In the southwestern part of Sardinia, in the Sulcis archipelago, there is a beautiful historic village, one of the most beautiful on the island, founded by Ligurian families. Carloforte is a Ligurian enclave in Sardinia: it preserves the language and culture of its founders, families of fishermen from Pegli and those who come from the Tunisian island of Tabarka (where they have lived since the 16th century). In 1738, the Tabarkians acquired from King Carlo Emanuele III. permission to colonize the island of San Pietro, which was uninhabited and called degli sparvieri (of hawk sparrows) since the days of the Phoenician settlement (from the 8th century BC), then the Punic one, as evidenced by the local church and necropolis. Fishermen of the same origin also founded the village of Calasetta on the opposite island of Sant’Antioco 40 years later. Carloforte, still closely linked to Pegli and Genoa, is the island’s only populated center with 6,000 inhabitants. You will be enchanted by the narrow streets and corners going up the hill with colorful houses and wonderful views of the sea, its small harbor and the old walls, of which the watchtowers and a large part of the walls have been preserved, including the so-called Lion Gate (Porta del Leone). In the architecture of the town, which is included on the list of the most beautiful places in Italy, it is possible to highlight the so-called Palassia from the beginning of the 20th century, today serving as the theater-cinema of Giuseppe Cavallera and the church of Madonna of the shipwrecks, that owns a wooden statue worshiped by Tabarkians, which was a symbol of faith, unity and solidarity of this community. There is also a strong devotion to St. Peter, who has always been considered the saint patron of fishermen and artisans, and to whom the annual festival on June 29 is dedicated. Worth seeing on the waterfront is the monument to Carlo Emanuele III, a three-statue marble sculpture (dated 1786) with the monarch at its center, after whom Carloforte is named. In the Spalmadureddu area stands the Tower of San Vittorio, a defense base with trachyte blocks that became an astronomical observatory in 1898. Since 2016, it has served as a multimedia Museum of the Sea, which tells the history of this location. After all, the sea is an essential part of local identity. The coast of the island of San Pietro is a harmony of alternating rocky cliffs and bays. The local cuisine is an unforgottable experience. From the end of May to the beginning of June, an international gastronomic event focused on culinary specialties and live cooking takes place here – Girotonno, when local tuna becomes the main ingredient of fantastic recipes. Last but not least, it is also necessary to mention the picturesque Cus Cus Tabarkino festival held on April 25, with a program from the cuisine to the cinema with Crêuza de mä, an event dedicated to film soundtracks. In the north you will find the romantic bay of Cala Vinagra, in the northwest the fjord that ends with the charming beach of Cala Fico, in the west the headland of Capo Sandalo, which is dominated by Italy’s westernmost lighthouse from the 19th century. In the south, you can admire the unique scenery of La Bobba beach, the cliffs of Conca and Le Colonne, two rocky chimneys rising from the sea that are the symbol of Carloforte.