Tavolara Island

Overview and Geography

• Limestone Massif: Tavolara is a striking, dramatic limestone mountain rising 560 meters above sea level. It measures approximately one kilometer wide and four kilometers long, featuring sheer cliffs that drop vertically into the sea.

• Geological Uniqueness: Unlike its neighboring island Molara—which is granitic—Tavolara is a true limestone mountain. Classical mythology links this massive rock formation to the petrified ship of the Phaeacians, steered by Poseidon after escorting Ulysses home.

• Marine Protected Area: Tavolara, alongside the Coda Cavallo promontory, forms part of the Tavolara and Punta Coda Cavallo Natural Marine Protected Area, a zone of exceptional ecological, scientific, and naturalistic value stretching from Capo Ceraso down to Cala Finocchi.

Cultural and Historical Landmarks

• The Kingdom of Tavolara: Tavolara holds the historical distinction of being celebrated as the world’s smallest independent kingdom. The dynasty began in 1807 when Giuseppe Bertoleoni landed on the island, established a home, and proclaimed himself King Giuseppe I. In 1839, King Charles Albert of Sardinia visited the island for a hunting trip and formally recognized Paolo Bertoleoni (Giuseppe’s son) as King of Tavolara. Although its annexation to the Kingdom of Italy was never officially regularized, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom formally acknowledged its sovereignty in 1900, housing a photograph and description of the royal family as the “smallest kingdom in the world” in Buckingham Palace.

• The Golden-Toothed Goats: A famous local legend tied to the island’s royal history involves wild goats that grazed freely on Tavolara and developed a distinct golden coloration on their teeth, purportedly caused by feeding on a specific endemic plant on the island.

• Cultural Events: Every July, the island hosts a renowned, non-competitive Italian film festival entitled Una Notte in Italia (“A Night in Italy”), celebrated for its relaxed atmosphere and wild natural backdrop.

Key Locations and Infrastructure

• Punta dello Spalmatore di Terra: Located on the western side facing mainland Sardinia, this sand-and-pebble strip serves as the primary civil settlement area on the island. It hosts the Spalmator di Terra beach, a boat landing pier connecting to Porto San Paolo, the Da Tonino restaurant (run by descendants of the Bertoleoni family), and Villa Marzano, owned by the Counts Marzano. It formerly housed the historic Monumental Cemetery of the Bertoleoni family before their remains were moved to La Maddalena.

• Punta dello Spalmatore di Fuori and Punta Timone: Situated on the eastern side facing the Tyrrhenian Sea, this headland splits into two small bays: Cala di Ponente (hosting a military port) and Cala di Levante (housing the narrow Cala di Levante beach).

• Military and Navigation Facilities: The eastern side hosts a modern maritime navigation lighthouse (Faro nuovo di Tavolara) and a long-range, very-low-frequency NATO telecommunication military base managed by the Italian Navy, easily identified by its towering antennas over 200 meters high.

• Arco di Ulisse and Grotta del Papa: Near Punta del Papa (the easternmost point of the island), natural erosion has carved the Arco di Ulisse, a majestic rock arch formed by the collapse of an ancient cave vault. Above it stand the ruins of the 50-meter-high Old Lighthouse where Guglielmo Marconi inaugurated a radio bridge in 1928, beneath which lies the Grotta del Papa featuring Neolithic human silhouette graffiti.