What do you expect from a holiday? The answer to this type of question is very personal and dependent on the wishes of each of us. If your reply would be sea, culture, relax and nature the ideal destination may be represented by a small Sardinian stretch of coast characterized by two small villages on the sea: Calasetta and Carloforte.
These two small municipalities, Calasetta on the peninsula of Sant'Antioco and Carloforte on the neighbor island of San Pietro, both situated in the south western coast of Sardinia, may be considered as unusual tourist destination out of the ordinary places for a beach holiday. Separated between them by a small stretch of sea, they preserve from ages unchanged life rhythms, traditions and surrounding nature.
Borned as fishermen small towns, they face the sea and are surrounded by places still wild where rocky coasts are alternated with small sandy coves. The wind has modelled this Sardinian corner creating sometimes surprising natural sculptures in the cliffs or sandy dunes enclosed by the typical Mediterranean vegetation.
Calasetta and Carloforte offer typical Mediterranean atmospheres. The low buildings which form their city centers remember the ones of the small villages in Tunisia and the similarities between the two places are not confined to the urban architecture.
The first inhabitants arrived from Tabarka, a small town of Tunisia, but were originally from Liguria in Italy. They were forced to leave Tunisia because of fish shortage and poor relationships with the Arabic people. The Ruler of the Sardinian kingdom at the time, Carlo Emanuele III di Savoia, allowed the fishermen to live on the small island of San Pietro. In honour of the king the fishermen called their brand new city Carloforte.
During the 18th century other people with common origins reached them still from Tabarka where they lived enslaved by the Arabic population. It was born this way a unique cultural mixture still present today and manifested in the language, traditions and enogastronomy.
The local dialect influenced by the Ligurian, the enogastronomy with classic recipes such as the cascà which is very similar to the Arabic cous cous, join the Sardinian tradition and nature creating a fascinating ensamble.
These places are in our opinion an ideal destination to spend a different and regenerating holiday. The accommodations have a good quality and rates and fulfill the needs of different customers: charming hotels with pool, holiday homes, small apartment hotels or bed and breakfasts with a family atmosphere are excellent solutions to savour this small and fascinating world.
Luca Frau
Domus&TourA special thank goes to Abigail Northam
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