San Pietro Island

This small island is located in the authentic heart of southern Sardinia. The Island of San Pietro was known in ancient times as a safe haven for sailors in the Mediterranean. Carloforte is the only city on the island and you can get there on daily ferries from Calasetta and Porto Vesme. If you have a few days in Sardinia, you should take the ferry and stay a night at the Riviera Hotel on the island.

The city of Carloforte is made up of low-rise buildings and narrow streets typical of seaside villages in Italy. One curious thing is that three-wheel vehicles of all stripes are very common here. If you take the seaside promenade (which, by the way, becomes a lively hot spot at night), you'll easily reach the ferry docks and see Piazza Carlo Emmanuelle III with its monument to the eponymous king from the House of Savoy. Nearby, you'll find the Church of San Carlo, built in 1738. Take the time to have a stroll through the square and soak up the traditional Sardinian atmosphere. If you head through the narrow streets you'll reach the Castello district, the oldest one in the city and home to the ancient city walls, the fort, and the Lion's Gate.

Carloforte is a great place to experience the slow rhythm of island life. In Carloforte, the day begins with a breakfast of Genovese-style focaccia that you get from a beachfront bakery. After, you can pick up a newspaper and head to the square to find a sunny table. Your choice of beaches depends, above all, on which way the wind is blowing that day.

To get to the beaches on San Pietro, you need a car or at least a scooter. You can bring your own form of transportation to the island on the ferry or rent a scooter once you arrive. The beaches are close to town, but still not close enough to go walking. A bike would also be a good choice. The beaches on the island are sandy and many of them have sun chairs and umbrellas for rent. Others are completely virgin. Guidi beach has a small snack bar where you can get a tuna, tomato, and caper sandwich.