture of tuna shows its best side in this corner of paradise between art, food and wine, music and entertainment. It can therefore be deduced that one of the typical dishes of the island is precisely that linked to red tuna, made alla carlofortina then seared tuna fillets in a pan, but also tasty first courses with red tuna and cherry tomatoes and the magnificent raw red tuna tartare ( knocked down) to be tasted as an appetizer. Another noteworthy dish is Cus Cus Tabarchino , a dish made with steamed semolina with vegetables and spices. In Sulcis , Catalan-style lobster, fregola with seafood and bottarga, especially in pieces, are also typical. We enjoyed a lot in Carloforte and its surroundings, where we not only saw attractions and beaches but also tasted some of the famous dishes of the local cuisine.
