he Italian island of San Pietro hides one of Sardinia’s best-kept secrets just a 40-minute ferry ride from the mainland. With crystal-clear waters rivaling the Caribbean and a cultural fusion unlike anywhere else in Italy, this hidden Mediterranean paradise offers a refreshing escape from Sardinia’s more trafficked destinations.

A cultural melting pot frozen in time
What makes San Pietro truly unique is its surprising cultural heritage. The main town of Carloforte was settled by Ligurian fishermen from Genoa in the 18th century who had previously lived in Tabarka, Tunisia. Today, locals still speak Tabarchino, a Ligurian dialect that sounds nothing like Italian or Sardinian.