Carloforte, an island within an island

Carloforte is the only inhabited center on the island of San Pietro, belonging to the Sulcis archipelago. The island is located 10 kilometers south-west of Sardinia, the region to which it belongs. Carloforte rises 10 meters above sea level and has 6,500 inhabitants. Its province of belonging is Southern Sardinia, formerly Carbonia-Iglesias. Carloforte is stretched along the slope of the eastern coast of the islet and is a very popular seaside resort for its crystal clear waters. Clearly it is exclusively for tourist traction. Legend has it that the Apostle Peter, on his way to Cagliari, was surprised by the storm and found shelter on the island then named after him. In the upper part of the town we find the fort, remains of fortifications and defensive walls; in the fort today a civic museum shows the various historical phases of the islet and boasts a valuable collection of shells. Interesting is the tower of San Vittorio from 1768, a defensive outpost, now home to an astronomical observatory. Churches of medium interest are that of San Carlo Borromeo from 1738 and that of San Pietro, from the eighteenth century but built on a previous religious building from 1200.