The islet Tavolara is a limestone and granite mountain, reaching 565 meters above sea level.
It is part of the protected marine area of Tavolara-Punta Coda Cavallo, which also includes two smaller islets: Molara and Molarotto.
On the islet rocky stretches, apparently devoid of vegetation, alternate with areas covered by lush Mediterranean scrub, sandy beaches and cliffs overlooking the sea..
It has a long history of human occupation. Some very important pictograms can be seen in the Popes Caves, dating back to the Bonu Ighinu Culture (4000-3400 BC) and recent excavations have proven the use of the island for trade exchanges between the Etruscans and Nuragics.
Tavolara is known as the smallest reign of the world. Indeed at the beginning of the 19th century the Genoese Giuseppe Bertoleoni landed on the uninhabited island and settled there, devoting himself mainly to goat breeding. Legend has it that in 1836, King Carlo Alberto of Savoy, on a visit to Tavolara, grateful for the hospitality received, tacitly enfeoffed the island to Giuseppe and his descendants. The last descendant of this family, Tonino Bertoleoni, has now adopted the title of king of Tavolara.
Since July 1991 it has hosted "Una Notte in Italia" (A night in Italy) film festival, an event that has always placed emphasis on the environmental enhancement of the island and which every year involves artists from the world of cinema and culture.
You can reach the island with various boats departing from Porto San Paolo, about 21 km away from the port of Olbia. It is also possible to rent dinghies departing from other points of the coast.
The islet is partially accessible to people with disabilities.
