Tavolara Island
A mountain of limestone and granite 500 m high that sprouts from the sea with its vertical walls. Its ecosystem has been preserved intact in virtue of the difficulty in landing that over the centuries have preserved it from anthropical development. The eastern side, a military zone, is inaccessible, whereas on the other side is a low strip, called Spalmatore di Terra (literally: Spreader of Earth), where beaches, a dock, two typical restaurants and some house are found. Together with the nearby islands of Molara and Molarotto, on which 150 specimens of mouflon live, they form a marine park.
Its granite edges are pierced by caves and niches. On the sandy strip of Spalmatore di Terra grow sea lilies while the rock are covered with bushes of juniper, helichyrisum, rosemary and lentisk. But the island is also the home to many beautiful specimens of flora like the Erodium coricum, a variety of geranium and the Asperula deficiens, rare, that only lives on this island. It is said that during the last century Carlo Alberto, king of Piedmont and Sardinia, disembarked on the island in search of the mythical goats of the golden teeth (phenomenon caused by a grass that causes these reflections), and had remained so spellbound by it as to nominate its only inhabitant, Paul Bertolini, "king of Tavolara".
In summer Tavolara is easily reached from Olbia. The waters of the reserve, that contain submarine landscapes engraved in the blue depths, can be explored with guided dives in a number of places. For instance, to the south of Tavolara, at Teddja Liscia, where astree, red starfish, grouper, but also yellow Gorgonie appear among the ravines and the burrows in the blocks of limestone. Among the areas which overlook the coast of the island, the La Cinta beach, around 5 km long, covered in white sand and pervaded by the scents of juniper, rosemary, and lentisk, is considered as being a corner of paradise, unique in the world. From some years Tavolara has served as backdrop to an interesting summer cinema review, that involves artists of great fame and draws an impassioned crowd.
Contents by www.sardegnaturismo.it.
How to reach...
View the virtual route (Flash Player required).
