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A historical bulwark against pirates and symbol of a town with unique origins, it stands guard over the two major islands of Sulcis, Sant'Antioco and San Pietro, in the south-west of Sardinia

When it was designed and built, there was almost nothing around it, beyond the desire for a calmer future. In the years that followed, small white houses began to spring around it, along a network of narrow roads. It was inhabited by families of settlers from the Tunisian island of Tabarka, exhausted by years of harassment. Calasetta was officially founded in 1770, occupying the north-western end of Sant'Antioco, but for thirteen years the territory and the stretch of sea between the largest island of the Sulcis archipelago and that of San Pietro had already been monitored and protected by the imposing tower that still stands in the town's historic centre. Built in blocks of volcanic stone on a rocky base, the tower has a truncated cone shape and, from its height of eleven metres, affords a view of 20 kilometres. It is composed of two overlapping rooms: the lower one was used as a cistern, while - four metres from the base - there is the entrance to a circular chamber, divided into several rooms. A staircase cut into the thickness of the wall leads to the parade ground. The garrison consisted of a varying number of soldiers, ranging from three to sixteen, under the command of an Alcaide, or commander. Today the ground floor houses an archaeological museum, focusing in particular on artefacts from the Phoenician-Punic era, while the room on the first floor is used for events and temporary exhibitions. The fortress inspired the name of one of the island’s most popular beaches (‘Sottotorre’ - Beneath the Tower), which stretches out into the bay at the foot of the tower. At Sottotorre, you can admire an evocative landscape of rolling sand dunes topped with juniper bushes. The sand is soft and fine-grained, and light grey in colour. On the left-hand side, a series of flat rocks are perfect for snorkelling. The sea is clear, turquoise and teeming with fish. The seabed remains shallow for several meters beyond the shore, making it suitable for children. It is north-west facing and exposed to the mistral, but at sunset it offers a picture-perfect setting, with the sun setting behind the island of San Pietro. There is no shortage of parking, refreshments and beach equipment rental services. In addition, it can be easily reached on foot from the town centre. In addition to Sottotorre, the other 'city' beaches in Calasetta are worth a day of sun and relaxation: Spiaggia Grande and Le Saline, with greenery-covered dunes that separate it from a lagoon. Following the coast southwards, the enchanting views of Mangiabarche, with a picturesque lighthouse, Cala Lunga and the pair of stacks at Nido dei Passeri await you. In the town, after having tasted the renowned local cuisine, of which tuna and Carignano wine stand out in particular, you can visit the museum of contemporary art (MACC).

Calasetta

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