Island features

The island of San Pietro is sited on the south west of Sardinia, 7 miles away from the coast, its surface is 52 square kilometers and the circumvolution is around 18 miles. The highest point is Guardia dei Mori 208 meters. The only village in the island is Carloforte, it was founded in 1737 during the Carlo Emanuale III kingdom by a family group of Ligurian fishermen coming from Tabarka in Tunisia where they had risied and worked for more than two centuries, That's why Carloforte's inhabitants are called Tabarkini. At present live about 6.900 persons on the island working, in prevalence, in the maritime sector, fishing and turism. The coast has many beaches, comfortable cliffs, inaccessible cliffs, creeks, holds and caves of variuos size. The inland is full of pine trees and mediterranean bush, where the wild rabbits proliferate easily while along the coast it's easy to see the queen's hawk, in the salt-pan waters the pink flamingo lives for many months a year.

 

Folk Traditions

Carloforte is strongly tied to its origins, the west ligurian riviera dialect has been handed on from generation to generation untill today, the village architecture is tipical of the coastal ligurian villages, the vast terraced land cultivation made by stone walls recalls that of the original region. Every 29 th of June, on San Peter's day, a picturesque sea procession is organized. Many lateen sail regattas take place throughout the year, the partecipants are a mixture of inveterate racers and sea lovers. Tipical tradition and resource is the 'mattanza' (passing by tuna fishing) that has kept since ever the end of May, from that comes the specialization in the art of the tuna cuisine in all the possible variances as : the bottarga, the musciame, the tonnina, the gurresi, the buzzonaglia, the heart and the mythicol carlofortinian tuna. There are many tipical dishes, first of all the cascà, a variation of the arab cuscus, made of flour steamed, dressed with season vegetables and special spices. The curzetti, (hand made pasta), the cassola (fish soup), the capponata (tipical sailor plate with ship-biscuits wet in sea water), the farinata with chick-pea meal, the bobba (broad beans soup) and many others, unforgettable are various kinds of sweets.

 

How to get to

By airplane :

From the Italian and International main airports daily flights to Cagliari Elmas. It's necessary to have a vehicle waiting for you in Elmas or to rent a taxi, because public transport to the port of shipment (Portovesme, Valasetta) is limited and slow.

By ship without car :

From Civitavecchia to Cagliari (Tirrenia). From Genova to Cagliari (Tirrenia). From Cagliari harbour a coach takes about 2 and half hours to reach Portovesme or Calasetta, ports of shipment to the island (30/40 minutes ferry-boat).

By ship with car :

Civitavecchia-Arbatax-Cagliari (Tirrenia), Genova-Cagliari (Tirrenia), Civitavecchia-Olbia (Tirrenia), Civitavecchia-Golfo Aranci (Sardinia, FS), Livorno-Olbia (Navarma), Genova-Porto Torres (Tirrenia). Landing at Olbia, Golfo Aranci or Porto Torres follow the signs to Cagliari and than to Iglesias on the SP130, than follow the signs to Portovesme. The line Civitavecchia-Cagliari stops at 5 pm at Arbatax, it's a good idea to land there and drive along the beatifull road 'orientale sarda' untl Cagliari, the journey takes about two hours.

Swimming:

Thoughtless

Road distances, Miles :

Porto Torres-Cagliari 152, Golfo Aranci-Cagliari 185, Olbia-Cagliari 173, Arbatax-Cagliari 90, Cagliari-Portovesme 50, Cagliari-Calasetta 60

Distances in nautical miles :

Fiumicino 270, Elba island 313, Genova 350, Cagliari 75, Capri 334, Trapani 232, Tabarka (Tunisia) 140, Gibilterra 800

 

Pictures

Pictures
the 'Skipper' Punta Nera Grotte Mezzaluna Colonne
Becco
Cala Fico Cala Vinagra Punta Colonne
Conca 1 Conca 2 Girin Mezzaluna
The Harbour Lateen sail The Salt-pan Windsurf at Sunset
Autumn The Mushroom Nasca Fishermen

 

Maps

Maps
Italy
Sardinia Southern Sardinia
Sulcis San Pietro Harbour

 

Statistical data

Annual Values per person
Carloforte Sardinia Italy
Total Taxes 136 Euro 70 134
Total Trasfers 275 Euro 539 284
Trasfers within the State 153 Euro 275 235
Trasfers within the Region 123 Euro 261 55
Total Public Revenue 487 Euro 726 610
Total Public Expenditure 470 Euro 665 549
Expenditure Instruction 79 Euro 99 77
Expenditure Social Activity 177 Euro 203 159
Expenditure Economical Activity 22 Euro 16 26
Expenditure Municipal Cleansing 84 Euro 37 55
Proceeds Municipal Cleansing 40 Euro 29 46
Rubbish Collected 417 Kg 384 Kg 389 Kg